Disclaimer: I don't own Yu gi Oh. You might want to be grateful for that fact.

Warnings: BLOOD, VIOLENCE, and GORE… (Yeah, language and shounen ai as well). This is only the start folks.

And thanks for all your supportive reviews, I really appreciate it.

Here There Be Dragons

"You can't remember anything?!"

"No, not really. Everything's all kinda hazy…" Jounouchi clutched his head, "Uhhhh…It feels like somebody took a steel pipe to my skull."

"Sounds like amnesia to me," commented one of the attending doctors, "happens sometimes after coming up from a coma. It will probably clear up in an hour. If not…well we'll run some more tests."

From his vantage point on the bed, he could see the Kosemura woman head out to the waiting room. Immediately a chorus of voices began yelling questions, one after another, non stop. Jounouchi winced. His friends were many things, but quiet they were not.

"So loud…" he moaned.

The ache in his head intensified as a feminine shriek spilt the air.

Uh oh…sounded like Anzu had heard something she didn't like.

One of the other doctors moved to the door and ordered the occupants in the other room to keep their voices down. Which worked for about ten nanoseconds and then the clatter rose up again. He smirked slightly. Anzu was demanding entrance, and threatening decapitation to anybody who stood in her way. He began to mentally count the seconds until the doctors folded.

One…

Two…

Three…

The doors to the operating room crashed open. Jounouchi pouted. He'd thought the docs would've lasted a couple more seconds…

"Imagine saying that we couldn't see you! The doctors said there's nothing wrong with you, so why shouldn't we?"

"Anzu…not so loud. My head hurts." Jounouchi blinked. "Hey, where are the others? I thought I heard them out there."

As if on cue, three other figures loomed over him. Yugi…Honda…and Seto Kaiba!? What the hell was going on here? And more importantly, did he actually look…remotely concerned. Jounouchi stared up at him, transfixed. His normally cool blue eyes were blood shot and weary, dark raccoon like circles ran under his eyes and his hair was limp and matted to his head. Maybe he had stayed up late or something…then it occurred to him to wonder exactly why he'd done that and why he wasn't impeccably groomed as usual. Could he have stayed here…for me? The thought was unsettling to say the least. Kaiba usually helped others when it benefited him, and where was the benefit here?

Nagging thoughts were beginning to creep up on him, and he could hear whispering at the edge of his consciousness. Memories of a cold and lonely street and someone in the shadows.

"Hi," he croaked out.

"Are you okay Jou?" Yugi asked plaintively. He didn't look so great either.

"Yeah, though I could ask the same of you. Ya all look awful!" He continued to stare at Kaiba.

"You had us all worried. You've been sick for a week."

"A week?" Jounouchi said dazedly, "Sick? But I don't remember getting sick…All I remember is that street…" He shuddered… "I was walking…and then…it goes blank…" He decided not to mention the presence or the flashes he was getting of things he did not quite understand. Something told him that it was crucial not to.

"Were you attacked?" asked Honda. His eyes gleamed dangerously. If he got the hint that that was the case, well, someone was going to end up in a lot of pain.

Something in Yugi's demeanor seemed to echo the sentiment. He blinked, and blinked yet again. Somehow, God and Yugi Mutou only knew how, he was wearing the black bondage shirt that always showed up when Yugi's darker side decided to rear its head.

"I d-don't know…" he stammered, still trying to figure out where Yugi kept getting the fetish clothes.  "There wasn't anybody in the area, least none I could see. I-I…I-I'm sorry, I don't know."

"The doctors found no traces of injuries…" Seto intoned.

"Then what happened?"

"That seems to be the question of the day, now doesn't it?"

Hours later, in the dead of night, Jounouchi moaned as he slept twisted in his sheets. Sweat poured from his body as he tried to escape the demons chasing him in his dreams.

Shizuka clawed at the arms restraining her but to no avail. The strength of a five year old was nothing compared that of an adult. Similarly the struggles of a seven year didn't do much good either.

"Help me Jounouchi!" A tiny hand reached out and Jounouchi reached back, their fingertips brushing as they desperately tried to hold onto the one source of comfort in their lives. Fingers entwined for the briefest of moments and then were brutally torn apart.

"Noooo!"

"Give it up Jounouchi. You have to let her go," one of the social workers told him, in a world weary tone that didn't have much room for sadness or regret. "She's going to your mom, it's better this way."

"No! You're wrong! She's all I have left! Shizuka! SHIZUKA!"

"Brother!" a pitiful wail answered, and he bit down hard enough on his captor's arm to draw blood. She was hauled out of sight as he began to chase her, there was the slamming of car doors and the squeal of tires, and then…silence. Just a settling dust cloud and the last image of her panic stricken face pressed against the glass of one of the car's windows.

