I don't own Yugioh.

Chapter 22

"I say we go this way!" Jou pointed.

"And I think this way is the best option," Seto pointed in the opposite direction.

"My way's better!" Jou shouted.

"If you'd use your head, maybe you'd realize that your way leads strait into a forest, whereas my way leads to a river!"

"And your way'll prob'ly lead far away from where we need ta be!" Jou shouted.

"If we follow the water, there might be a town," Seto glared at him, "We have less of a chance if we go through the forest."

"Why should I even listen to ya?" Jou crossed his arms, "I should just go this way!  What'd you ever do…?"

"I'm the reason why you're still alive," Seto shot him a glare.

Jou blinked, fingering the bandage on his head from where he'd been injured when they woke up on a rocky shore.

"Look," Seto pointed out to him, "We don't know where we are, and we don't know what's going to happen.  The temperature is mild, so I'd say that we're pretty far from the equator.  We have to find civilization and discover where we are."

Jou sighed and nodded, wincing slightly.  "Okay…you win…I don't got enough energy to argue with ya anyway."

Seto glanced at him, then motioned for him to follow.

They were walking for a while, still following the river.

"Can we take a break?" Jou panted.

"We just took one half an hour ago," Seto pointed out, "It's getting dark.  If we have any hopes of maybe reaching civilization before nightfall, then we're going to have to stop taking breaks every so often."

Jou groaned, but stumbled after the older boy.

"Seto…?  It's getting dark," Jou started, gulping a bit and looking around.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark," Seto smirked, keeping up the pace.

"N-no!" Jou stammered, running after him and staying close, "I jes'…don't like it, that's all…"

Seto laughed.

"Don't laugh at me!" Jou growled angrily, "Aren't you afraid of anything?!"

"Nope," Seto smirked, "Nothing scares me."

Jou shivered, "Well, the least we can do is find some'n!  I'm cold, tired, and really hungry!  And it ain't help'n my headache!"

"Come on," Seto growled, "Stop whining.  I think I see some lights in the distance."

Jou peeked over Seto's shoulder and looked down the cliff, "Hoo-boy…please don't tell me the town is down there…?"

"Hence the smoke from that chimney," Seto pointed.

"Damn…," Jou groaned.

Seto swung a leg over the edge, and started to climb down.

"What are ya do'n!?!?" Jou shouted, "You got a death wish or some'n?!"

"I'm going to the town.  Are you coming?" Seto raised an eyebrow, then continued to climb down.

"Damn…I hate this…," Jou muttered, but started after him.

After a while of climbing, they finally reached the bottom, with only a few spills and slips.

Jou leaned against the rock, breathing hard, "I thought I was gonna die when I slipped…man, thanks for saving me."

Seto turned a bit red, but just looked aside, "…Let's go to that town."

"Yea!" Jou stood up, but stumbled.

Seto caught him and supported him, "What's wrong?"

"It's just my head," Jou closed his eyes against the dizziness, "I'll be fine in a bit…"

Seto started to walk, supporting Jou's weight as he did. 

When they reached the town, the sun had set, and it was getting pleasant out.  It was a large town, but looked friendly.  Seto helped Jou into the hotel they passed, and then had Jou sit down on one of the chairs while he went up to the desk.

"May I help you?" the man behind the counter asked.

Seto nodded, "First, I'd like to know where this is.  As in, the country."

"Oh?  This is Hawaii."

Seto nearly fell to the ground.  Hawaii?!  For goodness sakes…!  Seto regained his composure, "Okay…I'd like to rent a room for the night."

"Just one night?" the man looked at the availability.

 Seto nodded, "Yea…"  He got the correct amount out, and was handed the key.  He turned to the sleeping boy on the chair, "Jou.  Wake up.  We've got a room."

Jou blinked, "Eh…?  What…?"

"Come on," Seto helped him up, "We'll rest here for the night and search for the others tomorrow."

In the room, they were discussing ways to find the others.

"Sounds like a good idea ta me," Jou yawned.  "But should we really be search'n?  I mean, wherever they are, they're probably headed for Brazil.  Mebbe we should head there, too."

"Hmm," Seto paused, "I think that's a good plan.  We'd need a way to get there, though."

"Can't we just walk?" Jou flopped down on one of the beds.

"WALK?!" Seto looked at him like he had gone insane, "Are you mad?!  We're in Hawaii!  It's an archipelago belonging to the United States, far away from land!"

"What's an 'archipelago'…?"

"A chain of islands!  Now, will you listen," Seto calmed down, "From how I see it, taking in your suggestion, we have two options.  Go on a wild goose chase and hope to find them, or go to Brazil and hope that they make it there."

"Brazil all the way," Jou nodded.

Seto agreed, "Yea.  Now the only problem is getting there.  The plane's trashed, and we can't very well go back to Japan and get the helicopter.  I don't know if Hawaii has a major airport that can get us to Brazil.  Hmm…"

Jou tried to think of a plan, too, but fell short.  He shook his head, "I dunno…"

"I've got it," Seto snapped, "We'll take a boat to Ecuador.  It's a small country on the very northern tip of South America.  From there, we can take a plane to Brazil.  After that…well, we'll have to wait for Yugi.  He's the only one who knows exactly where his grandfather is being held."

"Awright!" Jou cheered, "We gotsa plan!"

Seto nodded, sitting down on one of the beds.

They were quiet for a while.

"Ne…I got a question for ya, Seto," Jou sat up, "Why'd you decide ta come?  Ta help us, I mean?  You already made sure that Yugi's adoptive parents were sent to prison.  Why help out here, too?"

Seto shrugged, "I can't explain it, exactly.  I don't know."

Jou smiled, "Sounds like it's cause of friendship."

"Friendship?"

Jou nodded, "I didn't have any friends, really, until I met Yug.  Anzu and I sorta talked with one another, but not as friends.  Then, all this happens, and it feels like the extent of our friendship's be'n tested.  Ya know?  Like someone's see'n if we can stick together even with this shit.  And even though we all just met each other within the past month, we're closer then any friends ever was."

Seto took it in, nodding, "Maybe it is…friendship…"

"Course it is, man!" Jou grinned, "And you're our friend, too!"

"Me?"

"Yea," Jou nodded, "We all stick up for one another, and help each other out.  That's what friends are for.  Cause we care.  We can't explain why we do things sometimes.  Why we stick up for someone, or help out when it's none of our concern.  But that's what friendship's about."

Seto smiled and nodded, "Yea."

"So, with that said, let's go to sleep!  Tomorrow we're on our way to Brazil and meet'n up with Yug!" Jou cheered.

Seto facefaulted, "Can't you stay serious for more then five minutes at a time…!?!?"

"Is that a rhetorical question…?"

Seto sweatdropped, "Nevermind…"

TO BE CONTINUED…