Alrighty, thanks for all the reviews. For those of you still wondering why Yami's name is Ki, it's because I stuck my foot too far in my mouth to get it out. In the Japanese version of Yugioh both anime and manga, Yami is simply called "The Other Yugi" (Anyone that knows about him) or "The Other Me/My Other Self" (Yugi). I'm sure plenty of you know the Japanese phrases because they've only been used in five hundred fictions, so I won't type them. Ok, I know the people who translate the show for the silly little English users such as myself work hard at getting the words done not only correctly, but in a well enough fashion that it fits the movements of the character's mouths as well as time slots (apparently they don't have as many commercials in some countries or something...) and still make the plot work, but I still don't understand some of the stuff they apparently felt they had to change...
Calling Yami Ki instead of Yami is my stupid little way of rebelling against this stereotypical name that's been thrown into the dub (and remember, when I started this, I wasn't going to use Yami because the dub hadn't officially made that his name) and basically all the dubs mistakes.
Anyway, enough explaination and rambling...on withh the fiction!
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"Duel me?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I have more important things to do."
"Like what?"
"I need to find a way out of this place."
"Why?"
"Because I'm trying to get back to my friends."
"Why?"
"So we can figure a way out of this situation."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like the situation we're in."
"Why?"
Ki spun around and glared at Samson.
"If you ask that question one more time, I swear I'll bring forth my Curse of Dragon to incinerate you where you stand," he threatened.
Samson sat down and blinked up at Ki, looking oblivious as to why he was getting yelled at by the taller man. Ki growled low in his throat...usually such a glare would have the target shaking and the way his voice had lowered and dripped with venom would cause their pants to become uncomfortably wet. Yugi himself was shifting uncomfortably despite the fact he knew Ki's threats weren't real...at least he didn't think they were.
Ki glared for a few more seconds at Samson before whirling around and stalking off down the tunnel, Yugi following closely behind. They got about three feet before Ki felt a tap on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, tightened his hands into fists until the knuckles turned white, and clenched his jaw. His whole body vibrated with anger and annoyance, and Yugi pressed himself against the far wall.
"Yes?" Ki growled out.
"You look stressed. Why?"
Yugi's eyes darted around, looking for where the dragon would appear, but he instead got a surprise as Ki's whole body just melted out of it's tightened posture and the older boy sank to the floor, putting his hands over his face while his head shook vigorously back and forth. A wave of helplessness passed through Yugi from their bond, and he felt sorry for his other. Samson looked down at Ki for a few moments before breaking into a smile and patting the spirit's back.
"See! Relaxing's always good for you!"
Yugi decided now would be a good time to intervene since he could feel Ki's anger rising again.
"Samson, I noticed a pretty, green rock a couple of feet back there..." Yugi pointed in the direction he was speaking of. "Why don't you see if you can't get it for me? I'd be very happy."
Samson stood straight and saluted.
"Aye, aye, captain!" he shouted before running off. Yugi watched him go before bending down and resting a hand on Ki's shoulder. There was a mumble from his companion.
"Excuse me?" Yugi asked.
"I said, it's impossible to use Mind Crush when there's no mind to crush." Ki looked up at Yugi, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth from the joke. Yugi smiled back reassuringly.
"He'll probably leave us alone once we find an exit, considering he doesn't like light and all that," Yugi said.
"All the more reason to get out of this hole."
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"Pretty rock, pretty rock, oh how I love me pretty rocks!" Samson sang as he skipped down the tunnel, looking for the blue rock. No wait, Tim had said red, right? Or was it yellow?
A hand suddenly clamped over Samson's mouth, and he was pulled into an alcove. He was released and spun around to find a white haired boy leaning against the wall. Samson jumped up and down happily.
"Another friend! Oh, we're so lucky today, aren't we Fred?!" he asked the wall. The spirit rolled his eyes before pushing off of the wall and walking over to Samson.
"Listen, you over-grown mud pile. I am not anyone's fri-OW!" The Spirit of the Ring yelped as his hair was roughly pulled. Samson pulled the white strands closer to him, rubbing his cheek against them.
"Pretty!" Samson exclaimed, grabbing more. The spirit roughly twisted away, glaring murderously at the filth before him. Samson smiled back, and reached for more hair. "Bakura" grabbed his wrist and twisted his hand painfully before releasing it. Samson backed away and held his wrist like a wounded animal, even letting out a whimper. The spirit smirked and raised his hand as if to strike the man before him, and the smile grew as Samson cringed away. If only "Yugi" (the man snorted at the spirit's tact) had known a little force would keep the insane idiot quiet.
