THE ENCOUNTER OF LOST SOULS
Chapter Eight: Danger Looms
The other Yugi carried back the unconscious Emrys to their picnic area. He laid her down on the blanket, grabbed one of the small pillows they brought, and propped it under her head. He reached in the picnic basket for bottled water using half of its contents to soak a small towel and then patted the moist towel on her face.
It took about five minutes before Emrys opened her eyes again. The first sight she saw was the other Yugi's worried face. "What happened?" she moaned, looked around, realized where she was, and tried to get up.
The other Yugi repeatedly shook his head with concern still written all over him. "Just lay back and rest for a while." He gave Emrys a couple more minutes to clear her head. Seeing that she was dazed but responsive, he then asked, "Are you okay? You scared me back there."
Emrys followed the other Yugi's advice and remained in her rested position. "What just happened back there?"
"You fainted."
The singer paused for a minute. In hopes of alleviating the other Yugi's concern for her, she then suggested, "Since you don't want me to get up, why don't you join me down here? The view's nice."
Hesitantly, the other Yugi agreed to Emrys' invitation by grabbing the other pillow, resting beside her, and looking up and around them. Every thing around them gave him much-needed comfort: the afternoon sky was a vibrant blue with white clusters of cotton-like clouds, the gentle breeze was cool and soothing, the clear lake glistened as the day progressed, and the lush surroundings eased his worries.
The other Yugi turned over his side to face Emrys and saw that she was still sapped out. "Are you okay? Do we need to go to the doctor?"
"I'll be all right," Emrys assured her date. "I just need to close my eyes and sleep for a minute or two."
The duelist tapped his left hand over his right shoulder and then motioned Emrys to come closer.
A glowing smile slowly crept on Emrys' face which would have been brighter if she did not feel so weak. She inched closer to the other Yugi, found comfort as she rested her head on his shoulder, and placed her hand on his chest. She fell asleep in his arms, as he cuddled her.
Before the other Yugi joined Emrys for a short nap, he revisited thoughts about the visions from the past and present. He knew that those glimpses granted him a step closer in recovering his lost memory.
An hour had passed. Emrys stirred from her short sleep which woke up the other Yugi.
"Are you feeling better?" he looked at her with concern.
"A little…."
They stayed in each other's embrace for a couple more minutes, enjoying the peace and security it brought them. Eventually, they sat up and leaned against the tree.
"Do you remember what happened back there?" he asked her with his signature frown.
"I don't know," she faintly said. "We were kissing, and I don't know what hit me afterwards."
"Since every thing seems fine, let us continue that stroll – shall we?" He stood up, took her hand to help her up, and noticed that her hands were still cold.
They casually walked around the park once more, with his left arm affectionately draped around her. They resumed the cheerful time that they shared before she fainted.
After the other Yugi and Emrys finished loading the trunk with their stuff, they went inside the car and then relaxed – looking at the scenery nature had to offer, and observing the people who came that day with their loved ones. They planned to see the sunset by the lake, but decided to postpone it because of her weakened state.
"Putting the fainting episode aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon," she contentedly noted.
"I'm just glad that you're okay." Referring to the passionate kiss they had, he then kidded, "I guess we wouldn't be doing that for a long time."
She shifted from her comfortable position in the driver's seat, and turned around to face him. "Mutou Yugi, even if I faint after each time that I kiss you, I'd still kiss you any day."
"Oh, really?" he mischievously smirked, as amethyst deeply met with hazel eyes.
"Really…." Acting on her instinct, she leaned towards him and then kissed him on the lips.
After reciprocating her kiss for a few moments, he pulled away from her. Gazing into her eyes as he touched her face, he said, "I'm sorry. Don't you think that this is all too soon?"
"Does it matter if it is?" she quietly asked, as she gently squeezed his free hand.
Their eyes met once more – each one seeking the answer from the other.
As his response, he stroked her hair and then kissed her on the lips. She, on the other hand, kissed him back and embraced him. This time, their kiss was more open-mouthed, more passionate, and much longer than the one before.
Time quickly passed by for the young couple. It was already around nine o'clock in the evening when they arrived at the Mutou residence. They were laughing and exchanging stories, as he used his key and opened the door.
As soon as he unlocked the door, he said, "Jii-chan, we're home!"
Horror crept on her face as her eyes scanned the area. Her initial reaction was to grab his right arm tightly.
The Mutou household was in total disarray. Someone, or something, had turned it upside-down.
His heart sank to a seemingly bottomless abyss. He frantically called out, "Jii-chan!"
They heard loud noises come from the hallway leading to the game shop. They ran towards the source of the commotion – with him leading the way – hoping that it was an uninjured Sugoroku.
