R Amythest: ^_^ yup, it's me, back with my fic!
Yami Amythest: Even though you're supposed to be doing a project. . .
R Amythest: ^_^;;; er. . . true. . .
Ryou: *sighs* don't try getting me to do it.
R Amythest: *holds up Ryou-Be-Mine*
Ryou: I can't if I wanted to. I don't live in your dimension.
R Amythest: *sighs* well. . . just this one chapter?
Yami Amythest: *grumbles* all right. . .
R Amythest: ^_^ YAY!
Italics show read print, emphasis, flashback, voice in phone, voice in head, or dream Emphasis during dream, flashback, phone calls, a voice in head, or read print'thoughts'
*~*~* = lapse of time and/or change of scene
[Ryou to Bakura over soul link]
]Bakura to Ryou over soul link[
{Malik to Ishtar over soul link}
}Ishtar to Malik over soul link{
*~*~*
"Attack!" Ishtar screamed as the monster lingered closer. The Dragon Ra attacked Exodia as it approached its master, but to little avail. Exodia blasted the dragon again, but Dragon Ra dodged it. Dragon Ra retaliated with a blast, but Exodia, being undefeatable, absorbed it. Ishtar had enough time to use his millennium rod to fend it off. Exodia flew over the park and over the horizon.
"Great going, me, now there's an Exodia on the run," Ishtar mumbled to himself, loosening his grip on the rod. "Probably going to fell a skyscraper. . ."
Ishtar separated from his hikari. "Look on the bright side," Malik joked, "the history teacher will finally believe the stuff about the shadow games." Ishtar sighed.
"After suffering the fate of Ancient Egypt," Ishtar grumbled.
"Not that I'd miss her."
"What about your precious-"
"YAMI!"
*~*~*
It was another day at Domino High. Kids rushing to school, teens betting that they'll beat their friend at Duel Monsters. . . But wait! Is that an EXODIA?! Yugi rubbed his eyes after seeing what he thought was the most powerful monster in existence. But after he opened his eyes, it was gone. 'Great, I hear voices in my head, I lost at Dungeon Dice Monsters, and now I'm hallucinating.' Dismissing it as a mirage, he continued his way towards the school.
*~*~*
Tea was running down the lane, scolding herself. 'Great day to oversleep, Tea, just when you have a calculus test!' Reaching the school, she heard the bell ring and the sight of the doors being locked. She nearly dropped her backpack. 'Now I'm tardy!' She sat down on the bench to brainstorm. How could she get inside, now that it was locked? There was no one at the door. . .
Then she saw it. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she caught a glimpse of something golden and large. Swiftly turning around, she saw. . . a skyscraper. She sighed. Tardiness always made her. . . crazy.
*~*~*
Ryouji grumbled as his teacher droned on. It was history, but it was boring, considering that they left the whole Shadow Games Dynasty[1] out. Stifling a yawn, he glanced over to where Seto was sitting. He was scribbling on a piece of paper. Ryouji leaned over to see what he was scribbling. He grew dizzy as he saw a series of 0's and 1's scrawled all over the paper. 'I should've known, binary code.' Being a game planner himself, he could've decoded it just for spite, but he decided against it.
He felt something bouncing off his side. He didn't bother to pick it up, until he heard Kaiba whisper, "It's for you, Otogi! And hurry up before Miss Ishtar behind you decides to pick it up!" He picked up the paper triangle and unfolded it. He facefaulted at the 0's and 1's.
'I should've known Kaiba would make things complicated,' he thought as he started the tedious job of decoding it.
*~*~*
The Exodia used its magic to make itself invisible. Making humans believe they were hallucinating was always fun, but for now, he'd have to be serious. He flew over the city, scanning the vast land.
Then he felt the tug. It was part of him, almost. . . it felt so. . . old. It was a sheer power he hadn't felt in ages. Grinning, it floated over to a house. The sign read 'Turtle Game Shop.'
*~*~*
"I. . . want. . . to. . . con- hmm. . . yeah, that's a g. . . r. . . a. . . congratulate! Yeah. . . y. . . o. . . u. . . you. . . u. . . p. . . o. . .n . . . upon. . . d. . . e. . . f. . . e. . . a. . . t. . . i. . .n. . . g. . . Yugi Mutou? Hmm. . . . I want to congratulate you upon defeating Yugi Mutou," Ryouji murmured, casting an offhand glance at Seto, who was (pretending to be) paying full attention to the teacher. Ryouji had muddled over his hate for Yugi stealing Tea so much, he memorized their name in every form- including binary code. Strange way to express hate, huh? But still. . . he didn't get what he wanted from the victory. He knew it was quite an honor to hear praise from Seto, but still. . .
*~*~*
Exodia was drawn towards the power coming out of the second floor. It peered in a small room, and there was a can with glittering, gold pieces. It used a magic to start removing the pieces from the can.
"Hey! Stop!" it heard someone yell. Solomon 'Grandpa' Mutou raced in the room and grabbed the pieces. Exodia broke his magical current and realized that he'd have to be happy with the one piece he already stole. It turned invisible again and flew over the city.
*~*~*
Ishtar stared at the shadow realm- swirling, churning. . .
