NeferNeferi: Just out of curiosity, why don't you email me with your guess? I'd love to see what you think it is. ^_^
^^ ~ This is a vision of a memory ~ ^^ Have I sufficiently confused you yet with all of these different symbols? ^_^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kai watched as Tea walked back to the house. So many emotions flooded through her... confusion... terror... worry... nervousness... Her heart beat furiously in her ears as she waited for Yami to come out. Tea had said she'd go get him and bring him outside so they could talk privately.
Kai's fingers wrapped around the stone necklace as the front door opened again. As Yami walked towards her, numerous other feelings shot through her. If she had only met Yugi the first day, did that mean she had fallen for a /ghost/? Someone who was /dead/?
She straightened and forced herself to look Yami dead in the eye as he approached. She ignored her pounding heart as she kept her expression unreadable. Yami finally stopped a few feet away from her.
"Tea explained who I am?" he asked, staring back at her with the same blank expression.
"She did," Kai replied.
"Tea thought it would be best if she explained it. She didn't think you would have listened to me."
"Would you? Put yourself in my position, Yug... whoever you are," Kai said.
"Yami. I understand that this is hard to believe -"
"Why would it be hard to believe? I mean you're only the ghost of a pharaoh, sharing a body with a teenager! There's /two/ of you! And you obviously look the same, otherwise I would have recognized the difference!" Kai cried.
"Yes, we do look similar. But Yugi and I are two different people," Yami said.
"If you are what you say you are, why did you "switch" anyway when you met me? Why didn't you just let me continue to talk to Yugi?" Kai asked, her expression growing somewhat dark.
"It was Yugi's idea to switch, Kai," Yami said.
"And you just... didn't think it might be nice if you /told/ me you're a friggin' /ghost/?" Kai exclaimed.
"Not many people know. I was afraid of the reaction I'm getting right now."
"So you just decided lying to me would be best?" Kai asked, folding her arms. Her once placid expression had changed into a definite glare.
"I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you -" Yami tried.
"/It's the same thing/! I trusted you! I told you stuff I've never even told /Carlos/! And all this time you've been lying to me... deceiving me!" she cried.
Yami stared at her, somewhat shocked. He had expected her to be a bit disturbed, but he hadn't counted on the fact she'd start yelling at him. "Kai, I wasn't deceiving you -"
"Oh? What would you call it? What do they call this in /Egypt/? What are you even /doing/ here? Don't you go on to the afterlife or whatever? You don't /belong/ here!" Kai cried, her emerald eyes blazing dangerously.
"Kai! You don't know what you're saying! You don't understand!" Yami said, taking a step towards her, his arm outstretched to touch her shoulder.
"No! Stay away from me! I understand just fine! You're a ghost! You live in that /thing/," she said, indicating the Millennium Puzzle. "You can't live without someone to be a host for you!"
"Kai! Yugi is my friend! We /share/ this body!" Yami said. The more she went on like this, the more he felt as if someone were tearing at his heart. If only she could understand...
"How can I possibly believe you?" she shrieked. "After all this time of lying to me, what makes you think I'll believe you?"
"I wasn't lying to you! I was afraid of how you would take it! I didn't want you to think this way!"
"How on /Earth/ can I possibly believe you? Why don't you just leave? Give Yugi back his body! He has the rest of his life to live; you've already lived yours! /Let it go/! Go away!" Kai cried.
"Kai... this isn't what's going on. You're confused. Let me explain..." Yami said. He felt so torn...
"No! I have all the explanation I need! You tricked me! I confided in you! But I never would have done that if I had known what you are!"
- /What/ I am? - "Kai..." Yami said softly, but she pushed off the tree and ran past him. He turned and leaned against the oak tree.
"That went well."
Yami turned to see a transparent Yugi standing next him. "Don't worry, Yami. She just found out the wrong way. She's scared. Anyone in their right mind could see that she doesn't hate you."
Yami stared at his counterpart. "I never said she did hate me."
