Thank you so much to my reviewers!! *squeals like a stuck pig* I'm sorry I didn't have time to add in thanks for the previous chappies, so here're some extra-long replies to make up for that!
Snow Angel: Glad you like the story! Yeah…it's angsty. I don't know why! I'm normally super happy in real life. *is confused* At any rate, sorry about the angst. Happy ending is promised – mainly because sad endings make me cry. As for my beta-reader: it's The Lady Winged Knight – at ff.net? She's really nice! …*reads more happiness-causing review* Kill Yuugi?? I wouldn't do THAT! Don't worry. *points emphatically* Happy ending! Happy ending!
Mists: Oh wow. What a wonderful review – thank you very much! Glad you liked the chappie! …Yeah, I suppose I'm scaring those two bishies, poor Yuugi/Yami. They just don't get to wallow in happiness, do they? All those scary authors angsting them to bits.. *realizes she's one of those authors* oops. Anyway, also glad you liked Anzu's portrayal! I had to work really hard at it – it's a very strong temptation to just write her off. And yes. Happy ending IS promised. B/c sad ones make me cry. I don't know how I'm going to do the ending, though…the more I write, the more I get lost within plot complications! (Although I probably shouldn't have announced that out loud, ne?) And yeah – the Psych class gets funnier every day. We reviewed characteristics for Bakura/Ryou today. Again, I had to try not to laugh… And yes! Pyros ARE fun! …As long they don't hurt people!
Without further ado, on to the chapter!
Yami: …Crap.
Yuugi: *glares*
Warning: Apparently, this made my beta-reader cry. I didn't think it was that bad, but…yeah. Thought I'd give people the heads up. It also has humour in it, though! *sees skeptical looks* It DOES!…a little.
Writing Guide! (Because my writing is evolving and so is my style.)
/ I am an aibou! /
\\ I am a yami! \\
~I am a flashback!~
'I am thought. It does happen.'
Disclaimer: I have nothing creative to say. Other than, would Yugioh exist if it weren't for the increased media attention on psychologically disturbed people? If you look, almost every character in the show has some sort of "issue." It's funny. But not mine. I certainly couldn't come up with that range of cast, whose outfits are glued to their (mostly) underage bodies and whose hair gets more bizarre everyday.
Divey: Ok, I lied. NOW onto the chapter!
Chapter Four: "Angst. Bishie Torture. Here, they deserve to be a capitalized words"
The warm sunbeam filtering into the room and onto his bed was actually the closest thing Yuugi got to a wake-up call.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yami shuddered in agony as the electrodes jarred him from his stupor into a state of forced consciousness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sitting up in his plush bed, Yuugi gazed around at his still-sleeping friends. Frowning slightly at the twinges of unease he continued to feel, he quietly got up and padded swiftly over to the bathroom.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
He hurt. He ached. He froze. He wailed. He bled.
He wanted light. Where had it gone? Wherewherewhere?
A despairing Yami slipped further into the spiraling, gleeful Madness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi shivered under the spray, feeling cold despite the heat of the water. He hurried, though. The few minutes he saved in the shower might – would – reunite him with Yami that much sooner.
His heart started to ache. Again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
There were two men – demons, evilbloody demons who had taken his aibou away from him – whywhywhy? They stood in the bright, bright room, but nothing would ever be bright again, no, not without his hikari…
Why were they moving their mouths? Where was his aibou?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi shook his head, spraying crystalline water droplets onto the pristine mirror. Rubbing himself with a towel briskly, he was soon dry and clothed. He immediately turned his attention to the still-bloodied Puzzle. Guilt overwhelmed him as he took in its sorry state.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The white-clothed demons – but that made no sense, because only thelighttheaibou! is white and pure and clean – approached his impenetrable prison. They leaned in – glasses glinting, fangs flashing, to peer into his solitary humiliation.
Why were they speaking? What were they saying? No matter, he had nothing to say, especially not from a throat was parched and scratched and raw and dry – tootoo dry, like the Egyptian days where the sun shone down in blistering rays and when the starlit nights wracked your body with pervasive chills—
The foreign pain seared him again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi smiled triumphantly as he got the last bit of…whatever it was… off of the Puzzle. Despite the fact that it still radiated emptiness, like the void of his empty soul, cleaning the Puzzle had renewed his determination and courage. It was as if he were still in close contact with his darker half.
