Chapter 4
Tristan was at home when he got a call from Tea saying that Yugi was in the hospital. He immediately called Joey and Bakura. Joey answered the phone and was on his way to the hospital without hesitation, while Tristan was calling Bakura's house. After what seemed like a few hundred rings Bakura's father answered the phone.
"Mr. Bakura, hi its me, Tristan. I go to school with Bakura, uh, I mean Bakura, and I wanted to talk to him."
"He's grounded. I'm sorry but he can't talk on the phone or go anywhere with you tonight, or for quite some time."
"I understand. But this is different. I'm not calling to hang out, our friend is in the hospital and I thought it was important for him to know in case he would like to visit. He's in Domino Hospital, but he's in pretty good condition. He just seems... out of it. Please give him the message."
"I sure will, and since a friend is in the hospital, this would be an exception. I'll bring him over right away."
"Thanks Mr. Bakura."
When Tristan arrived at the hospital, Joey was already there with Tea. "Where is Bakura? Did you get in touch with him?," Tea asked.
"No, but I left a message with his dad, they should be here in no time."
They all stood around Yugi, Joey pacing beside the bed and Tea holding his hand. Grandpa Motou came in and Tristan got up to give him the chair he was sitting in.
"Thank you Tristan."
"No problem. Now tell us what happened, how did he get this way?"
"Well, I came in the house after running some errands and I put up the groceries. I noticed that dinner was still on the table, untouched. I figured maybe he wasn't hungry and forget to clear off the table so I didn't think much of it. When I got upstairs I smelled the scent of apples from the bubble bath. It's Yugi's favorite. I knew he was in the bathroom, and not wanting to bother him I went to my room and took a nap. I woke up about an hour later and he was still in the bathroom, so I called out to him. I didn't hear an answer so I opened the door and he was just . . . laying there . . .," His eyes began to tear up and Joey handed him a napkin. Grandpa Motou listened to Joey, Tristan, and Tea try to comfort him. Nervously he played with the napkin, folding and unfolding it, distracting himself from the situation with pointless fumbling.
"We know this is hard. Mr. Motou, its hard for all of us. But we're here for you.," Tea reassured him.
"Have you talked to the doctors about what is wrong with him?," Tristan asked.
"They can't figure it out. He's just... not there anymore. My boy isn't there anymore..." Grandpa Motou began to cry and Tea rubbed his back, trying to comfort him before she too, ended up crying. Joey sat on the window sill, and Tristan stood behind him as they looked out of the window down at the cars below the building. He watched them go by like fireflies; each one lit up and each one carrying a different person, with a different family, going on about their lives, going home to their loved ones.
"Tristan, what do you think happened?"
"Well, I think it had something to do with that weird ring. They said when he got here the ambulance brought him wrapped in a towel, and besides that he was wearing nothing. But I'm sure he probably was near the ring when he fell unconscious. I never liked it anyway. I threw it out in the middle of the woods from Pegasus's castle when we were in Duelist Kingdom, and somehow Bakura ended up with it right back on. Now Yugi isn't even wearing the ring, and this has happened. IT makes me wonder..."
"Creepy . . . I think we should go back to the game shop and see if we can find it. We need to make sure."
"For once you've got a good idea, Joey. What if we do find it? We cant let Yugi get a hold of it again, it could hurt him."
"Well what are WE going to do with it if we find it?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. We'll figure that out when we get there."
"Right! Let's go!" Joey jumped up from the window sill with Tristan behind him and rushed to the door.
"Hey! Where are you guys going? You should stay here with Yugi. He might wake up.," Tea said. Tristan explained that they were going to the game shop to look for something important, and that is was to help Yugi, but did not tell the what it was.
"Whatever you are looking for, boys, you can't find it without this." Grandpa's hands shook as he handed Tristan the key to the game shop and he and Joey left immediately.
'Poor guy,' Joey thought.
***********************************************************************
Back at Bakura's home, his father had already discovered that he wasn't there when he went to tell him Yugi was in the hospital. "I don't know what's gotten into that boy. He used to be a straight 'A' student, and lately he's been skipping class and not doing any of his homework. It's his freshman year and I don't want him to get off on the wrong foot. High school is the first step to becoming a responsible adult." Bakura's father put on his coat and shoes, ready to leave the house on a search for his son as the phone rang. It was the Domino County police department saying that they had found Bakura and it was urgent that he come down to the station right away.
Mr. Bakura pulled up in the station parking lot and got out of the car. A police officer was standing outside of the door and met him on the way in. "Are you Mr...," The police officer looked down at a manuscript in his hands. "Jonathan Bakura?" He answered yes and the police officer took him inside and led him to a room full of desks. He saw Bakura sitting in a chair with handcuffs holding his arms behind him. Bakura looked up at him, an addlebrained look on his face.
