Joy: Well, I think I finally got it figured out… When I last left you hanging, Joy was in deep trouble and Katilli couldn't switch places with her to save her cuz of a spell of Yukia's.

watery-angel: But of course! Here comes the update!  :^D

~*~*~*~*~

The Black Mist

            Katilli was frantic. Yukia's spell was strong. How could she break it and help her light? She shut her eyes tight and concentrated on trading places with Joy. When she opened them she found herself still inside her soul room. No! she cried. She closed her eyes again, putting more of her energy into changing. Once more she opened her eyes to failure.

            Frustrated and worried, she frantically tried to think of something, anything in her magical capabilities that could help Joy. Then it came to her. She closed her eyes once more, this time focusing her power not into switching, but into teleporting. If I can teleport Joy out of danger, maybe she will be safe, but where do I teleport to? She had to act fast. She could feel Joy's life force had dimmed slightly.

            She pulled all her energy into teleporting. She pulled them toward the closest person she knew.

~Meanwhile~

            Kaiba stared out at the ocean before him. I despise waiting. When we WANT this bitch to show up, she doesn't! Suddenly there was a splash behind him. He whirled around, alert immediately. Something had hit the water. Kaiba waited, watching the disturbance in the water intently. A moment later, a form broke through, partly floating on the surface.

            Kaiba's eyes widened as he recognized the form bobbing nearby. "Joy!" Kaiba wasted no time in throwing off his trench coat and shoes and jumping into the water. He quickly swam to the girl and pulled her toward the dock. She was completely unconscious, but he could tell she was breathing. Kaiba managed to get her and himself back onto the dock.

            He put a finger to his ear, where his transmitter was located. "Yugi? Yugi, can you hear me?"

            "Yeah. Yugi here. Is there trouble?"

            "Damn right there's trouble. Get down to the docks, and fast. Joy's in trouble."

            "Oh, no! I'm on my way!"

            Kaiba turned his attention to Joy. She was still unconscious, and now she was beginning to shiver. She was also bleeding from an injury to her right side. He grabbed his coat and draped it over her. She stopped shivering.

            "Kaiba!" He looked over to see Yugi running over to them. Yugi stopped beside them, panting heavily. "What happened to her? Where's Katilli?"

            "I don't know the answer to either of those questions. I heard a splash and there she was in the water, unconscious. We have to get her to a hospital – now."

            Yugi nodded eagerly. Shortly after Kaiba called the ambulance, Joy slowly opened her eyes. "K-Kaiba?" she whispered weakly. Her eyes were dull and she seemed to have no strength.

            "Yeah, I'm here," Kaiba answered quietly.

            "Yukia…s-she…s-spell…Katilli…" She didn't say more before she passed out once again.

~Twenty-four hours later~

            Yugi sat by Joy's beside. She had slipped into a coma shortly after arriving at the hospital. She had a fever, on top of a deep jagged cut on her side, which had been made by a poisoned blade.

            Kaiba had reluctantly left, saying he had to go to Kaiba Corp., but promising to return shortly. To Yugi, Kaiba seemed to be struggling with something. Yugi was also worried about Yami. He had been silent since the attack.

            In truth, Yami was in his soul room, deep in thought. What is Katilli and Joy's connection to me and the Millennium Puzzle? Why is Yukia trying to kill Joy? And why does Katilli seem so familiar, not just in name but also in body? I feel I have seen her before… He sighed, slightly frustrated. Ra damn this amnesia! When am I going to have these and all my other questions answered?

            Yami? Are you all right? came Yugi's quiet voice through their link.

            Yes, Yugi. I am just in deep thought. How is Joy? Has Katilli appeared?

            I haven't seen Katilli. Joy's condition hasn't changed. The doctors are confident her injuries will heal, but I'm worried, Yami, Yugi explained.

            About what, aibou?

            About a lot of things. Why did Yukia go after Joy first? Why not us? The Puzzle is what she's after, right?

            I do not know what her full motives are, Yugi, but it would appear they include Katilli and Joy.

            Joy's coma also worries me. She said something about a spell before she passed out at the dock. Do you think Yukia put her under some kind of spell, Yami?

            I wish I knew. Yami paused. I do not see Kaiba, Yugi.

            He went to Kaiba Corporations for a while.

            Mmmm…I hope he is on his guard. He has no protector.

