Oh man! I forgot to add footnotes and such in the last chapter! For future reference, "Keiko" is a character created by my best friend and "Nee-chan," so I'm using her in my own fic. You won't meet her until the sequal, but she's Kaiba's fiancee and childhood friend. She was also the Motos' housekeeper for a time.
To Serafina: Pleasure as always! I actually have three stories in the works, and one officially on hold! The sequal to this story (which as of yet has no name) is the one I mentioned to you. Oh and as far as Yugi's family is concerned .... Yugi is an only child, his dad is never mentioned, but he has a mother! I swear! She's cut out of the American dub!! I will have her in this later I'll explain more about her later.
To Kyoko-san: Thank you so much for the review!! I know you don't like Yugi or his yami as much, so that makes it all the more special. Thank you!
Hope you enjoy!
.
Oh! and I gotta say:
/Yugi talking in thought speak./
//Yami talking in thought speak.//
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yami: Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh!, a new girl with a lot of money and attitude arrived at Domino High. My hikari and I both sense something about her, but we are still preoccupied with searching for my lost memories. All I can do is warn Yugi to stay away from her.
.
Chapter 2
Panic Attack!
The next day went somewhat uneventful at first. Yugi kept to his friends, trying to keep an eye on Nazo. He explained to them about Yami's suspicions, and the only one to take it seriously was Anzu. "I'll find out more about her for you," she said confidently.
"Thanks Anzu!"
"Hey look who's back," exclaimed Honda, waving at someone behind Yugi.
Ryou Bakura waved back and ran to catch up with them. Months before, after Yami exited his memories (where Yami Bakura had stowed away), he sealed the spirit of the past Bakura in the Mil. Ring in order to rid themselves of the thief once and for all. Shadi and Babosa agreed to hold all of the items as long as it took the Pharaoh to find his wife and brother.
But only a week after the incident, Ryou stopped coming to school on sick leave. The boy had felt strangely weak to the point where he couldn't go to school.
Yugi admitted to himself that he still looked terrible. His skin was pale, save for the dark circles under his eyes, and when he spoke, it was with half of his original pep. "Hello all! Good to see you again after so long!"
"Good to see you too," said Jonouchi. "Feelin' better, I take it."
"Oh yes, much better! My parents decided I should come back to school."
"That's good to hear," said Anzu smiling. "How was your Christmas?"
The conversation went on until PE, when Anzu had to separate from them to join the girls. During their warm-up exercises, Ryou whispered to Yugi, "Yugi, may I speak with you outside the locker rooms after class? Alone?"
"Un," said Yugi with a quick nod. Now that Ryou didn't have his Ring, he felt more comfortable with his friend.
PE was the only class Yugi did not wear the Puzzle. Jewelry of any kind was prohibited. Still, he wished he could have spoken to Yami before agreeing to meet with the ex-host of an old, dangerous enemy.
While Yugi normally performed the worst in the class, Ryou's participation rivaled his today. He could not pull himself a foot above the ground on the rope, and collapsed after the forty jumping jacks. Yugi wondered if that had anything to do with Ryou's meeting. Jonouchi and Honda took the opportunity to make a bit of fun, since Yugi for once wasn't the worst in class!
After he dressed back into his uniform, Yugi put on the Puzzle, told Jonouchi and Honda they'd meet up later, and waited for Ryou outside the gym.
//Aibou,// asked Yami telepathically, //what does Bakura want?//
/To tell you the truth, I'm not too sure!/
Before he could explain, Ryou rounded the corner. "Yugi, thank you for coming! And for bringing your Puzzle! I was actually hoping I could speak to the Pharaoh directly."
Yugi gave him a very confused look, but he heard Yami say, //It is alright, Aibou. I'll take over for a while.// Yugi felt the familiar sensation of unnatural wind sweep over his body, and Yami's soul switching places with his own.
"You asked for me, Bakura," asked the Pharaoh.
"Yes, your Highness," said Ryou, bowing slightly, not knowing how to act in front of the ancient being. "You were the only person I figured could help me."
"What is it?"
"To be quite honest, I have not gotten better! Well, not much. I still am unable to sleep properly, yet am exhausted all the time. All food I eat tastes like garbage, so I end up not eating, and I get fainting spells." Ryou said all of this as if he'd wanted to talk to someone for ages.
"And modern doctors find no cause?"