"Father. I'm so sorry. I . . . I don't know what got into me . . ." His father said nothing and sat down at the desk next to his son. The police officer read him the story as the old man had written it down on the police report.
"Seeing as how he had threatened this man with the necklace he wore around his neck, we were forced to take it from him and put it in the evidence locker.," the officer explained. "The man involved decided not to press charges since there was no harm done, but we had to take the 'accused weapon' from him when he was arrested. Its harmless... So you can have it back after filling out some papers, and then we will release your son as well."
"Thank you," Mr. Bakura replied. "I don't know what got into my son. Lately he's been acting strangely, and I can't figure out why. He's always been such a nice, quiet boy, I think it might be some kind of rebellion stage."
"Well, sir, this is the 21st century. Kids are growing up faster than we did. There's nothing we can do but try to help em' and let them do the rest on their own. I suggest you have a talk to your son, and if all else fails, we've got a program for kids like that."
"A . . .program . . .? Like bootcamp?" Bakura got a twinge of fear that made his heart jump with those words.
"Its, ok, son. I'll talk to you about this when we get home. Lets just get you out of those cuffs first, eh?" Bakura just nodded as his father filled out the necessary paperwork.
'How did this happen?,' Bakura thought, 'And why was I wearing the puzzle instead of my ring?' Bakura's stomach let out a low rumbling sound. 'I am so hungry . . .' Bakura thought, 'What has been going on with me lately? I can't even recollect anything past getting on the bus this morning . . .'
***********************************************************************
Joey and Tristan arrived at the Turtle Game Shop on Tristan's motorcycle. Opening the door with the key they had received from Yugi's grandpa, they stood in the doorway a while before entering. "You go first, Joey."
"No way! I don't know what's in there!" Joey pushed Tristan forward causing him to lose his balance and fall into the building.
"Well I guess you win." said Tristan malcontently. Joey cringed in the door way before getting dragged in by Tristan. "Come on. Let's check out the bathroom."
They entered the bathroom, pushing the door open a bit at first, and then more until it was completely ajar. Neither of them saw anything suspicious at first, and then they spotted it. The bubbles had cleared long before they got there and the water was clear as crystal. There set the Millennium Ring. They eyed it suspiciously at first before Joey reached in and picked it up.
Tristan panicked. "What the hell are you doing? You don't just pick things like that up!," he yelled as he knocked it out of Joey's hands onto the floor. The ring hit the floor with a clang and they stood back, afraid it was about to do something. But it didn't . . .
"See, Tristan! Everything's fine," Joey said picking it back up.
"Well then what happened to Yugi?"
"I'm not sure, but nothing's happening now."
Tristan picked up the ring with his jacket, timorously wrapping it around the item until no part of it was visible. Under the circumstances, he wasn't going to risk anything. Tristan was despondent to touch the item, and was appalled by Joey's nonchalant attitude towards doing it himself, especially since he had been opposed to even enter the game shop at first.
"So what are we going to do with it Tristan?"
"I'm not sure, but we can't let anyone come to close to this thing until we're sure it wasn't the ring that hurt Yugi." They locked up the shop and got on Tristan's bike. Tristan turned around and headed in the opposite way they had gone to get to the hospital.
"Where are we going Tristan?"
"Somewhere we can hide this thing until we get things figured out. I don't want it at my house, and I'm sure you don't either so we've got to find somewhere to put it."
Joey nodded and they continued riding around Domino until they came to Battle City. Tristan spotted a storage house that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Getting off the bike, he and Joey walked up to the shack and tried to open the door, it was locked.
"On my count we kick the door open," Tristan said walking back to the bike and pulling his chain out of the back compartment. He set the chain and lock down on the ground and stood back. "One. Two. Three!" He and Joey fell in as the door swung open under the force of their weight. They got up and dusted themselves off. Joey quickly found a place to hide the ring.
"Look here, Tristan!" Joey pointed to a corner riddled with junk and dirt. "If you put it under that junk, no one will think to look here."
"Great idea, Joey. Maybe your brain is growing back or something." Tristan snickered at himself and Joey hissed at him. When they got done hiding the ring they exited the building, Tristan chained the door locked and tugged the lock to make sure it was on good. "Lets get outta here and back to that hospital with Yugi."
***********************************************************************
"Did you see that Odeon? Those idiots were hiding something."
"Yes, master. Would you like me to check it out?"
"Yes. Those are the little fools that hang out with the Motou boy." Marik cackled. "He's the keeper of the Millennium puzzle... This might lead us to its whereabouts."
Odeon and Marik left for their hideout, in search of a crowbar or something that would allow him to access the storage house. Marik gloated immensely.
"Soon I will have what I truly desire..."
