Silver Angel: Hey minna! Silver here, wanting to thank all the nice people
out there for their reviews. I feel so encouraged. A quick note, to say
that so far, I have:
6 votes for a Yami/Serena pairing. 1 vote for Bakura/Serena pairing If anyone else out there would like a specific couple, please let me know, and I will try my best.
Yugi: Vote for me! Vote for me!
Silver: Quiet Yugi! Now, as I was saying, votes are great, reviews are great-
Yugi: I'm great!
Silver: ::growls, and gives Yugi the Heero death glare. Looks up and smiles:: You reviewers are great too! I award all of you a complementary electronic Yugi plushie! On with the fic!
Chapter 4: A little help from the shadows
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-Robert Frost
Yugi was strangely quiet once they reached Domino city. The group had split up once the got back, to get 'supplies' and to check on things before they went anywhere. Joey had went to get some of his things, and to call Serenity to let her know that money was waiting in her bank account for her to have the operation she needed.
Likewise, Tristan and Tea had also gone their separate ways to gather any belongings they might need, and to tell their parents where they would be going. The two had argued about that at first, saying they didn't want to worry their parents, but Serena had persuaded them otherwise.
"After all," she had told them, "Your parents will worry more if you vanish without telling them anything. Take this from me. I know from experience." Reluctantly, they had left, brainstorming along the way about good excuses to tell their parents.
Serena had disappeared, taking Pegasus with her, muttering about 'making some arrangements' and his Millennium eye. Yugi had wondered about that. What arrangements could Serena - by her own admission, not even from this world - hope to make with Pegasus or his company? And what did she plan to do with the Millennium eye?
Yugi sighed, shaking his head as he walked down the sidewalk toward the hospital where his Grandpa was being kept. Serena had told him that his Grandpa had woken up, which was the best news he had heard in a long time.
'It feels strange to be alone. I've spent so much time with my friends, almost always having one or another of them with me. They've helped me so much. Will I be able to help myself this time? Friendship is good - but am I becoming too dependent on my friends?
/Don't even try to think it aibou/ his Yami commented in his head. /I'm always here, so you don't have to be alone. And as for becoming too dependent on your friends, well if anything, I think you're always trying to pull too much on yourself. Look what happened when we fought Pegasus in the shadow realm. I almost lost you Yugi! I wish you would let me take care of things more. I can't protect you if you insist on doing everything on your own./
Yugi's eyes widened slightly as he listened to his Yami's fierce speech. So stunned was he by his other half's words, that he couldn't even break in to defend himself. He nearly walked into a nearby lamppost, he was so lost in these new words, and had to jerk himself back into awareness before he crashed.
'Thank you Yami. Sorry about that. I guess you are right. All of us are stronger when we help each other. I of all people should know that I guess, considering the experiences I've had. I still can't help but feeling that I don't pull my own weight though - like I can never fight my own battles.'
/Well don't think that way Hikari. I wouldn't be able to get along with out you, you know; and all of the others depend on you in some way or another./ His Yami's tone softened now.
/In any case, I think it's time we ended this discussion. We've reached the hospital, and if I keep you distracted, your liable to walk into some patient, and not just a lamp post./
Yugi chuckled quietly at the strange picture that presented itself to him, of him crashing into some poor patient wheeling an IV drip behind him, and a nurse clobbering him with the metal pole for injuring a patient.
'You're right. That probably wouldn't be too good of an idea.'
Serena was sitting in Pegasus' office, in a large soft navy blue chair, arms folded across her chest, but with a softness in her gaze that belied her posture. She pulled one her pigtails out in front of her, and absentmindedly began to comb through it with her fingers. Her voice was regretful when she finally spoke.
"It wouldn't have worked you know," she told him softly.
"No matter how many souls you gathered, it wouldn't have been enough to bring your wife back. You may have been able to bring her body back, but her soul was beyond your reach. Shadow powers cannot reach those souls that are pure. Not for that purpose anyway. All you would have gotten is a simulacrum. A semblance of your wife inhabited by the darkness of the Shadow Realm, or perhaps some evil spirit banished there.
Pegasus looked back at her through anguished eyes. He sat across from her in a similar chair; this one upholstered in silver. "It wouldn't have worked than." He said quietly. A statement, not a question. The volume of his voice only served to further emphasize the intensity of his emotion. "I am doomed to live without the one I love."
"No," Serena agreed. "It would not have worked, though there may be another way. I am not sure if it will work, but I can try." Standing up, she walked over to Pegasus, motioning him to stay seated.
"What -" He broke off as she shushed him.
"Before I go trying out any 'spells', or go haring off on a new quest, I want to check that Millennium eye of yours. I rid you of the fragment of Chaos inside, but some of its taint likely still remains. I should get rid of that, before it attracts any dark magic to it."
