Sub-conscience: Squeeeer- squeeeiiiieee!!! /Hey, R Amythest's gone! And her party, too!/ *thinks* squeem, squee. . . /maybe I get to have fun. . ./ *sees note* Squee-rrrrrrreeeeee. . . /I knew there was a catch. . ./ *clears throat* Squeeooo- squriee- eee-eee- reeem, eeepeee eerm, squeee. . .  squee-e-e-eee-eerriieemm! SQUEE! /R Amythest doesn't own YuGiOh, but she claims to own her stupid Yami, and the Shadow Realm DDM. . . and me! NOT FAIR!/ *storms out*

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{

~Duel Monster speech through telepathy~

/Er. . . Sub-consience's translated speech?/

*~*~*

"Yami?" Yugi whispered as the ghostly form approached him.

"Yugi, I will be gone. . . forever, I fear," Yami said softly.

"Gone?" Yugi repeated fearfully.

Yami nodded. "But. . . I have one last thing to tell you."

"What?"

Yami hesitated. "I love you," he said, before planting a kiss on Yugi's forehead and disappearing. Yugi felt the place Yami kissed him, as he faded away.

Yugi woke up still touching his forehead. 'He loves me. . . loving Tea would be heavy betrayal. . .' Making up his mind, he prepared himself for the break-up that would never be forgiven.

*~*~*

Darkness surrounded him as the hallucination of his love disappeared into the distance. Ryouji went out to touch and grasp the last piece of sanity, but too soon. . . he was gone.

*~*~*

"Yugi, I can't be hearing this, WAKE ME UP! What did you say?" Tea asked frantically. Her hand tightened on the rose petal in her pocket, from the bouquet of flowers Yugi had given her.

Yugi's head drooped. "I'm sorry Tea." His voice was barely a whisper. "I do care for you. . . but my Yami comes first."

Bursting, Tea crushed the delicate petal, turned around quickly, and ran. Yugi felt a few wet drops splatter onto his cheek, but it couldn't be from Tea, could it? Or was it. . .

*~*~*

Tea locked herself in the bathroom stall and sobbed. Yugi wasn't her destined partner, he already had a lover. The other boys. . .  Ryou had Malik, although he didn't realize it (or didn't accept it). . . Seto was obviously not caring, and she saw him staring at Isis more than once now. . . Of course, Yugi loved Yami. Bakura loved Ishtar, although he didn't admit to it. Joey and Mai were naturals, and Tristen kept talking about 'this girl down the road.' Tea tightened her grip around the lock. "Does that mean the one I'm destined for was the one I started with?" she whispered. "But. . . how is this possible?"

*~*~*

Mai shouted at Joey's retreated back, something about dogs and fur coats. . . Tea sweatdropped while Mai stormed out. "Um. . . Mai?" she hesitated.

"Yeah, what?" Mai snapped.

Tea stared at Mai. 'Maybe this isn't the best time to ask. . . but. . .' "Do you think. . . I should forgive Ryouji?"

Mai stared at Tea in sorrow. 'Poor kid. . . she hasn't heard yet, has she?' "Tea. . . you should, you really should. But. . . it's too late. He's gone."

"Gone?" Tea wailed. "What'd he do?"

Mai turned around. "Four words. Dice in Shadow Realm." She strode out, leaving Tea speechless.

"But. . . why?" Mai didn't reply.

*~*~*

"Yugi, don't you know?" Tea sniffled. "I need to know. . . I need to. . ."

Yugi shook his head. "I told you already, I only know my piece is missing. I didn't even know until now Ryouji went to the shadow realm."

A hand grasped Tea's shoulder. "So you want to know why, missy?" a raspy voice hissed into her ear. Tea gulped.

"Yes?"

"Follow me."

*~*~*

Malik led Tea a good distance away from Yugi. They reached a cherry tree[1] and Malik sank down and nearly fell asleep. Tea gave Malik a poke. "Hey, we're here to discuss Ryouji, right?"

Malik jerked awake. "Ryou?"

"NO, Ryouji!"

"Oh sorry. I'm kinda tired from guarding the shadow realm. . ."

Tea's hopes jumped a little. "Right! So why did he go in there?"

