Mena: We now own Yu-Gi-Oh! Hahahahahahahahahaaaaa...

Mena: (wakes up) Huh? Whaaa...Aww, it was only a dream...(rolls off of Damion's stomach and stands up) C'mon, guys, wake up!

Damion: (jolts awake) What?? FIRE?! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE! RUN, MENA-CHAN! (grabs Mena's hand and drags her to the door)

Masami: (wakes up) Damion! Cut it out now!

Mena: (smiles) It's okay, Damie-chan. I'd burn in a fire with you any day!

Masami: (nudges Toli) Hey, Toli, time to wake up! The peoples are back!

Toli: Hmm? Eh? (struggles to feet)

Jesselda: Why were we all sleeping on the floor under the computer desk anyway?

(Everyone shrugs)

Mena: Well, since it was only a dream, I guess we still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. (sighs unhappily)

Damion: (pats Mena's hand) It's okay, Mena-chan, you can own me!

Mena: (brightens) Really? (hugs Damion) Thanks, Damie-chan! You're the best!

Toli/Masami/Jesselda: (rolls eyes)


Note: Long author's notes mean long chapters, now don't they? Help us out, folks. Help us reach our goal of 200 reviews before the story's over! And also, don't forget to vote on the two new categories for the Reviewer's Choice Awards!
Previously...

Solomon stopped when he saw he note attached to the phone. He pulled it off and read it.

Mr. Moto,

Please meet us at Domino City Hospital.

Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Serenity

Solomon dropped the note. The hospital? What had happened to Yugi?

He was out the door as quickly as he could go.


EIGHTEEN: THE DECISION

Solomon Moto spent the rest of the day at the hospital with Yugi. The Wheelers, Tristan, and Tea kept having to leave and coming back.

Solomon watched his grandson's chest rise and fall. The heart monitor was steadily beeping, indicating his heart was okay. Then what was wrong? Why hadn't he woken up yet? He had asked Yugi's friends questions, and their answers had shocked him. Someone had tried to murder his grandson while he had been gone? And no one had bothered to tell him that? He had felt a little relieved that the girl trying to kill Yugi was dead, but only for his grandson's sake. He wasn't happy that she had died. He couldn't be happy that anyone died.

"Come on, Yugi," Solomon said as he held Yugi's hand, "you pull through now. I know you can do it."

He looked up to find the wall clock and see what time it was, and was nearly shocked out of his skin to see someone on Yugi's other side. He relaxed slightly when he realized it was only the transparent spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. He had his head down, his face hidden in his arms, which were resting on the bedside.

"Are you all right?" Solomon asked gently.

The spirit's head snapped up, and there was panic and fear in his eyes until they landed on Solomon's face. Then they closed, and the spirit sighed with what sounded like relief. "Yes," he said. "I'm fine." His eyes opened, and he gazed down at Yugi. "Though I can't say the same for..."

He trailed off, unable to finish.

"Don't worry," Solomon said. "Yugi's going to make it. He always does. He has a stubborn spirit; he won't just leave you all here."

The spirit shut his eyes, and a ghostly tear trailed down one cheek. "I wish I could believe that," he said in a hollow voice.

"What are you saying?" Solomon demanded. "My grandson is going to be all right. Why don't you have a little faith?"

The spirit's eyes snapped open. "Faith isn't going to help anyone now," he hissed before abruptly vanishing.

Solomon was angry at the spirit for being so negative at first. But then he realized that the spirit had to be hurting badly, and perhaps he didn't know how to deal with the pain he felt. Solomon patted Yugi's lifeless hand. But it will be all right. You're going to make it, Yugi, and no one can tell me differently.


Yami sat on steps, sort of slumped over. He was tracing the cracks in the stone with his eyes. His mind was silent; he wasn't thinking of anything at all. He felt that anything he could come up with to think about would eventually lead to thinking about Yugi, and that hurt too much to think about now.

The locked memories in his maze of stairs and doors didn't even concern him now. Without Yugi, it didn't seem like there was any point to trying to remember his old life. It was something he did only with his partner; doing it alone intensified the hurt.

Yami closed his eyes. He didn't even want to look at the cracks anymore. The cracks led to the stairs, which led to the doors, which led to his lost memories, which led to searching for his lost memories, which led to Yugi's many attempts to help him out.

"Yami."

Yami's head came up. His eyes widened, and what had seemed like extinguished rage rose up inside of him.

It was Nona.

"You," he hissed. "How dare you show your face after what you've done to Yugi."

"You want him back, right?" Nona asked.

"Of course," Yami snapped, standing up, ready to come down the stairs and throttle her if necessary.

Nona nodded. "I know how you can get him back."

Yami's eyes widened. "What? Tell me!" he demanded, coming down the stairs.