"Exactly. My parents began thinking I am only faking in order to remain out of school. But I swear, I am not!"
Yami Yugi closed his eyes in deep thought. "Sounds like a spell to me. Perhaps your yami left it as a defense in case you took off the Mil. Ring."
"Or he is placing it on me now," said Ryou softly.
Yami Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Is he still that powerful?"
Ryou held and shook his head wearily. "I don't know! All I know it that I am sick of being sick! It's driving me crazy!" He clasped his hands together. "Please Pharaoh," he begged. "Please tell me you know how to stop this!"
"I am very sorry," said Yami, "but I do not. Such a feat is beyond my knowledge."
A stream of students trickled by slowly, walking past the two. One girl accidentally bumped into Yami Yugi, but he didn't see whom. Ryou also got bumped by another student and fell backwards into the mud. Yugi got back control and helped him up. "Sorry we can't help you, Bakura-kun."
"Yes," he said, his eyes downcast sadly. "I understand." He tried to smack the mud off his pants, then started walking off.
/Mou hitori no boku, we can't leave him like this, can we?/
//No, Aibou. I suppose we cannot.//
"Hey wait! Bakura-kun!" The other turned back around. "Listen, whenever we need advice, we always ask Isis Ishtar. Maybe you should too."
Ryou's eyes shined with renewed hope. "Can you come with me, Yugi-kun? I don't think she likes me all that much."
"Sure! We'll meet after school!"
.
.
The last bell rang, and Yugi packed up his things gratefully. His history test was hard enough without his added worry for Ryou!
Absently, he opened his front pocket to put away his pens, when he noticed it to be less bulky then usual. He put his hand fully in the pocket, and stopped breathing. The box he kept his cards in was gone!
Yami sensed his tension. //Something happen?//
Yugi didn't answer, but proceeded to search his bag. Front pocket, middle pocket, large pocket … no box. He took everything out of his bag and shook it upside down. Nothing!
/SHIMATTA!! I CAN'T FIND THE CARDS!!/
Yugi sensed Yami also tense up. //You sure?//
He felt though his things and the compartments of his bag. /Positive!/
"Yo, Yug," called Jonouchi from the doorway. "What's the hold up?"
Yugi gave one more feel through his things. "Jonouchi, I can't find my cards! The box isn't in my bag!"
Jonouchi's face blanched too. "Did you leave it in your locker?"
"I don't think so," said Yugi, packing up quickly, "but I'll check."
"I'll look around here to see if you dropped it."
"Thanks, Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi dashed out of the room, down the stairs, through the crowd, and nearly crashed into his locker in panic. He failed three times to enter the right combination on the lock before opening it, and a quick search told him it wasn't there either.
/Damn! Where else could it be?/ He snapped his fingers then ran out the door, down the corridors, and straight over to the boys' locker room. Again, he scanned the area, checking the locker he had used, and found nothing. He traced his footsteps over to where Yami and Ryou talked, followed further where he met up with his friends for lunch, then back upstairs to his classroom.
A strange sight met his eyes. Jonouchi had Ryou by the front of his shirt about six inches off the ground, Anzu pulling at his jacket pleading him to stop, and Honda searching Ryou's book bag.
"Don't play dumb, you bastard," snarled Jonouchi. "You even talked to him alone earlier! You must've stolen them!"
"I promise you," said a terrified Ryou. "I haven't a clue!"
"He's tellin' the truth," said Honda, standing up. "It's not in his bag."
Jonouchi put Ryou down, but glared at him. "Do you have any idea-"
"No! I don't!"
Yugi stared angrily at his friend, vividly reminded of a time when Jonouchi and Honda bullied him every day (which actually was not even a year before). "Jonouchi! Stop it! He couldn't have taken my cards!"
The others jumped. They did not realize he was there! "Yugi," exclaimed Anzu. "Did you find them?"
"No." He shook with anxiety. "I checked my locker, the gym, the locker room, … Where else could it be? I might have noticed before … Wouldn't I?" His mind raced. Racking his brain, he tried to picture himself in the hallways of the school that day. How long had the puzzle box been absent from his bag?
//Aibou?//
But what if Jonouchi was right? Could it have really been stolen? It was in the box, so who would know it held his cards? He thought it was the perfect place! Sure the box was strange and beautiful, but no one would care. All the Rare Hunters dispersed after Marik left. Yami Bakura was trapped in the Mil. Ring with Shadi. Doom Organization was gone. Kaiba moved to LA … A new threat?
