Big Games

Ch4

"So, you were in a shadow game." Yugi's grandfather scowled as they discussed the night before. After Anzu had finally rejoined them, getting over her initial reaction, they had all moved down into the family room where they could sit and talk. "You know how I feel about you getting involved with those."

"I know grandpa, but its not like we had much of a choice." Yami's deep voice spoke. "But, I do not believe that duel had anything to do with my current state. Something else must have happened afterwards, but I was so drained everything is a blur."

"Joey and I carried you to the museum Yugi." Anzu said. "Isis was there and took care of you until you regained consciousness again. I don't remember her doing anything else that could have changed you like this."

Yami dug deep into his-or rather Yugi's- memories of the night before, trying to remember anything out of the ordinary. He remembered coming too, and seeing the faces of his friends hovering over him protectively. He also remembered barley being able to sit up as Isis gave him a strange sour tasting drink, and was surprised at how fast he was feeling its effects, restoring his strength.

"That must be it!" Yami said out loud.

"What was it?" Everyone else said in unison.

"That liquid Isis gave me, It made me feel better almost instantly that has to be the cause." Yami stood up from the couch as his other half took back control of his body.

"But, why would she do such a thing?" Anzu asked. Isis had some knowledge of magic's and spells, but she didn't seem like the type to use them so carelessly.

"I don't know." Yugi's voice returned. "But I think we should go pay her a visit." He looked down at himself and quickly sat down again. "Once I find something better to wear first."

"Oh quit your belly achin' Yug', ya look fine!" Jou said before his friend could go all self-conscious again. "I've seen those big guys down at the beach wear way worse, and they got nothing on you now."

"I'm not that big! … Am I?" Yugi whined.

"Heck no!" Anzu blurted out. "Those muscle heads are so big to the point of being gross. Joey was just teasing … right?" She gave Joey a menacing look. "Don't worry about it Yugi you look great." She didn't realize what she said before it was too late. "Look great! What was I thinking I hope no one caught that." Jou did, and he was now giving her a mocking glare, smiling from ear to ear. Anzu shrunk back into the couch and deciding not to say anything else for a while.

Yugi let out a sigh and rubbed at his neck, he had been doing so since they had come from upstairs. At first he just thought his neck felt odd because it was so thick, but he finally realized what it was.

"What's wrong Yugi? Your neck hurting?" Anzu asked, already breaking her vow of silence as she noticed his constant rubbing.

"No its fine, I just… I feel naked without my collar on." Yugi wondered for a moment where it could have gone too, then remembered his school jacket torn to shreds. He probably busted out of it during the night. He thought about it some more and a small wave of dread passed over him. He could have been choked to death in his sleep!

"Well anyway." He said trying to forget the morbid thought. "There's more important questions to be answered, lets go pay the museum a visit!"

"Good. I'll drop you all off and then go pick up some things you'll be needing for tomorrow." Solomon said as he got up from his chair.

"Needing what grandpa?" Yugi asked. "What's happening tomorrow?"

"Why school is starting of course how could you forget?" Solomon did not notice Yugi turn white as a ghost. "You'll be needing some clothes that actually fit you now, not to mention a new school blazer."

"Yeah, considering you exploded your old one, hehe!" Jou added.

"Joey, that's enough." Came grandpa's stern voice.

"Sorry gramps."

"I can't go to school! Not like this! What will I tell everyone!" Yugi thought to himself and Yami. "What am I going to do?" The spirit did not answer; instead Yugi could only hear faint laughter emanating from the puzzle. "Are you laughing at me?" The laughter grew louder. "Oh, you suck!"

"Hey Zane, can I at least go get some donuts or something? We've been here all day!" Strife was now growing annoyed with his current predicament. Nothing was happening but he couldn't disobey his 'masters' orders.

"Hrrgh…" Zane growled under his breath. As good as the indoors and some fresh donuts sounded, he couldn't leave his post. But they were only human, how long could their master possibly think them to stay there. "Fine, five more minutes and we'll leave."

"Finally." Strife said as he poked his head out of the shrubs and stretched his back. "You don't understand how badly I gotta use the… HEY!" He raised his voice as Zane's hand pulled him back down.

"Look they're coming out!"

Strife looked to the little shop to see an old man and a young blond teen walk towards a car. "Aw man." Strife complained knowing his donuts were now out of reach with this new activity. "Here comes the girl and someone else… hey… who's that big guy?"

"I don't know." Zane replied. "It sorta' looks like our target, he doesn't have a brother or something does he?" Zane only got a shrug from Strife. "Well… whoever it is he's got the millennium puzzle around his neck and that's what we need." He watched as the car they piled into drove off. "Now c'mon, we can't let them get out of sight!"

The two hunters jumped from their spots and took off to their own transportation. Poor Strife straggled behind limping badly.

"Wait up! Leg cramp, leg cramp!"

They arrived at the Domino Museum late in the afternoon. Much to Yugi's delight it had just closed, so only the odd person and worker were in the vicinity. Inside Jounouchi and Anzu had gone ahead to find Miss Ishtar, leaving Yugi to hide himself among the artifacts in the Egyptian wing.