            Katilli was still trapped in her soul room, and extremely pissed off about it. How dare she attack my hikari! She thought as she angrily paced in front of her soul room door. How dare she cast a spell on her! That…that…bitch! Then her attention turned to escaping her soul room and helping the others. Yugi and my brother are in danger, as well as Seto Kaiba. I must help them!

            Kaiba paced in his office, his mind flowing with unanswered questions.

            How does Yukia know all this shit? What is it about all these items that attracts her? And why would she go after Joy first? Joy doesn't even have a damn Millennium Item! Kaiba rubbed his forehead. Thanks to this she-demon, Joy is in a coma…and she just might… Kaiba didn't – couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

            He couldn't figure out why, but he felt differently about Joy. She was the first person he could actually consider a friend – yes, she was a friend. She seems to believe he was trustworthy, or else she wouldn't have told him about Katilli or convinced Yugi to tell him about Yami. She also seemed to feel he could help them defeat Yukia. And I will defeat her.

            He pulled on his white trench coat and grabbed his briefcase. He was going to go see Joy. Maybe she has woken up.

~Meanwhile~

            Yugi had fallen asleep in a chair by Joy's bedside. He didn't see the black mist start to appear from under the bed. The mist slowly filled the room, pushing out all the oxygen. Yugi, still asleep, started to couch as the misty smoke started to impair his breathing.

            Yami sensed his hikari's life force dim as he sat in his soul room. Yugi? Getting no answer, he immediately appeared in spirit form outside the puzzle. He gasped when he saw the smoke filling the room. "Yugi! Yugi, wake up!" He gave himself a body and shook his light. "Wake up!" he cried urgently, his fear rising. Yugi was very pale.

            Yugi coughed some more, but didn't wake up. Yami vanished and the puzzle glowed. Yami stood up and ran to the door, trying to open it. It was stuck! He banged on the door and hollered, but to no avail. He rushed over to check on Joy. She was still breathing. Good, but I still have to get her and aibou out of here.

            He heard a deep voice outside the door. It sounded like – "Kaiba!" Yami rushed back to the door. "Kaiba! Hurry!" He coughed, the smoke finally starting to get to him. "The room is filled with smoke!"

            Kaiba's eyes widened when he heard that. "Stand back! That damn door is coming down!" He took a few steps back and rammed into the door at full speed, sending it flying across the room. Then he ran into the room. The smoke seemed to sense that he was there and almost seemed to filter towards him. But as soon as it was thick around him, it vanished like it was never there. Kaiba didn't even cough or pale, even though the smoke was enough to suffocate him.

            A doctor ran into the room. "Are you two all right? What happened?"

            "The room was filled with smoke, but we managed to get rid of it," Yami bagan.

            "Perhaps a faulty piece of equipment," Kaiba finished.

            The equipment was checked, and the doctor said Joy was apparently unaffected by the smoke, though she was still in a coma. After the doctor left, Kaiba turned to Yami. "What happened just now? What was that weird smoke?"

            "Yukia…she sent that mist. She has struck again!" Suddenly his concern fell to Yugi. He sat in a chair and closed his eyes. Yugi? He didn't receive his answer right away, but a moment later, he heard his aibou cough.

            Yami? What – what happened? I felt like I couldn't breathe!

            Yukia has struck again, aibou. She sent a black mist to try to hurt you.

            Oh. Yugi coughed again. Yami frowned.

            Rest for now, Yugi. I'll take over for tonight.

            Is Joy okay?

            Yes, though still in a coma.

            Yami opened his eyes. Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Everything…okay?" he asked. Yami nodded.

~Later that night~

            Yami?

            Yes? Yami asked, his eyes closed, almost dozing but still alert.

            I know you're gonna think this sounds crazy, but I'm glad Kaiba showed up when he did.

            Yami opened one eye and looked over at Kaiba, who was sleeping on the other side of Joy's hospital bed.

            It doesn't sound crazy, Yugi. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad he's showed up, too. Yami closed his eye once more.

            Goodnight, Yami.

            Goodnight, aibou.

~*~*~*~*~

Joy: Good way to end the chapter I think. It's a tiny bit longer than the last chapter, but I wanted to get past Yukia's attack. And don't forget – Katilli's still trapped! I gotta write her out of that fix, eh, readers? Well, maybe next chapter, maybe not. ;o)  And Kaiba's proven to be quite an ally, hasn't he? ^__^  Well, I'm gonna crank out the next chapter as soon as I can. Till then, review and ponder the fate of our brave duelists  ^__^