Yuugi projected a thought into the broken link that floated helplessly in the shadows of despair.
/ I'm coming, Yami! /
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
…Aibou?
The caress of a beckoning soft light had fluttered over his mind like an incorporeal feather, wiping his temporary insanity away. The Madness grudgingly retreated, but he knew it would soon be back. Without light, the Darkness always returned. He could do nothing but track its progress – but with knowledge came the power to resist.
These two mortals, now, what was their purpose? He struggled to open his bloodshot eyes and coerced his mouth to speak.
"Wh- Who are you? What is it you want?" Through a voice that cracked with agony, he spit the words out with all the bitterness he could muster. Considering his current situation, that was actually quite a bit.
The taller of the two dem – MEN. They were men, not demons - he had to remember that! The taller of the two looked up in obvious amazement, as if he had forgotten his prize subject was even still alive. Pushing his glasses further up his nose, he spoke. Yami cringed. Words faded into incomprehension as the voice grated on his already sensitive ears. It was too loud! Nothing like his aibou's voice, which always had reminded of clear water and sunshine and innocence. Why hadn't he protected his aibou? Where had he gone? Now his aibou had vanished – maybe forever - and it was all. His. Fault!
"WHERE IS MY AIBOU?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Garu jumped back at the sheer rage that had suddenly manifested itself in the poor boy's voice. His mentor, Dr. Ceebague, was cut short in his logical (It's always logical with him, isn't it?) explanation of the current situation. Collecting himself, the senior doctor pushed his glasses up his nose again and grinned.
"What is an aibou, specimen?"
The boy – who really looked very young right then – blinked in confusion and narrowed his eyes.
"He – he is precious. Light-giving. LIFE-giving. And is currently missing. Unless you wish to spend an eternity in the Darkness, you will tell me what you did with him."
Dr. Garu was impressed. Despite Mutou 2's obvious distress, he still bore himself with a dignity he had seen only rarely before. What was it about this boy? This whole experiment seemed to suddenly encompass so much more than what they had thought.
Doubt abruptly assailed him and he flipped back several pages in his ever-present notebook to calm his nerves. Was what they were doing even right? I mean, they were just incorporating the best aspects of Freud and Pavlov. They certainly weren't going to leave the kids like this – and he knew there would be many kids because there were many rooms, just like this, and they all had plastic tubes in the center that would serve as holding cells…
He knew they were hurting him. But it was for the best, or so his boss had said. Dr. Ceebague had insisted on the electrodes that currently rested on Mutou 2's temples. They were only to be used if the subject (and he had to think of him as a "subject" and not as "a boy" because then it was all wrong and he felt so very dirty and torn) – they were only to be used if the subject didn't co-operate. But co-operation consisted of actually answering Dr. Ceebague's inquiries, not just sitting there like a bloody, ragged, limp piece of cloth. Dr. Garu sighed.
His scientific mind argued: Of course such resistance could only be expected. The… creation in the holding cell was actually the product of a warped and twisted teen's mind. No wonder the behaviour was so inconsistent: one minute, the subject would be staring into nothingness, the next he would be rational. One hour would be spent frowning in a well-known look of analytical concentration, but that would be interrupted by a horrified screech and he would begin smashing his already bruised and bloody hands against the restraining barrier. It wouldn't even matter that the electrodes would send a jolt of electricity to his head, because Mutou 2 would keep attacking the cell (Because that's what it was, when you really get down to it) until they'd be forced to increase the voltage to the point where the subject was knocked insensible.
His emotional side shuddered. The way the shriek would be suddenly cut off was bad enough, but the way he cried – even unconscious, the boy seemed to guilt him. It wasn't really his fault! He was just obeying orders! He was actually very lucky to get into this position: Dr. Ceebague was known as one of the most brilliant psychiatrists due to his purely analytical mind. How he managed to suppress his emotions was a mystery that the assistant had promised himself he'd find out and copy. That sort of technique was incredibly important for the objective perspective of the scientific community.
Ah, the wonder of the mind. He'd had that entire mental monologue and he hadn't missed a single word of the tense conversation that was taking place.
"I'm afraid I am unclear as to what an 'aibou' is, subject. Perhaps if you could describe it to me-"
"He." The word was drawn out like the ominous hiss of the cobra before it struck. "My aibou is a person: he."
