Moons: Next chapter!! I'm going to say there's about two or three more chapters left on this story. After that it's on to another one that I can rotate with Unbroken. That story is being received very well, it's actually exciting me.
Aurora: Yeah, you. What about me? I feed you all the ideas and what thanks do I get!
Moons: Um…what did you have in mind?
Aurora: How about getting me my own muse. *stares with drooling eyes at my bedroom walls*
Moons: You want me to get you Steven Tyler? He's your muse?! o.O
Aurora: What can I say? The man is ultimate talent. Hey, you play Aerosmith while you write! Doesn't it make sense?
Moons: I guess…anyway, Aurora, my muse decided to make an appearance at the end of chapter three in Unbroken and ever since then she's given me grief. But she is helping me get this story out so I guess I should go find her her Steven Tyler. Thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter and I hope to receive them again. And I'm off!…Hey, wait a minute…Steven Tyler is MINE!!!
Aurora: ^_^
My ImmortalCHAPTER EIGHT: CALL AND ANSWER
"It's getting to the point,
where I can be myself again
I think it's getting to the point
Where we have made amends
I think its getting to the point
That is the hardest part.
And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I'll point you home.
You think I only think about you
When we're both in the same room
You think I'm only here to witness
The remains of love exhumed
You think we're here to play
A game of who loves more than whom
And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I'll point you home
You think it's only fair to do what's best for
You and you alone
You think it's only fair to do the same to me
When you're not home
I think it's time to make this something that is
More than only fair
So if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster,
I'll point you home
But I'm warning you, don't ever do
Those crazy messed up things that you do
If you ever do,
I promise you I'll be the first to crucify you
Now it's the time to prove that you've come back
Here to rebuild."
~Call and Answer by: Bare Naked Ladies~
Joey was straining is mind to find something that would cheer Yugi up. He had chased him from the park, worried about what he would do if left home alone. The boy was clearly shaken up, doing nothing but staring blankly at the wall as Joey carried on a one-sided conversation. Joey growled to himself. Next time he saw Yami he was going to rip his no good head off. This wasn't fair to Yugi. He had done nothing wrong but show a little normal frustration and now Yami was dragging him through hell.
Yugi on the other hand couldn't bring himself to even think of the look he saw in Yami's eyes before he took off running. It was a look that read complete confusion. It was almost as if his dark half had been struggling with himself, trying to find a reason to go running back to his light. Yugi knew that Joey sat at his side, slowly contemplating was to kill Yami, and there was nothing he could do to stop him. He just hoped that if their paths ever did cross again that it was after he and his darker self had made amends.
Yugi was trying to sort through his thoughts when he felt something slide down in his mind. He gasped when he realized it was the mental block that Yami had placed up to sever their link. Yugi was bombarded by his counterparts emotions; grief, sadness, regret, and…fear? Yami was afraid? That was something Yugi was almost sure Yami never felt. Being a great Pharaoh once, he was almost sure that fear was never issue. With a timid hope, Yugi tried to reach out through his mind link.
'Yami?'
At first he received no response. He sighed and was about to slide up the mental barrier again when panic shot through the link from Yami. Yugi's eyes went wide and he mentally clawed at the wall he had begun forming.
'Yami are you alright?!' He begged this time, hoping to get a spoken answer from him. But there was still nothing. Tears pooled in his eyes and he knew that Joey was giving him an odd look.
When the pain came racing through the link, Yugi nearly lost his mind. He couldn't physically feel the pain, but it caused his whole body to tingle. The pain lapped at their mind link, a searing ball of hot white. He tried desperately to get an answer from Yami, but he refused to speak mentally. Tears streaked down his face. Suddenly his voice came through, cracking slightly in pain.
'Y-Yugi,' There was no strength behind Yami's regal tone. 'Aibou, I-I'm sorry. So sorry…'
There was a sudden jolt of horrendous pain that caused even Yugi to cry out. Joey jumped to his side and tried to hold the shivering wreck of a boy, but he thrashed out of his grasp. Just as soon as Yugi had somewhat of control over what he was doing, a last jolt ran through him as Yami's end of the link faded. He had passed out. Yugi knew he wasn't dead because he could still sense his dark half. But he had to help him.
'I'm coming Yami!' He urged the spirit. 'Just hold on!'
Yugi jumped off the bed, and landed on shaky legs. He went to run out of his bedroom when Joey grabbed his arm.
