Ch. 6: What is going on here?

Yami perked up when he realized that Yugi hadn't returned. Grandpa had finished his first story and was now almost done with his second one. It wasn't like Yugi to miss two of Grandpa's stories. Then again, it wasn't like him to miss even one. Yami stood from his comfortable position. He was going to look for Yugi.

"Uh, Yami, were are you going?" Jamie asked.

"To look for Yugi, he's been gone too long," Yami stated.

Jamie gulped and followed Yami.

"Why are YOU coming?" Yami asked.

"Because I care about Yugi," Jamie stated.

Expecting him to protest, she had the next thing to say in her mind, but instead she was greeted by the words, "Fine, come along if you wish."

"Ruh, really?" Jamie stammered a little.

"Yes, but don't question me too much, or I will change my mind," Yami told her.

Jamie was stunned, but followed without another word.

"Yugi!" Yami and Jamie called together. "Yugi, were are you?"

Then, Jamie spotted something that looked like a wolf's body.

"Yami, over there," she told him, pointing with her paw.

Yami looked where she was pointing and saw Yugi. Or at least he was pretty sure it was Yugi. He was lying motionless on the ground.

"Yugi?" Yami coaxed, moving cautiously towards him.

Yugi let out a small groan, but nothing more.

"Something's wrong with him," Jamie stated.

Yami bent down and somehow draped Yugi over his back.

"Let's go," Yami told Jamie. "We're going to talk to Grandpa."

They walked carefully back to the camp. Upon arrival, Yami went straight to Grandpa.

"Grandpa!" he called out. "I need to speak with you."

"Oh, Yami, sure, what's up?" Grandpa asked cheerfully, and then noticed Yugi. "What happened?"

"Dunno," Jamie stated. "We found him this way."

"Can you tell us what is wrong?" Yami asked.

Grandpa instructed for Yami to put Yugi on the ground. After that was taken care of, Grandpa poked and prodded carefully. Yugi groaned and mumbled, but he did not wake.

"It's obviously not something we can see, so it's not physical," Grandpa concluded. "We may not know WHAT it is until he wakes."

Almost as if it had been rehearsed, Yugi's eyes suddenly opened and in one second, he was on his feet. But he was acting terrified again. His ears were flatted back against his head and he was crouched low to the ground, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Grandpa then noticed a difference in his eyes.

They were no longer a bright golden color, but more a dull brown. Light did not glint off them anymore. He almost looked hypnotized, but was not. He was, however, noticeably horrified.

"Yugi? What's the matter?" Yami asked.

But Yugi said not a word as his breathing was coming in terrified gasps.

"Yugi, come on," Jamie coaxed.

"Let him alone," another voice came from behind.

Grandpa, Yami, and Jamie all whipped around to see Ryou standing there.

"Ryou," Jamie stated.

"What are you doing up?" Grandpa asked.

"Everyone else is in bed," Yami agreed.

"Listen, you must act quick," Ryou told them.

"Why?" the other three asked in unison.

"Darkness has invaded him," Ryou stated.

"What?" Yami demanded.

"What does that mean?" Jamie agreed.

"Yes, I thought as much," Grandpa nodded. "I knew it was something like that. But how do you know?"

"My brother was the one that infected him," Ryou hung his head.

"Wha?! Your brother?" Yami exclaimed.

"Bakura, he's my brother," Ryou explained. "He was a rebel, and he went off and found a pack's worth of wolf rebels and started his own pack. He's got the power of the West, the power over darkness. And he's after the other three. He's infected Yugi, I think he knows where the power of the East is, and no one knows where the power of the North is located. It's only a matter of time. You best hurry and take Yugi to the Spring of Life."

"Where is that?" Grandpa asked.

"I don't know exactly where it is, but I think it's somewhere in the Northern mountains," Ryou stated.

"So, how-"Yami started to say, but was interrupted by the sound of Yugi falling to the ground again.

Ryou went over to Yugi and looked him over, and said, "You must hurry, he doesn't have much time left."

"I'll take him," Yami stated boldly, going over to Yugi.

With Ryou's help, Yugi was draped over Yami's back again, his head on Yami's shoulder.

"I'm coming too," Jamie stepped forward. "I won't let you do this alone."

"No, you stay here," Yami said forcefully.

"I'm coming with you, one way, or another," Jamie fought back.

Yami held a shocked expression briefly, and then smiled, mumbling a soft thank you. And so they struck out on a journey that was simply a race against time.

Shadu: Dang, I hate to leave it there.

Hokage: No you don't.

Shadu: Well, I do and I don't.

Ish: Whydoyouhatetostopthere?

Shadu: Well, you see I have BIG plans for the next part that's coming up.

Hokage: Oh really?

Shadu: ::nods::

Ish: Andtheyare?

Shadu: --; You already know them Ish.

Hokage: She's not working on this story, remember? So, she doesn't know.

Ish: Yeah,socanyoutellme?

Shadu: No.

Ish: Then, ::takes a deep breath:: PLEASEGIVEAHINT???

Shadu: Alright, someone very special is going to show up next chapter.

Ish: REALLY?!?!?!?!

Shadu: Yes, but if the readers don't review, none of them, or Ish, will find out who it is.

Ish: PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASEREVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!