They did find the elderly man, along with three robed and masked individuals – with the tallest masked intruder holding a switchblade against their captive's throat, saying, "One move, and your grandfather dies."
"What do you want?" the other Yugi angrily demanded.
"You're not in a position to ask questions or act cocky, Mutou Yugi," one of the masked and robed intruders, a woman, curtly said.
"Let my grandfather go!" the other Yugi again ordered.
"We'll let him go under one condition. The God Cards, and your Puzzle – hand them over, unless you want to see the old man's throat get slit," the second tallest villain, another man, said.
"Yugi – don't worry about me!" Sugoroku yelled, as he tried to get away from his captors. "The last thing you want to do is to give them what they want!"
"Shut up!" the tallest masked man screamed. He then raised his hand, ready to strike the elderly man.
The distraction gave the other Yugi the opening he needed. He ran and pounced at the masked man who held the switchblade, giving his grandfather the opportunity to run away from the intruders.
The blade flew from the masked man's hand and slid a couple of feet away from them.
While they dove on the floor to grab for the switchblade, the other Yugi used Mind Crush on his opponent and rendered the latter unconscious. He took the switchblade, folded it back to its secured position, and placed it inside his pocket.
Before the other two accomplices were able to grab the elder Mutou, Emrys barricaded the way between Sugoroku and the two villains.
The two scoundrels laughed, and the woman snorted, "Do you think you can protect the old man from us? Let us see how brave you'd be when you get a taste of this!" The two remaining intruders took out their respective switchblades and flicked them open.
Emrys' eyes narrowed, and said through clenched teeth, "The only one getting a taste of anything will be you two!"
Sugoroku incredulously looked at her from an angle.
The other Yugi, who was still tying up his unconscious opponent with a cord from a broken table lamp, audibly and disbelievingly heard her taunting. Unfortunately, before he finished securing his captive, the other two villains ran towards her – ready to stab her with their switchblades.
Emrys maintained her ground. She kicked the knife from the first opponent and punched him on the stomach – sending the man reeling back. Instinctively, she squatted on the floor and swept her foot – causing her woman attacker to lose balance and fall on her back. She sprung back up, anticipating their next move.
The taller opponent shook his head, trying to get his equilibrium back. When he got up and was about to attack, he looked at Emrys. His frantic voice quaked, and his finger trembled while pointing at her. "It's the crest!" He then ran outside the house.
The robed woman, still feeling the pain from her fall, assisted the other Yugi's bound captive. With her dazed partner in tow, the two remaining robed intruders scurried out of the Mutou home in fear.
The other Yugi ran after them outside the street, and saw that they were too far away to be pursued. He dashed back inside the house, and then locked the door behind him.
He, Sugoroku, and Emrys looked at each other, and were puzzled from the recent development. They immediately went around the house and ensured that all the doors were locked.
The other Yugi darted upstairs to check if the intruders stole the God Cards. Relieved that the God Cards were safe, he then ran downstairs into the living room. He sat on the couch between Sugoroku and Emrys, who were still recovering from the shock.
"Are you both okay?" he anxiously asked.
"I'm fine, thanks to both of you," Sugoroku replied.
Seeing the elderly man's concerned look at a pale-faced Emrys, the other Yugi explained, "She fainted earlier, Jii-chan."
"She could have fooled me," Sugoroku quietly teased. Nonetheless, he was still troubled over her rather reckless behavior.
The elderly man's comment prompted the other Yugi to glance at her with a sly and probing smile. "By the way, what was that all about?"
She lifted her migraine-ridden head and looked at them with watery eyes and a weak grin. "What? I couldn't just stand there and do nothing, you know…."
The three of them heartily laughed.
Sugoroku suggested, "We all had a long day. Emrys, why don't you stay with us for the evening? We always have an extra bedroom prepared for guests."
"No, Jii-san," she sat up with a struggle. "I can still drive back to my pad. I'll be fine – really…."
"I'm not trying to scare you, but we can't just ignore what happened earlier," he cautioned her. "Please stay with us tonight, just to make sure that you'd be safe."
"Jii-chan's right, Emrys," the other Yugi whole-heartedly agreed. "We don't know who they really are, or what they're capable of doing. We'll watch out for each other tonight. So what do you say?"
End of Chapter Eight
Author's Note
If you want to find out more about Emrys' parents, how they die, and how she takes it, read my short story There Will Come Soft Rain - a prequel set two years before the events narrated in The Encounter of Lost Souls.
Normal Disclaimer
Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Alexa, Yoshiko, Koji, as well as this fan fiction, is the property of the author. This fan fiction is written for entertainment purposes only - thereby releasing the author from any liabilities.