"Yug'," His eyes were filled with worry. "Where are you going? What was that whole scene about?"
"Yami." Yugi flinched when he saw the anger flair up in his friend's eyes. "He's in trouble. He just called to me through the link and he sounded so weak. I need to go find him."
Joey crossed his arms over his chest in a huff. Yugi knew Joey was ready to give a speech and he sighed waiting for it.
"After what that punk did to you in the park you're still going to drop everything and run to find him?" Joey fumed. "Just like nothing happen. You're still a perfectly happy darkness and light. Why Yugi? Why are you willing to drop everything and go save that…that…that asshole!"
"Because," Yugi's voice was soft compared to his raging friends. "He was in tremendous pain. I could fell it. Someone's hurting him, maybe killing him. And that's something I just can't let happen. No matter what he did to me he's still my other half. I'd be empty with out him. Now you're welcome to help me save him or you're welcome to stay here. Either way, I'm going."
Yugi turned to leave, expecting Joey to stay his ground. As much of a brother as Joey was, he was still stubborn as a mule. When he reached the front door he was shocked to hear Joey come up behind him.
"Joey?" His voice was questioning.
"Hey Yug'." He answered with a smile. "How do you propose we go about finding this ancient Pharaoh?"
Yugi gave his friend an ear-to-ear grin and then pointed at the gold trinket that hung from his neck.
"With my puzzle of course!"
~@~
Joey didn't want to trust Yugi at first, but when they wound up outside a dank looking building in an alleyway just a few blocks from the park, he finally believed the power of the puzzle. Yugi's eyes were wide as he stared a door that lay hidden in the shadows.
"He's in there." He whispered. "And he's awake. I can feel him. He's hurt but he doesn't want me to know. It's like he's trying to keep me away. But not because he hates me."
Joey's eyes grew wide as he stared down at Yugi. He could tell all that just by standing outside that building?
"Why doesn't he want you to know?" Joey ventured.
"Because." Before Yugi could finish his statement, he took off running inside the building. "He wants to protect me!"
When Yugi disappeared in the dark building Joey felt his heart drop into his chest. Yami was trying to protect him? From what? It obviously had to be whoever dragged the darker half into the building and abused him enough to send pain to Yugi. And he had just let Yugi run into there by himself!
"Oh shit." Joey muttered taking off after his friend. "Come back!!"
~@~
Yugi didn't know where he was but he knew he was going the right way. With his link restored with Yami he knew he couldn't go the wrong way. He could feel a light layer of pain coursing through it. Who ever was behind this was hurting Yami pretty badly.
'Yami?' He tried to reach the spirit through the link. 'Yami are you okay? Please answer me!'
'Y-Yugi?' Yugi was overjoyed to hear Yami's voice in his head.
'Yes it's me! I'm in the same building as you.' Yugi was hoping to feel relief flow through their link. Instead he felt panic. It was a shocking emotion coming from someone like Yami.
'Yugi you can't find me!' Yami gasped, weakness coming into his voice at the exertion he was putting himself in. 'It's a tr-'
Yugi felt Yami being ripped viciously away from his last thought. It only increased his worry. He picked up his speed and turned the last corner and came to a door. The puzzle began glowing brightly. Yami was on the other side of the door. With out so much as another thought Yugi burst through. The sight on the other side caused him to gasp and come to a complete stop.
Yami was chained to the wall, his shirt red from blood. A small pool of blood surrounded him. He looked up, his once sharp eyes now dulled.
"Yugi…" He breathed before letting his head fall foreword once more.
"Yami!" He shrieked running to Yami's side and dropping to his knees. "Yami, snap out of it and look at me. You have to look at me."
Yugi was so content on getting Yami's attention that he never saw the shadow that feel over them. He failed to notice the third presence until something hard slammed into his back and knocked him over Yami's drifting body. Yugi rolled to the side and looked up to see a woman standing over him. She grinned, her blue eyes sparkling with cruelty. She seemed so familiar. Suddenly it struck her, the woman in the park! She had been the one Yami was chasing after. She must have been the one that had hurt Yami.
"Who are you and what did you to Yami!" He demanded, using a tone that he thought would resemble the fierceness that Yami usually spoke with. "What do you want with him!?"
The woman threw her head back and laughed. Yugi saw Yami flinch and he knew that his suspicions were true. He turned his fiery purple orbs back on the woman.