Jounouchi's vision grew red and the landscape shifted to one littered with corpses. He was older here, a young man treading softly through the fields of dead, looking intently for something…someone. He didn't notice the sword gripped tightly in his hand, or the fact that he was as soaked in blood as the ground below him was. He froze.

There she was.

"Sister!" he screamed, leaping over the dead and dodging the few areas that still burned from the invaders' fire.

There she lay, her simple white dress spoiled by the blood seeping from the wound in her chest. Her blue eyes were staring at the sky and their clarity was fast becoming dull and clouded. As he watched and held her hand, one last gurgling throttle escaped her throat and then she was completely still. A scream of denial escaped his throat as he gently picked her up to put her where nobody would disturb her.

"Sister." He sobbed.

"SHIZUKA!"

Jounouchi shot up from the hospital bed. He absently wiped away tears as he tried to calm his racing heart. The gaps were gone in his memory; he remembered the street, the mirror and the void.

He remembered everything.

Are you still there? Spirit? Yami?

Silence. Either the spirit wasn't there or it would/could not answer.

Unsettled, Jounouchi buried himself back into the covers. It was cold in the room and he had the distinct sensation of being watched.

Fingers lightly caressed the glass as Seto turned and walked away from the only small window that served as a glimpse into Jounouchi's room. Had he been less out of it, perhaps he wouldn't have been standing vigil over someone he wasn't even sure was a friend. But he had; something in him was compelling him to keep an eye out for the blonde.

Perhaps it was guilt for past treatment, perhaps some foolish misplaced sympathy, who knew…but it had to stop. Things were getting weird, and any developing softness had to be squashed.

He couldn't afford that weakness.

"You're releasing him?! What do you mean you're releasing him?!"

Anzu paced back and forth across the waiting room floor in frustration. Though the concern was nice, Jounouchi decided, he had had enough mother henning to last a lifetime. Of course, what was enough mother henning was a thing up to debate. For Jounouchi it was three days, but for Anzu…he mentally shuddered. He probably wouldn't escape her clucking until he was eighty.

"Where's he going to go? His father's in re-hab, he won't be out anytime soon. What a mess. He can't live on his own."

"Living on my own is exactly what I've been doing since I was seven, Anzu," shot back Jounouchi a little more bitter than he would have liked. "He was never around, at least speaking mentally," he gave a weak grin, "I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself."

"What about your mom?" Anzu pressed.

"She lives in the States with my sis." Jounouchi replied. "Immigrated right before Shizuka's operation and they became citizens soon after. They can't come back to live here. Becoming an American means that you have to give up your citizenship of your native land. As for going there myself…the process takes too long. 'Sides, I don't think I would even be considered acceptable citizen material."

"Do they even know?"

"No," something in Jounouchi countenance darkened. His eyes seemed to flash red. "Lost almost all contact with them just after they moved. Mom wanted a fresh start. Since Shizuka needed to get her operation done in the US, I guess it was the perfect excuse. I get an e-mail occasionally from her and Shizuka; I don't get an address."

"Don't you have anyone?!"

"Nope."

"Don't say that Jounouchi, anyone of us would take you in!" cried Yugi.

"Listen, Yugi, I appreciate the sentiment, I really do," Jounouchi began, shaking his head, "but Yugi, can you afford to keep me? One extra mouth at the table…man that's a lot of yen. And that's just the table. And what about Gramps? What would he say? What would any of your parents say? Do they even have the room? Geez, Yugi, I don't wanna be that kind of burden to ya guys."

"Speaking of money, just how do you plan to get a hold of it? A job perhaps? You know as well as I do that after-school jobs are prohibited by our school. Anzu is lucky that nobody found out about hers, she would be expelled if they did." Honda spoke up.

"Kaiba's CEO of a multinational corporation and he still goes to school. And if I'm not imagining things here, running a business takes up a heck of a lot more time then waiting tables at Burger World. How come he's not been kicked out yet?"

"Simple. Money talks. That and the fact since I can balance taking care of myself, Mokuba, my business, and my homework helps."

"You're not helping…" Anzu growled.

Seto smirked. "Who said I was going to."

She turned purple and muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like 'jackass'.

Seto just raised one elegant eyebrow. "Really?" The smirk grew wider.

Jounouchi chuckled to himself. Arguments that pitted Seto against Anzu were truly entertaining. But as much fun as watching the two was, more important things had to take precedence. Like, oh, getting three well meaning, but currently annoying friends off his backside. Pity, it was time to play the peacemaker.