"My apologies, specimen!" Dr. Garu himself twitched at the complete insincerity in the voice. In tribal communities, such a tone would be worthy of immediate execution…
The tone was at seeming odds with the emotionless personality that the doctor was renowned for. And yet. And yet you heard stories, that maybe the good doctor enjoyed his work – his subjects – a little too much. That the esteemed doctor never truly fixed anything, or if he did, then he made something else worse. That maybe the clinical analyst would have made an excellent …"information-extractor"…in the Middle Ages, that's how brutal his "treatments" were rumoured to be.
"Tell me, specimen!' Dr. Ceebague's voice snapped over the haze of Garu's mind as he slipped hastily into the present. The boy had slumped over again, his hands clutching at his head. Only a murmur could be heard through the audio feed.
"Aibou. Darkness. Light in the darkness in the light in the darkness in the light in the darkness in the darkness in the darknessinthedarknessinthedarkness…"
His boss turned with a frown in Garu's direction. "The subject is not responding. Commence voltage. 75%."
Dr. Garu's eyebrows were raised sharply despite his mental efforts to keep them resting steadily on an impassive face. "75%, sir? Not to question you, sir, but that amount is considered dangerous in many case studies."
"Objection noted. Continue with the increase."
Nodding, Dr. Garu pulled the switch and clicked several buttons to activate the increase in voltage to the electrodes. In the back of peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of the slight smile on his boss' face as he turned back to look at the struggling figure on the floor of the cell.
~ "You're not a scientist! You're a monster! Angel of Death! Torturer! Murderer!" ~
The words of a classmate to the professor, all those years ago, suddenly flashed in his brain with all the impact of an explosion. How Ceebague had calmly raised an eyebrow and had turned back to his lesson. Come to think of it, he hadn't even tried to deny it…
Turning, Dr. Garu's eyes widened as he took in the view of the sudden monster that he had pledged to obey.
And the boy sobbed inconsolably on the floor, twitching as the current ran through his body.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi froze in the middle of breakfast; the sugared toast he was eating dropped to the floor.
He didn't notice.
"Yuug'? Wha's wrong?" Jounouchi looked over in concern, ignoring Honda's glare as he leaned over the plate in order to get a better view of Yuugi's expression.
Yuugi's amethyst eyes drooped as his mind searched. He could have sworn he had just felt a twinge of…something. It had torn through his brain with all the ferocity of a rabid dog. The worst part about it, though, had been the sheer, overwhelming despair that had been mixed with the dark coldness. Pain had joined the two, raking its bleeding nails across Yuugi's sensitive feelings.
All of a sudden, he didn't feel very hungry anymore.
Ryou sat next to him, under strict orders from his yami to behave and to observe, "that shrimp," as Bakura had so elegantly worded it. Thus, he was able to see the luminous tears that seemed to rise reflexively in the boy's eyes, followed closely by a look of lost horror.
"…Yami…?"
"Yuugi?" Anzu's sweet voice gently interrupted Yuugi's dark haze of ruminations. "Is there something wrong?"
He stood up decisively. "Something's wrong with my Yami. I just know it!" He added, seeing the puzzlement that rose to their faces. "Let's go already!" Shouting the last over his shoulder, he ran through the restaurant, ignoring the shocked looks the other customers were giving him.
Blinking, Ryou commented, pleased, "Apparently, the two can still feel each other."
He quickly rose to his feet and also headed to the door. He actually would have been in the lead if it weren't for the fact that Bakura 'encouraged' him to borrow the knife. The group had cleared the door before Ryou realized what he had done. Being the good little hikari he was, he was turning around to quickly give it back when Honda grabbed his arm.
"Hey, Ryou! How come Yuugi can still feel Yami? I thought he said their link had been totally severed!"
Honda continued to pull the snowy-haired boy forwards. Up ahead, Yuugi vanished into the woods, for reasons known only to him. As always, the rest of the group tried to keep up, even as they strained to hear Ryou's belabored reply.
"I…suppose…that they've worked together long enough to develop a weak link even outside the magical one. You know, like a sixth sense?"
Jounouchi nodded, it did make sense. He could usually sense how his sister was doing, after all. It was like they had become more attached than ever.
Anzu let out a moan of distress as they reached the woods. "We'll never find him in all these trees! What're we going to do?"
