WARNING: Character death.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"This is talking"
'These are thoughts'
Yugi put the Millennium Eye and Millennium Necklace in his pockets and looked up at Yami with pure sorrow in his eyes. "Yami... I never wanted to hurt you... you or the others..." He said, his head lowered as he began to cry. "I only wanted to protect you..." He said through sobs.
"What do you mean, 'protect us'?" Yami asked with a quizzical look on his face.
Yugi tried to dry his eyes, but found it hopeless. "If you hated me... then you wouldn't get hurt..." He took one glance at Yami's expression and continued. "That's what happened the night I went out, and came back in a bad mood..."
Yugi looked as his watch as he headed back from the shop. 6:55. No need for him to rush home, so he walked only lost in thought.
He froze suddenly when he heard something... a dark power was nearby, he could sense it. Looking back, the pavement seemed to warp as a familiar form emerged from it. Yugi sighed with relief. "Yesh Shadi do you really have to freak me out like that all the time? Warn me next time."
"Yugi, I come baring bad news." Shadi answered. "The evil spirit that once resided in the Millennium Ring has once again discovered a way to escape the Shadow Realm."
"What?!"
Shadi nodded and continued. "I fear he may once again find refuge in another vessel. If he succeeds in doing so, he can once again send monsters on a rampage throughout the world."
Yugi was shocked, but found his voice and asked, "What can we do?"
"The very same thing as was done five thousand years ago. Pharaoh Yami was able to seal the magic away within the Millennium Items, and he may do so again." Shadi explained.
Yugi frowned when he heard this. "So Yami would be back in the Puzzle?"
"Yes." Shadi nodded. "Five thousand years ago he sealed the Millennium magic away, but at the cost of his soul, and the soul of anyone who possessed a Millennium Item."
"Then... Ryou and Marik would go too?" Yugi asked in a slight state of shock. When Shadi nodded, he couldn't control himself anymore. "You can't! Ryou and Marik have finally been freed of their evil halves and Yami has finally been released from his confinement, you can't just lock him away again!"
"Ryou and Marik could be spared." Shadi explained calmly. "All they must to is surrender their Millennium Items. If they no longer own them, their souls will be spared, but it is destiny that only the one who possesses and controls the power of the Millennium Puzzle can perform the ritual."
Yugi felt slightly faint. How could this be? Yami had gone through so much. Five millennia of solitude, learning to adapt to a whole new life, protecting Yugi and his friends as well as the world and slowly making Yugi a stronger and more confident person. Yami had changed his life, and it was for the better, though it may not have seemed it at first.
He just couldn't believe Yami was going to have to suffer all over again... or was he? "Shadi... you said it had to be the possessor of the Millennium Puzzle... didn't you?" Shadi nodded. "The Puzzle doesn't belong to just Yami anymore... neither does his destiny... I'm a part of them both..."
No, he couldn't tell them, they'd stop him, and if Yami knew he'd go instead of Yugi. He couldn't let Yami do so because he felt it his responsibility.
But what was he going to tell them? If they ever found out, they'd be shattered, Yugi knew that. But... what if they didn't care so much about him? He would have to make them hate him, it was the only way to spare them such pain. Yami would be the hardest to persuade, but he'd have to do it. The thought made him feel heavy guilt on his heart, and it hurt. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the Turtle Game Shop.
"Shadi would give his item up so he could stand watch over them, to protect them. I had forgotten about Ryou and Marik for a while, but when I told them, they both refused to leave me. They said they would take complete responsibility for there items, I couldn't stop them..." Yugi was on his knees looking at the floor, tears streaming down his face.
Yami was looking down with shock, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing. He fell to his knees and hugged Yugi. "We never hated you Yugi, and we never will." This just made Yugi cry harder and burry his face in Yami's shoulder. "Yugi.. please... you don't have to do this..."
"Yes I... do..." Yugi's muffled voice answered. "I'm sorry, but this is my destiny now." He pulled away from Yami and looked him in the eye, no longer crying, his expression serious. "Don't guilt yourself on another's fault... remember that. And also remember this... you were the best friend I've ever had..."
A sudden wave of magic erupted from the Millennium Puzzle, sending Yami back and skidding across the floor. Yugi stood up and closed his eyes, holding the other two Millennium Item's in his hands once again. A bright light erupted from all seven items, lighting up the room.
Jumping to his feet quickly, Yami tried to run forward, but was held back by Ryou and Marik, who both had painful expressions on their faces, and who's grip was just good enough to hold him back. "Yugi!" Yami cried out painfully as he say his friend collapse to his knees and fall forward onto the floor, unmoving. Ryou and Marik's grip released, as they too collapsed to the floor.
The glow of the Millennium Item's ceased and Yami ran forward beside Yugi, rolling him over onto his back and shaking him. "Yugi... Yugi come on.. do don't this to me..." He whispered, his voice shaky as tears formed in his eyes.
"I am sorry my Pharaoh." Shadi said in a saddened voice. "They're gone."
"No!" Yami yelled. "He can't be!" He covered his hands with his face and cried. He knew it was true, but he just couldn't accept it. Yugi's soul was trapped, trapped inside the Millennium Puzzle.
A sudden glow erupted and he looked back. it was the Millennium Puzzle, the prison of Yugi's soul. Lines began to appear on it, confusing Yami. Suddenly his eyes grew wide. "No!" He jumped to try and grab the puzzle, but it was to let. The Puzzle erupted in a glowing light and when the light faded, it was left in pieces.
He was gone. Yugi was really gone. Yami lowered his head as tears of shame fell to the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle. "Yugi... I'm sorry..."
The End
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Quite annoying how some of you figured stuff out, but I guess I kinda let it open for views, eh?
Man, I'm depressed...
There may be an epilogue, but there isn't a guarantee. Thank you fore reading and please review.
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