"Aww, guys not here, not now. Save it for my birthday or something."

Comment ignored.

"Anyway, Jounouchi has enough money to live on for awhile. The remainder of the money from his sister's operation should be enough till he graduates or his dad gets out of rehab."

"I am not touching that. It's for Shizuka, when she goes to university." Jounouchi bristled. Yugi had given him the three million US after the tournament, and about one million remained after all the medical bills were paid and done…but the money wasn't his, couldn't be his. Yugi had explicitly said to use it for his sister, and that was what he was going to do. Besides…he hadn't earned it…he'd lost any claim to it when his life points hit zero in that final duel long ago.

"Jounouchi?" Yugi piped up. "How much money is left?"

He sighed..."About one million with interest. I put it in a bond; I don't know how much has built up between then and now."

Total silence.

"Whoa…th-that's a lot." Honda sputtered.

Anzu's jaw was working like a fish's. Open. Close. Open. Close. Open…

Yugi just looked shocked.

And Seto…well, Seto was Seto. Cool, calm, collected…Course then again…he had known…exactly…how…wait a second.

"You've been hacking into my bank statements Kaiba!"

Seto shrugged.

Still thunderstruck looking, Yugi muttered, "Well that explains how he's going to pay for this."

A few weeks later, Jounouchi lugged home his groceries. Independence was…interesting, to say the least. Bills, visits from social workers, bills, speaking with the school administration about his new living status, more bills…adult, or at least semi-adult, life was more demanding than he thought. And a lot more lonely.

His friends had been wonderful in trying to help him through it. Yugi and his grandfather especially. They popped over at odd times, helped him fix up the apartment, and more importantly, listened and gave advice when things got too much to handle.

He still wasn't too happy about using the remainder of the prize money to live off of. Even though Yugi had given his blessings, and had practically forced him into using it…it still felt wrong, like he was using his friend for his own personal gain. Like betraying him somehow. He resolved to save what he could for Shizuka; she deserved anything that could make her life a bit easier.

And then there was the little matter of Seto Kaiba. He still didn't know what to make of him. And lately, lately he'd been catching him staring at him when he thought Jounouchi wasn't looking. It was disturbing. But still he resolved to be warmer to the other boy. Kaiba…Seto, seemed to be thawing and the last thing he wanted to do was bring about another freeze in the businessman. Perhaps they could be friends one day…Jounouchi had to grudgingly admit that for his act of kindness at the hospital, his perceptions of Seto were changing.

 He angrily kicked a beer can down the alleyway. Jounouchi cursed himself for actually developing a bit of respect and dare he say, liking for the brunet. Had that whole hospital incident affected him more than he thought? Fuzzy feelings of any sort were premature in this case, way too premature.

Just what kind of drugs had they been slipping into his bloodstream at that place, anyway?

Crunch.

Jounouchi narrowed his eyes as he sensed the presences tailing him and cursed himself for the fool he was for not noticing them sooner. He then felt a cold chill run down his spine. His spirit, or yami, as he preferred to refer to himself, had woken up. Not now…I can handle this. Over the few weeks the spirit hadn't said much, just watching everything through Jounouchi's eyes. He knew the yami had been taking stock of his surrounding, analyzing everything and everyone around him. The modern world must have been a horrible surprise to the ancient spirit, but he guessed culture shock was wearing off quickly. Adaptation was a necessity in the ancient world, and considering what his yami's life had been like, he was pretty certain he was a master at it.

Jounouchi calmly stopped. He was surrounded and there was no way out without a fight. However, through past experience, he knew he could take out the five tailing him.

However, escaping with a minimal amount of injuries was another story…

He dropped his groceries.

"Come out, and face me."

And so they did. All ten of them.

SHIT!!! Ambush…a planned ambush. Not good…not good…And with the expressions on their faces, it was likely they were planning for him to come out in a body bag.

"Morimita," Jounouchi addressed the leader mildly, "It's a pleasure to see you again." He didn't let any panic cross his features. Perhaps he could bluff his way out of this situation.

Click! He watched as a couple guns were cocked and leveled at him. Oh dear…

Bluffing went straight out the window.

Morimita grinned, a twisted expression that didn't do much for his heavily scarred features. Jounouchi felt sick…they were going to much more to him than simply put him out of his misery.

"Hello you little bastard. Miss us? No certainly not, I guess. You've been too busy taking down my boys and sending them to the ER…"

'Cause they were stupid enough to attack me in the first place…Jounouchi mused as he kept his attention focused on the leader…you've always had it in for me since I refused your offer of becoming part of your 'family'.

"…You had talent boy, very impressive talent I must admit. I could have used you. But I'm sick of losing my boys to the likes of you…Playtime is over Katsuya."

