Title: Half Dead

By: Yukito Kinomoto

E-mail: grissom500@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And don't really want to. Don't plan to make any money off of it either.

Special thanks to: Sora Mortensen, Who introduced me to Yu-Gi-Oh! And Jeak Monkey for the title.

Summary: Yami looses more at Duelist Kingdom than his Grandfather's soul, he looses his own as well.

"You've lost Yugi boy," said Pegasus with a smirk, "Your soul is mine."

"NO YUGI!" Anzu cried from above.

Yami Yugi looked up to the balcony, his purple eyes wide with shock. The cards had failed him, failed his grandfather. Yami was infuriated; not with the cards and not at himself, but with the low-life Pegasus.

"You stole almost everything from me Pegasus," he said, his deep voice echoing in the hall, "You may try to take my soul, but know this; I will fight you with every breath in me."

A light wrapped around the tall young man and his clothing changed. He was no longer a schoolboy, he was a pharaoh, with royal robes and all. Still a part of him cried in despair for Yugi's grandfather; that part was ready to give up.

'Yugi, I need your help if I am to fight Pegasus.'

'What's the point Spirit? We lost and we gave him our word.'

Yugi's words enraged Yami even further, 'So this is it then? You want to just give up? After all that we've been through together, you still don't trust me to make this life or death decision?'

'No!' said the tear blurred voice, 'I trust you, but it seems so hopeless. What if we both die, or worse what if just one of us dies?'

Yami smiled a rare, kind smile at his alter ego, 'We'll be fine. But if we are going to go down let's fight our hardest against it.'

Yugi nodded, stiffing his resolve, 'All right Yami, let's do it.'

'What did you call me?'

'Yami; that is your name isn't it?'

The Spirit's cold eyes softened, 'Yes that is my name, and that's the first you've used it. Let's go!'

~*~*~*~*~

Sadly it was not much of a fight. Yugi Mutou's friends watched in horror as Pegasus and Yami dueled, their spirits battling on a plane that they could not see.

Pegasus attacked Yugi and the boy screamed in pain. The attack let up and Yugi fell to the ground trying not to whimper in pain, for Yami's sake. Yugi knew he was the weaker of the two, and so did Pegasus. Yami tried to help Yugi off the ground of their minds, but Yugi wasn't moving. The distraction was all the silver haired man needed. He hit the little Yugi again with his mind power; the boy didn't have the energy to cry out this time.

'You're mine Yugi boy.'

'Stop it Pegasus!' Yami screamed, 'You're killing him!'

'That is the general idea, yes. One more blast ought to do it, wouldn't you say? Unless you have something to trade me for his life?'

Yami glanced down at his friend lying bloody and beaten on the ground. Something crumbled in him; the loyalty Yugi had taught him was not aiding him in this decision. Yami knew that he could defeat Pegasus man to man, but what would it cost to earn that right to fight unhindered ...Yugi's life? Yami couldn't live with that – if he did survive - he would rather be banished to the shadow realm, than live with out Yugi.

'No answer? Oh well. Say goodbye to your little friend.'

Yugi squirmed a little and awoke with a little groan of pain.

'Wait!' Yami cried, the rest of his resolve crumbling, 'Wait Pegasus, take me, take the Millennium Puzzle, but leave Yugi out of this.'

Pegasus smirked, 'Not a bad idea at that. I don't need the little one, just you.'

'No! Spirit!' Yugi screamed, 'I need you. You can't go.'

Yami smiled sadly at him, 'Go and live my little Yugi Mutou, you have made your grandfather and me very proud! This is not your fight, it is mine, to win or lose.'

'Your fights are mine too!'

Yami's intense eyes seemed to brim with tears, 'Not this time little one. I am so sorry Yugi, you have taught me so much.' Yami began to cry, 'Goodbye my little friend, I will miss you greatly, and remember you always.'

The world dissolved in to blinding light, 'NO! SPIRIT!' The words died in Yugi's head even as he yelled them.

There was a terrible scream that could have only belonged to Yami.

Then there was horrid, overwhelming pain as half of the boy's heart and mind was ripped from him in one moment. Then it was over, and Yugi felt terribly alone as he sunk into blackness.