Well, what can I say? This chapter took far too long to post, and I'm genuinely sorry about that. It's just not… right, to me. It's not inspired like the first chapter was. Less humor here, but some. This chapter is less plot and more back-story. So if you're wondering exactly how everything came together for the guys, here it is.
Thank you SO MUCH to all of my reviewers! I almost died when I saw how many reviews I had, but I had to stay strong! I've never had reviews before, so this was particularly exciting. Thanks to Sad Andy to urging me to post the next part, and to lily22, Indigo Tantarian, Chibizoo, Silver Dragon (go dragons!), Juvi, tefla and Myotismon13 (I love Murray! Thank you for knowing what I'm talking about!) and everyone else for their great feedback.
Here's that bit again:
/Yugi to Yami/
//Yami to Yugi//
Disclaimer: I disclaim Yu-Gi-Oh. Er.
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Endure Chapter 2 By Talia Ali
Even Yugi had problems staying awake through the valedictorian's speech. Yami had gloated silently when he saw the prematurely balding man at the podium only had two index cards. He shot a glance at Joey as Mr. Kino Matumura cleared his throat noisily and fidgeted with his tie. Joey looked pained. It didn't seem as if their valedictorian was all that comfortable with public speaking. Gripping the edges of the wooden podium with white fingers, the graduated class could see beads of sweat hanging on his forehead.
Unfortunately, it turned out to be just the opposite case. Mr. Matumura didn't use his cue cards, except to read off 'inspiring' quotes from them. Joey (and Yugi) grew more triumphant as Kino related the fifth story about his three-year-old grandchild to his peers, gesturing widely and causing his glasses to wobble precariously on his nose. Yugi sank into his chair, not even pretending to listen to the speech.
The Game King approached this challenge as he did every other—with confidence to spare. The look on his face indicated that he wasn't about to beaten by this foe. This caused Mr. Matumura no little distress. Yami continually glared at him, twin flaming suns daring him to do his worst. Dropping his cue cards and muttering apologies to the crowd, he shot nervous glances at Yami before clearing his throat and finishing his story about his daughter's first date.
Yugi looked about the hall that had been rented for the Reunion, taking in the tacky, fifty-year-old brown-yellow trimming, the single disco ball hanging from the ceiling, and the blue linoleum tiles. The hall smelled musty and disused. The tattered black and white streamers criss-crossing the ceiling didn't help brighten the place very much. The outside darkness pressed in though the high, narrow windows, attacking the yellow light cast by the bulbs in the plastic chandelier.
For a group this large, though, this had probably been one of the few places they could pick. Their graduating class was massive, over 600 people. That was a lot of people to serve, seat and cater to, especially when many brought their spouses.
It's amazing to think that all these people have lives and careers now, Yugi mused as he looked out over them. It was remarkable and a little scary to know that the teenagers he had known were middle aged and aging. There came a point in Yugi's adolescence when it seemed things could never change. He had his friends, and his Yami, and his Grandpa. Nothing else was needed. He could be sixteen forever and not care.
But years passed with the ease of minutes, and the world demanded that he mature. Compliantly, he and his friends enrolled in university. They grew apart as they learned their courses. Tea was gone, off to America to make her fortune. Tristan was embroiled in his business degree and Yugi struggled through education. Joey drifted from discipline to discipline. He and Mai met up again after three years and discovered a mutual attraction. How that had played out Yugi had no idea. He didn't find out until about six months after that, when Mai planned a surprise birthday party for Joey. Soon after, Mai wore a small ring on her left hand. Joey blushed furiously whenever anyone mentioned it, and he completed his business degree soon after.
Eventually the time had come where Yugi's friends just weren't around any more. He and Yami fought their own battles, gamed their own games. Tristan was busy with his new company and his new wife. Tea vanished into the world, and Joey and Mai combined their talents to get hired by a fledgling fashion company in the USA. Needless to say, Yami had never lost his competitive edge and love of gaming. While Yugi still loved puzzles, life just didn't revolve around Duel Monsters any more. The game had long since fallen from vogue in the general populace; replaced a few scant years later by a new fad. Only those who came to challenge Yami for his title used them anymore, although Yami could and did best challengers in any game they chose.
Yugi's thoughts drifted to himself. The majority of the time, he and Yami were separate. The magic of the Millennium Puzzle allowed Yami his freedom once the threat of the Shadow Games was past. He was fully capable of living his separate from Yugi now, but had assured his little Light that he had no intention of doing so. Unless some Pegasus-like idiot re-discovered the game and brought it back. The idea both frightened and appealed to him. He missed the old days.
Now he had his kids, and he had Yami, the Game shop, and the memory of his grandfather. Some days that was enough. Most of the time, he felt stunted and incomplete, like a sculpture whose sculptor had died partway through his carving.
