Toli: Sorry, everyone. We spent so much time working on this chapter--making it exciting enough that it would be worth the wait--that we can't do our long responses like usual. We are very sorry. We'll have quickie responses, and the responds will go as usual next chapter. Blame it on exhaustion!
RESPONSES
kameeko--violent dreams aren't a good thing, you know. Just watch what you watch on TV! Anyway, thanks for voting in the new categories!
Silver Moon Phoenix--yeah, we don't have any plans to write a yaoi/yuri story. But anyway, thank you for voting in the new categories!
Phoenix727--you'll have to wait and see who Tea fell on. Anyway, thank you so much for your votes!
Elizabeth Aiken--cool about the switching! Mena says blue with silver streaks is rad and she might try it. Anyway, thank you very much for voting!
Marshmellow13Dragon--actually, Mai joined the dark side after they tricked her. That drove her and Joey apart some. Anyway, thanks for voting!
dragon shadows--we don't have much of a problem with yaoi, but we know it offends some people. Anyway, thank you for your votes!
SPUW Commander--you're welcome for the update! And thanks for your votes!
Scarab Dynasty--welcome to the fic! Doing it with two people ensures it gets updated faster!
Millenniumgrl126--glad we could clear it up for you! Thanks for your votes!
Dark mage of sea 13--thanks for the compliments and the votes! We appreciate it!
Erckie--Nona's indeed a big pain in the butt! Watch it with that frying pan stuff, though!
ShebyTheDogDemoness--glad you guys decided to vote! Thanks for helping out! We appreciate it!
katie--welcome to our fic! Thanks you so much for the nice compliments and hope you enjoy!
YamiYugimoto092--welcome to the fic! Glad you like cliffies; we happen to specialize in those!
loyal fan--thanks and hope you think up a name soon!
Notice: review record (for a single chapter) broken! New record to beat--16! One more review till 200--special surprise for 200th reviewer!
(Everyone except Jesselda is sitting at a table eating from a giant bowl of barbecue chips. Damion and Mena are feeding each other)
Masami: Is it time yet?
Toli: (crunch) Yep! Let's get to the story! (licks fingers)
Masami: Great! (glances over at Mena) Um, hey, she needs you too.
Mena: Oh, right, story time. Sorry, Damie-chan, gotta go do my work.
Damion: (pouts) Awww...
Jesselda: No one here owns Yu-Gi-Oh because it is illegal for them to say so. Plus they have guns at their backs.
NINETEEN: THE FRIENDSHIP
"Okay, now just make sure you're lined up with me, and walk on across!"
Yugi glanced down at the beach below again. He still didn't see anything. How and why would he put down an invisible path here?
"Come on, Yugi! Don't be afraid!"
Yugi looked back up at Nona, smiling and waving at him. He had lined up with her and was about to walk, but suddenly he had had second thoughts. This didn't seem like a wise idea, even if Nona had already done it. What if he accidentally walked over the edge of this invisible path? Where would he get something like that anyway?
"Come onnnn," Nona said, starting to seem a little impatient. "You've done it zillions of times. Just step out onto the path and walk over!"
Yugi gulped. "Okay," he said nervously. He edged up to the brink of the cliff and stretched out a leg. It hovered over what seemed like empty space. Yugi was almost afraid to let his weight shift to his suspended leg.
"Just a little more," Nona encouraged with an inviting smile.
Yugi nodded. He leaned forward--
Then heard a thud from behind him and jumped back like it was him. "What was that?" he cried, spinning around.
"Ow..." Yami said. He had landed on his stomach, and Tea had landed on top of him. That hurt just a little. Tea rolled off of him and they helped each other stand up.
"Where are we?" Tea asked, looking around.
Yami glanced around. They were on a grassy cliff that jutted out over a pretty beach a very long distance down. The sun was shining brightly without any hindrance, and the blue sky was cloud-free. It seemed like a paradise. "I don't know..." he said. He trailed off when he saw Tea staring. "What is it?" He turned to see what she was looking at.
It was Yugi, standing at the very edge of the cliff and staring at them. A ways away from the cliff was a cloud with a tree planted on it. Nona was standing on the cloud, glaring at them.
"Yugi," Tea breathed. Then she raised her voice. "Yugi! Are you okay?"
Yugi blinked. "Well--yeah, but--who are you?"
All the color drained out of Tea's face. "Yugi--don't you know me?" she said, taking a step forward. "I'm Tea, your best friend!"