"Yami, one thing that happens when we share this body is we can pretty much feel what the other is feeling. I just think you should know that she's probably hurting just as much as you. All this time she thought you were me! And now she finds out the truth... well, it's a lot to handle," Yugi said.
"What are you suggesting?" Yami asked.
Yugi sighed. "Nothing, Yami." - I just pretty much /told/ you! - "Just that it may take a few more times talking to you before she completely understands."
Yami nodded. "I know. I don't understand why she would say those things though."
"She's under a lot of stress. Those weird powers, then Carlos, and now you. This past week hasn't exactly been easy."
"I know. What do you think of her necklace?" Yami asked.
"It sure looks a lot like the Puzzle, but I don't think it's a Millennium Item. I don't know of any that can change shape. And I've never known one to do to someone what that necklace is doing to Kai. I think it's something different," Yugi replied.
"If it's not a Millennium Item, then what is it?" Yami asked.
"Maybe the snake on it has something to do with it."
"It was a cobra. I've thought about it, but I haven't come up with anything."
"Do you think it represents something?" Yugi asked.
"Like what? Do you have an idea?"
"Not a clue. It seems that every time we take a step closer to finding the truth, we wind up going two steps back. There is still the 'why' that we need to answer. Why bother doing this?"
"Yes. These answers are still eluding me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Yami is who I've been telling everything to! Everything about Carlos... he's been my confidant, yet all this time he's been lying to me! So why do I feel so bad about yelling at him? - Kai had run around the side of her house and was sitting on the ground with her knees against her chest. - These things can't be happening to me. I don't make things happen with my mind... I don't read people's minds... Yami doesn't exist... This is all a dream...
- That voice said something about Yami... what was it? I had to choose him... for what? What am I supposed to /do/? Why does she want me to do this? -
Suddenly a searing pain shot through her head. - Fight it, Kai. Put it out of your mind... you can fight it... - She buried her face in her knees as the pain grew unbearable. "Leave me alone!" she cried, staggering to her feet.
She was growing dizzy... the pain was so horrible... she felt as though her head were about to explode... Kai leaned against the house, pressing her hands against her temples.
"No..." she moaned, her heart pounding. "What's happening to me?" As the pain seared again, she screamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yami and Yugi snapped their heads up. "Kai!" they cried in unison. Yugi faded as his counterpart followed the scream. As he neared the front door, Yami saw the gang run out. They came around the house and Yami ran to Kai, grabbing her shoulders.
"Kai, you can fight this," he said.
She opened her eyes and immediately tried to get him off of her. "No... leave me alone!"
"Kai! Stop! You've beaten it before! Just concentrate on my voice and that only!" Yami said, tightening his hold on her.
"Get off me! Let go! I'll tell Carlos; he'll kill you!" Kai cried. Her struggling didn't do much good because she was pinned against the side of the house.
"Kai, stop this! Do you want this to end?" Yami asked, his stern violet eyes penetrating her emerald ones. "You have to listen to me!"
Kai stared at him, her heart pounding in her ears as pain seared through her head. "W-what...?" she asked, wincing.
"Concentrate on my voice only. Put everything else out of your mind," Yami instructed. "Focus on me. It has worked before; it will work again."
Kai squeezed her eyes shut, her teeth clenched. "I... can't..."
"Yes, you can! Listen to me! It will work!"
"I know it's worked before! But something's different now..." Kai cried. She leaned her head against the house as she cried out.
Yami noticed her necklace had changed once again. The eyes of the snake were glowing a ruby red, as if it were daring Yami to continue trying to block it. He looked back at Kai, determined to put up a fight.
- You aren't going to win her that easily, - he thought. "Kai, focus on me. Only my voice. You can fight it."
"It's not working! I... can't...!" She screamed as her necklace started to glow.
- Yami hurry up! We don't know what'll happen if that thing finishes what it wants to do! - Yugi cried.