The single question seemed to create a standstill. Memories whizzed past Tea of the times he let her down. . . the times he was overly arrogant. . . the time he almost forced Yugi to quit his favorite hobby. Malik stared at the sky, remembering the air Ryouji had said his statement. "I need to! It's the only thing I can do for Tea now!" Then his Yami's first romantic words. "You don't know love. . ." 'Well, maybe I do,' Malik thought, 'and maybe. . . I can help.' "Tea. . . he went there. . . for you."

"ME?! HE'S COMMITTING SUIDICE OR SOMETHING?!" Tea shrieked, jumping up and knocking a branch. A single cherry flower fluttered down and landed in Tea's hair.

Malik scooted back a little. "No, he's going in to retrieve Yugi's puzzle." Malik's eyes darted around. "He thought if he got it, maybe he could do a last act of kindness or something!"

}God. One more thing and I'd think you were a preacher. . .{

{. . .}

"Really?" Tea whispered. She was in tears now. So he did care. . . all along! But. . . what was with the insults? 'I guess I'll have to ask,' thought Tea. Aloud, she said boldly, "Malik! After school, you are taking me to the Shadow Realm!" Malik looked up in surprise.

"Okay, this is sooooooooooo not you Tea. Whose yami is possessing you now?"

"No kidding Malik!" Tea protested. "Ryouji's who I should've stuck with all along!"

Malik sighed. "Sorry. My Rod's energy-dry."

"Maybe Yugi's puzzle and Bakura's ring?" Tea suggested.

"Yeah. Probably. IF Yugi's puzzle was together in the first place," Malik mocked.

Tea sighed. "Fine. Bakura's ring. NOW WILL YOU?"

"Okay," Malik grumbled. "But Ryou's not going to let you in easy when he hears about this. . ."

'I wonder why.'

*~*~*

Tea hastened to keep up with Malik's strides. "We're just about there," he muttered. They reached the park, and Ishtar was staring at the endless realm, the Dragon Ra standing by his side. He noticed Tea and his hikari, and raised an eyebrow as if to say, "What's the deal with her?"

"Well, Yami, evidently Tea wants Ryouji again, and she's going to give the Realm a visit to do it," Malik muttered.

"Quite insane," Ishtar and Malik said at the same time. Tea tilted her head.

"Insane? You let Ryouji go, why not me?" she argued. She batted her eyelashes. "Plleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Sorry Tea. That's won't work on him. He's a- mmp!" Ishtar chuckled before Malik tackled his Yami.

Tea muttered under breath before climbing up a tree. "What the heck?" Malik exclaimed, getting off Ishtar, who shot him a glare.

"If you won't- or can't – get me up there, I'll have to get there myself!" she grunted. Keeping her balance on a branch, she edged closer towards the dark, swirling hole. 'I'm glad I take dancing and aerobics,' she thought as she managed to stay on the branch without falling. The realm was so close, so near. . .

ZAP!!

A lightning bolt flew towards Tea, and she tilted to avoid it. However, this action also made her lose her balance and she fell to the ground below. Ouch. Tea twitched and got up, relieved she didn't break a bone.

"See?" Malik grumbled. "You need a Millennium Item."

Tea shot him a glare. "Listen, can't you just do me a favor and get me up there?"

"Here's a try," Ishtar said. He aimed the rod at Tea, and it glowed faintly. Tea levitated slightly before the rod flickered and the aurora disappeared. Tea landed on the ground, extremely satisfied that there still were no broken bones. "Nopes. Go get your li'l' boyfriend Yugi to do it."

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Malik and Tea shouted in unison. "IF THE MILLENNIUM PUZZLE WERE WHOLE, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO RETRIEVE A PIECE IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Ishtar visually winced at the tone of their voices and quietly retreated into the Rod.

"So now we see Bakura?" Tea suggested. Malik looked reflective for a moment before blushing and timidly nodded. "Oh, so that's what Ishtar was about to say. . ."

*~*~*

"No, me 'n' my hikari[1] are NOT going to do it again!" Bakura roared.

"Where is he anyway?" Malik scowled.

Bakura gave him a glare. "None of your business!"