"I don't understand why he would wait here." Yugi heard Isis say as she and the two others drew near. "And I don't understand what you're trying to tell me, what have I done to Yugi that requires my immediate attention?"

"Oh, you'll see." Joey said a bit too amused then he should be. "Hey Yug' buddy you still in here?"

"Yeah I'm still here." Yugi answered, his voice sounded small from behind his hiding spot.

Isis tried to find where his voice was coming from. "Then please Yugi come out you have me worried, for whatever has happened to you effects the pharaoh as well, and the fate of…." Isis didn't finish her speech as Yugi walked out from behind a beautiful yet worn statue of Anubis. "Of… of… oh my."

"Yeah, that's pretty much the reactions lately." Yugi slumped. "Well anyway, we think it has something to do with that liquid you gave me last night." He paused for a moment, waiting for her to say something. A few seconds of silence passed by. "Hello?" Isis was not listening seeming to be locked in a trance instead. " Hello? Did you hear me?"

"What!" She came too as Anzu snapped her fingers in front her face. "Oh, yes, I mean no!" She shook her head trying to focus. "The liquid? No, no that's impossible, its nothing but herbs and lemons." She thought for a moment. "Well, there is a small chant that I say when I make it, but nothing that would effect you in this way. All it is, is a home remedy, I used to give it to my brother Marik after he had been sick all the time."

"Well, what could have caused this then?" Anzu asked, looking a bit annoyed at how Isis kept zoning out when she looked at Yugi. "You said you say a small chant when making it, what kind of chant if you don't mind me asking."

"It's an Egyptian saying wishing someone who has been sick for a quick and strong recovery." Isis thought about it for a moment then eyed Yugi's puzzle. She let out a small giggle as she began to wonder about something. "Give me a moment please." She said as she turned and walked out.

"Can you see anything?" Strife asked trying to see out the van window. They had followed Yugi and co. all the way to the museum, parking out of sight as the old man dropped them off at the building.

"No, I cant see crap. The museums closed and the lights are down." Zane snarled and pulled his hood back. Long black hair fell around his face as cold blue eyes scanned the area for his target. "This is getting annoying."

"You're telling me!" Strife did the same, finally revealing his face. For a big man he had a friendly aura around him, unlike his partner his face was more soft complimented by his large green eyes. Short cut brown hair and a slight goatee, he was obviously the tank of the group judging by his size, the strong man for the dirty work. "Think we could get something to eat then hide back out at the kids house? I'm starving!"

"No, the boss is probably already wondering what's taking so long. That big guy with the puzzle looked pretty tough and I don't want any trouble or draw any attention when we strike." Zane said, leaning his head back on the seat of the van There was a loud grumble from both of their empty stomachs. "But… I haven't eaten anything in two days. So maybe…"

"BURGERS!" Strife shouted out, startling Zane so badly he nearly jumped out the car.

"What's your problem you idiot!"

"There's a burger place over there…." Strife twiddled his thumbs a bit, pouting. "I just want a burger."

"…. Fine." Zane said taking one last look at the museum before starting the van. "But we're going through the drive-through. I don't think the other customers will appreciate guys in suspicious dark cloaks sitting next to them." He put the van in gear much to the glee of his partner. "You know if the boss finds out about this we're as good as dead."

"Just don't tell her then."

"Hrr... She has her ways of finding stuff out." Zane said driving off. "I should have joined the navy…"

It was not long before Isis returned, holding small vial of the liquid she had given Yugi the night he was brought to her. She brought it up to the light to make sure she had the right one, Anzu and Jou closed in trying to get a good look at it. Yugi on the other hand took a step back, not wanting anything else weird to happen to him.

"Yugi, please bring your puzzle close to the vial." Isis asked, as she brought the vial down close to him.

"My puzzle?" He asked looking a bit confused and reluctant. But did so anyway, removing the thick chain from around his neck that the puzzle was attached too.

"Yes if my thoughts are right…" She said as the two objects drew nearer. She let out a small laugh as the vial began to glow slightly, along with the puzzle itself. She pulled it away and watched the light fade, only to glow again as she neared them once more. "…It is the pharaoh whom you must blame." She said smiling.

"Huh?" Everyone said at a loss.

"It seems that the energies of the pharaoh have literally invoked what I thought was a harmless blessing." She said as she came closer to Yugi examining him, lightly running her hand over his muscled arm. Yugi was oblivious to the attention, more wondering how Yami could do such at thing and not know about it, but then Yami didn't know much about himself to begin with.

"And obviously exaggerating it somewhat." Anzu said, about ready smack Joey who had another one of his mocking smiles on his face as he noticed her sudden annoyance towards Isis.

"So, for once this IS all your fault Yami." Yugi spoke down to the spirit through their mind link. Yami only grumbled something back at him. "I'll have to figure out a way to get you back for this." Yugi said, poking a finger at the puzzle.

"Geeze, sorry for being a magical dead guy." Yami returned, grumbling something else as well in Egyptian.

"Is there anything you can do to… reverse it?" Yugi asked, but already assumed the answer.

