(A/N) Fish and Chips, thank you much for being our first reviewer. And Ping Pong1, thank YOU for your enthusiasm. Let us see if this next chapter is up to your standards of us. BTW, I don't believe I've mentioned who my co-author is. This fic is co-written by Marble Angel. Another thing, any suggestions for summary improvement?
Past the Point of No Return
Chapter 3: Darkness Stirs
"You made a mistake when you challenged me." Joey Wheeler said to his opponent.
"I think it was you who made the mistake." Tristan Taylor answered from across the table.
"I'm the champ! No one can beat me!"
"All right you two, lets keep this clean." Duke Devlin cautioned from his place beside Tristan.
"Ready-" Ryou Bakura began the countdown.
"Set-" Mai Valentine continued.
"GO!" Yugi Mutou finished.
Once the signal was given, Joey and Tristan immediately dove into the pile of large fries before them. Both boys greedily shoveled handfuls of French fries into their mouths.
"Well, so much for clean." Tea Gardener complained over the tumult of chewing and swallowing.
Summer break was in full swing and the gang was eating a late lunch at McDonalds. They'd spent the whole morning at the Domino Amusement Park and once they'd arrived at the fast food restaurant Tristan had challenged Joey to a fry eating contest.
It had been a full week since the weird cold front. One week since Yami's little freak out. And as Joey and Tristan plowed through their fries, Yugi went inside his own head. Even though he hadn't said anything to Yami, Yugi was also beginning to feel something. What it was, he couldn't say. But whatever it was, it was bad. He'd also had some pretty strange dreams.
"Hey, Yugi, what's the matter?" a small voice broke into his thoughts.
Yugi turned to see Ryou looking at him with concern.
"Huh?"
"You haven't been yourself all week. I was wondering what was wrong."
"Oh. Nothing really. I've just been having this weird dream all week."
"Really? What sort of dream?"
"Well…you remember Ishizu Ishtar, right?"
"Yes. What about her?"
"I keep seeing her in my dreams. Her cloths are in ruins and her face is covered with soot and tears. She's sitting in a dark room next to a pallet with someone lying on it. I can never see who it is but Ishizu keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. 'The Pharaoh will save him. The Pharaoh will save him.'" Yugi said quietly.
"Save who?"
"I don't know. I guess she was talking about the person on the pallet."
"And Yami hasn't said anything about this?"
"No. I've tried talking to him but he won't answer me. Do you think he's ignoring me, Ryou."
"No, that's not like him. He's probably just disturbed by the dreams you've been having. I think he'll come out again when he's ready. I mean…it is just a dream after all."
"Yeah. I guess you're right. But maybe I should-"
The conversation was cut short by Serenity Wheeler's cry of disgust. Serenity was Joey's little sister, and it was very difficult to get her upset or disgusted about anything. But even the sweetest little angel can get a bit upset when she's got clumps of chewed fry in her hair, and more flying at her from the fry-eating contest.
"Joey Wheeler, that is disgusting!" Mai shouted at him.
Joey mumbled something that sounded something like "bith thbtm!" without even looking up from his fries. What he'd meant to say was "bite me!".
"Uh…you wanna run that by us in English, Joey?" Tea asked.
Joey just ignored her. He was down to his last large fry. Tristan was falling behind.
"Come on, Tristan! Show him who's boss!" Duke coached Tristan, giving him a slap on the back.
Tristan suddenly pitched forward and his eyes bulged.
"Is he all right?" Ryou asked. "He looks like he's about to be sick."
"Uh…Tristan? You okay?" Mai asked him.
Tristan tried to cough but he couldn't.
"Oh gosh. He's choking!" Serenity cried out just as Joey shoved his last fry into his mouth.
"Tristan, don't take this personally or anything but-"
Duke reached over in his seat and wrapped his arms around Tristan's chest. Then he started to Heimlich him. And after a few good jabs, a large chunk of partially chewed fry came flying out of Tristan's mouth. It landed inches from the edge of the table, where it would have landed in Tea's lap.
"Oh, that is NASTY!" Duke said as he released Tristan.
"Shut up, Duke. Here Tristan. Drink some of this." Serenity said, handing him one of the paper cups of water.
