Chapter Fourteen- Shadow and Fire

-Yami-

"Now Attack!!" I heard three sounds of an attack and Ananias's yell of pain, which told me that I was victorious. I closed my eyes to get calm but almost got the wind knocked out of me thanks to Joey.

"Yami, you're back!! You won!!" Joey continued cheering while at the same time cutting off my air supply.

Ryou, who was standing behind Joey, looked somewhere between mortified and about to laugh. I wrenched my neck around to the other side to see Kaiba too, rolling his eyes at the blonde boy's antics. "Joey! Um, could you possibly let go, please?" I spoke hoarsely. Joey looked at my face, which must have looked pasty because the next minute he was begging on his knees and Kaiba was taunting him about being a 'dog' or whatever it was he always called him.

Ra, I missed this. It gets so lonely in the puzzle. I mean, sure I've got a huge maze to explore and risk my existence, but after awhile it gets old. Like me. Speaking of which, why isn't Yugi talking to me?

(Yugi? What's wrong?)

No answer.

(Yugi, please answer me.)

(G-gomen nasai.)

(For what?)

(I haven't figured out why yet, but because I got rid of you.)

(I've had worse, I'll live.)

(But Yami, aren't you already dead?)

Sweatdrop.

(Uh, it's a-a- figure of speech.)

(Right.)

-Normal-

"Yo? Yami? Yugi? Anybody home?" Joey waved his hand in front of his friend's face. Yami/Yugi blinked his eyes before replying.

"Hey, Joey," Yami was still in control.

Kaiba ahemed, "Could I, um, have my duel disk back?"

Yami looked at him in confusion, "Your duel disk?"

"Ya didn't have yours here," Joey explained, "so Kaiba was kind enough ta lend his to you." He turned to Kaiba, "And ya didn't say please yet, richboy." Kaiba's upper lip twitched slightly before Yami handed the duel disk back to him.

"Hn. Well, I'll be leaving now." I've got to make sure Mokuba's safe. The boys watched Kaiba begin to make his way out of the park, when a voice spoke up behind them.

"If you're worried about your brother," it started, "You needn't bother. I have my honor; I wouldn't go against my word." Yugi's defeated opponent struggled to stand, "He's fine." Ananias finally stood up, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go home and mend. If you see Umi, tell her." He made his slow way out of the clearing, a slight limp from the two duels he'd had to endure.

The brunette watched his new nemesis leave before he too left. Ungh, time to sleep. What a crappy day.

(So Yugi, do you want control now?)

(Sure. I should say bye to Ryou and Joey.)

Yami nodded to his friends, "See ya, guys." He closed his eyes and when they opened Yugi was in control.

He yawned, "Man, I'm tired. Hey Joey, do you want to come by my house? It's closer and you can pick up your books." The small boy looked hopeful. It feels so weird to have Yami back, I don't think I want to have to be alone. I might say something that I really don't mean.

The blonde, however, shook his head, "Nah, I really have ta get home now. I shoulda been back an hour 'a two ago." He nodded to the albino boy, "What if Ryou hung out wit'cha?" Yugi turned to see if Ryou would.

At first, Ryou looked happy to go, "Su-" Ryou paused and looked in pain for a second. "N-no, I have to get home, too." With that said, he turned and ran away, like he was running from his worst nightmares.

"Well, if I don't get home now, I probably won't have a home to get to. See ya!!" Joey also turned around and ran, leaving Yugi alone.

(Guess it's just us, Yami.)

-Ryou-

I slowly walked to the front door of my house. I remembered what happened yesterday I did this. That time, Bakura gave me a broken nose and he was in a good mood. I guess that it was wishful thinking that he'd forget.

((Get in.))

I realized I'd been standing at the door for a few minutes now.

((R-right, y-yami. I'll-))

((I said 'get in'!))

I gulped before shakily opening the door. If only I'd said that I'd go with Yugi.

((Do you really think that I'd let Yami being there stop me from beating the crap out of you?))

After I closed the door my yami managed to use the energy he'd saved up to create a body, and locked the door behind me. "You are dead."

He started walking towards me; I could have sworn I heard his knuckles crack. I tried to get away from him, but, with my present shock from him, all I could manage was a slight shuffle.