Reaching out, she touched the golden talisman that had replaced his natural eye. "I was right," she muttered. With a small flash of silver light that left spots dancing in front of his eye, she cleansed the golden eye, causing it to become pleasantly warm before cooling once more.
Serena stood up to go back to her chair, but paused as Pegasus grabbed her hand, stopping her from going any further.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked her, searching for answers in her cerulean eyes.
"Doing what?" she questioned. Something flickered in her eyes, almost a warning. A warning that she didn't really want to have to answer this.
He didn't want to cause her pain. She reminded him of his wife in some way, though perhaps less carefree. Still. he had to know. He had to know the reason behind all that she had done for him. It was more than someone does for a stranger, even if that stranger as said they will help you with your mission.
"Why are you helping me? You know what I am; what I have done; yet still you insist on helping me. You heal me, restore my energy; you even offer to help bring back my wife. I am a terrible person, but still you give me aid. Why?"
The pain flickered back into her eyes, casting a shadow once more over the brightness contained there, and causing him to nearly regret his words.
"Perhaps it's because I understand exactly how you feel. I had every single one of my friends, my love - my future daughter! - killed in front of me. They were all taken from me because I was not strong enough to act sooner." Tears filled her eyes now, unable to be hidden behind her many masks any longer.
"The only way I was able to become strong enough to defeat the Chaos which is now affecting your world was to lose them forever. Irrevocably. Forever. Unlike you Pegasus, there is nothing left for me but to save others this pain. I cannot even be content with the fact that I will join them in death for I am immortal!"
She was nearly shouting now, but restrained herself. Pulling herself upright, she banished all signs of momentary weakness, and brushed away any escaping tears. "Do not ask me this question again please." Her voice had sunk to a whisper. "I do not like to refresh the pain that I have lived with for three hundred years now."
Pegasus nodded silently and stood up. "We should probably be leaving now."
'I'm so happy that Grandpa's awake again.' Yugi said to his Yami. 'It's too bad that the doctors wanted to keep him in the hospital for a few more days though. The game shop will just have to stay closed for a little while longer I guess."
/It's probably for the best Yugi/ the spirit told him. /Your Grandfather is no longer a young man. Having his soul removed from his body could have had serious effects on him. It's safer if he's in the hospital anyway. And with this 'Chaos' on the loose, he's less likely to be attacked in the hospital than if her were all alone in the shop./
'You're probably right about that Yami' Yugi agreed. "I wonder - "
Whatever Yugi had been about to say was never heard, for at that moment, someone came out of the alley to his left. A familiar white haired teen, who would normally be his friend. This person however had several characteristics distinctly lacking in his friend. The malicious glint in his eyes for one, as well as the cruel sneer on his lips.
"What do you want?" Yugi asked nervously. The whit haired teen only smirked and walked closer. Yugi backed up nervously against the wall, one hand fingering his Millennium Puzzle, the other on his Duel Monsters deck.
"I should have thought that would be obvious Yugi - Or should I be calling you Pharaoh?" He smirked and pulled out a card, holding it so that Yugi could not see what it was. "I want your Millennium puzzle of course; and your soul."
'Yami I think I'm going to need your help on this one.' He thought. 'You're the one with magic, not me.' "Yu-Gi-Oh!" At these words, Yami took over.
"Well then Bakura; or Kage - What is it your calling yourself nowadays? I really do think your taking this multiple personality thing to far. Not only do you have the personality, but you have the names too!" Yami's taunts only served to the other angry, causing Yami Bakura to hold out the card he had drawn.
"Come out Man Eater Bug! I have a Job for you!"
Yami took a step back; eyes narrowing at the creature the other spirit had called forth. "I think it's time that you were beaten at your own game tomb robber!" He too held up a card, the identity facing him. "Dark Magician! I summon thee!"
From the alleyway, a new form seemed to coalesce from the shadows. "You called me Master Yami?"
Silver: Ooooh! I wrote a cliffy! It's so fun to do that. ^_^ Don't worry minna, I won't do that too often. I just couldn't help myself this time. It was the perfect place to leave off.
Yugi: But what will happen to me? Bakura doesn't have any tricks up his sleeve does he? ::shudders:: I don't want to be eaten by that giant bug!
Silver: Don't worry Yugi, I won't let anything happen to you. ::grins wickedly:: I might let him chase you a bit though.
Yugi: But-
Silver: Anyway minna, I have a plea for help here. I need to know about the names of the other Millennium items besides the ones I've mentioned so far in the story. I know Shadi has the Millennium Ankh, and I think the scales, but what are the names of the others.
Also, I would like some background info on people like Malik, Yami Malik and Isis. I haven't seen many new Yu-Gi-Oh episodes, and know next nothing about them.