Duke's face fell at Serenity's rebuke.
Tristan gratefully gulped down the water and took a few shaking breaths.
"Tristan, you okay buddy?" Joey asked him.
"Yeah, I'm good. But I'll take you down next time."
Happy that his friend wasn't in any danger, Joey commenced with his usual bragging.
"I told you that you couldn't beat me. I'm the king of fry-eatin' contests! I'm the champ! I'm bad! You know it! I'm bad! I'll show it!"
Then he jumped up and started doing a victory dance.
"Joey, sit down! People are staring." Mai hissed.
"I rule! I'm the champ!" Joey continued to chant.
"And what do you rule, exactly, Wheeler? The dog pound?" A cold voice asked from the doorway.
All eight of them turned to see Seto Kaiba standing in the doorway, wearing his usual white trench coat and sneer. His little brother, Mokuba, stood just beside him.
"Kaiba! What are you doin' here?" Joey asked furiously.
"Mokuba wanted some McDonalds…and I don't do drive-thru." he answered in the same cold tone.
"Hey guys!" Mokuba called to them as his brother walked over to the cash register. Once Seto had turned his back to them, Mokuba rushed over to their table.
"What's up?"
"Nothing much. We were at the amusement park all morning and we stopped by for some lunch." Serenity answered.
"So how did you convince Kaiba to bring you here, Mokuba? I mean, sure, it's summer. But Kaiba's…well, Kaiba." Tea said hesitantly.
"Actually, Tea, you're kind of right. Normally I'd never be able to convince Seto to bring me here himself. But he's in a really good mood today."
"A good mood? If this is him in a good mood, then I'd just hate to see him in a bad mood." Tristan said sarcastically.
"No, seriously. He got an invitation to some tournament thing this morning and he's been pretty happy all day."
"A tournament?" Yugi asked, suddenly interested.
"Yeah. A new Duel Monsters tournament. I don't remember the name right off the bat but it sounds really cool. Maybe you got an invitation too, Yugi."
"Hmm, maybe. I wasn't home this morning."
"Oh come on, Yug. How could Kaiba get an invitation and not you?" Joey asked.
"Mokuba, do you want lunch or not?" Kaiba asked fiercely from his place in line.
"Oh. Sorry guys. Gotta run. Catch you later." Mokuba said, running off to join his brother.
Yugi stared after Mokuba for a moment, but his musings were interrupted by Ryou.
"YUCK!!" Ryou cried, spitting out a mouthful of his McFlurry and scoring a direct hit on Joey's forehead. As Joey scrambled to wipe the dribbling mess off of his face Ryou held up two fingers. Pinched between them was a small, transparent sliver.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked, obviously disgusted.
"It looks like a fingernail clipping." Mai said as she stood up to inspect it.
"And do you know where I found it?" he continued to prod.
"Um…in your ice cream?" Duke guessed.
"No! In my MOUTH! It was in the ice cream I was about to SWALLOW!!"
Like Serenity, it took a lot to get Ryou mad. Nearly swallowing a human fingernail was one of those rare things.
"EWW!! Gross!!" Tea shuddered with disgust.
The others looked at their own untouched McFlurries.
"Well," Tristan started, standing up and pitching the full paper cup into the garbage. "I'm full."
XxX
Dear Mr. Mutou,
I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the upcoming Dragon Country Tournament, hosted by myself, Alexandra Nephthys. The tournament will be held on my private island in Polynesia, Khemet. On July 1, you and your fellow duelists will rendezvous at Tokyo International Airport and catch a 1:30 flight to New Guinea. From there you will be transported by boat to Khemet. (Tickets for both are enclosed.) The tournament begins at sundown on July 5. In order to qualify for the Dragon Country Finals you must win ten Key Stones. Each duelist will begin with two stones, which are also enclosed with this letter. I look forward to seeing you and your fellow duelists compete.
Best of luck,
Alexandra Nephthys
Yugi shuffled through the remaining papers that had come with the letter, explaining more about the tournament and its rules. At the bottom of the package was a small silver chain and two carefully crafted, blue crystals. They were both prism-shaped and about the length of his pinky finger. Small holes were drilled into both so that they could be hung on the chain.This looks suspicious to me. All of the weird feelings…and the dreams. And now this new tournament. Maybe Yami was right after all. I wish he'd talk to me. How can I get his attention?