Nona bowed her head. "If you want to revive him, then you have to kill me," she said. "With the finishing spell I used, if I somehow die before Yugi dies, its effects will reverse and bring Yugi back to life. All you have to do is kill me."

"Why would you want to help revive Yugi after taking such pains to murder him?" Yami demanded.

"Because my mission can no longer be accomplished," Nona said. "I can either die, or let you kill me and revive Yugi. His death won't help me now. Here." She thrust a black dagger into Yami's hands. "Use that and kill me."

Yami looked down at the weapon in his clutches. His hand gripped the handle, and he raised the dagger to eye level to look at it. Then he turned to face Nona, who was watching him solemnly. It was like killing two birds with one stone--he would save Yugi and, once and for all, get rid of the girl who had been ruining his life. Yami thought back to the night Yugi had been crying after his nightmare, and his hand tightened around the dagger. Yes. This would be easy.

Then, a picture of Yugi flashed into his mind. Yugi always wanted to help people, not hurt them. He always tried to look on the bright side of things. He was slow to anger and loved it when someone changed their ways. Would he want Yami to kill someone, just to save him?

"Just do it," Nona said. "I know you want Yugi back. Please, just do it."

Yami stared at her, and then at the dagger in his hands. He dropped it. "I--I can't," he found himself saying. I know Yugi wouldn't want me to do this.

"I thought you wanted Yugi back!" Nona said with obvious surprise.

Yami didn't look at her. "He wouldn't want it this way."

Silence. Yami looked down at the dagger he had nearly used.

Then, Nona suddenly started to laugh. She laughed louder and louder, and the laughter became more and more evil. Yami glared at her and took a step back.

"You're right; he wouldn't," Nona said, sounding quite evil again. "I should have known I wouldn't be able to trick you. You see, I'm not really Nona. I'm simply a component of the finishing spell she used, an emergency option in case the victim somehow escapes the deadly blast, as with Yugi. If you had killed me, you would have sealed Yugi's fate."

"What?" Yami exclaimed. "You were trying to get me to kill him?!"

"That's right," whatever the thing was said with an evil smile. "Congratulations. You passed the test. But there's still a chance to destroy that little nuisance. Once the spell deceives him then he will die. And there's nothing you can do about it now, Yami." It laughed again. "I hope you still have some grieving tears left." Then the thing posing as Nona transformed into black dust that dissolved away. The dagger at Yami's feet did the same.


"Okay, so here's the deal," Nona said. "You and I have lived here for...um...lemme think...about three hundred years. Together. At first I was the only one here, but then you got sent here and we became instant friends." She smiled fondly, as if thinking of the memories. She and Yugi were sitting crosslegged, across from each other.

"Has anyone else ever been sent here?" Yugi asked.

"Nope." Nona smiled. 'It's just been you and me." She brightened suddenly. "Wait! I know exactly what can bring your memory back! Your favorite place to go in the whole world!" She stood up and yanked him up, then turned and towed him to the edge of the cliff.

Yugi began to get a little nervous. "Uhhh...Nona? Where are we going?"

"To your favorite place!" Nona pointed. "Look! See that cloud?"

Yugi looked where she was pointing, and felt his eyes nearly pop out of his head. A big, thick, fluffy white cloud hovered several yards away from the cliff. And planted on top of it was an oak tree with low branches.

"You'd climb the tree and look all around. You always wanted me to join you, but I have a fear of getting stuck in trees." Nona giggled. "If you climb the tree, maybe you'll remember!"

"How are we supposed to get over there?" Yugi asked.

Nona pointed down. "We walk across," she said. She giggled again when Yugi stared down at the beach, nearly a mile away. "We walk across the invisible path that you put down!" Her face suddenly became worried. "You really don't remember?"

Yugi looked at her and shook his head. "No. I don't see anything."

"Because it's invisible, like I said," Nona answered. "Here. I'll walk across first, to show you it's there, then you come across!" She then stepped off the cliff and out into mid air. Yugi was so fascinated in watching her feet walk over what looked like empty air that he didn't notice her fingers glowing white. She reached the cloud and turned. "Okay, now just make sure you're lined up with me, and walk on across!"


"...been sent here?"

Yami's head came up. Was that Yugi's voice he had heard? He quickly opened up the mind link to try and figure out what was going on.

It was responsive! Yami nearly jumped for joy. "Yugi?" he called out.

No answer.

"Nope. It's just been you and me." Yami tensed when he heard Nona's voice. Had she gone after Yugi? Why did she sound so friendly? What was she doing with Yugi? Then, a feeling of dread hit him when he realized that it must have been a part of the plan to get Yugi to kill himself. I have to find him, Yami thought. He opened the link wider to be able to trace where Yugi was. He was tugged in the direction of Yugi's soul room.