Morimita glanced over to his second in command, "Restrain him."

The ankh flared to life as the two greasy thugs approached. Oh GOD, what's happening… screamed Jounouchi mentally as he felt the world around him fade.

He closed his eyes.

The yami opened them.

Red eyes roved over the gang surrounding him, and began to smirk. These thugs were no different than the bandits that had terrorized his land thousands of years ago, and thus should be as easy to kill. His eyes narrowed as he took in the strange metal objects that some of the gang members held. Though he didn't know what they were used for, he did recognize them for the threat they were.

The two that had been assigned to restrain him screeched to an abrupt halt as their victim's face took on a purely psychotic look.

"Boss…what's going on…" one stated.

Morimita never got the chance to reply as wisps of shadows began to collect around him and the other thugs.

"Oh my LORD! Get them off, get them OFF!" screamed another.

The yami only smiled.

Yami's eyes snapped open. There was no mistaking this feeling, someone was using the powers of darkness and had opened a portal to the Shadow Realm. Someone new, and strangely familiar.

Yami? What's going on!? Asked his hikari from his soul room, where he'd been suddenly shoved.

/Trouble. /

Yami gritted his teeth as he stared out of Yugi's bedroom window. If he stared hard enough, he could almost see the black energies seething across the city.

Meanwhile, on a plane that was heading for Domino, another sensed the dark powers in use and grinned. One more Millennium item had surfaced.

The subdued light in the cabin played across white hair as he considered how to make it his.

"Where are we?"

"The Shadow Realm," a voice hissed. "I'd thought we'd play a little game."

"Game?" Morimita said hesitantly, "what sort of game?" He turned around to see Katsuya casually studying what looked to be a bunch of playing cards.

"Yeah, you were always the gambling man," he peered up from the cards to the ten gang members, all frozen to the spot, and waited. From within the darkness there came a roar. The yami smiled and drew a card; a monster he knew would be more than up to this little task. "See I call this little game Reality. If whatever shows up isn't real, well, I'm at your mercy. But if it is…" a pair of glowing eyes appeared "…you might want to run away very fast."

And with that the Red Eyes Black Dragon swooped down and tossed the nearest thug into its waiting jaws.

He disappeared with a wet crunch, showering everyone with gouts of thick red liquid

The rest of the group scattered, screaming and snapping off rounds of gunfire, which simply bounced off the dragon's thick scales. Instead it deliberately took its time hunting down and messily killing the threats to its master

However, Morimita and his second in command decided that if they were going to die, they were going to take a certain blonde with them. Crazed with terror, both pulled out switchblades and dove for the yami.

And missed.

Two seconds later, Morimita's buddy wondered where Katsuya's blade had come from, while engaging in the all consuming task of puking his guts out, shocked by the spectacle of his comrade's head falling farther back than it possibly could have, a large red and damp smile crossing his throat.

He didn't have much time to wonder, as a foot was slammed into his windpipe with inhuman speed, crushing it, and a knife was thrust through his heart. There was a last spray of blood and it was all over.

The ambushers were dead.

Ignoring his soiled clothes and the smell of fresh, bloody death all around them, the spirit padded over to his old friend and stroked its head in thanks. The Red Eyes gave a pleased whine and rubbed its head against his shirt, smearing even more blood across the fabric. But then again, he didn't really care. After all, his hikari was the one doing the laundry.

As the dragon tromped back into the darkness, Yami Katsuya pulled himself back to the world of light and calmly picked up the groceries in one bloodstained hand.

"How did I get back here?"

Jounouchi blinked as he suddenly found himself standing in his living room, his groceries at his feet, intact, and not a gangster in sight. A chill ran up his spine. They were going to kill him, after playing with him (he shuddered), yet…he was alive?

"What did you do?" he whispered while absently rubbing his face. He did so not want to deal with this right now.

He halted. His face felt much…stickier than before. Also, little flecks of something were breaking off of the stuff on his face and falling away. The same could be said for his hands. Curious, he held them in front of his face and studied them.

He immediately wished he hadn't.

"Blood?! How…Oh no…"

He ran to the bathroom and stared in the mirror and whimpered. He was covered with the stuff. Quickly he turned on the shower and set the water to hot. He had to get it off! Jounouchi grabbed the soap and a washcloth and began to scrub, not caring that his rough actions were tearing into his skin. Not even when the water turned cold as the water from the heater was used up was enough to make him stop his manic cleaning. He could still see the blood staining him, even though the last of it had gone down the drain a long time ago.

Finally, chilled, Jounouchi leaned back against the shower stall wall and sobbed.