"Umm… DANGER!! EVIL!! Anyone home!?!" Yugi asked to no avail.
ThenYugi grinned wickedly as an idea took shape in his head.Dancing around the table, Yugi began chanting gibberish and bowing to the table as he picked up a sharpened butcher knife.
"And now, oh great table, I offer myself as sacrifice to your holiness in exchange for a good harvest!" Yugi screamed as he did some more dancing and chanting. On his final round he saw Yami standing there looking worriedly at him.
"YUGI NOOOOO! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!" Yami yelled in a terrified voice.
"Yami, it will never work. You would anger the table gods," Yugi said sadly. "I guess this is goodbye. I'm sorry Yami. I wish it didn't have to end this way."
"YUGI!!!" At this point Yami fell to the floor, twitching and shouting incoherently.
"Uh… Yami? I was kidding."
Yami stood up briskly, acting as if nothing had happened.
"I knew that."
"Riiiight. Anyway, where have you been all week?"
"I'm sorry if you thought I was ignoring you. I've had a lot on my mind. The dreams you were having bothered me. And now we've been invited to this new tournament. I believe the dreams might be connected to this Alexandra."
"But how?"
"I'm not sure, but I think that-"
Just then, Yugi's grandpa walked in, followed by the rest of the gang.
"Your friends are here, Yugi. I'll-" Grandpa stopped mid-sentence, shocked by what he saw. Yugi stared at his grandpa for a minute, wondering what the big deal was. But then he remembered that he was still holding the butcher knife.
"Oh." Yugi squeaked. "How do you suppose that got there?"
A few seconds of awkward silence followed before Yugi dropped the knife on the spot. It fell to the floor and the blade buried itself in the wood, successfully ending the life of a rather large spider that happened to be crawling by.
"Good shot," breathed Duke.
"Yugi…is there something you want to tell me?" Grandpa asked nervously.
After a slight pause, Yugi pointed his finger at Yami and started shouting, "IT'S ALL YAMI'S FAULT! HE MADE ME DO IT!!"
Stunned, Yami stood there, mouth agape. Then it hit him.
"NO, I DIDN'T! HE WAS GOING TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF TO THE TABLE GODS!!"
At this remark, the rest of the gang fell to the floor laughing.
"Well, he was." Yami whispered as his face turned a bright shade of red.
"Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know. I'll just go order you kids some pizza." Grandpa said as he left to go back to the front room.
"You two are soooo weird." Tea commented.
Though it didn't seem possible, Yami's face turned an even brighter shade of red before he disappeared back into the Millennium Puzzle.
"So, Joey," Yugi said, quickly changing the subject. "Did you get an invitation to the Dragon Country Tournament?"
"Of course, I did. Us top duelists always get invites to these big shot tournaments." Joey said, never one to be humble.
"Then how did you get invited?" Mai asked.
"You took the words right outta my mouth." said Tristan.
Joey growled angrily and was about to shove the words right back in Tristan's face when Serenity grabbed his arm and looked at him as a mother would her child who had just misbehaved.
"Ooh, Joey's got a new babysitter." Duke teased.
Serenity turned her new found 'mother' look on Duke and he soon backed down.
"What about you, Mai?" Yugi turned to the older girl.
"You know it, Yugi! And this time I'm gonna take all you boys down!" Mai said confidently.
"All right! All three of us are going!" Yugi cheered.
"Actually, I got an invitation too." Ryou added quietly.
The others all turned to look at him in surprise.
"Really?" asked Tea.
"Yes. I'm not sure why though. Maybe it was because my name was down as a Battle City finalist."
"That could be it. But lets not worry about it now. We've got two weeks before we're set to leave." Yugi said, plopping down on the living room couch in front of the T.V.
A half hour or so later the pizza arrived. Along with some unexpected guests.
The gang was situated comfortably in the living room, chowing down on pepperoni pizza, when Yugi's grandpa came back in with a very worried look on his face.
"Yugi, you have some visitors."
"Who?"
