Responses at the end of the chapter.
Toli: Welcome back!
Masami/Mena/Damion: (singing "Welcome Back by Mase") Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!
Jesselda: -.-;
Toli: Ready for another hyped up chapter, kids?
Mature People Pretending To Be Kids: YEAH!
Mena: It's the most wonderful time of the day! (hugs Damion's neck)
Toli: (warningly) Keep it simple you two. I just got the Almighty Crow Bar (lightning and thunder) and it's glowing.
Jesselda: (suddenly smiles evilly) I'll just hold that for you, Toli. (takes crowbar. Never trust the yami of someone happy and innocent. EVER)
Masami: Another awesome chapter to this awesome story! (runs around the room) WOO FREAKIN' HOO, MAN! WOO FREAKIN'-- (trips on baggy pant legs on cue and knocks Mena and Damion down)
Toli: (who managed to jump aside) None of the personalities in here, alive or dead, own Yu-Gi-Oh! Isn't that a surprise!
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE CRY
"How much time left?" Yugi asked frantically.
"I've been keeping time in my head!" Solid Yami yelled. "One hour!"
"One hour?!" Transparent Yugi repeated in disbelief. "We have to hurry!"
"How about we wait out the earthquake first!" Solid Yami said over the noise.
The three of them had been running around, looking for what they hoped was The Exit Door. While doing so, they had watched Yugi's subconscious deteriorate as the imbalance began to take its toll. The fog changed from white to black, the ground got bumpy and cracky instead of smooth like it was, and weird happenings like earthquakes and windstorms had been popping up. At the moment the three were hiding under a sturdy tree as another earthquake roared by.
"It's gone," Solid Yami said with relief as the noise faded. He, Transparent Yugi and Yugi got up and started running again.
"I hope we're running in the right direction," Transparent Yugi said.
"We have to be," Yugi said, afraid to think that they weren't.
"That doesn't exactly mean we are," Solid Yami added unnecessarily.
"Yami!!" both Yugis yelled at the same time.
"I'm sorry!" Solid Yami exclaimed.
They kept running.
LATER
"Hurry!"
The wind was like a wall that kept pushing them back. They had to hold hands-even Transparent Yugi, who was solid, though he didn't look it-and push forward, step by step.
The wind finally gave out and they all fell forward, pushed by their own force. They got back up, Yugi the slowest in getting up, and started running again. They had been running since they had left the oasis, stopping only occasionally to wait out disasters.
"Stop," Solid Yami said.
They did.
"What?" Yugi asked, biting his lip.
"This place is familiar," Solid Yami said.
Yugi looked around. On all sides they were surrounded by black fog. "It is?"
Solid Yami nodded. "It may look like fog to you, but it's varying scenery to us. I've been here before. I think we're on the right track!"
"That's great!" Transparent Yugi exclaimed. "Let's keep going!"
They continued on. Suddenly Yugi tripped and fell. "Ow!" he exclaimed as his face hit the hard ground.
Transparent Yugi and Solid Yami stared at him. "That hurt?" Yami blurted.
Yugi stood up, rubbing his forehead. "Yes. Why?"
"You don't feel pain in the subconscious," Transparent Yugi said. "Unless…"
"Unless you're about to die for real!" Solid Yami interrupted.
Transparent Yugi groaned. "We're running out of time," he said. "How much time left?"
Solid Yami opened his mouth to speak-then closed it. Then he paled. "I don't remember," he admitted nervously.
"That's even worse!" Transparent Yugi exclaimed. "We have to go as fast as we can and never stop! Let's go!" They helped Yugi up, and all three started running.
After a while, Yugi slowed. "Guys…I'm in a lot of pain…" he said weakly, holding his stomach.
"Your subconscious is trying to kill you already!" Solid Yami exclaimed without needing to. He grabbed Yugi and unceremoniously threw the teenager on his back. "I'll carry you. Boy, you're a lot heavier than my Yugi is!"
"That's because I'm half-transparent, duh," Transparent Yugi said.
"I already knew that!" Solid Yami said.
"GUYS!!" Yugi yelled.
"Sorry," they said.
They all started off again.
"Is that a door?!!" Transparent Yugi yelled suddenly.
They peered through the black mist and saw gold light outlining a rectangle shape.
It was The Door.
But was it the right door?