//Aibou?!//
Yugi's body went rigid. They might be in danger again! Someone may know the secret to unlocking the cards' power!
//YUGI!!//
/Wha-What?/
//You're about to pass out from stress! I think for the sake of your heart I'D better take over for a while!//
"I'm okay," he said out loud.
Anzu put her hand on his face. "You don't seem okay. You can stay here while we look for your cards."
"I'll be fine," he said forcefully, embarrassed at Anzu's patronizing. "I'll go check my locker one mo-"
But he was cut off by nearly running right into Nazo Tanaka. "Excuse me," she said, a bit annoyed.
Yugi stepped back. "Gomen-nasai, Tanaka-san!"
Nazo nodded, then held up the puzzle box! "I believe this belongs to you, Moto."
"MY CARDS!!!" Yugi snatched it out of her hands, opened the box, and then flipped the deck to the very middle. Sure enough, the god cards remained safe and sound. "Where did you find it!?"
"Yeah," said Jonouchi, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Where DID you find it?"
Nazo pulled her bag strap closer to her shoulder. "Over by the gym at lunch time. Must've gotten knocked out in the crowd."
"A likely story," said Jonouchi. "Tell me, Tanaka, how much do you know about Duel Monsters?"
"Jonouchi, cut it out," snapped Anzu.
"Yeah," agreed Honda. "She brought them all back and everything."
Nazo glanced at Yugi, made a "Keh" sound in her throat, then walked out the door without another word. Yugi close the box and watched her. /Even if she isn't a duelist,/ he thought, /why didn't she keep the cards? Some are very rare./
"What an ordeal," Ryou yawned. "If you'd prefer," he directed at Yugi, "we can postpone the trip to the museum 'til tomorrow."
"No. I'd like to ask Isis something myself."
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yugi: Ohaiyo minna! n_n Bakura-kun and I go to the museum to ask Isis for help, but only end up getting more problems and worries. I wish Yami weren't so protective of me! Also, I catch Nazo performing a Shadow Game! How can she?!
Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Hikari Disease and Nazo's Challenge
.
.
Okay, I'm not gonna update until my review count is 9. Tell friends about me if you have to, but I'm not updating unless I have a 1:3 chapter review ratio! -_- I leaned my lesson with DBBC!
R&R, please!
To Serafina: Pleasure as always! I actually have three stories in the works, and one officially on hold! The sequal to this story (which as of yet has no name) is the one I mentioned to you. Oh and as far as Yugi's family is concerned .... Yugi is an only child, his dad is never mentioned, but he has a mother! I swear! She's cut out of the American dub!! I will have her in this later I'll explain more about her later.
To Kyoko-san: Thank you so much for the review!! I know you don't like Yugi or his yami as much, so that makes it all the more special. Thank you!
Hope you enjoy!
.
Oh! and I gotta say:
/Yugi talking in thought speak./
//Yami talking in thought speak.//
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yami: Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh!, a new girl with a lot of money and attitude arrived at Domino High. My hikari and I both sense something about her, but we are still preoccupied with searching for my lost memories. All I can do is warn Yugi to stay away from her.
.
Chapter 2
Panic Attack!
The next day went somewhat uneventful at first. Yugi kept to his friends, trying to keep an eye on Nazo. He explained to them about Yami's suspicions, and the only one to take it seriously was Anzu. "I'll find out more about her for you," she said confidently.
"Thanks Anzu!"
"Hey look who's back," exclaimed Honda, waving at someone behind Yugi.
Ryou Bakura waved back and ran to catch up with them. Months before, after Yami exited his memories (where Yami Bakura had stowed away), he sealed the spirit of the past Bakura in the Mil. Ring in order to rid themselves of the thief once and for all. Shadi and Babosa agreed to hold all of the items as long as it took the Pharaoh to find his wife and brother.
But only a week after the incident, Ryou stopped coming to school on sick leave. The boy had felt strangely weak to the point where he couldn't go to school.
Yugi admitted to himself that he still looked terrible. His skin was pale, save for the dark circles under his eyes, and when he spoke, it was with half of his original pep. "Hello all! Good to see you again after so long!"
"Good to see you too," said Jonouchi. "Feelin' better, I take it."
"Oh yes, much better! My parents decided I should come back to school."
"That's good to hear," said Anzu smiling. "How was your Christmas?"