Don't forget to Review me, and vote for couples if you want! ^_^
6 votes for a Yami/Serena pairing. 1 vote for Bakura/Serena pairing If anyone else out there would like a specific couple, please let me know, and I will try my best.
Yugi: Vote for me! Vote for me!
Silver: Quiet Yugi! Now, as I was saying, votes are great, reviews are great-
Yugi: I'm great!
Silver: ::growls, and gives Yugi the Heero death glare. Looks up and smiles:: You reviewers are great too! I award all of you a complementary electronic Yugi plushie! On with the fic!
Chapter 4: A little help from the shadows
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
-Robert Frost
Yugi was strangely quiet once they reached Domino city. The group had split up once the got back, to get 'supplies' and to check on things before they went anywhere. Joey had went to get some of his things, and to call Serenity to let her know that money was waiting in her bank account for her to have the operation she needed.
Likewise, Tristan and Tea had also gone their separate ways to gather any belongings they might need, and to tell their parents where they would be going. The two had argued about that at first, saying they didn't want to worry their parents, but Serena had persuaded them otherwise.
"After all," she had told them, "Your parents will worry more if you vanish without telling them anything. Take this from me. I know from experience." Reluctantly, they had left, brainstorming along the way about good excuses to tell their parents.
Serena had disappeared, taking Pegasus with her, muttering about 'making some arrangements' and his Millennium eye. Yugi had wondered about that. What arrangements could Serena - by her own admission, not even from this world - hope to make with Pegasus or his company? And what did she plan to do with the Millennium eye?
Yugi sighed, shaking his head as he walked down the sidewalk toward the hospital where his Grandpa was being kept. Serena had told him that his Grandpa had woken up, which was the best news he had heard in a long time.
'It feels strange to be alone. I've spent so much time with my friends, almost always having one or another of them with me. They've helped me so much. Will I be able to help myself this time? Friendship is good - but am I becoming too dependent on my friends?
/Don't even try to think it aibou/ his Yami commented in his head. /I'm always here, so you don't have to be alone. And as for becoming too dependent on your friends, well if anything, I think you're always trying to pull too much on yourself. Look what happened when we fought Pegasus in the shadow realm. I almost lost you Yugi! I wish you would let me take care of things more. I can't protect you if you insist on doing everything on your own./
Yugi's eyes widened slightly as he listened to his Yami's fierce speech. So stunned was he by his other half's words, that he couldn't even break in to defend himself. He nearly walked into a nearby lamppost, he was so lost in these new words, and had to jerk himself back into awareness before he crashed.
'Thank you Yami. Sorry about that. I guess you are right. All of us are stronger when we help each other. I of all people should know that I guess, considering the experiences I've had. I still can't help but feeling that I don't pull my own weight though - like I can never fight my own battles.'
/Well don't think that way Hikari. I wouldn't be able to get along with out you, you know; and all of the others depend on you in some way or another./ His Yami's tone softened now.
/In any case, I think it's time we ended this discussion. We've reached the hospital, and if I keep you distracted, your liable to walk into some patient, and not just a lamp post./
Yugi chuckled quietly at the strange picture that presented itself to him, of him crashing into some poor patient wheeling an IV drip behind him, and a nurse clobbering him with the metal pole for injuring a patient.
'You're right. That probably wouldn't be too good of an idea.'
Serena was sitting in Pegasus' office, in a large soft navy blue chair, arms folded across her chest, but with a softness in her gaze that belied her posture. She pulled one her pigtails out in front of her, and absentmindedly began to comb through it with her fingers. Her voice was regretful when she finally spoke.
"It wouldn't have worked you know," she told him softly.
"No matter how many souls you gathered, it wouldn't have been enough to bring your wife back. You may have been able to bring her body back, but her soul was beyond your reach. Shadow powers cannot reach those souls that are pure. Not for that purpose anyway. All you would have gotten is a simulacrum. A semblance of your wife inhabited by the darkness of the Shadow Realm, or perhaps some evil spirit banished there.
Pegasus looked back at her through anguished eyes. He sat across from her in a similar chair; this one upholstered in silver. "It wouldn't have worked than." He said quietly. A statement, not a question. The volume of his voice only served to further emphasize the intensity of his emotion. "I am doomed to live without the one I love."
"No," Serena agreed. "It would not have worked, though there may be another way. I am not sure if it will work, but I can try." Standing up, she walked over to Pegasus, motioning him to stay seated.
"What -" He broke off as she shushed him.
"Before I go trying out any 'spells', or go haring off on a new quest, I want to check that Millennium eye of yours. I rid you of the fragment of Chaos inside, but some of its taint likely still remains. I should get rid of that, before it attracts any dark magic to it."