They ran to it. But before they reached it, another earthquake started up. This one created a mini-canyon that opened underneath the door, and the door dropped down into it.
"No!" Yugi cried.
THE KITCHEN
"No!"
Yami felt the pang; he heard the cry. It was Yugi!
Or was it? It could just be another hallucination. He'd had about six others, where he thought he'd seen or heard Yugi somewhere in the house.
But none of the illusions had come with any feeling. Yami opened the block that he'd put on the nonfunctioning mind-link, and gasped at the sudden pain that flooded through it.
Pain? Pain?! PAIN?!?!?!?
You didn't feel pain if you were dead! That meant Yugi was alive! Yami could feel himself getting excited. The only question was, where was Yugi? His body hadn't shown any signs of life, so that meant he was somewhere else. Was it possible that Nona had transported him to the Shadow Realm?
No, that couldn't be. If he had, he wouldn't have survived for six days. He probably wouldn't even have survived six hours.
So that meant he was somewhere else.
And wherever he was, Yami planned on finding him.
But first…
Yami grabbed the phone. After a brief remembrance of the desired number, he dialed. The phone rang four times before it was picked up.
"Hello?" Tea asked.
"Tea, it's Yami. I need you to listen and listen well, and don't interrupt me. When I'm finished, hang up and relay the message to Joey, Tristan and Serenity."
There was a short silence. "Uh, okay," Tea said uncertainly.
Yami took a deep breath, hoping he wasn't about to raise false hope. "Yugi is not dead. I just felt him coming from somewhere, and I heard his voice. I know he isn't dead because there's pain coming through our mind link. I'm going into the Puzzle to see if I can find him. Call the others and bring them over to the house; I'll leave the door open. Understood?"
Tea didn't seem to be able to talk. "You said…Yugi's…he's…!!!"
"I'll take that as a yes. Please hurry, Tea," Yami said and hung up. He went into Yugi's room and grabbed the Millennium Puzzle off the desk. Putting it on, he took a deep breath and willed himself inside.
"Wheeler residence."
"Joey? It's Tea.Are Tristan and Serenity still with you?"
Joey glanced over his shoulder, where Serenity and Tristan were chatting on the sofa without him. It was obvious Tristan was makig a sad attempt at flirting with his little sister, and it irked him. "Yeah," he said. "Why?"
"I just got a call from Yami. He wants us all to go over to the Moto house right now."
"Why?" Joey asked.
"Because he says Yugi's still alive!"
Joey gripped the receiver. "What?! Alive?!" he exclaimed, making Tristan and Serenity look up in confusion.
"He said something about feeling pain through their mind link. He's going into the Puzzle right now to look for him, and he wants us to come over. Hurry, Joey! Meet me at Yugi's front door in ten miutes will you?"
"Okay, Tea," Joey said, feelig excitement building in him. "We'll be thea, no doubt. Seeya then."
"Okay, bye." Tea and Joey hung up.
Joey turned to Tristan and Serenity. "All right, guys, shoes on! We're goin' to see Yami!"
The two stood up. "Why, Joey?" Serenity asked curiously.
Joey felt a smile cover his face. "Because Yugi's still alive, and we gotta be thea t' see 'im!"
There was a knock on the door. The tearstained face lifted. in?" Nona called.
The door opened, and Nona saw Seif. She gasped and stood up. "Seif. You...came to see me?"
Seif nodded solemnly.
In only a few seconds, Nona had run into his arms, cryig on his shoulder. "Why?" she asked. "I thought you and Lavell hated me."
"I may hate what you have done, but I could never hate you," Seif told her. "I wish you hadn't kept the truth from us, and I also wish you hadn't killed all those people in the first place, but I could never abandon you like that. We've been too close for too long for me to be that mean to you."
Nona looked up into his silver eyes. "Where's Lavell?" she asked.
"She...didn't want to come and see you." Seif looked upset."Lavell and I are moving to the United States with our mom. I knew I had to say goodbye."
"I am sorry, Seif," Nona said, feeling more tears spill. "I am. I ever wanted to lie to you guys." She wiped the tears from her face. "Will I...ever see you again?"
Seif smiled his soft smile.
"I'd have it no other way, sister."
END CHAPTER
Mena: Thanks for reading the latest chapter! (still hugging Damion's neck while watching him draw another picture)
Masami: Damion, what are you drawing?...O.o...Or do I want to know? (looks over Damion's free shoulder)
Toli: Is it something bad? (looks over Damion's head)
Jesselda:-.-; Here are the review responses now...
