Yeah! Ok, I got a warning for this chapter. EXTREME sappiness ahead. If you're diabetic, I suggest you turn back now...this chapter and the one to come after are all sweetness. ;)
Lady Wolf Moon, thanks for pointing that out. winces Don't ask me why, but I pause when I talk to think things over before I say them, and when I write, I pause with commas. So I can and usually do overuse them.
Two more things. Firstly, I want to remind my readers that this whole story takes place before Yugi ever enters Pegasus' castle, so if you think it's strange Yugi doesn't recognize a certain place (you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there), it's because I don't think he's ever truly gone there just yet until later on in the series.
Secondly, I hope that all my readers are mature enough to understand that the phrase "I love you" does not have to mean "I'm sexually attracted to you."
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Yugi stared at the area where the Spirit of the Ring had been, blinking a few times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. It occurred to him the spirit may have been hiding in the surrounding darkness, so Yugi swiveled the flashlight around frantically for any sign of pale skin or white hair.
"Where'd Mean White Hair Man go?" Samson asked from behind him, causing the already jittery Yugi to jump.
"You don't see him?" Yugi asked, and Samson confirmed the answer. They were safe at the moment. Yugi then turned his thoughts to finding another person, but for some reason, either because on some subconscious level he didn't want to see the still body or just because of his steak of unluckiness, the light never illuminated his other half.
"Samson," Yugi whispered, so soft he almost went unheard, "can you lead me to Ki? I can't...I can't seem to find him."
"Who's Ki?"
"The...my...he's the one who's dead," the younger finally choked out.
"Who's dead?" Samson asked, still confused at the distraught boy before him. Why was he trembling so hard?
"Ki is!" Yugi shouted, twirling around so the soft beam landed on Samson. Or, somewhat landed on Samson. By this time, the boy was shaking so hard, tears running down his face, that the flashlight wouldn't stay in one place for very long.
"Who's Ki?!" Samson shouted. Frustrated with his inability to answer the simple question or steady his hand, Yugi threw the flashlight to the floor if nothing else except for the need to do something. There was a sharp crack and the light went out.
Suddenly plunged into darkness, Yugi realized that hadn't been the brightest thing to do. Overwhelmed with confusion and pain, he felt his legs give out to leave him landing hard on his butt, cradling his broken arm as his equally broken sobs filled the cavern.
You're eyes deceive you too easily, little one. Yugi's head snapped up, and he peered frantically into the darkness around him. You should trust your heart. Did you ever feel me actually leave you?
"K...Ki?" he whispered. "Where are you?"
I think to your right. I'm not sure; the pain became intolerable, and I retreated into my mind to make it easier. My body's alive...barely. I can't communicate with the outside world, the spirit managed. Yugi nodded, getting used to the voice filling his head.
"But...but how can you hear me?" Yugi asked. He could mentally feel his other smile.
Because it's you, he simply answered. Yugi blushed softly at the obvious statement.
Yugi, Ki said, shame obvious in his voice, I'm sorry, but I forfeited my duel with Samson. I lost your starchips and your chance to get back your grandfather. I just couldn't bear to lose you. I'm so sorry.
Yugi bit his lip, blinking rapidly to hold in the tears.
"No, please," he whispered. "None of this is your fault. It's all mine!" Despite his best attempts, the tears started to roll down Yugi's face. "I'm so sorry I didn't trust you. You did everything for me. You gave up your duel. You protected me. You tried everything to make me pleased with you again! You saved my life. You've done so much I'll never be able to repay you for! You even sacrificed your life to save someone you didn't like!"
Samson's not so bad when you get used to him, Ki chuckled. Besides, I could tell you enjoyed his company.
"Stop thinking of me, would you?" Yugi scolded. "Try focusing on your body. I need to find you and get you out of here."
Yugi, Ki sighed, I retreated within myself so that I would be conscious long enough to talk with you one last time...
"Stop!" the boy shouted. "Don't talk like that. Where are you? I can get you out of here." Yugi started crawling around, looking for the other half of his soul.
I wanted to ask for your forgiveness. I don't want to die knowing you still hate me. Yugi stilled at that. Wrapping his good arm around himself, he began sobbing again.
"Is that what you think? You thought I hated you?" He shook his head. "I never did. You're the other half of my soul. I could never hate you. Ki, I love you. Please don't leave me," Yugi pleaded.
Thank you, Yugi, Ki said. His voice was light, like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. I'm sorry I can't fulfill your last request.
Yugi began to feel his other half slipping away. A part deep within him was darkening and turning into a deep void. He knew that if he didn't stop it from forming, the hole would swallow the rest of his very being in its infinite loneliness.
"No! Ki!"
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The Spirit of the Ring followed the direction his item directed him in until he found himself breathing the fresh air of the forest. Sighing gratefully, he leaned against and slid down the trunk of a nearby tree, holding the puzzles up to the late afternoon sun. They gleamed in the deep red light.
"Now how do I turn it back into one?" he mused. If the spirit could connect the separated halves of the Millennium Puzzles back into a single solid form, the power he would possess would be unimaginable. And since he had done his handiwork outside the sight of Pegasus, the keeper of the Millennium Eye would not be able to prepare himself for the assault that would inevitability find itself at his door.
"Bakura," he growled, looking up as the meeker half formed his transparent image. "Don't stand above me. I don't like it."
Bakura sat down next to his other half, watching as the spirit turned the puzzles over and over in his hands.
"Yes?" he asked softly.
"I have a riddle for you," the spirit said. Bakura tilted his head to one side in curiosity. "How do you make two halves a whole again?" Bakura sighed and leaned against the tree.
"You can't do it," he finally answered his darker self. "It's because you're an outside force," he quickly answered upon receiving a glare. "They have to want to be one, or else they'll push at each other until they break apart again."
"You're too poetic," the spirit spat. Then he gasped. The puzzles were glowing brightly, and this time it wasn't the light of the sun.
Spirit? Bakura asked, having safely been tucked back into the ring. What's happening?
The spirit was prevented from answering as the glowing turned into a bright flash. Once his vision cleared, he looked back at his hands. The two halves were no longer there.
What...what happened? Where'd they go? Bakura wondered. The spirit mentally sneered at him.
"You said it best yourself," he growled. "Two halves only join if they want to become one."
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Yugi looked around the cavern frantically for Ki. It didn't help that he couldn't see. Something glowed brightly, lighting up the area. Yugi could see Samson, rock, dust, and...and nothing else.
"Ki? Ki?!" he called out, ignoring the source of the light. "No...don't leave me! Please..." Yugi's cries dropped to a low whimper. "Please...don't leave me."
Looks like I'll be able to fill that request after all. Yugi's eyes darted every which way. There was a mental laugh. Look down, little one.
Yugi did as he was instructed. Resting safely on its cord and his chest was the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi smiled, and this time the streams that formed down his cheeks were from tears of joy.
He felt himself being swept into his mind and taken to a place that he had never seen before. Yet somehow the long corridor with two doors on either side (one open and full of toys and the other's heavy metal door closed to the world) seemed awfully familiar. Oh well, there'd be time to explore later. Something else mattered more now.
A healthy and smiling Ki was standing in front of him.
"I knew only you had the power to rejoin us," he said.
"Ki..." Yugi whispered. Then, much to the elder's surprise, the smaller rushed his other half and tackled him to the floor in the biggest bear hug the spirit had received in 5,000 years.