The conversation went on until PE, when Anzu had to separate from them to join the girls. During their warm-up exercises, Ryou whispered to Yugi, "Yugi, may I speak with you outside the locker rooms after class? Alone?"
"Un," said Yugi with a quick nod. Now that Ryou didn't have his Ring, he felt more comfortable with his friend.
PE was the only class Yugi did not wear the Puzzle. Jewelry of any kind was prohibited. Still, he wished he could have spoken to Yami before agreeing to meet with the ex-host of an old, dangerous enemy.
While Yugi normally performed the worst in the class, Ryou's participation rivaled his today. He could not pull himself a foot above the ground on the rope, and collapsed after the forty jumping jacks. Yugi wondered if that had anything to do with Ryou's meeting. Jonouchi and Honda took the opportunity to make a bit of fun, since Yugi for once wasn't the worst in class!
After he dressed back into his uniform, Yugi put on the Puzzle, told Jonouchi and Honda they'd meet up later, and waited for Ryou outside the gym.
//Aibou,// asked Yami telepathically, //what does Bakura want?//
/To tell you the truth, I'm not too sure!/
Before he could explain, Ryou rounded the corner. "Yugi, thank you for coming! And for bringing your Puzzle! I was actually hoping I could speak to the Pharaoh directly."
Yugi gave him a very confused look, but he heard Yami say, //It is alright, Aibou. I'll take over for a while.// Yugi felt the familiar sensation of unnatural wind sweep over his body, and Yami's soul switching places with his own.
"You asked for me, Bakura," asked the Pharaoh.
"Yes, your Highness," said Ryou, bowing slightly, not knowing how to act in front of the ancient being. "You were the only person I figured could help me."
"What is it?"
"To be quite honest, I have not gotten better! Well, not much. I still am unable to sleep properly, yet am exhausted all the time. All food I eat tastes like garbage, so I end up not eating, and I get fainting spells." Ryou said all of this as if he'd wanted to talk to someone for ages.
"And modern doctors find no cause?"
"Exactly. My parents began thinking I am only faking in order to remain out of school. But I swear, I am not!"
Yami Yugi closed his eyes in deep thought. "Sounds like a spell to me. Perhaps your yami left it as a defense in case you took off the Mil. Ring."
"Or he is placing it on me now," said Ryou softly.
Yami Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Is he still that powerful?"
Ryou held and shook his head wearily. "I don't know! All I know it that I am sick of being sick! It's driving me crazy!" He clasped his hands together. "Please Pharaoh," he begged. "Please tell me you know how to stop this!"
"I am very sorry," said Yami, "but I do not. Such a feat is beyond my knowledge."
A stream of students trickled by slowly, walking past the two. One girl accidentally bumped into Yami Yugi, but he didn't see whom. Ryou also got bumped by another student and fell backwards into the mud. Yugi got back control and helped him up. "Sorry we can't help you, Bakura-kun."
"Yes," he said, his eyes downcast sadly. "I understand." He tried to smack the mud off his pants, then started walking off.
/Mou hitori no boku, we can't leave him like this, can we?/
//No, Aibou. I suppose we cannot.//
"Hey wait! Bakura-kun!" The other turned back around. "Listen, whenever we need advice, we always ask Isis Ishtar. Maybe you should too."
Ryou's eyes shined with renewed hope. "Can you come with me, Yugi-kun? I don't think she likes me all that much."
"Sure! We'll meet after school!"
.
.
The last bell rang, and Yugi packed up his things gratefully. His history test was hard enough without his added worry for Ryou!
Absently, he opened his front pocket to put away his pens, when he noticed it to be less bulky then usual. He put his hand fully in the pocket, and stopped breathing. The box he kept his cards in was gone!
Yami sensed his tension. //Something happen?//
Yugi didn't answer, but proceeded to search his bag. Front pocket, middle pocket, large pocket … no box. He took everything out of his bag and shook it upside down. Nothing!
/SHIMATTA!! I CAN'T FIND THE CARDS!!/
Yugi sensed Yami also tense up. //You sure?//
He felt though his things and the compartments of his bag. /Positive!/
"Yo, Yug," called Jonouchi from the doorway. "What's the hold up?"
Yugi gave one more feel through his things. "Jonouchi, I can't find my cards! The box isn't in my bag!"
Jonouchi's face blanched too. "Did you leave it in your locker?"