I could tell he was beyond angry, because he didn't chuckle at my weakness like he usually did. Instead he just looked at me from those dark piercing eyes, not making a sound, just like a wild animal stalking its prey.

"Yami," I said, trying to stand up to him again, "Y-you know, you wouldn't be so angry with m-me, if y-you hadn't-"

He cut me off with a punch to my stomach.

"I help you with the bullies that pick on you-"

I cried out in pain as my yami dealt another blow to my bruised waist.

"-I help you get friends-"

Bakura grabbed me by the front of my shirt and picked me up from the floor.

"-and to thank me, you get me sent to the shadow realm?!"

He began brutally beating my face, hitting harder and harder before the part of my shirt he had hold of ripped.

"And then, you have the gall to say what I should and should not do?!"

He took a knife out of his pocket and stuck it hard into my arm. It hurt enough with him just doing that, but it was the arm he'd attacked for his deal with Marik. "Not that arm..." I murmured.

I could tell from Bakura's growling that that was not the best thing to say, seeing as how he was sensitive about that. "Just for that-" Bakura jabbed the knife into my shoulder and I cried out harder.

"Maybe now, you'll know better than to interfere," he stressed the word, "with my plans." He pulled the knife out of my shoulder and grazed the bruised skin on my back.

I felt his spicy breath on my neck and I couldn't move at all. "You've been very disobedient, yadonushi. Perhaps I've been too easy on you lately." He brought the knife down to my legs and shoved it into my flesh again. I could barely breathe, let alone scream in pain anymore.

Bakura was pleased with the work he'd done, "Don't worry, I'm almost through with you yadonushi."

Whatever else he was going to do to me however, I didn't know because at that moment I, thankfully, blacked out.

-Joey-

"Git out!!"

I dashed away from my dad's apartment as fast as I could. I knew I shoulda gone there hours ago. Looks like dad's so drunk right now he can't control those punches.

I rubbed my face, my pop's not one you want to mess with... at all.

I looked around before seeing I had gone back to the park. I wonder if Yuge's asleep yet, I could use a place ta stay. But tha' would be rude an' probably questions would come, like where I got this black an' blue mark when it's onl' been awhile since we've seen each otha.

I saw over my shoulder a park bench with some newspapers lying around it. Guess dat's my bed tanigh'. I started picking up the papers and sticking them in my jacket, feeling the cold, wet papers chill my whole body. Sitting on the bench, I pulled my legs up to my chest and shivered. I bet richboy'd get a kick outta dis. With that, I settled in for my frigid, restless night.

-Yugi-

I opened my eyes to see a darkness surround me. "Where is everyone?"

I saw a shadow approach me. It looked a lot like me but it was darker. "Get away!" I ran as fast as I could away from the thing that was now chasing me. I looked to see if I had lost the figure yet, but I saw that the shadow became a raging fire. It didn't look that close to me yet, so I still had a chance to get away from it. I kept running away until the fire surrounded me. It started to get closer and closer to me, until the only for me to escape would be to run through the flames. I tried to jump, but I stayed frozen in fear. "Somebody, please..." I cried, and then...

I woke up.

I shot out of bed in a cold sweat. As I breathed heavily, I heard Yami trying to talk to me.

(Yugi, are you okay?)

My yami used his magic to create his own body to talk to me, "What's wrong, aibou? You look flushed and you're covered in sweat." He asked in concern.

I don't understand. I thought that this dream would stop as soon as Yami came back.

"Yugi? Yugi?" Yami started shaking me, "What happened? You were tossing and turning in your sleep and you mumbled too."

I shook my head to clear it, "Sorry Yami, just a dream." I pulled off the covers of my bed and got out, "I think I'll go get something to settle my stomach." I dashed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Maybe it's something I ate. No, I've been having it too long for that to be the reason. I thought it was from me getting rid of Yami so I shouldn't be having it anymore.

"Aibou?"

I jumped at the voice and saw Yami behind me. He must have followed me down to make sure I was okay. "I'm okay Yami, really."

Yami studied me before sighing in defeat, "Alright then Yugi, if you say so."

Should I tell Yami about my dream? I mean, I want to figure out why I'm having it on my own. I don't want Yami telling me what it's about because he doesn't trust my judgement. It's for the best. I grabbed a juice box and together we went upstairs back to bed.