REVIEW RESPONSES
Phoenix727 and Shadow Phoenix
Toli: Author powers. Don't they just rule? If only they worked in school...
Mena: (snaps fingers) Instant straight As!
Toli: Thank you guys so much for reinforcing your idea that the story is good. And for calling that flamer stupid. I mega-appreciate it. I hope Shadow Phoenix kills him in a slow, terrible way... (glares at the mention of the flamer)
Mena: O.O Well, thanks for your review!
dragon shadows
Mena: Hmm, Jess. Yeah, that'll work. You know, you'd think that would be a good nickname for Jesselda, but her name is pronounced like it has two Zs in it, and not two Ss.
Jesselda: Don't bring me into this conversation. I may have to be your yami, but I don't have to let you discuss me with others.
Mena: But Jess was the one that took original interest in you! It's a privilege she deserves!
Jesselda: Whatever!
Toli: (butts in) Anyway, thank you for all your reviews!
Marsmellow13Dragon and Sarki
Toli: Dontcha just hate those mean subconsciounesses? And those murderous limo drivers?
Mena: Yeah, I fell behind on school and got my break on December 23. Toli was on time and got hers on December 18, I think...lucky twin.
Toli: Thanks for the review. And glad you got the shower. Hope you plan on taking another one, though.
Kameeko and Kamoray
Toli: Yes. Cliffies and coffee. Quite the dangerous combination. Speaking of coffee, I want some.
Mena: Get over it. We have none.
Toli: Glad you're mad at that flamer. I think we all are. But don't stay mad forever, or you'll be too distracted to read chaps. Okay, Kamoray? Great. Thanks for reviewing!
DMoS13 andTorru
Mena: Evil time! It's the enemy now! Let's destroy all the clocks in the house!
Toli: Or let's get grips instead! Thanks for reviewing, guys. And Torru...us, lunch, anytime. Just say the word. I'm bored and I need attention.
Mena: You have plenty of--
Toli: Quiet. I'm trying to look pitiful.
Silver Moon Phoenix and Luna
Mena: Yes I agree! He's stupid! pumps fist) I got at least three different people/spirits going after him. He won't be waking up tonight...heheheheh...
Toli: O.o; Yeah, um, right. Anyway, no betting on the story! Then I have a nearly repressible urge to make the bet setter lose! But I'll try to stay on track...only to please you reviewers...all the stuff I do for all of you...I mean, thanks for your review!
Loyal fan
Mena: (squeals) No way! (gives Loyal fan a Yami and a Yugi plushie just for the name) It's people like you who make my day!
Toli: Wow, you're really a totally loyal fan? Awesome! Yeah, I would've gotten Malik to go after that flamer, but he was too busy terrorizing Finland. Or something. Thanks so much for the nice review! Hope to see you again!
SPUW Commander, ruler of the eastern hemisphere, whatever!!!!
Mena: Yeah! Let's celebrate! (more confetti)
Toli: Wow, you asked just in time! Thanks to spring break, more and longer chapters is exactly what we're serving up! Thanks for the good timing!ShebyTheDogDemoness and Mera and Sinya
Mena: (pumps fist) Yeah! Let's stuff the piece of (beeep!)
Toli: -.-; I think being around you guys makes her weirder...
Mena: Too bad you're not a judge. You hand out good justice! Especially to (beep!)y pieces of (beeep!) like or dear little villain!
Toli:...And she gets worse...thanks for the review!
anime-ruthless v.1
Mena: Yeah, I'm pulling for Yugi too! Would you believe my own twin sister won't tell me the ending!
Toli: Why should I? You can be as surprised as anyone else! Anyway, thanks for the encouraging review!
Masami, Mistress of Fire
WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTES! We hope you noticed the little trademark act of yours we stuck in there this time. Since you are right in the A/Ns with us, we'll simply answer your review there! How's that?
Zapper133
Mena: Hi! Welcome! You're right. Let's kill anybody who flames!
Toli: You're taking the words out of context. -.-;
Mena: Anyway, thank you so much for the nice review! Hope you come back next time!
everyone--We thank you profusely for the great reviews, especially after our flame. We also give a special thanks to those wo told us the flamer was wrong about our story. That makes us very, very happy! Thank you all for coming!