"Kai! Listen to me!" Yami exclaimed, growing desperate.
"Come on, man! Do something!" Tristan cried.
"She needs a bigger distraction!" Tea exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear.
Yami stared at Kai for a second. - A bigger distraction... - His heart beating in his ears, he did the first thing that came to mind. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He moved his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.
"Well, that'll work," Tea said, a bit surprised.
As he kissed her, Kai felt the pain in her mind start to ease. Suddenly something flashed before her eyes...
.
^^ ~ Kai stood in the living room. Her grandmother sat in a chair in front of her. The scene was only last year.
"Come here, Kai," her grandmother said. She held something in her hand and her arm was outstretched.
Kai approached slowly. She held her hand out and her grandmother dropped a necklace into it. It's pendant was a polished stone. "Thanks, Gran." Kai looked at her guardian, knowing she didn't have much longer. She had already begun to go senile.
"You have to wear it for a year. It will activate when you meet the second face of the two faced man," her grandmother said, her voice somewhat small.
Kai just smiled sadly. "Right, Gran." She remembered how her grandmother used to have such a strong voice and mind. It was painful to see her so out of it and lost. "Yeah. I'll wear it." ~ ^^
.
Kai's mind cleared as she became aware of what was going on in the real world. Panic flooding through her at Yami's kiss, she struggled against him. He let go of her and pulled away. They stared at each other for a moment before Kai took off to enter the house.
Yami looked after her, once again feeling torn. He knew he had enjoyed that kiss way too much. But he also knew it was probably best if she didn't feel anything for him. She was right. He was a spirit. He couldn't have a relationship with her through Yugi. Yugi did have his own life as well. It wouldn't work.
"Yami, you okay?" Joey asked, seeing the strange way his friend was staring off into space.
Yami came back into reality and looked at the blonde. "Yes. I'm fine." He put his hands in his pockets and slowly headed for the house.
The truth had finally made it's way into his mind. It was no wonder Carlos was so jealous. It seemed everyone but him could see what was happening. Yami had blocked it out. He had known it would only be bad news if his conscience knew.
Yami found himself in his bedroom with the door closed. He didn't even remember entering the house, but he supposed it didn't matter. He sat down on the bed and leaned his elbows on his knees.
"Yami? Are you okay?" Yugi sat next to him.
"Yes. I'm fine," Yami said, looking at the smaller version of himself.
"Kai will come around. As soon as this thing's over she'll realize that she likes you," Yugi assured.
"It's far more complicated than that, Yugi. She's correct. I am a spirit. I can't exist without someone who allows me to share a body with them. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to leave the Puzzle," Yami said.
"I don't understand the problem," Yugi said.
"It's impossible for me to have a relationship with her. Or anyone for that matter. It wouldn't be fair to you. I would be using your body."
Yugi's eyes widened slightly. "Yami, I don't care. Technically then if you've kissed someone, I can say I've been kissed."
Yami chuckled slightly. "But I don't /want/ to be using your body. It's the same as how I felt when she was calling me by your name instead of my own. So it's just best if I stay out of it. She and Carlos get along well."
"Yami, you know you would be just as jealous as Carlos if she went out with him," Yugi said.
"Hopefully we will have left by that time. I don't think you intended to remain here, am I correct?" Yami asked.
"Well, no. But Kai could come with us."
"No. She belongs here in Island Springs. She is better off if she doesn't feel anything for me. She can live a better life that way."
"Yami, you know this isn't what you want."
"Of course it's not what I want. It's what I have to do. There are things you have to do, no matter how much you don't want to, Yugi. This is one of them."
Before Yugi could respond, the door opened and Kai stepped through. She was looking at the ground as she came inside. She opened her mouth to speak as she raised her head, but instead of words, a scream came out.
"There's... what... you?" she cried, her eyes flitting between Yugi and Yami.
"What is it?" Yami asked, standing.
"I... think she means me!" Yugi said as Kai stared at him. "You can see me?"