Reaching out, she touched the golden talisman that had replaced his natural eye. "I was right," she muttered. With a small flash of silver light that left spots dancing in front of his eye, she cleansed the golden eye, causing it to become pleasantly warm before cooling once more.
Serena stood up to go back to her chair, but paused as Pegasus grabbed her hand, stopping her from going any further.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked her, searching for answers in her cerulean eyes.
"Doing what?" she questioned. Something flickered in her eyes, almost a warning. A warning that she didn't really want to have to answer this.
He didn't want to cause her pain. She reminded him of his wife in some way, though perhaps less carefree. Still. he had to know. He had to know the reason behind all that she had done for him. It was more than someone does for a stranger, even if that stranger as said they will help you with your mission.
"Why are you helping me? You know what I am; what I have done; yet still you insist on helping me. You heal me, restore my energy; you even offer to help bring back my wife. I am a terrible person, but still you give me aid. Why?"
The pain flickered back into her eyes, casting a shadow once more over the brightness contained there, and causing him to nearly regret his words.
"Perhaps it's because I understand exactly how you feel. I had every single one of my friends, my love - my future daughter! - killed in front of me. They were all taken from me because I was not strong enough to act sooner." Tears filled her eyes now, unable to be hidden behind her many masks any longer.
"The only way I was able to become strong enough to defeat the Chaos which is now affecting your world was to lose them forever. Irrevocably. Forever. Unlike you Pegasus, there is nothing left for me but to save others this pain. I cannot even be content with the fact that I will join them in death for I am immortal!"
She was nearly shouting now, but restrained herself. Pulling herself upright, she banished all signs of momentary weakness, and brushed away any escaping tears. "Do not ask me this question again please." Her voice had sunk to a whisper. "I do not like to refresh the pain that I have lived with for three hundred years now."
Pegasus nodded silently and stood up. "We should probably be leaving now."
'I'm so happy that Grandpa's awake again.' Yugi said to his Yami. 'It's too bad that the doctors wanted to keep him in the hospital for a few more days though. The game shop will just have to stay closed for a little while longer I guess."
/It's probably for the best Yugi/ the spirit told him. /Your Grandfather is no longer a young man. Having his soul removed from his body could have had serious effects on him. It's safer if he's in the hospital anyway. And with this 'Chaos' on the loose, he's less likely to be attacked in the hospital than if her were all alone in the shop./
'You're probably right about that Yami' Yugi agreed. "I wonder - "
Whatever Yugi had been about to say was never heard, for at that moment, someone came out of the alley to his left. A familiar white haired teen, who would normally be his friend. This person however had several characteristics distinctly lacking in his friend. The malicious glint in his eyes for one, as well as the cruel sneer on his lips.
"What do you want?" Yugi asked nervously. The whit haired teen only smirked and walked closer. Yugi backed up nervously against the wall, one hand fingering his Millennium Puzzle, the other on his Duel Monsters deck.
"I should have thought that would be obvious Yugi - Or should I be calling you Pharaoh?" He smirked and pulled out a card, holding it so that Yugi could not see what it was. "I want your Millennium puzzle of course; and your soul."
'Yami I think I'm going to need your help on this one.' He thought. 'You're the one with magic, not me.' "Yu-Gi-Oh!" At these words, Yami took over.
"Well then Bakura; or Kage - What is it your calling yourself nowadays? I really do think your taking this multiple personality thing to far. Not only do you have the personality, but you have the names too!" Yami's taunts only served to the other angry, causing Yami Bakura to hold out the card he had drawn.
"Come out Man Eater Bug! I have a Job for you!"
Yami took a step back; eyes narrowing at the creature the other spirit had called forth. "I think it's time that you were beaten at your own game tomb robber!" He too held up a card, the identity facing him. "Dark Magician! I summon thee!"
From the alleyway, a new form seemed to coalesce from the shadows. "You called me Master Yami?"
Silver: Ooooh! I wrote a cliffy! It's so fun to do that. ^_^ Don't worry minna, I won't do that too often. I just couldn't help myself this time. It was the perfect place to leave off.
Yugi: But what will happen to me? Bakura doesn't have any tricks up his sleeve does he? ::shudders:: I don't want to be eaten by that giant bug!
Silver: Don't worry Yugi, I won't let anything happen to you. ::grins wickedly:: I might let him chase you a bit though.
Yugi: But-
Silver: Anyway minna, I have a plea for help here. I need to know about the names of the other Millennium items besides the ones I've mentioned so far in the story. I know Shadi has the Millennium Ankh, and I think the scales, but what are the names of the others.
Also, I would like some background info on people like Malik, Yami Malik and Isis. I haven't seen many new Yu-Gi-Oh episodes, and know next nothing about them.
Don't forget to Review me, and vote for couples if you want! ^_^