Jounouchi frowned, brow furrowed in intense concentration. He lit upon a brilliant solution. "How about we call his name really loudly – OW! Honda, you idiot! You didn't have to hit me that hard!"
Honda glared. "That's a stupid idea."
Anzu nodded, confused. "You usually think better than that, Jounouchi! Are you ok?"
"We can discuss my emotional state once we get Yuug' back to something resembling normal, ok? Hey, Ryou! How about that Ring of yours?"
"Hey, yeah! It can sense Millennium objects, right?"
Honda grabbed it, shouting in its ring. "All right, you lazy, bumming yami! I know you're hiding in there! Let's see you actually do something for a change – take us to Yuugi and his Puzzle!"
Terrified, Ryou tore the Ring out of Honda's grasp. "Don't say things like that! Bakura will get mad!" He sweat-dropped at the looks everyone was giving him.
"He's always mad, Ryou. I think it's because he doesn't have any friends." Anzu smiled sympathetically.
In his soul room, Bakura's enraged eyes suddenly rolled. 'It's because I don't have any fri~ends…' he mocked. 'This is ridiculous. It's obvious that it's time for me to use my vessel's body to get the Pharaoh back.'
// Step aside, landlord. I will resume command and find that weakling shrimp. //
Feeling Ryou acquiesce, he rapidly took charge. He ignored the lingering thought in the back of his mind that ran along the lines of, 'Maybe this way, I can get that pointy-haired oaf to stop manhandling my other half.'
It was a simple matter to assume command of the ragtag group. It was simpler yet to determine the diminutive teen's direction. Yuugi's mental graveyard still called out for everyone to hear, unconsciously goading dark forces to attack him. Of course, Bakura being a self-proclaimed dark force himself…
They set out to the East. If the shrimp had any sanity left in him, that idiot Kaiba's office lay in that direction as well.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In his screen-filled office, the idiot in question was taking in the duels. Mokuba sat next to him, drinking his morning's hot chocolate.
'That's weird. Yuugi hasn't done any duels in the past 12 hours. It's getting pretty late in the morning, too – He's usually beaten at least three opponents by this time.'
He swivelled in his chair to type in a command to the computer. The lower left monitor located the small duellist and began to track his movements. Kaiba resolved to keep an eye on Yuugi – it was always important to know the latest techniques he was employing in his challenges.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Back at the restaurant the group had left, the waiter frowned as he looked at the food left at Table 04. The unpaid food.
And why was one of their knives missing?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi ran through the interminable forest without a destination. All he could determine was that the feeling had come from this direction, he was sure. Still, although he was doing something, finally taking action, the gnaw of fear and worry in his gut had only increased. What on earth was happening to Yami that would make him project those horrible things? Had it been on purpose? Was that the only way he could get through?
The unanswered questions only made his eyes tear in remembrance of their broken link. No longer were they able to ask questions to one another. Before, even if the other hadn't known the answer, the fact that they knew they'd face any problem together had always provided support.
And now that Yami was gone, he had to face this crisis by himself. Oh, his friends would help him, they always did, but they didn't know. They didn't know how hard it was to function when your heart cramped with agony…
The fear intensified. Why was Yami hurt? He'd never been hurt this badly before and the only time he'd felt that all-consuming Darkness had been when he'd first solved the Puzzle*. It was like evil, manifested in a physical form. His skin tingled in remembrance of the jarring torture.
What were they doing to his Yami?!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Weevil Underwood looked up when he heard a crashing in the bushes. It sounded as if it were coming closer – was it a duellist? An unwary victim who would fall into his carefully prepared trap? He'd planned it perfectly – even the "perfect" Yuugi Mutou himself would fall victim. Once he found that brat – it would be payback for all those humiliating defeats!
Well. Speak of the devil. If it wasn't the kid himself, looking decidedly worse than what he remembered.
"Yuugi! I challenge you to a duel – where the stakes are too high to refuse!"
Well! How was that for rudeness? Yuugi didn't even glance in his direction; he was too busy running someplace. Fortunately, Weevil was prepared for this situation. He'd installed a specially activated magic card that would ensnare his victim in solid vines. It was perfect for those who were…. reluctant…to engage in a duel with him. Yuugi should be activating it right about…
Yep! Caught like a fly in a spider's web. Weevil snickered. The vines clenched around Yuugi's hips, legs and chest, and pinned his upper arms to the side. They were perfectly positioned so that any person caught in them wouldn't be able to move, except for the drawing of his or her cards.