***********************************************************************
Tristan was at home when he got a call from Tea saying that Yugi was in the hospital. He immediately called Joey and Bakura. Joey answered the phone and was on his way to the hospital without hesitation, while Tristan was calling Bakura's house. After what seemed like a few hundred rings Bakura's father answered the phone.
"Mr. Bakura, hi its me, Tristan. I go to school with Bakura, uh, I mean Bakura, and I wanted to talk to him."
"He's grounded. I'm sorry but he can't talk on the phone or go anywhere with you tonight, or for quite some time."
"I understand. But this is different. I'm not calling to hang out, our friend is in the hospital and I thought it was important for him to know in case he would like to visit. He's in Domino Hospital, but he's in pretty good condition. He just seems... out of it. Please give him the message."
"I sure will, and since a friend is in the hospital, this would be an exception. I'll bring him over right away."
"Thanks Mr. Bakura."
When Tristan arrived at the hospital, Joey was already there with Tea. "Where is Bakura? Did you get in touch with him?," Tea asked.
"No, but I left a message with his dad, they should be here in no time."
They all stood around Yugi, Joey pacing beside the bed and Tea holding his hand. Grandpa Motou came in and Tristan got up to give him the chair he was sitting in.
"Thank you Tristan."
"No problem. Now tell us what happened, how did he get this way?"
"Well, I came in the house after running some errands and I put up the groceries. I noticed that dinner was still on the table, untouched. I figured maybe he wasn't hungry and forget to clear off the table so I didn't think much of it. When I got upstairs I smelled the scent of apples from the bubble bath. It's Yugi's favorite. I knew he was in the bathroom, and not wanting to bother him I went to my room and took a nap. I woke up about an hour later and he was still in the bathroom, so I called out to him. I didn't hear an answer so I opened the door and he was just . . . laying there . . .," His eyes began to tear up and Joey handed him a napkin. Grandpa Motou listened to Joey, Tristan, and Tea try to comfort him. Nervously he played with the napkin, folding and unfolding it, distracting himself from the situation with pointless fumbling.
"We know this is hard. Mr. Motou, its hard for all of us. But we're here for you.," Tea reassured him.
"Have you talked to the doctors about what is wrong with him?," Tristan asked.
"They can't figure it out. He's just... not there anymore. My boy isn't there anymore..." Grandpa Motou began to cry and Tea rubbed his back, trying to comfort him before she too, ended up crying. Joey sat on the window sill, and Tristan stood behind him as they looked out of the window down at the cars below the building. He watched them go by like fireflies; each one lit up and each one carrying a different person, with a different family, going on about their lives, going home to their loved ones.
"Tristan, what do you think happened?"
"Well, I think it had something to do with that weird ring. They said when he got here the ambulance brought him wrapped in a towel, and besides that he was wearing nothing. But I'm sure he probably was near the ring when he fell unconscious. I never liked it anyway. I threw it out in the middle of the woods from Pegasus's castle when we were in Duelist Kingdom, and somehow Bakura ended up with it right back on. Now Yugi isn't even wearing the ring, and this has happened. IT makes me wonder..."
"Creepy . . . I think we should go back to the game shop and see if we can find it. We need to make sure."
"For once you've got a good idea, Joey. What if we do find it? We cant let Yugi get a hold of it again, it could hurt him."
"Well what are WE going to do with it if we find it?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. We'll figure that out when we get there."
"Right! Let's go!" Joey jumped up from the window sill with Tristan behind him and rushed to the door.
"Hey! Where are you guys going? You should stay here with Yugi. He might wake up.," Tea said. Tristan explained that they were going to the game shop to look for something important, and that is was to help Yugi, but did not tell the what it was.
"Whatever you are looking for, boys, you can't find it without this." Grandpa's hands shook as he handed Tristan the key to the game shop and he and Joey left immediately.
'Poor guy,' Joey thought.
***********************************************************************
Back at Bakura's home, his father had already discovered that he wasn't there when he went to tell him Yugi was in the hospital. "I don't know what's gotten into that boy. He used to be a straight 'A' student, and lately he's been skipping class and not doing any of his homework. It's his freshman year and I don't want him to get off on the wrong foot. High school is the first step to becoming a responsible adult." Bakura's father put on his coat and shoes, ready to leave the house on a search for his son as the phone rang. It was the Domino County police department saying that they had found Bakura and it was urgent that he come down to the station right away.
Mr. Bakura pulled up in the station parking lot and got out of the car. A police officer was standing outside of the door and met him on the way in. "Are you Mr...," The police officer looked down at a manuscript in his hands. "Jonathan Bakura?" He answered yes and the police officer took him inside and led him to a room full of desks. He saw Bakura sitting in a chair with handcuffs holding his arms behind him. Bakura looked up at him, an addlebrained look on his face.