"Am I not supposed to?" she asked incredulously.
Yami and Yugi looked at each other in surprise. "No, not really," Yugi said.
As Kai stared at them, she saw the minor differences between them. It was amazing how those little things could make all the difference when they stood beside each other, but when you saw them separately they went unnoticed.
Kai took a step towards Yugi and nervously waved her hand through him. Her eyes widened as her hand passed through him as though he wasn't even there. "This is way too weird..." she said, backing up into the wall.
"Here, I'll go then," Yugi said, fading away. Kai's eyes got huge as she stared at the spot where he once stood.
"Did you need something?" Yami asked, directing her attention to himself.
"Uh... yeah... hold on let me remember it..." she said, staring at him. "Oh... yeah... I kind of... freaked out earlier," she said, looking at the floor. "You know, when I was yelling at you. It's just way too much happening at once and..."
"Kai. It's all right," Yami said.
She looked up at him and their eyes met. "Yeah... one thing... which one are you?" she asked.
Yami chuckled. "Yami." He was taken aback when she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved his own arms around her and held her tightly. He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment, though he knew he shouldn't be.
"I didn't mean what I said," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "Ghost or not you were there when I needed you."
A part of him was relieved and happy she didn't hate him. The other part knew it was only complicating things. "I still am here, Kai," he said, tightening his arms around her.
"What's happening to me? Why can't I stop it?" she asked.
"I think the reason you can't stop it is because you /are/ changing. You're mind is most likely being shifted from whatever that necklace is doing. If you stop the process, it probably would kill you," Yami said. "I don't think we stop it when you block it out of your mind. I think it only eases the pain."
"So no matter what I do I'm going to be a freak?" she asked. "That's great."
"I will stay with you until it's over. I promise. I'll do whatever I can," Yami said, feeling his heart tear with the knowledge he couldn't be with her.
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a/n: Okay, we're getting closer to revealing the answer as we go. Anyone got ideas as to what's happening? And why? Email me or tell me in a review! ^_^
^^ ~ This is a vision of a memory ~ ^^ Have I sufficiently confused you yet with all of these different symbols? ^_^
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Kai watched as Tea walked back to the house. So many emotions flooded through her... confusion... terror... worry... nervousness... Her heart beat furiously in her ears as she waited for Yami to come out. Tea had said she'd go get him and bring him outside so they could talk privately.
Kai's fingers wrapped around the stone necklace as the front door opened again. As Yami walked towards her, numerous other feelings shot through her. If she had only met Yugi the first day, did that mean she had fallen for a /ghost/? Someone who was /dead/?
She straightened and forced herself to look Yami dead in the eye as he approached. She ignored her pounding heart as she kept her expression unreadable. Yami finally stopped a few feet away from her.
"Tea explained who I am?" he asked, staring back at her with the same blank expression.
"She did," Kai replied.
"Tea thought it would be best if she explained it. She didn't think you would have listened to me."
"Would you? Put yourself in my position, Yug... whoever you are," Kai said.
"Yami. I understand that this is hard to believe -"
"Why would it be hard to believe? I mean you're only the ghost of a pharaoh, sharing a body with a teenager! There's /two/ of you! And you obviously look the same, otherwise I would have recognized the difference!" Kai cried.
"Yes, we do look similar. But Yugi and I are two different people," Yami said.
"If you are what you say you are, why did you "switch" anyway when you met me? Why didn't you just let me continue to talk to Yugi?" Kai asked, her expression growing somewhat dark.
"It was Yugi's idea to switch, Kai," Yami said.
"And you just... didn't think it might be nice if you /told/ me you're a friggin' /ghost/?" Kai exclaimed.
"Not many people know. I was afraid of the reaction I'm getting right now."
"So you just decided lying to me would be best?" Kai asked, folding her arms. Her once placid expression had changed into a definite glare.
"I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you -" Yami tried.