"Ha! Now you can't get away! You'll pay for those humiliating defeats that you inflicted on me, all those times before!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi struggled against the sudden restraints. What on earth was Weevil doing? Couldn't he see that Yuugi had to hurry? His yami was in danger – this was no time for some petty duel of revenge!
"Weevil! Please! You've got to let me go! You don't know what's going on!"
The green-haired freak cackled some more as he pointed at him.
"Au contraire, little fly, it's you who doesn't know what's going on! Once I defeat you, I'll be able to reclaim my dignity! Not to mention I'll also get you to admit, once and for all, that I'm better than you!"
Yuugi's head shot up as he stared into Weevil's deranged face. That the cheating, bug-infested jerk was better than him? His metaphorical hackles were raised instantly. He knew what Yami would have to say in this situation, too.
'We win by honour, not cheating and tricks! How dare he imply otherwise? Yami, he's going down! You may not be here, but I'll protect our reputation!'
Yuugi's eyes gradually lost the distant, blank look as he set himself for this duel. Grinding his teeth and activating his duel disk – it'd seemed like ages since he last used it, really, - he shouted defiantly. "Your cheating strategies won't help you this time, Weevil! I accept your challenge – prepare for your imminent defeat!"
After all, when dealing with bone-jarring angst, petty revenge is a very important method of venting. It's not always the best method – but it's certainly effective while it lasts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A blinking light next to a monitor attracted Seto's attention. Pausing in his conversation to his little brother, he turned and looked at the screen. Well, it appeared as if Yuugi had finally begun duelling, despite the fact he was appallingly late in getting started – it was past ten o'clock, after all. And his opponent was…oh yuck. Wouldn't that green-haired, bug-loving freak ever get the hint and leave the Duel Monsters game?
Fascinated by the sneer that had appeared on his big brother's face, Mokuba leaned over to see what had so ensnared Seto's attention. He frowned in confusion.
"Big brother, who's that guy that Yuugi's duelling?"
The upper lip curled even more. "That, Mokuba, is Weevil Underwood, contestant #320. He's not very good; in fact, he's probably one of the worst duellists I've seen. Not only does he cheat, but he's predictable as well – and he still loses!"
That made no sense to Mokuba. "Well, why is Yuugi challenging him, then? I mean, you have to work your way to the top of this competition by challenging increasingly higher duellists, right? And Weevil's statistics are really low! Yuugi's just wasting his time, right?"
Seto nodded, eyes searching the monitor as he watched the exchange of monsters between the two duellists. He watched the duel for a while, then he frowned, slightly. Yuugi seemed off his game today – very off, as a matter of fact.
Mokuba gasped. "He put Dark Magician out without any protection? It's up against a powered up Giant Moth! He doesn't even have any face down or trap cards!"
Very off, indeed. What was going on? He hadn't ever seen this bad of a duel in a long, long time. And why were the vines still in position? They were supposed to retreat once the duellist had fully accepted the duel. Were they interfering in Yuugi's ability to duel somehow?
Seto stood up and whirled around dramatically, just for practice. His trench coat flew out behind him in a most satisfying way. (It also knocked his coffee cup to the ground, but he conveniently ignored that fact.)
"Let's go, Mokuba. As is evident by the restraining vines, this duel is obviously forced. Weevil must be proceeding with the duel against Yuugi's express wishes, and is therefore in violation of rule 5a, section d."
Mokuba stood up too, missing his lack of a cool coat to dramatically toss around. He giggled. "It's funny when you talk all legal-ese, Seto. You sound all smart."
"You mean I don't the rest of the time?" Humoured, Seto's right eyebrow was raised in question.
"You know that's not what I meant! It's just that…"
Their voices trailed off as they exited the office, on their way to the duel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yuugi frowned as his Dark Magician was destroyed, reducing his life points to 75. What had he been thinking? It had been ages since he'd duelled without his other half, and the constant throbbing of the void in his soul made it impossible to concentrate.
Oh, he'd done fairly well for the first half, attacking Weevil's weak cards and life points directly, but ever since the appearance of the Great Moth…
He still knew almost all there was to know about the cards, but it was like there was an iron gate that prevented his ability to put it into practice. The Heart of the Cards wasn't helping either.