"Uhhh...Nona? Where are we going?" That was Yugi. "To your favorite place! Look! See that cloud?" And that was Nona's voice. Yami broke into a run, headed for the exit to his own room. He kept the link wide open, letting Yugi's presence guide him. I'd better hurry if I want to save him, he thought, determination making him go faster.

"How are we supposed to get over there?" Yugi was asking.

"We walk across," Yami heard. He then heard a sugary giggle that nearly turned his stomach. "We walk across the invisible path that you put down!" Her tone became less cheerful. "You really don't remember?"

"No. I don't see anything," Yugi's voice said.

I wish I could SEE where he was! Yami thought. Usually that was an automatic feature of opening the link wider, like the hearing. But it was being blocked by something now. He left his soul room and ran across the hall to Yugi's. The door was closed, which was unusual. Yami placed a hand on the door and felt heat radiating from it.

"Okay, now just make sure you're lined up with me, and walk on across!"

Yami felt seething anger that Yugi was still in danger. I'm coming, Yugi, he swore. He reached for the knob and threw open the door.

A blinding white light flooded out and filled the hallway. Yami had to shield his eyes. He felt a strange tugging on his legs, like he was standing in rushing water. His instincts screamed at him to run away, but he would not abandon the one he was sworn to protect. He stalked into the light, and suddenly found himself falling. A familiar scream--that wasn't Yugi's--filled his ears.


Tea quietly entered the room. Mr. Moto was still sitting at Yugi's bedside, holding his hand. She sat down beside him in a chair. "No change?"

Mr. Moto looked up and shook his head. "No. A doctor came in a little while ago and reported that he was doing the same." He sighed and looked down. "My poor grandson. He endures far more danger than any average teenager should."

Tea nodded in agreement. "But he can make it," she said firmly. But the question is, will he make it? She looked around the room, trying to find something to get her mind off of the current problem. Her eyes landed on Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, lying on the night stand next to the bed. She stood up and walked around Mr. Moto to get it.

The metal was warm. Tea held it in her hands as she resumed her seat by Yugi's bedside. She let it rest in her lap, somehow feeling a little more comforted with it near her. It has to be that way for Yugi, too, Tea thought, more tears brimming in her eyes. She was surprised; she thought she had cried out all the water in her body by now. She looked down at the Puzzle and closed her eyes, squeezing out a tear. Oh, Yugi, please...please come back to us. I can't lose you again.

The Puzzle started to vibrate in her lap, making her open her eyes to look at it. It was glowing brightly, bright light reflecting off the shed tear resting on the top. The way it was positioned, it looked like the eye on the front of the Puzzle had shed the tear.

Tea stared at the Puzzle. Why was it glowing? Was Yami doing something to bring Yugi back? She gasped as a flooding white light filled the room and nearly blinded her. She stood up and almost dropped the Puzzle. It was vibrating madly in her hand, like it was trying to shake itself apart. She took a step back, trying to regain her bearings, and let out a gasp when she stepped into empty air and fell backwards. The Puzzle's chain somehow twisted itself around her hand in the confusion as she tipped over. Tea let out a scream as she fell down. She opened her eyes and saw with shock that she could see Mr. Moto, and Yugi's bed, and the chair she had been on. They were getting farther away, like some picture she had fallen out of.

"What's happening?" Tea cried. She continued to fall into white light, the picture growing farther and farther away until it was gone.

"Well, I've gotten a letter from my good friend Arthur Hawkins, and he's invited me to another excursion to Egypt this weekend." "I hope you're ready, little Yugi Moto, because if you aren't…well, so much the better!" "But Tristan, dat's jus' it—I didn' shove Yugi. I was jus walkin' behind 'im. I dunno what happened!" "It's about time I got rid of you and that stupid spirit in your Puzzle!" "You tried to stab me several times until Yami finally shoved your head into a sinkful of water and got the knife away from you!" "Don't you see, Yami? Maybe it wasn't them after all! Maybe someone else was controlling them from somewhere else! It would make perfect sense!" "Whatever. If you can't do this right, Tea, then I'll do the job and you can join Yugi!" "Yugi, you must believe me. I don't know who she is." "Yugi's been kidnapped...The man…pulled over…he just grabbed Yugi…and threw him in the truck…I tried to stop him…he was too strong." "No. You're my victim, and you're not going to live. You can't plead or negotiate your way out of the inevitable, Yugi Moto." "Yugi is dead." "Please, Kaiba, we need to get Yugi to the hospital and we don't have any transportation."

"What are those voices?" Tea wondered aloud.

"Tea!"

Tea gasped when she heard the familiar voice.

"Tea! Grab onto my hand now! Before we land!"

"Land?" Tea cried, wildly clutching for this outstretched hand. "Land where?" She had just grabbed his hand when she found out what he meant by "land".

At least she landed on top of him.

END CHAPTER


Mena: Cliffie?