"/It's the same thing/! I trusted you! I told you stuff I've never even told /Carlos/! And all this time you've been lying to me... deceiving me!" she cried.
Yami stared at her, somewhat shocked. He had expected her to be a bit disturbed, but he hadn't counted on the fact she'd start yelling at him. "Kai, I wasn't deceiving you -"
"Oh? What would you call it? What do they call this in /Egypt/? What are you even /doing/ here? Don't you go on to the afterlife or whatever? You don't /belong/ here!" Kai cried, her emerald eyes blazing dangerously.
"Kai! You don't know what you're saying! You don't understand!" Yami said, taking a step towards her, his arm outstretched to touch her shoulder.
"No! Stay away from me! I understand just fine! You're a ghost! You live in that /thing/," she said, indicating the Millennium Puzzle. "You can't live without someone to be a host for you!"
"Kai! Yugi is my friend! We /share/ this body!" Yami said. The more she went on like this, the more he felt as if someone were tearing at his heart. If only she could understand...
"How can I possibly believe you?" she shrieked. "After all this time of lying to me, what makes you think I'll believe you?"
"I wasn't lying to you! I was afraid of how you would take it! I didn't want you to think this way!"
"How on /Earth/ can I possibly believe you? Why don't you just leave? Give Yugi back his body! He has the rest of his life to live; you've already lived yours! /Let it go/! Go away!" Kai cried.
"Kai... this isn't what's going on. You're confused. Let me explain..." Yami said. He felt so torn...
"No! I have all the explanation I need! You tricked me! I confided in you! But I never would have done that if I had known what you are!"
- /What/ I am? - "Kai..." Yami said softly, but she pushed off the tree and ran past him. He turned and leaned against the oak tree.
"That went well."
Yami turned to see a transparent Yugi standing next him. "Don't worry, Yami. She just found out the wrong way. She's scared. Anyone in their right mind could see that she doesn't hate you."
Yami stared at his counterpart. "I never said she did hate me."
"Yami, one thing that happens when we share this body is we can pretty much feel what the other is feeling. I just think you should know that she's probably hurting just as much as you. All this time she thought you were me! And now she finds out the truth... well, it's a lot to handle," Yugi said.
"What are you suggesting?" Yami asked.
Yugi sighed. "Nothing, Yami." - I just pretty much /told/ you! - "Just that it may take a few more times talking to you before she completely understands."
Yami nodded. "I know. I don't understand why she would say those things though."
"She's under a lot of stress. Those weird powers, then Carlos, and now you. This past week hasn't exactly been easy."
"I know. What do you think of her necklace?" Yami asked.
"It sure looks a lot like the Puzzle, but I don't think it's a Millennium Item. I don't know of any that can change shape. And I've never known one to do to someone what that necklace is doing to Kai. I think it's something different," Yugi replied.
"If it's not a Millennium Item, then what is it?" Yami asked.
"Maybe the snake on it has something to do with it."
"It was a cobra. I've thought about it, but I haven't come up with anything."
"Do you think it represents something?" Yugi asked.
"Like what? Do you have an idea?"
"Not a clue. It seems that every time we take a step closer to finding the truth, we wind up going two steps back. There is still the 'why' that we need to answer. Why bother doing this?"
"Yes. These answers are still eluding me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Yami is who I've been telling everything to! Everything about Carlos... he's been my confidant, yet all this time he's been lying to me! So why do I feel so bad about yelling at him? - Kai had run around the side of her house and was sitting on the ground with her knees against her chest. - These things can't be happening to me. I don't make things happen with my mind... I don't read people's minds... Yami doesn't exist... This is all a dream...
- That voice said something about Yami... what was it? I had to choose him... for what? What am I supposed to /do/? Why does she want me to do this? -
Suddenly a searing pain shot through her head. - Fight it, Kai. Put it out of your mind... you can fight it... - She buried her face in her knees as the pain grew unbearable. "Leave me alone!" she cried, staggering to her feet.