Ishtar materialized beside his hikari. "Yes it IS our business! Tell me now! Don't make me use this!" he held up the rod. Tea arched an eyebrow, knowing it was energy-dry. Maybe it was just a prop.

"I'm here, what do you want?" a weak voice said in the house.

"Ryou! GET YOUR #@%^$%^#%$#@^$%#%# BACK IN THERE!" Bakura shouted back into the empty house.

"Oh, so he's there. . . move aside!" Malik growled, shoving his way past Bakura. Ishtar followed in amusement, before being grabbed in the tank-top roughly by Bakura.

"We definitely need to talk," Bakura hissed in his ear before nibbling it. Ishtar relaxed a bit, blushing slightly. Tea cleared her throat and gave them a stare that meant, "This is NOT the time and place to do that!" They both blushed before entering the house.

Ryou was lying on the couch, Malik helping his bandage his newest gash. [2] Upon seeing the tomb robber, Malik stood up and stared at them. Tea knew they probably were going to kill each other or something. . . 'Boys,' she thought. "Okay, we're here to try to rescue someone! Not commit homicide!" Malik blinked innocently, and Bakura rolled his eyes. Ryou took this time as an opportunity to roll down his sleeve.

"She's right," Ishtar said, breaking the awkward silence, "we're here to borrow the ring."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"We need to get Tea into the shadow realm. . ."

"This all over again?"

"Yes. . ."

"Pah, use your own rod!"

"Er. . ." Ishtar fidgeted, "it's energy-dry."

"AHA! I KNEW IT!" Bakura shouted. "I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET YOU IN HERE YOU #$^%$%^#@$!@$!!!!!" Ryou sighed and forced his Yami back into the Ring.

"He means no," he explained.

Malik walked up to Ryou and stared at the ring, shouting, "WE'LL SEE WHO'S THE #$^%$%^#@$!@$! WHICH YAMI ABUSES HIS OWN HIKARI, EH?" Ishtar cleared his throat. "Er. . . currently!"

Ryou shook his head and sighed. "My head's ringing, please tone it down. . ."

"So can we borrow the ring?" Tea interrupted, getting back to the subject.

"Well," Ryou began.

"No!" Bakura finished. [3]

"Awww. . . please, Yami? I'll let you take over my body for a day! Pleeeeeaaaase?" Ryou whined, giving him the puppy eyes.

"Wow," Ishtar whispered to Malik, "I'd like to hear you say that." He just rolled his eyes.

Bakura imagined romping through town, not worrying about Ryou getting in the way while stealing drinks at the local bar. 'Muahahaha!' [4] "Fine then! Bring it on!"

*~*~*

[1] yes, I'm aware that's not correct grammar. Bakura's not a scribe, ya know.

[2] I don't know why I did that! I had to fit it in SOMEWHERE! It's a habit! Sorry, Sailor Millennium. . . But notice it's not frequent. Bakura's really got a good heart, he's just got to have ANGER MANAGEMENT! Seriously, buy him a punchbag. . . A NON-LIVING one.

[3] Meaning, Ryou said the 'well' and then Bakura took over and said 'no'

[4] okay, pretend Bakura and Ishtar have had a change of heart and now they're not the abusive-I-wanna-take-over-the-world type Yami, just the bully-type gang that robs Domino of its alcohol! ^_~

*~*~*

R Amythest: *walks back in as happy as can be*

Yami Amythest: *grinning ear to ear*

S-C: *isn't there*

R Amythest: YAY! I GOT RID OF SUB-CONSCIENCE! YAY!!!!!!!!

Yami Amythest: YAHOO!

R Amythest: yup, left her with Twill and Yams as a present-type thing! *unrolls the script* now for the fun part!

Yami Amythest: Ryou-glomping time?

R Amythest: nope, SAILOR MILLENNIUM'S BIRTHDAY! ^____________^ She's my penpal! I updated all three of my stories for her as a present!

Yami Amythest: *sighs*

R Amythest: ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it!

Additional note: if anyone, by chance, would like to view the catastrophic [Yami Amythest: choking contest] Yami! No, it's a birthday party gone wild, that's all. Just go to my story, "It Came With the Rising Sun," go to the last chapter updated, chapter 7, and scroll down to the endnote. You'll find it hilarious, believe me!