"Are you going to answer me or are you just going to laugh?!" Yugi's voice was still demanding.
The woman stopped laughing long enough to set a pair of greedy eyes on Yugi. No not on Yugi, on his puzzle. The connection clicked. Yugi's eyes flared open and he glared at the woman.
"I'm Samara." She finally answered. "I don't want Yami. No, he was just bait. I used him to bring you here. I knew when you felt the pain I put him through you'd come running. Hikaris like you always do. No, I've got bigger fish to fry. Like you, and your connection to that weakling over there."
She jerked a thumb at Yami who moaned in response. He tried to force his body into kneeling but his side screamed in protest. Yami himself had to bite back a scream. Yugi felt the flash himself and winced. Being this close to Yami intensified their link, causing his mental pain to become physical. He glanced at his darker half and was worried to notice the tear in the shirt on Yami's side. Samara must have stabbed him or something.
"L-leave my aibou alone." Yami finally managed to get to his knees, but now his shoulders joined in the cries as he bent them at an awkward angle. "You want my power. Undo these cuffs and let us settle this the proper way."
"And what way would that be?" Samara snapped turning away from Yugi to focus her cold glare on Yami. "Dueling? Come now Yami, I've watched you long enough to know there's no way I'm going to beat you at any game!"
Yami clenched his teeth as he felt his anger rise. Samara knew she could never gain his powers with defeating his in a duel and claiming the puzzle as her own. She could kill Yugi, but with the puzzle and them finally being together in the same room, she wouldn't be able to get past his powers and kill him. So what on earth could she have in mind.
"I will never beat you." She repeated. "So I will never make an agreement such as letting you go and then be beaten. I will not play a game against you Yami."
"What about me!?"
Yami and Samara turned to see Yugi standing with his arms crossed over his chest. He held a defiant look in his eyes that was recognized by only one other person in the room. Yami's heart soared when he realized what trick was up Yugi's sleeve. As if to confirm his thought, Yugi opened their mind link.
'Yami, pretend you know what's going on. Act like I've done something like this before and was easily beaten. No questions, just do it!'
'All right, aibou.' Yami gave him a mental smile and then returned himself to reality where Samara stood with her arms crossed, staring his light counter part down. He knew exactly what to do. With a ragged, pain filled moan, Yami spoke wearily.
"Yugi don't do this." He pleaded. "You know what happened the last time you challenged someone with out my help. Please, make no bargains!"
Yugi picked right up with the act, flushing in mock anger. He glared his yami down, seeming to forget that Samara was standing there.
"I can do somethings by myself!" Yugi fumed. "So I lost that time! I wasn't focused. This time I can win." He allowed some doubt to cross his features. "I think."
Yugi pretended to say that last bit as if he thought Samara wouldn't hear him. But judging by the pure joy that crossed her features she had. And she would take the bait perfectly.
"I'll take this challenge, Yugi." She sneered. "And any conditions you throw in, I accept those too. Now tell me, what game are we to play?"
"First, my conditions." Yugi's voice held a regal tone that only Yami was able to speak in. It surprised him to hear it out of Yugi's mouth when he didn't have control over their bodies.
"If you win, the puzzle is yours. I think you can agree with that." Samara nodded to Yugi's first condition and awaited his second. "If I win, you let Yami go."
Yami's eyes grew wide. He had faith in his aibou, but he was confused as to what the game could be. They weren't going to duel, Samara didn't have a deck. But he knew he had to keep up the act.
"Yugi…" The pain that filtered into his voice was real, and he collapsed back against the wall. He was panting, sweat dripping down his face. "Yugi, please."
Yugi tensed when he saw Yami collapse. His face was pale and sweaty, and it worried Yugi to see him like that. Yami had a high tolerance to pain, and now he seemed on the verge of oblivion. Samara had to have done a number on him. He had to hurry up, Yami's life depended on it.
"The game is simple." He explained to Samara. "I believe Yami had you distracted early. Distracted enough to allow me to snag the keys to his handcuffs. And I've randomly thrown them about the room. Too bad you keep this place so messy, this game could be easier. Now, if you can find the keys before I can pick the handcuff's locks, you win. But if Yami's free before you reach us with the keys, I win. Ready?"
Yugi held up what appeared to be a bobby pin. While Yami wanted to question where Yugi had gotten that, his haze filled mind could only focus on one thing.
Yugi didn't know how to pick a lock.