"I don't think so," said Yugi, packing up quickly, "but I'll check."
"I'll look around here to see if you dropped it."
"Thanks, Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi dashed out of the room, down the stairs, through the crowd, and nearly crashed into his locker in panic. He failed three times to enter the right combination on the lock before opening it, and a quick search told him it wasn't there either.
/Damn! Where else could it be?/ He snapped his fingers then ran out the door, down the corridors, and straight over to the boys' locker room. Again, he scanned the area, checking the locker he had used, and found nothing. He traced his footsteps over to where Yami and Ryou talked, followed further where he met up with his friends for lunch, then back upstairs to his classroom.
A strange sight met his eyes. Jonouchi had Ryou by the front of his shirt about six inches off the ground, Anzu pulling at his jacket pleading him to stop, and Honda searching Ryou's book bag.
"Don't play dumb, you bastard," snarled Jonouchi. "You even talked to him alone earlier! You must've stolen them!"
"I promise you," said a terrified Ryou. "I haven't a clue!"
"He's tellin' the truth," said Honda, standing up. "It's not in his bag."
Jonouchi put Ryou down, but glared at him. "Do you have any idea-"
"No! I don't!"
Yugi stared angrily at his friend, vividly reminded of a time when Jonouchi and Honda bullied him every day (which actually was not even a year before). "Jonouchi! Stop it! He couldn't have taken my cards!"
The others jumped. They did not realize he was there! "Yugi," exclaimed Anzu. "Did you find them?"
"No." He shook with anxiety. "I checked my locker, the gym, the locker room, … Where else could it be? I might have noticed before … Wouldn't I?" His mind raced. Racking his brain, he tried to picture himself in the hallways of the school that day. How long had the puzzle box been absent from his bag?
//Aibou?//
But what if Jonouchi was right? Could it have really been stolen? It was in the box, so who would know it held his cards? He thought it was the perfect place! Sure the box was strange and beautiful, but no one would care. All the Rare Hunters dispersed after Marik left. Yami Bakura was trapped in the Mil. Ring with Shadi. Doom Organization was gone. Kaiba moved to LA … A new threat?
//Aibou?!//
Yugi's body went rigid. They might be in danger again! Someone may know the secret to unlocking the cards' power!
//YUGI!!//
/Wha-What?/
//You're about to pass out from stress! I think for the sake of your heart I'D better take over for a while!//
"I'm okay," he said out loud.
Anzu put her hand on his face. "You don't seem okay. You can stay here while we look for your cards."
"I'll be fine," he said forcefully, embarrassed at Anzu's patronizing. "I'll go check my locker one mo-"
But he was cut off by nearly running right into Nazo Tanaka. "Excuse me," she said, a bit annoyed.
Yugi stepped back. "Gomen-nasai, Tanaka-san!"
Nazo nodded, then held up the puzzle box! "I believe this belongs to you, Moto."
"MY CARDS!!!" Yugi snatched it out of her hands, opened the box, and then flipped the deck to the very middle. Sure enough, the god cards remained safe and sound. "Where did you find it!?"
"Yeah," said Jonouchi, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Where DID you find it?"
Nazo pulled her bag strap closer to her shoulder. "Over by the gym at lunch time. Must've gotten knocked out in the crowd."
"A likely story," said Jonouchi. "Tell me, Tanaka, how much do you know about Duel Monsters?"
"Jonouchi, cut it out," snapped Anzu.
"Yeah," agreed Honda. "She brought them all back and everything."
Nazo glanced at Yugi, made a "Keh" sound in her throat, then walked out the door without another word. Yugi close the box and watched her. /Even if she isn't a duelist,/ he thought, /why didn't she keep the cards? Some are very rare./
"What an ordeal," Ryou yawned. "If you'd prefer," he directed at Yugi, "we can postpone the trip to the museum 'til tomorrow."
"No. I'd like to ask Isis something myself."
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yugi: Ohaiyo minna! n_n Bakura-kun and I go to the museum to ask Isis for help, but only end up getting more problems and worries. I wish Yami weren't so protective of me! Also, I catch Nazo performing a Shadow Game! How can she?!
Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Hikari Disease and Nazo's Challenge
.
.
Okay, I'm not gonna update until my review count is 9. Tell friends about me if you have to, but I'm not updating unless I have a 1:3 chapter review ratio! -_- I leaned my lesson with DBBC!
R&R, please!