He reached for his next card. The deck itself seemed to be moving further away, eluding his straining fingers, just as it had against that first duel with Kaiba. He could see his other friends around the vanishing deck, encouraging him, coaxing him. Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu…even Ryou was there in the background, cheering him on. It wasn't the same, though. No matter how hard he tried, it was hard to trust in the Heart of the Cards when your heart was missing.
What had he been thinking?
He finally managed to draw another card, hoping that maybe it would help… But no. It was just Kuriboh. Useful as that was, it couldn't stand up to a direct attack against the Great Moth. Not with the cards he held in his hand.
"Having trouble there, Yuugi?"
And that voice! It wouldn't stop grating on his ears! Worse yet, there was no confident, deep voice in his head, pointing out possible attack strategies or potential mistakes.
He was losing it – the game, his yami, his mind… But he couldn't lose! He just couldn't! Still, it became harder to concentrate, as the stress on his mind increased from having to concentrate on the game without reinforcement. He felt exhaustion slither up to him.
…What had he been thinking?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Weevil smirked as his opponent's knees trembled. They looked as if they would collapse if it wasn't for the vines holding him up.
This was so sweet. He readied himself for the final attack on Yuugi's life points directly…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kaiba burst into the clearing, followed by Mokuba.
"STOP THIS DUEL IMMEDIATELY!" The bellow arrested all movement – even the Kuriboh Yuugi had desperately put into play stopped its prancing defiance.
Weevil looked over. "How dare you interrupt our duel! We're not done it! Who do you think you…are…" He suddenly realized who he was offending. "Oh, crap."
Seto glared at him. He then decided that wasn't enough and upped it to a Glare ™. Taking great satisfaction, he chewed out the words. "You. Are. Disqualified. Surrender your duelling disk and identification cards immediately."
As Weevil winced and deactivated his game, the vines holding Yuugi up crumbled and collapsed. As they disintegrated into the green grass, they were joined by a weakened Yuugi. Eyes falling shut in fatigue, he dropped almost lifelessly to the ground.
"Yuugi! Oh my gosh, are you all right?"
Mokuba started forwards without thinking, then was shoved backwards by a horde. No wait. That was the rest of Yuugi's friends, coming to his belated rescue.
Seto Glared. No one pushed his little brother around, especially not white-haired, gaudily accessorized, scrawny boys. It was really too bad, then, that Bakura wasn't looking in his direction at all, but at the fallen teen on the ground. Frowning, Bakura bent down and ran his eyes over the body. Nodding to himself, he stood up again and addressed the audience at large. "He's okay. The brat's just suffering from mind trauma, is all. His body remains untouched."
Anzu let out a sigh, slightly relieved. When she had seen him fall to the ground…
Seto strode over to Yuugi and shook him slightly, to the protests of the others. Gradually, his efforts were rewarded and Yuugi slowly opened his eyes.
"Yami…? 'zat you?"
Peeved, Seto glanced down. 'Who?' "No. It's Kaiba. Can you stand?"
"…I…I think so…"
Kaiba himself was suddenly shoved aside by none other than the puppy dog. He felt his eye begin to twitch – he had come to help, yet he was getting none of the respect he deserved! Just like all the other times he had hung around Yuugi's group.
"Yuug'! I'm so glad you're alright! Can you stand? Wha' happened?"
Anzu slid discreetly next to him, to support him as Yuugi tottered to his feet.
"I-I'm afraid I became a little…overconfident and I- Wait! Did you say Kaiba was here?"
Smirking, Kaiba fully enjoyed the excuse he now had to shove the puppy-boy aside. He had been asked for, after all. "Yes, what is it?"
"Oh, Kaiba!" The shorter boy staggered forward until he clutched at Seto's fashionable trenchcoat. "I'm so glad you're here! Something terrible has happened and I really need your help!"
Gloating amusement at the impotence of Jounouchi's resentful situation turned into stabbing concern. The last time Yuugi had even hinted that he needed help, the world had been in danger and his brother's life had been in dire peril. He glanced sharply at the duellist to gauge the level of danger, even as he slipped a discreetly supporting hand around the boy's shoulders in an effort to still the wavering body.
"What is it, Yuugi?"
"Oh, Kaiba! I—" Yuugi cut himself off, though, as he noticed Weevil's casual eavesdropping. "Um, is there someplace more private we can go to discuss this?"