"I don't know. But she said that you would know her." Grandpa said as he stepped aside to allow the new people to enter.
Her?! No, it can't be!
Three cloaked figures entered the room. The tallest of the three carried a large bundle wrapped in another black cloak.
"Who are you people?" Tristan asked suspiciously.
The middle figure came forward and bowed low before Yugi. It reached out two slender brown hands and grasped Yugi's.
"My Pharaoh, please. You must help us." a soft, feminine voice pleaded.
The figure pulled back her hands and reached for the hood of her cloak. When she pulled it back, Yugi's eyes widened in shock. Kneeling before him, her face smeared with dirt, was-
"Ishizu!" he cried out.
She nodded sadly as she climbed back to her feet.
"What's wrong? What are you doing here?"
The rest of the gang rose from the couch as the cloaked figure with the bundle approached them. The figure laid down its bundle on the couch and stood back up. Then this figure pulled back its hood to reveal Odeon.
"Something terrible has happened. This was the only safe place to bring him." Odeon said worriedly.
"Him?" Tea asked.
Odeon knelt over the bundle on the couch and pulled back the cloak. Everyone gasped in shock when they saw what the bundle really was.
"Malik!"
Yugi rushed over to him and knelt beside him. He took in the hideous burns all over Malik's face and reached out a tentative hand to touch him.
"Don't!" Odeon warned him. "It hurts him."
"Why did you bring him here? We need to get him to a hospital." Grandpa said.
"He's better off dying than going to a hospital." Odeon said harshly.
"What do you mean?! What happened to him?" Yugi asked fearfully.
"We were attacked. A girl who could summon fire from nowhere. She challenged Malik and he lost. I tried to stop her but she came after us. She burnt Malik to within an inch of his life. If we took him to a hospital then she would find him. He barely survived the journey here. He's hanging on by a thread." Odeon explained.
"But…what can I do?" Yugi asked.
"The puzzle…maybe." the third figure suggested.
"Who are you?" Joey asked.
The figure removed his hood. He looked to be about 17 and he had black hair cropped short around his neck. His eyes were a deep brown. Not sweet and innocent chocolate brown like Ryou's, but more piercing, watchful.
"This is Jamil. He is a friend of Malik's" Odeon answered for him.
"But, Ishizu…I don't know any magic. How can I help?"
"What Jamil said. The Millennium Puzzle has power. There must be something you can do!"
"Ishizu, you know more about the Millennium Items than I ever will. I-"
Yugi, let me try.
But, Yami…What can we possibly do to save him?
I don't know. But we have to try.
Yugi backed off and allowed Yami to take control of his body.
"Odeon, could you please remove the cloak from him?" Yami asked as gently as he could.
"Yes, my Pharaoh."
Odeon quickly complied, and gently removed the cloak from Malik's body. As the black material fell away, the true horror was revealed.
Malik's clothes were in shreds. His skin was badly burnt and his ragged body shook with every breath that he fought to take. His haggard, shallow breathing was unnerving, and if something wasn't done soon, his struggle would end in vain.
Yami reached out his hands and slowly removed the tatters of shirt that still remained on Malik's body. Being as gentle as possible he laid one hand on Malik's bare chest and another on his forehead. When Yami's hands made contact with his skin, Malik let out a blood-curdling scream of pain in his sleep. Yami quickly withdrew his hands and stood up. How was he supposed to help Malik if he couldn't even touch him without causing him great pain?
Malik's screams had subsided and his breathing had slowed again. But his face was riddled with exhaustion and pain.
"He's fading." Ishizu whispered fearfully.
"Pharaoh?" Odeon inquired.
"He's running a very high fever. He's exhausted from that screaming, and his breathing is getting worse." Yami reported tensely. Once again, he tried to put his hands on Malik, but this time, all the boy could manage was a weak yelp at being touched.
"What can I do?" Yami asked himself, his desperation growing by the minute.
"He's not going to make it." Ryou whispered, noting that Malik's chest was rising and falling at a much slower rate.
As Malik struggled to breathe, Yami grabbed hold of the Millennium Puzzle. He went deep inside his own mind. There had to be something that could be done.
Please… tell me what I can do to save him! he begged There had to be something in there that would hear him.
