Rowan: I've been debating with myself as to how to continue the story, and I've finally come to a decision.
Sakura: Which is…?
Rowan: Well, read and find out! But first, the disclaimer. I, Rowan, do not own YGO! And if you try to sue me, I'll dig up some dirt about you and feed it to the press, who will make a laughing stock of you! There, I warned you!
AN: 5 reviews! Not bad if I do say so myself! Anyway, thank you all who reviewed! Now, about this chapter: Like I said before, the cast of YGO! are spread throughout Japan. Obviously, Ryou, Bakura, Yugi, and Yami are all in the same place, as is Otogi. But for now we will see what Jou and Honda are doing with their lives. I'll give you a little background: They are now doctors who experiment with diseases, trying to come up with a cure. Now, keep in mind, this story takes place in the future, so when they find a cure for the virus (which will be revealed at the end of the chapter), remember, it might not be possible now, but maybe in years to come. Okay, on with the story!
"Secrets of Life: Chapter Three"
By Rowan and Sakura
"One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks." - Jack Penn
---*---*---
Jounouchi Katsuya yawned sleepily as he examined the virus under his high-tech microscope. "Jou, you really should get some sleep, y'know. We won't find anything if you can't concentrate."
Jou sighed. "Yeah, you're right Honda. I really should take a break. It's just, what we're looking for is so important, millions of people are depending upon us. I don't want to let them down."
Honda nodded his head. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But you won't help them by depriving yourself of rest. That doesn't do anyone any good."
Jou nodded in agreement and took off his lab coat. "Alright, alright. I'll go home and get some sleep. But if you find anything, call me at once. You hear me Honda?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll notify you if anything comes up, though I doubt it."
---*---
Jounouchi walked tiredly into his apartment that he and his sister Shizuka shared. "How was your day at the lab Jou?" she greeted him.
"Oh the same as usual. Nothing." Jou said in disappointment.
"Jou, don't blame yourself. You'll find something soon, I know you will. You and Honda are two of the smartest experimental doctors in the world. You've found the cure for the common cold for God's sake! So I'm sure that you'll find the cure for this too."
Jou smiled at his sister. "Thank you Shizuka. It really helps to know that you believe in Honda and me still. All of our colleagues are less supportive. Anyway, I'm gonna go take a nap, Doctor's orders."
---*---
Jou sighed as he administered the newest 'cure hopeful' to the very stubborn virus. 'Let's hope this works,' he prayed silently. At first, nothing happened. But then, Jou noticed the T-cells in the dish attack the virus, par usual. 'Another failure' he thought with a sigh. But wait! Jou turned back to the dish. 'The-the T-cells defeated the virus! It's not multiplying! Could this be the cure we've been searching for?'
"Honda! Honda, take a look at this!" Jou cried jubilantly across the laboratory.
Honda quickly ran over. "What? What is it?"
"Look at the T-cells! They're defeating the virus! We may have found the cure!" Honda put his eye to the microscope.
"Jou! We have found a cure! We did it!"
---*---
That evening Jou, Honda and Shizuka went out to dinner to celebrate the discovery of their newest cure. Over dinner, they chatted amiably about many things, mainly Jou and Honda catching up on the newest happenings in the world. They usually lost track of the news when working, so Shizuka kept them updated.
"…Seto Kaiba came back to Japan last week after closing a deal with some American company. His brother, Mokuba, was appointed Doctor of the Year for his theory on the connections between the brain and our five senses. It was on something about how we can see with our tongue! Doesn't that sound neat?" Shizuka said.
"Not much for one's tongue to see, eh? Sounds kinda ridiculous, if you ask me," Honda replied.
"Any other news, or is the Kaibas the only thing interesting in the world today?"
"Well, Yugi called the other day. He wanted to speak with you. Something about Ryou."
"Ryou? Don't you mean Bakura? Yugi hasn't said anything about Ryou for ten years, ever since…"
"Yeah, ever since that."
The three sat in an awkward silence as they each remembered back a decade ago to when they had found out about Ryou's gig. Honda and Jou had been in Medical School then. Finally, the blonde broke the quiet. "So, did Yugi specify the reason for him calling?'
Shizuka shook her head. "No. He just said that it was urgent."
"I'll call him back tonight."
---*---
"Moshi moshi, Yugi Motou speaking."
"Yugi?"
"Jou! How are you?"
"Fine, and you?"
"Just great! Yami broke his leg when we went skiing last week, but he'll be alright."
"Glad to hear that. How's Bakura? Did he go skiing too?"
"Oh, Bakura's…okay. No, he doesn't really like cold weather."
"Oh, okay. Anyway, I called because Shizuka said you phoned earlier?"
"Oh, right. Well, you see Jou, when Bakura and I came to visit Yami in the hospital, we saw Ryou."
Jou was surprised. So Shizuka had been right when she said it had something to do with Ryou. "So, what did Bakura do when he saw him? And why was Ryou in the hospital?"
"See, that's why I called. Ryou's sick. He's got AIDS and PCP and, Jou, Ryou's dying."
Jou was stunned by this news. "E-excuse me? Dying? Does Bakura know?"
"Yeah. Apparently Bakura has finally forgiven Ryou for…yeah. Anyway, Jou, I called you cause I remembered that you and Honda are currently looking for a cure for AIDS and was wondering when you guys find it if you would test Ryou and Bakura with it?"
"Wait, why Bakura as well?"
"It's a long story Jou."
"I'm all ears."
Yugi sighed and then told Jou the whole story, about everything that had occurred since they had met Ryou at the hospital.
When Yugi finished, Jou said, "Well, if Ryou and Bakura both have HIV and AIDS and both got it from Otogi, then we'll have to treat him too, no?"
"That's yours and Honda's choice. So, um, how far have you guys got to finding a cure?"
Jou smiled. "We found one today!"
"Really? So, can you start treating Ryou and Bakura soon?"
"Well, I'll have to take a blood sample first, just to make sure that they both do have the virus. Also, I'll need to have both sign an agreement that says that they and family members understand that there is risk involved and that there is a chance they might, um, die."
"Jou, you sound like such a doctor sometimes."
"That's cause I am one! Anyway, will they sign an agreement?"
"Hold on a sec Jou." Yugi got off the phone for a moment and Jou could hear voices in the background. He recognized Bakura's voice and another, raspier, voice as well. Jou guessed that that was Ryou. He sounded really sick. Then Yugi got back on the phone. "Yes, they'll sign the agreement once it's drawn up. Well, I have to go now Jou. Nice chatting with you."
"Yeah, you too Yugi! See ya!"
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Rowan: So, that's what Yugi's 'brilliant idea' was. To have Jou test his and Honda's cure for AIDS on them! Hope that chapter was satisfactory! Review and tell me what you thought! Onegai?