Who would finish him? Yugi thought, yawning a little. The warmth of the room and the wine in his blood combined with the valedictorian's drone to make his eyelids droopy. What's the harm? the man wondered. This is going to be a while. I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes. Just a few...
"I DID IT!"
Yugi's chin flew off his chest and his eyes fluttered for a minute. What the... where...? Yami? What was he screaming about so early in the morning? The chair disappeared from beneath him and he hit the floor with a thump, jolting him awake. Oh right.
Yami grinned down at his lighter half with one hand raised in triumph. His red eyes sparkled with the thrill of the game. Yugi silently inclined his head at the rest of the room. The massive room was silent. From his position next to his chair, Yugi could see wide eyes looking at him from all directions. Nobody so much as coughed, although many were yawning.
Yami glanced around abashedly as he lowered his hand. He rubbed his head sheepishly. A hint of rouge darkened the spirit's cheeks. He showed his teeth in a highly embarrassed grin. Yugi muffled a snort. Tristan had no such limitations. It echoed off the scuffed linoleum like the beat of a snare drum.
"Sorry," the yami muttered, sitting down at his seat. Yugi levered himself off the floor and looked around the table, holding his hand to his head. He had fallen asleep, despite all of his best intentions. The others seemed to have faired similarly.
One of Tristan's eyes was bigger than the other. A bit of drool remained at the corner of his lip. Mai looked a little rough around the edges and Leia was trying to fix her hair. It was flat on one side, as she had been resting it on Tristan's shoulder. And Joey's forehead was still firmly planted in the table. He was snoring.
"Joey? Joey, wake up!" Yugi said urgently. Yami poked the blonde man's shoulder diffidently.
In response, Joey turned his head over, smiled sleepily, and murmured: "Now now, Mai-chan. We'll be late if you keep this up."
"JOEY WHEELER!" Mai sputtered. Yami snickered. All embarrassment instantly drained from him. Everyone around the table got eyes in varying sizes of wide. "You wake up this instant or I swear we'll never be 'late' again!"
"Wha... huh? But Mai!" Joey protested as he came out of his stupor. His wife breathed fire at him from across the table, practically being restrained by Leia.
"But Mai-chan, I thought you liked... uh oh." He flushed as he met the wide eyes of the rest of the table. (A/N: O.o) Yami crossed his arms and waited for Joey's eyes to alight on him. \
"I win," he said simply as soon as they did. Joey's face dropped into an expression of abject horror. He laughed, "And you know what that means!"
"Game penalty!" Tristan crowed, pumping his fist in the air. Hugging Leia with an arm, he turned to Yugi, "You owe me!"
"But..." Joey sputtered, then firmed his chin. "How do we know you won?"
"Yeah, Yami," Yugi pointed out. He really didn't want to have to pay Tristan his ten. Yami blinked at him, puzzled as to why his lighter half doubted his gaming skill. "Was anybody awake to make sure? I know I was asleep."
They looked around the table. Mai was busy reapplying lipstick, no answer needed there. Leia just shook her head, and Tristan thoughtfully wiped the trail of spit from his chin. Joey rubbed his forehead, glaring at Yugi's darker half. Yami goggled at all of them.
"I suffered!" he exclaimed. "I won fair and square. Besides, whom would I talk to? Myself?"
"Hey guys," A familiar face strolled up with a drink in his hand and took a seat at the table. Everyone stared at Bakura for a minute. He tossed his white hair back over his shoulders and shifted uncomfortably. Softly spoken words filled the ears of everyone present. "What's new? I got here a couple of minutes ago, but you all seemed a little, well, occupied."
One by one, everyone turned to stare at Yami, who glared back. "Don't look at me like that! I didn't even glance at him!"
"Are you sure?" Joey said skeptically.
"Oh, right. I heard all about the dare." Bakura's brown eyes twinkled at the table. Yugi began to smile. So Yami had lost after all! Yes! How else would Bakura know? Ten dollars to him. Bakura turned to Yami. "So when are you going to make Joey do it?"
"Bakura," Yami growled warningly. He looked a little panicked. Yugi started to run through fun ideas for Yami to do on his dare. Joey wasn't the only one with a history with Seto Kaiba... Meanwhile, Yami threatened, "I swear..."
"Hah! See?" Joey prodded Yami's shoulder. Either he had gotten bolder or more insane during those years of separation from Yami, because he didn't even acknowledge the terrifying glare that sent many a Hebrew running in the old days. Joey puffed up his chest proudly. "Thought you could get away with it, huh? Not on Wheeler's watch!"