"Go." Samara snarled.
She began tearing around the room muttering curses while Yugi ran up to Yami. He gave him a quick inspection before going to work on the cuffs. Yami raised half lidded eyes to stare at his aibou's face. It was crinkled in concentration, as he put every ounce of his mind on the cuffs' locks. He opened his mouth to say something, but the dryness of his mouth made him opt for mental conversation.
'Yugi, how do you know how to pick a lock?'
'Joey showed me one time when I forgot my keys to the house.' Yugi's answer was strained and Yami knew he was focusing on too many things. 'But I need full conversation so we must stop talking for a second.'
Yami fell silent and let his head fall backwards against the cold brick of the wall. Suddenly an amazing thing happened. There was a loud click and his right arm fell to his side. After a few more seconds, his left arm was also freed. Yugi let out a crow of victory and stood to see Samara standing on the far end of the room.
"Times up!" He called to her. "And I win!"
Samara's head jerked up to spot Yami on his hands and knees panting. One hand was pressed firmly against his knife wound. Anger was her first emotion, but her second was joy, but she quickly masked it with anger again.
"Damn you Yugi." She growled. "You and your yami were acting the whole time."
"Yes." Yugi couldn't hide his grin. "And now you must let up your end of the bargain and let Yami go free."
Yugi leaned over and slowly helped Yami to his feet. It took a lot of effort on Yugi's part and even more on his darker half's. But finally Yami was standing, but leaning his whole weight on Yugi.
"So we will leave you now." Yugi stated, beginning to help Yami to the door.
Suddenly Yugi felt himself being pulled backwards and hit the ground. Yami let out a startled gasp when his crutch was ripped out from under him and he fell beside Yugi. But Yami's landing wasn't so soft and it wrenched a pained scream.
"Yami!" Yugi cried beginning to rise to his feet. Suddenly he was struck again and was knocked sideways. He gasped as pain rocketed through him and heard Yami's whimper as he felt it too.
"A-abiou…" He wheezed.
Yugi looked up to see Samara standing above him. Her eyes glinted with victory. Yugi pushed himself to his feet and took a few steps towards Yami and the door.
"I won fair and square." Yugi defended himself. "Now you must keep up your end of the deal and let us go!"
"Us?" Samara laughed wickedly. "Oh no little Yugi. The deal was I let Yami go. And he's free. That bleeding mess can leave whenever he can pick himself up. And if he can't then he dies there, but he dies a free man. You on the other hand. I can do what ever I want with."
Yugi's eyes widened. He had walked himself right into this mess. Yami lay in a heap on the floor slowly bleeding to death. And he was stuck with this mad woman…who was wielding a knife?
"And I want to kill you!" Samara raised the slivery blade over her head and brought it down quickly. The next few seconds happened in slow motion. Or at least they did to Yugi.
The knife was making a downward arch, aimed for the center of his chest. His heart. He closed his eyes, ready for the burning pain, but it never came. Instead, someone crashed into him knocking him to the floor. Someone now lying across Yugi cried out in pain. Yugi knew the voice and felt his heart break.
"Yami!"
Yugi helped the injured boy off him in order to get a better look at his wounds. There was what appeared to be a knife wound in his side and bruises littered his thin frame. But what worried Yugi the most was the newest injury. The knife wound in his back, the one he had taken to save Yugi's life. How Yami was ever able to get himself up off the floor in time to push him out of the way was too impossible for Yugi to grasp. Instead, he just cradled his dark half's head in his lap.
"Yami, why'd you do that?" He sniffed. "It wasn't your punishment game to play. Only mine. Why Yami, why!?"
"B-because," Yami forced his eyes open and looked up into Yugi's tear streaked face. "I must p-protect you. I-I hurt you before, aibou and it h-hurt me to see it. I-I will never allow another to hurt you. N-now go, before she tries it again."
Yami's eyes rolled back in his head and his body went limp. At first Yugi thought he was dead until he saw the rise and fall of his chest. But he still sobbed and clung the spirit to him.
"I won't leave until you're safe!" Yugi cried. "Yami, me and you will fight together always!"
"Not unless I kill you first!"
Samara went to jump the duo when something amazing stopped her. A white light began forming over Yami. The ancient Pharaoh's body began to shudder as magic was released from it. It slowly began to form a body. One name was uttered from the young boy, but hissed from the older woman.
"Cleopatra."