She was growing dizzy... the pain was so horrible... she felt as though her head were about to explode... Kai leaned against the house, pressing her hands against her temples.
"No..." she moaned, her heart pounding. "What's happening to me?" As the pain seared again, she screamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yami and Yugi snapped their heads up. "Kai!" they cried in unison. Yugi faded as his counterpart followed the scream. As he neared the front door, Yami saw the gang run out. They came around the house and Yami ran to Kai, grabbing her shoulders.
"Kai, you can fight this," he said.
She opened her eyes and immediately tried to get him off of her. "No... leave me alone!"
"Kai! Stop! You've beaten it before! Just concentrate on my voice and that only!" Yami said, tightening his hold on her.
"Get off me! Let go! I'll tell Carlos; he'll kill you!" Kai cried. Her struggling didn't do much good because she was pinned against the side of the house.
"Kai, stop this! Do you want this to end?" Yami asked, his stern violet eyes penetrating her emerald ones. "You have to listen to me!"
Kai stared at him, her heart pounding in her ears as pain seared through her head. "W-what...?" she asked, wincing.
"Concentrate on my voice only. Put everything else out of your mind," Yami instructed. "Focus on me. It has worked before; it will work again."
Kai squeezed her eyes shut, her teeth clenched. "I... can't..."
"Yes, you can! Listen to me! It will work!"
"I know it's worked before! But something's different now..." Kai cried. She leaned her head against the house as she cried out.
Yami noticed her necklace had changed once again. The eyes of the snake were glowing a ruby red, as if it were daring Yami to continue trying to block it. He looked back at Kai, determined to put up a fight.
- You aren't going to win her that easily, - he thought. "Kai, focus on me. Only my voice. You can fight it."
"It's not working! I... can't...!" She screamed as her necklace started to glow.
- Yami hurry up! We don't know what'll happen if that thing finishes what it wants to do! - Yugi cried.
"Kai! Listen to me!" Yami exclaimed, growing desperate.
"Come on, man! Do something!" Tristan cried.
"She needs a bigger distraction!" Tea exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear.
Yami stared at Kai for a second. - A bigger distraction... - His heart beating in his ears, he did the first thing that came to mind. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He moved his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.
"Well, that'll work," Tea said, a bit surprised.
As he kissed her, Kai felt the pain in her mind start to ease. Suddenly something flashed before her eyes...
.
^^ ~ Kai stood in the living room. Her grandmother sat in a chair in front of her. The scene was only last year.
"Come here, Kai," her grandmother said. She held something in her hand and her arm was outstretched.
Kai approached slowly. She held her hand out and her grandmother dropped a necklace into it. It's pendant was a polished stone. "Thanks, Gran." Kai looked at her guardian, knowing she didn't have much longer. She had already begun to go senile.
"You have to wear it for a year. It will activate when you meet the second face of the two faced man," her grandmother said, her voice somewhat small.
Kai just smiled sadly. "Right, Gran." She remembered how her grandmother used to have such a strong voice and mind. It was painful to see her so out of it and lost. "Yeah. I'll wear it." ~ ^^
.
Kai's mind cleared as she became aware of what was going on in the real world. Panic flooding through her at Yami's kiss, she struggled against him. He let go of her and pulled away. They stared at each other for a moment before Kai took off to enter the house.
Yami looked after her, once again feeling torn. He knew he had enjoyed that kiss way too much. But he also knew it was probably best if she didn't feel anything for him. She was right. He was a spirit. He couldn't have a relationship with her through Yugi. Yugi did have his own life as well. It wouldn't work.
"Yami, you okay?" Joey asked, seeing the strange way his friend was staring off into space.
Yami came back into reality and looked at the blonde. "Yes. I'm fine." He put his hands in his pockets and slowly headed for the house.
The truth had finally made it's way into his mind. It was no wonder Carlos was so jealous. It seemed everyone but him could see what was happening. Yami had blocked it out. He had known it would only be bad news if his conscience knew.