"I didn't say anything to him!" Yami continued to growl. Maybe, Yugi mused, they could force Yami to admit to Kaiba that the executive was the better gamer. No, that would be too much, especially for the Game King. What about the same dare that was Joey's? Yami barking at Kaiba; that would be precious. Why hadn't he brought the video camera?
Apparently Bakura recognized the warning signals of Yami's severe irritation. He laughed and Yugi's heart dropped as he said his next words. "No, he's right, he didn't say anything to me. I heard about it from Tea. She overheard you two talking. In fact, Yami seemed so enthralled with the man on the podium that I couldn't even get him to look at me."
"You mean he..." Joey started to edge away from the Game King. Yami didn't even pretend not to be full of glee. "Oh no."
"Oh yes!" Yami pounced on Joey's arm. The blonde man twisted and squirmed, trying to worm free with a fierce desperation. Yami was eerily firm and justifiably eager. Tristan rolled his eyes and sipped his drink. "We're going to find Kaiba right now."
"That's probably the first time ever that Yami's ever said that," Yugi confided to Tristan.
Tristan grinned and wagged a finger in his old friend's face. "Don't try to distract me. You owe me money."
//You bet against me?!// Yami demanded as he led a struggling Joey from the table. Joey was begging Yami to slow down and stop. Grabbing furniture as he passed, the blonde managed to drag three tables, two (occupied) chairs and five waiters. They were furniture, weren't they? The woman whose chair he grabbed beat him off with her purse (I think I did a project with her once, Yugi mused). Unfortunately, it was made of metal. Joey covered his head in protest and Yami gained another five yards before Joey assaulted a waiter.
/All part of the fun,/ Yugi hid his smile behind his water glass. Ah well, at least he got to see someone bark at Kaiba. The executive would be just as horrified and embarrassed as Joey. That was worth ten bucks any day.
Yami grumbled, //I remember when you were naïve and innocent.//
"Isn't winning part of the definition of the 'Game King'?" Mai demanded, snapping her compact closed and stowing in her purse. She had obviously grown used to her husband's 'antics', for Joey's display didn't faze her. "And what game did Joey lose, anyway?"
"Joey dared Yami to sit through the speeches." Tristan smirked at Yugi. The teacher pulled out his wallet grudgingly and handed over the money. Counting the bills, Tristan added, "She's right, man. You should have known."
"Where are they going?" Mai looked a little alarmed as Joey continued to try to pull away from Yami's hand. It was futile; the Game King enjoyed winning the bet as much as he did gaming. In fact, Yami seemed to take a certain malicious pride in doling out his punishments. It was part of his nature. Yugi had rationalized that long ago. Besides, this was just for fun. The lighter half could sense his Dark's excitement at deviation from the norm. He supposed 'Mind Crush' and 'Obliterate' got repetitive after a while, although it had been years since those punishments had been used.
"Joey has to bark at Kaiba," Yugi mentioned. The blonde executive's mouth puckered into an 'o' of severe dismay. Slowly, her visage darkened. As Mai slammed her hands on the table, he, Bakura and Tristan 'eep'ed and shrank into their chairs. A dark aura wreathed the fashion guru.
"Not on my marriage certificate!" she declared, and stormed towards Yami.
/Uh, heads up?/ Yugi called to his other. Yami spared a glance for his lighter half, did a double take, and tried to pick up his pace. The resisting man at the end of his grip dug in his heels, grabbing a passing drink tray and succeeding only in making the floor slippery. He could sense Yami's urgency. There was no escape now. Mai was on them like sticky gum in hair.
//Urk!// Yami tried to hide Joey behind him, which looked a little ridiculous considering their respective heights. Joey's brown eyes peeked through Yami's hair spikes hopefully. The blonde diva looked him in the eye and asked him in a low, calm voice what the hell he thought he was doing.
Yugi chuckled. Bakura caught his eye as he smiled pleasantly as he took a chair. "So how have you been?"
"Pretty good." Bakura acknowledged. He leaned casually forward on the table, placing his chin on his hands. A low metallic clank came to the ears of all present. "Did you end up finding that car you were looking for?"
"No," Yugi shook his head regretfully. He'd had his eye on a 2010 GM Intellect in forest green when he last encountered Bakura, about six months ago in a used car lot. "My prospective seller pulled out. I had to settle for a later model. How about you?"
"He 'convinced' me to get a motorcycle." Bakura said sorrowfully. "He used Malik as a reason. Malik!"
Yugi raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. 'He' was most likely Yami Bakura. Although he was aware that Bakura and his yami got on all right most of the time, he couldn't repress the suspicious feelings he got around Bakura's darker half. Trying to kill and/or take the Puzzle from Yami and Yugi--not just once, but multiple times--tended to bias even the most understanding mind against a person. Consequently, Yami Bakura stayed out of their sight. He was probably watching even now from the Ring that was hidden beneath Bakura's shirt.