"I only have one best friend," Yugi said. "It's Nona." He gestured vaguely behind him.
Tea turned angry. "Yugi, she's not your friend! She's the one who's been trying to kill you!"
"What?" Yugi's eyes widened.
"Yugi, don't believe her!" Nona called. "She is the one who killed you! And that guy is her accomplice! They must have somehow made it to our paradise to get rid of you once and for all!" Panic edged her voice. "Come over to the tree on the invisible path, Yugi! Then we can draw it up and they can't get you!"
"Don't believe her!" Tea shot back. "She's lying to you! She's probably just trying to get you to walk off the cliff so she can kill you!"
Yugi looked terrified--at who no one could be certain. "What..." He turned. "Nona, is this true?"
"No!" Nona cried. "Yugi, I'm your friend! Why would I lie to you!" She made motions with her hands for him to come forward. "Come on, Yugi! Don't let them get you!"
"Don't listen to her!" Tea shouted, vaguely wondering why Yami wasn't backing her up. "She wants to hurt you, Yugi! You can't let her--"
"Tea." A firm hand descended on her shoulder. "Stop it. You're straining him."
It was true; Yugi did look quite pained. "But we can't let Nona get away with this!" Tea cried, whirling towards Yami.
Yami's face was expressionless. "I know. But I think I know what to do." Without a word he lifted Tea's right arm. The Millennium Puzzle's chain was still wrapped around her hand. He unwound it and, holding it in one hand, started walking towards Yugi.
"Yugi! Don't let him get near you!" Nona's voice had risen to a screech. "Come across the path! Please!"
Yugi turned at Nona's desperate voice. She seemed so worried about what could happen to him if he let them near him. Was it because she cared? But then...Yugi looked back at the unfamiliar girl and guy. They hadn't tried to jump on him the minute they showed up. If they were really after him, why would they try to trick him like this?
The guy had reached Yugi. He looked kind of fierce. Yugi wanted to back away, but he was out of space. He simply stared up into the intense purple eyes, looking for any deception of some sort. But something was up. His eyes...they didn't look angry, or murderous. They were soft, and concerned. It seemed like an expression the guy didn't use often. Yugi suddenly had the thought that that expression was reserved for him. But how could that be? He didn't know this guy.
At least, he thought he didn't.
"Who are you?" Yugi couldn't help asking. The girl had come up now, and she looked so afraid he felt kind of sorry for her.
Suddenly, the guy lifted his arms. Something slightly heavy was draped around his neck. Yugi looked down and saw a golden item now around his neck. The Millennium Puzzle, he suddenly thought. But how did he know that?
"Yugi, we are your friends," the guy said softly. "You can remember us--if you try."
Yugi spared a glance for Nona, who looked afraid also. "Well, I guess I can try," he said. He closed his eyes and tried to dredge up any memories with the two of them in it. Unconsciously, his hands lifted and touched the Puzzle now around his neck. A sudden pain split through his skull and he couldn't help a shudder. He thought he vaguely felt someone's hand on his shoulder, but he was pulled into a strange darkness before he could figure out who.
Faces...names...anything...
They were so close. He could almost touch them. But every time he reached out a hand, a dark mist pulled them out of his reach. He struggled to get closer to one, but the dark mist was holding him back as well. The touch was gentle, but unyielding. Yugi tried to pull himself out of the soft grip, but he couldn't.
He had been here this whole time. He just knew it. That paradise...it had been something concocted in his mind. A peaceful fantasy, maybe? But then where did he truly belong?
"I want to remember. I want to know who my friends are."
You have no friends, a voice answered. Just let the mist consume you.
What had happened to Nona and the paradise place? He suddenly saw a picture of it, of the cliff and him standing on it and Nona underneath the tree and the two unfamiliar people. The mist was holding it in front of his face. When he reached for it, the mist pulled it away.
You don't need memories, the voice said again.
"But I want to know!" Yugi cried out, trying vainly to twist his arms out of the mist's grip.
You don't need to know.
"Yes I do!"
No, you don't.
Yugi tried to pull again, but this effort was half-hearted. He slumped unhappily, the hold on his arms the only thing holding him up, and let his eyes close. The coldness of the mist was seeping through his clothes, making him shiver.
You don't need memories. You don't need anything. Stop fighting and let the mist take over, now. This can be over soon, but you must stop fighting.