Ishtar had separated from his hikari in order to watch it while Malik was at school. He had been watching over it for a long time now. . .
Exodia landed right next to Ishtar. He gave a yelp of surprise, before siccing the Dragon Ra on it. Exodia didn't care, as it entered the shadow realm. But Ishtar could've sworn it held a golden object.
*~*~*
Yugi was drowsy, and he was randomly doodling. The biology teacher droned on, and on, and on. . . Yugi yawned. The constant babbling lured Yugi into a relaxing sleep. . .
"Yugi. . ." the voice called.
"Yami? You're back again!" Yugi cried, embracing the spirit in a tight hug. "You're. . . alive!"
Yami's eyes softened. "Yes, but not for long. . ."
"Not. . . for long?" Yugi repeated fearfully. "What do you mean?"
Yami gripped his hikari tighter. "Not only has your defeat weakened my magical powers, but a piece of me is missing. . ."
"I piece of. . . you? Wait. . . you mean. . . a piece of the Millennium Puzzle?"
Yami nodded. "And. . . it's well beyond your reach. . . in the Shadow Realm."
"MUTOU!" the teacher screeched. Yugi jerked awake from his peaceful slumber.
"Yes ma'am?" he responded quickly.
The teacher muttered something before scribbling down detentions. Yugi sighed and rested his head on his desk. If only his Yami was really here. . . with him. But this discovery made him seem farther to reach.
*~*~*
]Ryou. . .[
[What now, Yami?] Ryou sighed, knowing it had to do with the shadow realm.
]THE PIECE OF THE MILLENNIUM PUZZLE ISN'T EVEN IN OUR DIMENSION ANYMORE![
[What?]
]It's in the shadow realm, you !@#%^@#!!!!]
Ryou thought about it. This was strange, his Yami actually caring about Yugi's Yami. [Why do you care?]
]. . . like it concerns you?[
Ryou cringed at the tone of his voice, expecting another blow. But it didn't come.
]Never mind. It's just that if the Shadow Realm opens up, we'll need the Millennium Puzzle to help close it.[ He sealed off the soul link. Ryou chuckled to himself and smiled. Maybe his Yami did have hidden feelings. ]Shut it, you. If I do, they're all with Ishtar. Oh crap, I can't believe I said that. . .[
*~*~*
"I tell you, Tea, it's gone!!!!" Yugi wailed, half hysterical. He couldn't stay still, and he was running around in circles.
"What do you mean it's gone?" Tea asked, puzzled at the hyper Yugi.
"What do you mean what do you mean it's gone? IT'S GONE!" he yelped. "Yami told me!" He tripped on the sidewalk, but didn't bother to get up. "Now I'll never get him back. . ." he sobbed.
Tea squatted down so that her face was level with his hair. "Yugi, Bakura and Malik might know where it is," she said soothingly, rubbing his back. Yugi started hiccupping like a baby.
"Maybe, and maybe not," he sniffed. "But he might be gone forever if it gets destroyed. And knowing the monsters, they don't want to get sealed away, and they're not going to give it away!!!!" He started sobbing again.
Ryouji approached the pair. "What's wrong?" he said softly.
Tea shot him an acidy glare. "A piece of the Millennium Puzzle is gone, okay? We don't need to get even more upset!" She 'humph'-ed and nudged Yugi a bit. "C'mon, Yugi, maybe a soda and a little talk with Joey, Tristen, and me will make you feel better," she soothed, helping him up. Yugi leaned on Tea's arm and sniffled as she led him away. Ryouji seemed to soften for a while before turning around and running- for the park.
*~*~*
"Plllleeeeeaaaase Malik?" Ryouji begged. "I need to! It's the only thing I can do for Tea now!" He was on his knees and acting like Malik was a god.
Malik stared down at him, and his Yami and he exchanged glances. "Even though you know you're going to get drained by the realm?" Ryouji wanted to go into the Shadow Realm to retrieve the last piece of the Millennium Puzzle. He reasoned that it would at least be an act of kindness in return to Tea. And if he died. . . well, at least no one will miss him, the jerk who broke so many hearts.
"Why won't you let me?" he said in exasperation. "What do you want?" Ishtar narrowed his eyes, nudged Malik, and smirked. His hikari glared back at him.
Well. . . if that was the only way. . . "A chance with Ryou?" Ryouji suggested, knowing that would be hard, but the only thing he could do. Malik flushed.
}C'mon hikari, you know you want to. . .{
{Why are you fighting on his side?}
}. . . you don't know love. NOW DO IT!!!!!!{
Malik stepped back a bit. "Oh fine," he muttered, pointing his Millennium Rod towards Ryouji. They both glowed with a dark light, and Ryouji hovered into the Shadow Realm.
"Hurry up! Your time is limited!" Ishtar shouted at Ryouji's retreating back. He nodded, and ran into the realm.
*~*~*
[1] I've always believed that the era that YuGiOh's talking about is a period of time, that probably lasted for around 200 years. Just call it a dynasty. It's probably some time during the new kingdom.
R Amythest: okay, so that was kind of weird. But it's essential! ^_^ and it's cute!
Yami Amythest: *sweatdrop* I think that was a cue to review. . . Oo! That rhymed! *runs off to be a poet*