And his prayers were answered. Like a fog drifting out of the long-forgotten past, a whisper through all the winding corridors of his mind, he heard a voice.
"Use the puzzle."
Yami opened his eyes. It was no more than a glimmer, but he had an idea.
He placed his hands on Malik again. Malik's mouth opened but he wasn't strong enough to take in the air to cry out. His time was almost up.
"I call on the ancient magic of the Millennium Items! What light is given me, let it pass to him! Let him be spared! Life to the dying!"
Yami had no idea where the incantation had come from. It was just there all of a sudden.
And as he spoke the words, the puzzle began to glow. Pulsing energy shot from his hands and into Malik's body. Malik's eyes shot wide open as his body was engulfed in a golden, glowing aura. His ear-splitting scream filled the room as a blinding white light poured forth from the Millennium Puzzle.
Then everything was still.
XxX
When Yami awoke, the first thing he noticed was the splitting headache. What had happened?
Then he noticed Ishizu bending over him to check his pulse. Ishizu? What was she doing here?
But then it all came rushing back to him.
"Where's Malik? Is he all right?!" Yami asked. He tried to sit up but Ishizu held him down. She smiled down at him.
"You did it, my Pharaoh. My little brother is alive."
Ishizu finally allowed Yami to sit up. Albeit, very slowly. He looked around and saw the others staring at him.
"What happened?"
"That's what we were wondering." Mai said.
"You shouted something in some weird language and then your puzzle started glowing. Both you and Malik started glowing. Malik screamed and then the whole room was filled with this freaky white light. You've been out cold for a good five minutes, but it looks like Malik's fine. Most of the burns are gone." Joey explained.
Yami stood up. He swayed for a moment before the dizzy spell passed, but when he did he walked over to the couch and knelt by Malik again. Joey was right. Most of the serious burns had vanished entirely. But he was still shaking with chills and his forehead still felt hot.
"He's still sick. But I think the danger has passed."
"Thank you, Pharaoh." Odeon whispered gratefully as he knelt by Yami next to his little brother.
"I'll get him some blankets from the closet." Grandpa said, walking out into the hallway.
"Ishizu, there's something that I don't understand. Why was this girl after him in the first place?" Yami asked.
"She called herself Raksha. She said that she had come as an emissary of the new bearer of the Millennium Rod. She said that this new bearer needed the scriptures carved into Malik's back." Odeon said.
"But that's impossible. I have the Millennium Rod." Yami protested.
"Pharaoh, I wouldn't be too sure of that. You see, there was a break in at the museum the day of the attack. Two things were stolen. A very powerful gemstone known as the Mage's Stone, and the replica of the Millennium Rod that was on display there. Have you checked on the items at all recently?" Ishizu asked him.
Yami's eyes widened in horror. It couldn't be!
Without waiting for another word from anyone else, Yami leapt to his feet and raced out of the living room. He pounded up the stairs, heading for Yugi's room. It couldn't be true! They were too careful!!
He ran over to the closet and threw open the doors. He found the two items sitting on the same shelf that Yugi had placed them on a week ago. He lifted the rod from its resting place and searched around the room. There was only one way to prove that this rod was a fake. He needed something metal.
Yami finally unearthed a screw driver. He placed the metal point against the rod and dug it into the gold with all his might. He dragged the tip down the side and it left a huge scratch where it had gone through. It was only gold-plated!
No! It can't be! It just can't be!
XxX
(A/N) Ohhh suspense!! Hey guys this is Marble Angel. So what do you think of the story so far? I'd say Luthien is doing really good with the writing. You see she writes a lot of the stuff because I'm not much of a writer but we came up with the plot and most of the details together. But you know I did write the table god scene and I'm curious. Is it as funny as it sounded in my head? Anyway thanks again to Fish and Chips and Ping Pong1 for being the most totally cool people in the world. Bows down gratefully while dragging Luthien along. Kisses feet. We are not worthy o great ones. I love you all!!!!
P.S. I wonder if it would work if I didn't say anything about pushing a little purpley/blue button in the lower left corner of this page to make mine and Luthien's day. Maybe if I don't say the word then I won't jinx it. Just maybe.