"I just wanted to know," Yugi said, feeling a tear slide down his cheek. Then, in a burst of surprise strength, he jerked back up and away from the grip. "Let me go! I WANT MEMORIES!" He pulled an arm free and lunged at the nearest picture. The mist tried to take it away, but his fingers reached for it and grabbed it before it was out of his reach. The light from the picture flooded through the darkness.
He saw people. People smiling at him. He felt like he should know them. They smiled and their mouths opened, like they were speaking to him, but he heard nothing. They were all around him, smiling and speaking silently.
"I know them," Yugi said, "but who are they?" The grip on his other arm and his legs seemed to dissolve, and he stumbled forward, to be caught by a guy with a mop of longish blond hair and brown eyes.
"Hey, watch it, Yug," the guy said, helping him stand back up. "Trippin's a bad habit."
Yugi blinked at him. "Who are you?"
"I'm yer pal Joey Wheeler!" he guy said, puffing out his chest and sticking a proud thumb into it. "All da people around ya are friends 'n' family, Yug. Jus' pick one out."
"Pick one out?" Yugi looked around at the circle of smiling faces. Somehow, them all grinning at him was a little weird, but he was glad it was warm here. He turned towards the cheerful girl with chin-length brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. "Who are you?"
"I'm Tea Gardner!" the girl practically sang. "We've been friends since we were little kids, Yugi!"
"Hey, don't forget me," interrupted a guy with short brown hair and brown eyes.
Joey rolled his eyes. "O' course. His Majesty, Tristan Taylor."
A girl with very long strawberry blond hair and green eyes giggled as she ducked underneath Joey's arm, pulling a grin from him. "I'm Serenity Wheeler," she said. "I'm Joey's little sister!"
Yugi smiled back. He was remembering them now...places he had been with them, things they had done together...he was even starting to remember when he first met them all.
"Yugi?" Yugi turned to see a guy with shoulder-length white hair and dark brown eyes. "I'm Ryou Bakura. I'm your friend too. Remember?"
"Yeah, I think I do now," Yugi said. It was starting to come back to him. He turned and saw a friendly old man his same height with gray hair and a matching mustache and beard. "Well, hello, Yugi," the old man said. "Surely you wouldn't forget your old grandpa, now, would you?"
Yugi blinked, then smiled. "I remember you too," he said.
"Not so fast, hon." A hand came down on his shoulder, and he turned--again--to find a woman with waist-length blond hair and purple eyes smiling at him. "If you can remember all of them, then you can remember me, Mai Valentine, can't you?"
Yugi let his mind process this for a moment. "Wait, I remember you now, too!" he said.
"See?" Tea said, walking up to him. "You've got a lot of people waiting for you to come back. But first, we're going to show you the memories you forgot, so you can take a stand against the evil threatening you."
Yugi was amazed at what he had forgotten: duels and monsters, Millennium Items, Ancient Egypt, Duel Monsters Tournaments, all of his adventures--including his most recent one--it was simply amazing.
"Okay, now dat yer back to yer ol' rememberin' self again," Joey said, "we got anotha friend t' show ya." He turned Yugi around and pointed.
Yugi stared as Yami, who he now remembered, walked up behind them. He started walking forward and met him halfway. "Yami?" he said, looking into the older boy's face.
Yami nodded, smiling a rare smile. "Yes, Yugi, it's me. And I'm here to take you home. To your real home."
"Home?" Yami nodded again, and Yugi felt tears coming to his eyes. "I want to go home, back to the home where all my memories came from...but how?"
"I can show you," Yami said, extending his hand. Yugi took it, and the light brightened to a nearly blinding extent, filling the whole area and obscuring vision.
Yugi's eyes opened. He was still staring up at Yami, with Tea nearly in tears behind him. Nona was still on the cloud.
"Yugi!" Nona shrilled. "Hurry!"
Yugi turned to her. Now that he knew the truth, she didn't look so caring anymore. "Nona, you can't trick me anymore," he said. "I know the truth. The real truth. I got my memories back."
"What?!" Nona cried. Behind him, Yugi heard Tea gasp in relief. "W-What do you mean?"
"I mean I know who you really are," Yugi said. "And I'm not falling for this any more." He stepped back from the cliff.
"Oh, Yugi!" Tea exclaimed. She darted up and threw her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
Yugi hugged her back.