Seto glanced over to where Yuugi was looking and snorted. As if he'd want that worm listening in on his conversation, either.
"Of course. We can continue this discussion in my boardroom. It's designed for the utmost secrecy."
Joey rolled his eyes and coughed. A sound slipped out from between his coughs that sounded suspiciously like, "Paranoid."
Mokuba stepped forward and hastily interrupted the brewing tension, "Well, then, let's all go! Is that ok?"
Muttered agreements were heard all around as the various members accepted and started out in the direction of the island-based office building.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Ceebague muttered to himself as he jotted down some more data. As the hours progressed, he was becoming increasingly irritated with his subject's complete lack of co-operation. Did he not realize that the lack of assistance was inhibiting any sort of advancement? Progress was essentially critical in this situation, due to his funding. The trouble with funding companies, he mused, was that they wanted definite reports.
He skimmed his data once more. He had obtained various responses indicating that his current test subject was, indeed, a schizophrenic personality, or suffering from dissociative identity disorder. There was also evidence of a strong link between the created personality and the original, proving to the scientific community at large that it was non-conducive to physically remove the created personality from the host. It was as if they needed each other to function, which was, in itself, a most interesting side hypothesis.
His hypothesis, though, was not accelerating at the rate of change he desired. In order to move to the next stage in his procedure, he had to prove that the created personality – Mutou 2 – had been able to manifest himself due to the catalyst. The catalyst in this case was, of course, the "Puzzle," as Mutou 2 occasionally referred to it as. Once again, they had slight evidence but they were currently missing a spoken admission. Whenever he asked Mutou 2 the necessary question, the test subject would refuse to answer and they'd be forced to give him an electrical dosage. To ensure against an immunity to the shock, they'd consciously had to up the voltage.
It was most frustrating, indeed.
He sat down and took a sip of his coffee. Replacing the mug with a pen that tapped against his lips thoughtfully, he decided to branch out his thinking.
First, he'd set a deadline. If he didn't acquire the answer he desired in the next two hours, then he would move on. There was no point in wasting time over a dead issue.
What then? The issue of the funders' wish for results in exchange for their money washed over him. He had to achieve an answer somehow.
He stared into space for a while, the subject's screams a background drone by this time.
Suddenly, the answer came to him. He'd had a professor once, who'd insisted rather emphatically on the fact that, "Science is a journey of inquiry, not a summarization of data. It's all right if you don't answer the question you set out with, as long as you answer a question by the end." Well now. That had distinct possibilities.
In the fourteen hours he'd spent in the subject's vicinity – and wouldn't he ever be quiet? First screams, now sobs, what next? – Dr. Ceebague had pondered many questions. Right now, the foremost curiousity in his mind was asking, "How deep is the connection between the original schizophrenic individual and his creation(s)?" Now this question definitely had potentiality to be answered. It wouldn't even require a drastic change in methodology. There was already ample evidence for a deep connection between the two identities. Not only that, but Dr. Ceebague was on more familiar territory when it came to registering pain at the loss of something or someone. The best part was, he'd still be able to use that white-haired boy –and possibly the blond boy as well – to support his case!
He leered in satisfaction. His funders would obtain the results, and he would obtain his data…by any means necessary. But first, to consult with his assistant.
He really wished the subject would stop howling.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Seto stared in disbelief at the small boy who gazed at him with helpless eyes. "…So, what you're saying is that you have a dark side."
Yuugi nodded.
"Who helps you duel."
More nodding.
"And who saves the world from evil."
This statement got a faint smile with the nod.
"Despite the fact he comes from evil?"
Yuugi's eyes got very, very big. "No! Well, yes, kind of. But he's good now!"
Seto tilted his head, as if that would make the world seem that much clearer. "So an evil spirit decided to reform and become the patron saint of justice?"
Hesitant nodding.
"…And this spirit came from Egypt."
The constantly bobbing head was making him dizzy.
"And he was a Pharaoh."
Yep. He was feeling pretty dizzy right about now. Maybe he should sit down. No, wait. He was already sitting down.
"And this Pharaoh was sealed into a piece of tacky jewellery for 5000 years because he lost control of some card game?"
The hopeful amethyst eyes filled with tears as Yuugi clutched his Puzzle. "It's not tacky!"
Mokuba nudged Seto. Hard.