Yami found himself in his bedroom with the door closed. He didn't even remember entering the house, but he supposed it didn't matter. He sat down on the bed and leaned his elbows on his knees.
"Yami? Are you okay?" Yugi sat next to him.
"Yes. I'm fine," Yami said, looking at the smaller version of himself.
"Kai will come around. As soon as this thing's over she'll realize that she likes you," Yugi assured.
"It's far more complicated than that, Yugi. She's correct. I am a spirit. I can't exist without someone who allows me to share a body with them. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to leave the Puzzle," Yami said.
"I don't understand the problem," Yugi said.
"It's impossible for me to have a relationship with her. Or anyone for that matter. It wouldn't be fair to you. I would be using your body."
Yugi's eyes widened slightly. "Yami, I don't care. Technically then if you've kissed someone, I can say I've been kissed."
Yami chuckled slightly. "But I don't /want/ to be using your body. It's the same as how I felt when she was calling me by your name instead of my own. So it's just best if I stay out of it. She and Carlos get along well."
"Yami, you know you would be just as jealous as Carlos if she went out with him," Yugi said.
"Hopefully we will have left by that time. I don't think you intended to remain here, am I correct?" Yami asked.
"Well, no. But Kai could come with us."
"No. She belongs here in Island Springs. She is better off if she doesn't feel anything for me. She can live a better life that way."
"Yami, you know this isn't what you want."
"Of course it's not what I want. It's what I have to do. There are things you have to do, no matter how much you don't want to, Yugi. This is one of them."
Before Yugi could respond, the door opened and Kai stepped through. She was looking at the ground as she came inside. She opened her mouth to speak as she raised her head, but instead of words, a scream came out.
"There's... what... you?" she cried, her eyes flitting between Yugi and Yami.
"What is it?" Yami asked, standing.
"I... think she means me!" Yugi said as Kai stared at him. "You can see me?"
"Am I not supposed to?" she asked incredulously.
Yami and Yugi looked at each other in surprise. "No, not really," Yugi said.
As Kai stared at them, she saw the minor differences between them. It was amazing how those little things could make all the difference when they stood beside each other, but when you saw them separately they went unnoticed.
Kai took a step towards Yugi and nervously waved her hand through him. Her eyes widened as her hand passed through him as though he wasn't even there. "This is way too weird..." she said, backing up into the wall.
"Here, I'll go then," Yugi said, fading away. Kai's eyes got huge as she stared at the spot where he once stood.
"Did you need something?" Yami asked, directing her attention to himself.
"Uh... yeah... hold on let me remember it..." she said, staring at him. "Oh... yeah... I kind of... freaked out earlier," she said, looking at the floor. "You know, when I was yelling at you. It's just way too much happening at once and..."
"Kai. It's all right," Yami said.
She looked up at him and their eyes met. "Yeah... one thing... which one are you?" she asked.
Yami chuckled. "Yami." He was taken aback when she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved his own arms around her and held her tightly. He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment, though he knew he shouldn't be.
"I didn't mean what I said," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "Ghost or not you were there when I needed you."
A part of him was relieved and happy she didn't hate him. The other part knew it was only complicating things. "I still am here, Kai," he said, tightening his arms around her.
"What's happening to me? Why can't I stop it?" she asked.
"I think the reason you can't stop it is because you /are/ changing. You're mind is most likely being shifted from whatever that necklace is doing. If you stop the process, it probably would kill you," Yami said. "I don't think we stop it when you block it out of your mind. I think it only eases the pain."
"So no matter what I do I'm going to be a freak?" she asked. "That's great."
"I will stay with you until it's over. I promise. I'll do whatever I can," Yami said, feeling his heart tear with the knowledge he couldn't be with her.
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a/n: Okay, we're getting closer to revealing the answer as we go. Anyone got ideas as to what's happening? And why? Email me or tell me in a review! ^_^