"Good. It seems you know who is the master here," he said to the whimpering man. Samson pouted.
"You're even meaner than Yugi!" Samson accused.
"Yes, I suppose so." The Spirit of the Ring smiled a little gentler this time. "You work for Pegasus. I assume you want to please him?"
"Oh yes. Master Winged Horse Man is very nice to Samson and his friends!" Samson nodded vigorously as he said this.
"Ah. So then you want to beat Yugi in a duel so your master will reward you?" The spirit already knew the answers to these questions, but he needed to go slowly for this half-wit in front of him. Samson could be very useful.
"Yes, yes!" Samson was brightening up again. But the smile soon changed to a frown. "But...but Mr. Mean Yugi Man won't duel with me."
"Yes, I know that," the spirit said.
"You're very smart! Does your white hair give you special abilities?" Samson looked a little fearful. "If it does, can I have some?!" "Bakura" closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. Despite what others might have believed, the white haired spirit could keep his temper.
"Do you want help in getting Yugi to duel you?" he asked once cooled down. Samson nodded again. Except this time his head didn't stop until the spirit grabbed his chin and stopped it himself. "Ok, then just listen to me."
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"Samson's been gone an awfully long time," Yugi said to Ki. The younger of the two had been looking behind him worriedly every five seconds for the past three minutes. Yugi was always concerned for everyone, even slight crazed men that worked for equally insane bosses. That and Samson hadn't been bugging him when they were together.
Ki on the other hand...
"Good," he grunted, trudging forward.
"Ki, that's not very nice," Yugi scolded. Ki rolled his eyes at the smaller.
"And if he knew you were really Yugi and constantly bugged you, I'm sure you would still be just as concerned as you are right now." Ki raised an eyebrow, and Yugi didn't confirm nor deny his statement.
"YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
Both spiky haired boys winced, then looked at each other. Ki was silently pleading with Yugi, and the boy took some pity on the ancient spirit. They both started sprinting as fast as they could in the opposite direction of the voice. They got a good thirty feet before Ki found himself sprawled on the ground, an excited Samson straddling his back.
"I found it, Tim!" Samson opened his hand to show Yugi a rather large dirt clod. Yugi bit down hard on his lip...to keep for laughing or groaning, he wasn't sure. Nodding to Samson (he dare not speak), he took the clod from him. Ki was cradling his chin in one hand while the other hand's fingers were drumming the ground impatiently.
"Oh, good afternoon Yugi!" Samson said, peering down at the body under him. "You look a little dusty."
"Samson. Get. Off. Me." Samson blinked, then rolled off Ki. Yugi helped his other up, and Ki dusted his front off. Samson jumped back in front of the two and pointed at Ki.
"Now, you will duel me!" he crowed. Ki rolled his eyes.
"I already told you..." he began.
"Samson knows the way out of the tunnels," the insane one interrupted. This stopped Ki's protest and made Yugi pay more attention to what he had to say rather than if Ki would kill him or not.
"And so you've let us wander around for hours with your wonderful company," Ki gritted out, "instead of helping us out?"
"Samson," Yugi said more calmly, "can you please tell us how to get out of here?" Samson shook his head.
"Uh-uh. Yugi's gots to duel me first. If Yugi wins, Samson shows you both the way out. If Yugi loses, then Samson will show Tim the way out and gets Yugi for his pet!" Samson jumped at Ki and started to pat his hair. The spirit jerked away. "Oh, and Samson also has starchips!" The insane one pulled a handful of chips out of his pocket. Ki looked over his gauntlet at the five remaining chips he had. He needed five more. And he needed to get out of this tunnel. And he needed to get away from Samson.
"I agree to your terms," he said. Samson jumped around happily. The white haired one had been right! Yugi tugged on the older boy's jacket.
"Um, Yugi, about the starchips..." Yugi began. Ki waved him off.
"Don't worry Tim. I'll win this for sure and then we can get back your Grandfather," he said. This was not only Ki's chance to get back to the others, but it was also his chance to begin making up to Yugi. Helping the boy win back his Grandfather's soul would help his image in the boy's eyes. He needed Yugi to believe in him again.
"Yeah, but Yugi..." Yugi tried again.
"Follow me to the arena then!" Samson chirped, bounding off down a side tunnel. Ki grabbed Yugi's hand to make sure the boy was keeping up and took off after. Yugi sighed, shaking his head. Ki wasn't listening to him...again! The spirit obviously thought his intentions were good, but his over-confidence and apparent distrust of Yugi's advice...Yugi had this foreboding sense that Ki was only rushing them into trouble again.