"Ow. Sorry. No, your overbearingly huge inverted pyramid is not the least bit tacky. My apologies. I must have been mistaken." The apology might have come across a bit better if it hadn't been so monotone.
Still, Yuugi's eyes softened. "That's all right."
Rubbing the back of his neck to concentrate, Seto continued to see if he fully understood the situation. "And your…?"
"Yami!" Ryou piped up helpfully. No one really knew when he had come back, but they were certainly hoping the hikari would stay a while. In the meantime, they were keeping him away from anything sharp.
"Ok. Your 'yah-mee' was taken last night (despite the fact he's never had his own body before) by a bunch of…scientists?"
Yuugi hung his head in sorrowful remembrance. "…yeah…"
"With glowing ray guns."
A sniffle as the head bent down further. Seto was starting to miss the head bobbing.
"And you want me to find him."
"Of COURSE we do, ya jerk! Lookit the poor kid, he's all broke up! So yur gonna hafta throw your jerkiness aside an' actually help out for once!"
Seto lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "And will you bark at me until I do? Seriously though, Yuugi. As much as I respect you as a duellist and as a human being…have you tried seeking professional help?"
In his soul room, Bakura rolled his eyes and seriously contemplated playing with his knife. This was obviously going to take a while.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Garu set up the new program on the large computer screen. He was even less sure about this idea…
Still, he had no choice but to obey.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yami dragged his eyes upwards at the activity that was happening ahead. He didn't want to move. Every action he did caused the fiery tendrils of pain to shoot through his head again. He still couldn't believe there was no blood. With all that pain, there should have been blood on the floor, on the walls, all around him and covering him and smothering him-
The red slashes of agony were in stark contrast to the black void he currently found himself in, though. It was as if he were in a pitch black room, slumped against the freezing, far wall and had only a small window to see outside. But the stuff outside was even worse than his room, and so he curled into a fetal ball on the floor and tried not to whimper too much. Whimpering was a sign of weakness, and he couldn't afford weakness, no, not when he had to deal with the slavering beasts of Darkness that lurked in the extremity of his peripheral vision. The maggot of Darkness' abyss started to worm its way up his numb leg and right now, Yami was trying hard to remember why that was such a bad idea—
"Yami!"
The voice had come from the window. It carried through like the light it represented. Hope! Warmth! How he had missed this! It ran tenderly across his wretchedness as he scrambled to get up, to answer the voice…
He tried to answer, but his throat had been screamed away to nothingness.
He tried to rise to his feet, but the electricity still jolted through him and paralysed the useless figurine his body had become.
He tried…and he couldn't.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* = Ref to Season 1 in Japan. It was never brought over to North America (stupid censorship freaks), probably for the sole reason that Yami was disturbingly evil and sent all who threatened Yuugi to the Shadow Realm. Like, EVERYONE. There was this bully…*trails off* He also played with actual cards, like Jacks and stuff! It would be funny (the animation is really bad, too. And Seto has green hair!), if it weren't for the fact that Yami is freakin' scary-looking.
Website for piccies:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Divey: Whoo! Lookee! It's my first cliff-hanger! How could Yuugi be there when he's in Kaiba's office? Hmm….?
Yuugi: *reads story, starts crying* YAMI!! *swipes knife from Bakura* I'm sorry, but I have to kill you.
Divey: Eh?
Yuugi: *sharpening knife* I'll try to make this as painless as possible.
Yami: *traumatized*
Yuugi: *still sharpening* And look what you've done to my suave, sexy, confident Yami! He's a wreck!
Yami: *still traumatized*
Yuugi: *pats his head* That's all right, dear, sweet thing. You'll be all~ll better soon. ^_^ *wields knife menacingly*
Spike: *wanders in* I had a huge influence on this chappie, didn't I, luv?
Divey: *sidles over, scared of Yuugi* Yeah! You were talking with Buffy and you'd gone insane. *nodding of head* Don't know what Season you were in, but you were very convincingly insane. I wanted to hug you to make you feel better.
Spike: *sneer* Touch me and die, you chit.
Divey: *wobbly eyes*
Ryou: Ignore the insanity, if you please!
Bakura: Or revel in it! Muahahahaa!
Divey: At any rate, can you tell I hate Weevil? He never goes away. Who with me on this?
Cast: *reluctantly raises their right hands*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Random parade: Review! Or we'll dance through your head making loud and bothersome noises when you're trying to sleep!