"No!" a scream came from Nona. "It will not end like this! Yugi Moto, you are going to die and you are going to die NOW!!" A black light appeared at Nona's fingertips, which transformed into a black sphere crackling with dark energy. "You aren't getting away!"
Tea gasped. Yugi's eyes widened.
Yami stepped in front of them both. The third eye was glowing brightly on his forehead and his fierce look was back. "Nona, you have caused enough trouble for Yugi!" he declared. "It ends now!" He raised his hand, and the whole place shook with the magic of both.
Nona raised the sphere, which was now twice as big as her head. "End this!" she yelled, shooting the ball of dark energy towards them.
"Gladly!" Yami's hand glowed gold. The dark energy ball slammed into a golden force field in front of them and kept pushing, though not making any progress. Yami retracted his hand slightly, and the force field did the same. Then, he shoved the force field forwards, blasting the ball back at Nona with twice the power. It hit her where she stood and exploded in a half-sphere of dark light that quickly expanded. The explosion came against the force field, and the blinding light of Yami's magic soon made it unable to see at all. The three distinctly had the impression of falling before a huge-sounding explosion rocked above them.
Tea's eyes opened, and she found herself sitting by Yugi's bedside again. Grandpa was sitting beside her, watching her worriedly, one of his grandson's limp hands in his. "Tea, are you all right?"
"Oh--fine," Tea said, nervously pulled some hair behind her ear. She didn't know how to describe what had just happened. She could only hope that Yugi had been saved.
Suddenly, Yugi stirred. Tea gasped, and Solomon tightened his hold on his grandson's hand. Yugi was still for a moment longer, and then stirred again. His eyelids fluttered before opening. He gazed around slowly. "Where...where am I?"
"Yugi!" Solomon exclaimed. Yugi sat up and had been upright for about .1257 seconds before Grandpa grabbed him in a bear hug. "We were so worried about you!" Yugi hugged him back, finally conscious enough to make sense of the situation. Tea felt tears as she saw her friend alive--and for good.
A doctor came in and was shocked to see Yugi awake and getting hugs. "Oh, my...he's awake!" was all she could say. She bustled over to the bed and checked the electronic readouts on all the complicated machines. "Amazing...according to these, nothing has changed in him except the return of his brain activity. I know this is a wonderful moment, but we're going to need you two to step outside for a few moments so I can run a couple of tests on him."
"Of course!" Grandpa said, both his and Tea's faces aglow with happiness. They stepped outside, where Joey, Serenity, Tristan, and Ryou were waiting for an update on Yugi's condition. One look at the two and everyone just knew.
The doctor smiled as cheers erupted outside the room.
In Yugi's soul room, Yugi and Yami were sharing a big hug as well. "Yugi, I'm so happy you're back," Yami said.
"I'm happy to be back, too," Yugi said.
Yami pulled Yugi back so he could look into the younger boy's face. He wasn't sure where to start. "Yugi...I'm so sorry," he said.
Yugi tilted his head in confusion. "About what?" he asked.
"I'm supposed to protect you. And I did a terrible job. I almost let you be killed, twice." Yami looked down; he couldn't look Yugi in the face anymore. "We almost lost you. I almost lost you. I am so sorry."
He was surprised when Yugi hugged him again. "Yami, it's not your fault. And it's only because of you that I survived." He explained about his journey to his subconscious, and added that Yami had saved him inside Nona's little paradise world. "I would never had been able to survive if it weren't for you using too much magic to remove Nona's immobility spell. You saved me, Yami, just like you're supposed to do."
Yami was astonished. Then he smiled. "I'm just happy you're all right," he said. And that I didn't fail completely like I had thought.
"Yami," Yugi said, "you could never fail me. You don't fail unless you don't try, and I know you tried to help me." He pulled back a little so he could look up at Yami. "You're my protector. What's more, you're one of my best friends. You don't have to feel responsible for what happened to me."
Yami smiled as he remembered that Yugi could hear his every thought. He didn't know what to say, so he simply hugged his light again and made a mental promise to not let go for the next six hours.
END CHAPTER
Mena: How kawaii! Yugi's awake and he's going to stay that way!
Toli: And before you raise doubts, Nona and all components of her finishing spell are all gone!
Jesselda: Next time will be the epilogue, and then after that, the Reviewer's Choice Awards.
Masami: Bet you don't wanna miss that!
Damion: So, can we have some more chips?
Mena: Yay! Chips! (hugs Damion for no reason)