Toli: Sorta.

Mena: Yay!

Masami: Hey, we're in the author's notes; can we get a sneak peek?

Toli: Nope. Sorry.

Masami: Aww, darn.

Jesselda: Come back if you dare.

Damion: Can we spend the night again?


New Categories! Everyone vote on these too! Same rules apply!

Category: Cutest (or best) Couple (non-Yaoi or Yuri)
Nominees: Yugi/Tea; Seto/Serenity; Joey/Mai

Category: Best Dueling Partners
Nominees: Yugi/Dark Magician; Seto/Blue Eyes White Dragon; Joey/Red Eyes Black Dragon


RESPONSES
Phoenix727

Mena: Hmm, I see what you mean about the limo thing. And it's okay. It doesn't bug me now!

Toli: You know, now that you mention it...Nona is acting like Rebecca. Oh damn, I did not mean to make her that chipper. Must--return--evil--to--story...

Mena: Haha, Friend Freak. Good one. Anyway, thank you so much for voting! We appreciate it lots!


SPUW Commander

Mena: Yes! Name shortening! Your name is quite creative, but it's kinda long!

Toli: Now, now. Don't try to kill Nona (like everyone else has). We need her for a little bit longer. She'll get hers in the end, don't worry! And thanks for reviewing!


Elizabeth Aiken

Toli: Oh, we know all about being a pain to each others' teachers!

Mena: You guys ever tried switching places to fool your friends? We used to do it sometimes, when our hair was the same length, but now mine is long and Toli's is short, so we can't do that anymore. Too bad!

Toli: Thanks--the both of you--for voting! We really appreciate your participation!


Silver Moon Phoenix

Mena: Yeah, I thought up the "mindless party" thing. "Idiot brigade" inspired me.

Toli: Wow. Four voters from one penname! I hope you all know you tipped the scales in a couple of the categories. Thanks so much for voting, guys. We appreciate it!

Mena: I wonder what that Killer Pancakes from outer space is about?

Toli: Maybe part of the inside joke.


kameeko

Toli: Kamoray wins the bet. Okay, no more betting, I've seen too many.

Mena: I came up with the Reviewer's Choice Awards. I really like being able to have readers participate and stuff and this popped out of nowhere in the middle of the night. I woke up after a dream about going to school in a neon kilt...

Toli: O.-; Whatever. Anyway, thanks for voting, guys! We appreciate your help!


Masami, Mistress Of Fire

Toli: Normally we don't do this for you guys anymore, since we have you in the author's notes. But I need something from you. Meg (our artistic friend) wants to draw a picture of Mena and Damion together, but she needs a description of Damion. You know, hair color, eye color, skin color, outfit. It's really important because we thought it would be cool! Please get back to us! And thanks for voting!


Erckie (and Kyrie)

Toli: Yeah, she needs to die. And stay dead. None of this "I'm hiding out in so and so" stuff.

Mena: But that would shorten the story!

Toli: Which is why I'll contain my rage.

Mena: Isn't that spell-component-deception-etc. thing weird? But it's mysterious! And that makes it exciting! Anyway, thanks for voting--we appreciate it muchly!!!


Millenniumgrl126

Mena: Isn't it awesome? Kaiba was shamed! The thing that was thought impossible, was possible! The CEO giant can be brought down! (pumps fist)

Toli: Okay. I don't want any confusion, so I'll try to explain the spell and simplify it (if I can...simplifying is not my strong suit. Must be why I hate math) Yami used magic to remove the immobility spell on Yugi. He used too much magic, so the excess just floated around aimlessly in Yugi. Nona used her finishing spell on Yugi, and the magic prevented him from dying. Because the original plan didn't work, the finishing spell reverted to its backup plan. It created a little "paradise" world and dragged Yugi's conscious mind into it when he passed out in his subconscious. It erased his memory and created a Nona-clone to try and trick him into getting himself killed. Anything clearer? I hope so. Anyway, thanks for voting!


Marshmellow13Dragon

Mena: Yep, muses count! And we counted your votes as two. Thanks for voting!

Toli: (laughs) If only poking Yugi would wake him up! Yugi would be getting more fingers in his stomach than the Pillsbury Dough Boy! Well, happy...early Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday! That'll have to work.


ShebyTheDogDemoness

Mena:...Oh...O.O...Sister, I'm lost...

Toli: (sighs) It's like this. Mera's a full demon, not a half-demon.

Mena: Oh...okay...I think...

Toli: Thanks for reviewing, guys!


dontmesswithYami

Toli: Thanks for reviewing and voting!


Dark mage of sea 13

Mena: Aw, don't cry. Yugi can make it!

Toli: But will he? (evil chuckle)

Mena: (gasps) Toli! You promised happy ending!

Toli: (grumbles) Oh yeah. Well, thanks for voting, guys!