The Millennium item owners began to drop from the scene about ten years ago. With the threat of the Shadow Games' return dissipating, Shadi had vanished from sight or sense, taking his Key and Scales with him. Malik and his sister disappeared soon afterwards. Bakura said he'd gotten a postcard from Isis in Bermuda. The concept of the Ishtars relaxing was a little difficult to stomach. Yami Bakura, with only the Puzzle in sight, had given up on his goal for ultimate power pretty quickly. Apparently. Yami suspected something. After everything he had put the two Yugis through, he gave up just like that?
Yugi wasn't so sure that was all there was to it. Yami Bakura had to have some other motive. There was something powerful connecting Bakura and his yami. That something stopped Yami Bakura from beating his other prevented the actions that would harm others, and allowed Bakura to speak about his darker half with something more than tolerance. It was there, Yugi was sure, and Yugi Motou was never wrong about this kind of thing.
According to Bakura, Yami Bakura was almost--almost--a social creature these days. He had refrained from taking his frustration out on Bakura for years now. He helped his aibou make decisions, and got him out of tight spots. Bakura was almost... happy. Yes, he most definitely was. Bakura was happy with the way his life was being lived. Yugi suppressed a grimace, feeling a little guilty. How could he not be happy with his life when Bakura had even less than he?
"A motorcycle? Aren't those dangerous?" Yugi asked to cover his unnaturally long silence.
"Yes," Bakura laughed. His tone said, 'You know how he is'. "Of course they are."
"Didja get the leather to go with it?" Tristan asked teasingly. He looked over Bakura's plain tux that contrasted sharply with his hair and pale face and nodded with approval. "Nice to see you, Bakura. I've only been hearing about you from Yugi for years."
"I heard that the Taylor Company is taking off," Bakura mentioned politely. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Tristan gestured at his wife. "Have you met Leia?"
"No, I haven't had the pleasure."
While Tristan introduced them and Leia and Bakura nodded greetings, a sense of panic flared in the back of Yugi's mind. He jerked his head up at Yami, who was trying to fend Mai off. His other half looked more than a little desperate to end the confrontation Seeing Tristan, Bakura and Leia engrossed in some of the details of the stock market, he tapped into Yami's words to Mai. His eyes glazed over and he stared blankly out into space as the words and images filled his mind.
"We're not going to do any harm," Yami explained patiently. "Kaiba probably won't even remember the whole thing."
"There is no way you're making my husband a laughingstock." Mai crossed her arms and glared down at the shorter Yami.
"It's all in fun. We made a bet. He lost." Yami glanced at Joey, who was not helping Yami's side at all. With good reason, of course. He didn't want to bark any more than Mai wanted him to bark.
"I don't care if the idiot did make a bargain. If he looks stupid, I look stupid too. And Mai Wheeler does not look stupid."
"Yeah Mai-chan!" Joey cheered her on.
"I don't think that was a compliment, Joey." A new voice intruded on the scene. Yugi got jolted out of the conversation with surprise. A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and piercing blue eyes hovered at the edge of the confrontation. She smiled pleasantly and waved with a well-toned and tanned arm.
"Tea?" Mai blinked as her runaway train bumped her off. Yami took the opportunity to haul Joey away while the rest of them were stunned.
//Nobody takes away my game penalty,// Yami shouted in Yugi's mind, grinning like a maniac. //Oh, Kaiba…//
Choking back his laughter, Yugi stood and wound his way to Mai and Tea. He was eager to see his childhood friend and sometime crush again after far too many years apart. Her and Mai were having, ah, a 'discussion'. He could hear their low terse voices discussing something he was sure was important. As soon as he got within five feet of the two women, Mai fluffed out he hair, straightened her overly revealing gown and stalked past him.
The look she gave him as she passed was something of a puzzler. Within her purple eyes was the usual bit of indignation. Apparently Tea's appearance had startled her more than she had let on, because she didn't even look around to see where her erstwhile husband and his tormentor had gone. Mai, startled? Yugi shook his head and moved towards his oldest friend.
//I can't find Kaiba!// Yami growled within his mind. Yugi got a split second image of Joey pleading with Yami to let him go and grinned. Tea took that as a sign from the heavens and smiled down on him.
"Long time no see," she purred.
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Yep, that's it! Sorry it's a little shorter this time. I wanted to save Tea for next chapter. I'm planning a confrontation. ~rubs hands together eagerly~ There will be more humor next chap too, I promise.
As always, review. Or I will corrupt you. MWA HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!!!!! (Thanks to my teacher, Murray the evil talking skull, for teaching me how to laugh evilly. ~blows kiss~ You're a big softie at heart!)
Press button, make review! ~bows humbly~