"If there is, I have no idea how I would go about doing it." Isis said as her hands moved from his arm and were now caressing his neck and shoulders. "I'm sorry, but it looks like you will just have to get used to this."

"I really don't think this is so bad Yug' I mean c'mon look at ya!" Joey spoke up, he was probably the only one who wanted to 'show off' his friend at school, for reasons he will keep to himself for now that is.

"I know but still…" Yugi said sounding a tad disappointed.

"Okay, we seem to be done here lets go, don't forget school tomorrow!" Anzu said nearly tearing Yugi away from Isis and heading towards the door. She didn't like just how friendly Miss Ishtar was getting with her 'inspection'.

Isis turned to Joey thinking she had done something wrong, Joey merely shrugged, not wanting to get involved with what he thought was 'girl stuff'. He said his thank you-s gave a quick bow and ran to catch up with his friends

That night, everyone had gone back to his or her own homes, tomorrow would be the first day of the new school year. Now that's nothing new, as most every student attending Domino high was probably in bed dreading the next few months of homework, papers and boring lectures. For one student however, papers and homework where the last things on his mind. He was more concerned of the questions he will most likely be bombarded with the moment the set eyes upon him.

Unable to sleep, Yugi tossed and turned in his bed unable to come to terms that tomorrow WILL come, no matter what he does. Suddenly, with a flash from the millennium puzzle, Yugi no longer found himself in his own bed, but rather surrounded by the stone walls of his 'soul room'. Two rooms adjacent to one another, one full of light and innocence filled with Yugi's childhood toys, this was his room. The other, was the room of Yugi's dark side, intricate and confused with door upon door leading to another twisted path or endless staircase. This was the Maze of Yami, his memories and past locked away in its design.

Yami knocked upon the door to Yugi's side before entering. He smirked as he saw his now large friend surrounded by a mound of toys, his face showing nothing but worry.

"Something on your mind?" Yami asked, though he knew very well what was troubling the teen.

"Yeah like you don't know." Yugi shot back at him. "This is all your fault you know." He said half smiling.

"You don't really blame me for this do you? Its not like I knew it would happen." Yami said, as he stood next to his partner, as if waiting for Yugi to notice something.

"Nah, I could never do that. Its just… what am I going to tell everyone tomorrow. I'm not exactly going to go unnoticed." He said glancing over at Yami, nearly doing a double take. "Hey! How come your normal?" Yugi stood up next to his dark, who was now back to his normal thin self. He felt a bit awkward having to look down at him; Yami was always someone he looked up to, both in height and respect.

"I'm not quite sure myself." Yami let out a dark chuckle. "It seems when I appear outside the puzzle my manifestation is just an extension of you."

Yugi scratched at his head more confused then ever; things just seemed to get more complicated the more he thought about it. "Bah, I don't get it." He changed the subject back to his concerns. "You have to help me, what kind of explanation can I give that would make any kind of sense!"

"Why don't you just say you joined the gym over the summer?" Yami said, nudging a strange looking stuffed animal with his foot. Many of the toys in Yugi's soul room had vanished over the years, whether they were forgotten or just showing that Yugi was maturing was uncertain.

"That wont work, all the jocks hang out at the gyms, they would know if I was there."

"Hmm… what about that… master thing?" Yami said as he kicked the strange looking toy halfway across the room, and began lining up another one with his foot.

"What master thing?" Yugi raised a brow, not just at Yami's statement but at the fact he was suddenly punting everything.

"You know that master thing we always see advertised on TV." He kicked a duck looking toy, and then proceeded to mock the TV commercial he was talking about. "Guaranteed results in just 60 days or your money back!"

Yugi laughed at Yami's accurate interpretation of the commercial; he recognized the ad immediately. "Oh you mean the Master Flex? You can't be serious!" He raised his brow again as Yami kicked another toy across the room, this time it squeaked.

"Why not, you can tell them you bought one and kept it in the basement or something."

"I don't think even the Master Flex could give these results." Yugi said striking a pose, showing off his arms. He frowned as Yami started laughing at the sight of he actually being able to do such a thing.

"You know as weird as it may be, Joey was right." Yami said, grinning at his other half as he posed. "This is kinda cool."

"Oh your hopeless." Yugi said, deciding it time to return to his body. "Good night Yami."

"What if you don't like the Flex thing why don't you tell them your were abducted by aliens and experimented on." He said as his partner's apparition began to vanish.

"So you WHERE paying attention to those stupid monster movies." Yugi laughed. "Good night Yami!" He said again louder.

"Hey if you don't like that one, what about you were a secret government project testing stuff for the military!" Yami shouted to air as his partner returned to the real world. "Beware all ye mortals! Yugi-Zilla stalks the earth!" He mocked again in his best TV announcer impersonation.

"I said good night Yami!"

"Pfft." Yami scoffed at his partner, he asked for ideas and now Yugi was laughing them off. He looked down a cute little toy dog, big beady eyes staring up into crimson ones. "I bet you thought my ideas were great right little guy?" There was no answer from the plush toy. "Bah, have you turned on me as well?" Again no answer came from the toy.

That only got it flyer miles as Yami kicked it, sending it flying across the room before he retreated to his own soulroom for the night.