"Father. I'm so sorry. I . . . I don't know what got into me . . ." His father said nothing and sat down at the desk next to his son. The police officer read him the story as the old man had written it down on the police report.
"Seeing as how he had threatened this man with the necklace he wore around his neck, we were forced to take it from him and put it in the evidence locker.," the officer explained. "The man involved decided not to press charges since there was no harm done, but we had to take the 'accused weapon' from him when he was arrested. Its harmless... So you can have it back after filling out some papers, and then we will release your son as well."
"Thank you," Mr. Bakura replied. "I don't know what got into my son. Lately he's been acting strangely, and I can't figure out why. He's always been such a nice, quiet boy, I think it might be some kind of rebellion stage."
"Well, sir, this is the 21st century. Kids are growing up faster than we did. There's nothing we can do but try to help em' and let them do the rest on their own. I suggest you have a talk to your son, and if all else fails, we've got a program for kids like that."
"A . . .program . . .? Like bootcamp?" Bakura got a twinge of fear that made his heart jump with those words.
"Its, ok, son. I'll talk to you about this when we get home. Lets just get you out of those cuffs first, eh?" Bakura just nodded as his father filled out the necessary paperwork.
'How did this happen?,' Bakura thought, 'And why was I wearing the puzzle instead of my ring?' Bakura's stomach let out a low rumbling sound. 'I am so hungry . . .' Bakura thought, 'What has been going on with me lately? I can't even recollect anything past getting on the bus this morning . . .'
***********************************************************************
Joey and Tristan arrived at the Turtle Game Shop on Tristan's motorcycle. Opening the door with the key they had received from Yugi's grandpa, they stood in the doorway a while before entering. "You go first, Joey."
"No way! I don't know what's in there!" Joey pushed Tristan forward causing him to lose his balance and fall into the building.
"Well I guess you win." said Tristan malcontently. Joey cringed in the door way before getting dragged in by Tristan. "Come on. Let's check out the bathroom."
They entered the bathroom, pushing the door open a bit at first, and then more until it was completely ajar. Neither of them saw anything suspicious at first, and then they spotted it. The bubbles had cleared long before they got there and the water was clear as crystal. There set the Millennium Ring. They eyed it suspiciously at first before Joey reached in and picked it up.
Tristan panicked. "What the hell are you doing? You don't just pick things like that up!," he yelled as he knocked it out of Joey's hands onto the floor. The ring hit the floor with a clang and they stood back, afraid it was about to do something. But it didn't . . .
"See, Tristan! Everything's fine," Joey said picking it back up.
"Well then what happened to Yugi?"
"I'm not sure, but nothing's happening now."
Tristan picked up the ring with his jacket, timorously wrapping it around the item until no part of it was visible. Under the circumstances, he wasn't going to risk anything. Tristan was despondent to touch the item, and was appalled by Joey's nonchalant attitude towards doing it himself, especially since he had been opposed to even enter the game shop at first.
"So what are we going to do with it Tristan?"
"I'm not sure, but we can't let anyone come to close to this thing until we're sure it wasn't the ring that hurt Yugi." They locked up the shop and got on Tristan's bike. Tristan turned around and headed in the opposite way they had gone to get to the hospital.
"Where are we going Tristan?"
"Somewhere we can hide this thing until we get things figured out. I don't want it at my house, and I'm sure you don't either so we've got to find somewhere to put it."
Joey nodded and they continued riding around Domino until they came to Battle City. Tristan spotted a storage house that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Getting off the bike, he and Joey walked up to the shack and tried to open the door, it was locked.
"On my count we kick the door open," Tristan said walking back to the bike and pulling his chain out of the back compartment. He set the chain and lock down on the ground and stood back. "One. Two. Three!" He and Joey fell in as the door swung open under the force of their weight. They got up and dusted themselves off. Joey quickly found a place to hide the ring.
"Look here, Tristan!" Joey pointed to a corner riddled with junk and dirt. "If you put it under that junk, no one will think to look here."
"Great idea, Joey. Maybe your brain is growing back or something." Tristan snickered at himself and Joey hissed at him. When they got done hiding the ring they exited the building, Tristan chained the door locked and tugged the lock to make sure it was on good. "Lets get outta here and back to that hospital with Yugi."
***********************************************************************
"Did you see that Odeon? Those idiots were hiding something."
"Yes, master. Would you like me to check it out?"
"Yes. Those are the little fools that hang out with the Motou boy." Marik cackled. "He's the keeper of the Millennium puzzle... This might lead us to its whereabouts."
Odeon and Marik left for their hideout, in search of a crowbar or something that would allow him to access the storage house. Marik gloated immensely.
"Soon I will have what I truly desire..."
***********************************************************************