Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or TBAA. Haven't you figured that out by now?
Author's Notes: Hi all! Sorry for the long wait. Been busy and stuff…you know how it goes.
To Silver Dragon: Yes, Yugi did notice the Puzzle is gone, as you will find out in this chapter. And to the rest of my reviewers who are asking me what Monique is going to do with the items: I'll let you in on a little secret…she's not going to do anything with them at all! She's just stealing them to cause everyone more suffering and pain. And by stealing them, she was able to trap the two Yamis in the Shadow Realm. She was able to steal them in the first place because she already has power...so she really doesn't need the power from the Millennium items. Yes, kids, she is EVIL….A special thank you goes to my beta-reader, Hyatt Insomnia!
Warnings: Mild violence and language, so far.
To Steal, Kill, and DestroyChapter Fourteen: Escape From the Shadows
Yugi Motou lay awake on his bed, tears silently streaming down his face. He'd just felt terrible at school all day. Something just didn't feel right, not wearing his Puzzle…or having Yami beside him. He practically ran all the way from school.
The spiky haired teen rushed upstairs to his bedroom the instant he had arrived home. "Yami! Oh, Yami, I'm so sorry I didn't take you with me today! Please forgive," he stopped short as he lifted the lid to the golden box. It was empty. "Yami?"
He rushed downstairs. "Grandpa! Grandpa!"
"Yugi! What's all the shouting about?" The elder Motou called back from behind the counter.
"Grandpa, did you happen to take the Millennium Puzzle out of its box?"
"No, of course not, Yugi. Why didn't you wear it today? You always wear it."
"I know, but….I…um…just felt like doing something different."
Solomon knew his grandson wasn't telling him the whole truth, but he let it go. "Well, I've been tending the shop all day. I haven't even been in your bedroom."
Yugi had looked everywhere for his beloved Puzzle, but to no avail. He had finally come to the sad conclusion that Yami must have left on his own. Not that Yugi could blame him. After all they had been through together, he was ready to lose faith in him because of one stupid little nightmare. But it had seemed so real! Still, Yugi finally realized that was all it was…just a nightmare. And because of it, he probably had lost his Yami forever. He sobbed quietly. "He must feel like I betrayed him. I wouldn't stay with me, either."
Suddenly, there was a soft knock at the door. Yugi lifted his head up and blinked. "Yami?" He heard someone knocking again.
The small teen jumped out of bed, throwing the covers back. He knew the ancient spirit didn't have to knock to gain entrance to the house. But he still hoped against hope that it would be his Yami. He yanked the door open. "Bakura?? What are you doing here at this time of night?"
"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, Yugi," the soft-spoken teen began, "but something's happened, and I really need to talk to someone about it. May I come in?"
"Of course!" Yugi quickly ushered his friend in. "Are you all right?"
"Um…I think so."
Yugi frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, a few moments ago, I found myself in the back of your shop. I've no idea how I got there, or how long I've even been there."
"Hmmm…sounds like your Yami is up to his old tricks."
"Most likely. But there's something else…it's actually quite…well, disturbing…"
"What?"
"After I realized where I was, I also realized that my Millennium Ring was gone as well. Not only that, but so is…my Yami."
Yugi gave a gasp and his eyes widened. "Bakura, are you sure of that?"
"Yes, I'm quite sure. Even the times when he wouldn't talk to me, I could always sense him. But now, it's like he's….just not there. He's gone!"
Yugi just stared at his white haired friend for a moment. He was sure that Yami that left on his own. But if Bakura's Yami was missing also…
"Yugi….y-you do have your Puzzle, don't you?"
Ryou's sudden question snapped Yugi back to reality. "What makes you say that?"
"Well…something else happened this morning that was…er, well…rather strange."
"What?"
"I was getting ready for school, and all of a sudden there was this woman in my room! She said she had come to talk to my Yami. I thought she had held up what looked like the Sennen Puzzle. But I don't remember anything else after that. It was all so fast. I…I just wasn't sure."
Yugi's eyes widened. "Th-this woman…did she have auburn hair, tied up in a bun?"
"Yes, and she appeared to be in her mid to late thirties. She was wearing a black business suit…Yugi, do you know who she is?"
"Monique," the small teen whispered. He remembered his Yami telling him that she was there…why hadn't he listened? Realization hit him hard and fast. Monique was the evil he'd been warned about. But he'd missed it. Now it was too late. His shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor.
"Yugi? Are you all right?" Ryou was concerned for his friend.
"No," he replied, tears welling up in his eyes for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night, " My Yami's gone, too…and it's all my fault."
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Yami Bakura stalked about angrily in the Shadow Realm. He didn't know how long he'd been walking. All he knew was that he was going to find out a way out somehow. And then he'd make that she-devil pay. No one made a fool out of him.
In the distance, he thought he saw a figure sitting down on what would be loosely termed the floor of the Shadow Realm. It didn't really have a floor or ceiling, or up and down…it was just there. As he moved closer, he began to recognize the figure, and smirked. "Well, well," he remarked to himself, "Perhaps my time here won't be quite so boring after all." He approached the figure. "Hello, Pharaoh. And what brings you to the Shadow Realm on this fine evening? Or it is day? One can never really tell in here."
Yami glared up at the white haired thief. "Go away, Tomb Robber. I am in no mood for your antics."
Yami Bakura smirked even more. "Well, we may as well make the best of it…seeing as how we may only have each other for company for a while."
"Then this isn't the Shadow Realm," the other spirit replied, standing up. "This is Hell."
The tomb robber mockingly placed his hands over his heart. "Why, Pharaoh…I'm crushed!"
"Good," Yami Yugi replied. He turned on his heel and began to walk away and the other trailed behind to taunt him further.
"So, you still haven't told me how you ended up here."
Yami Yugi didn't reply. He just kept walking; glaring straight ahead of him.
"Did it have anything to do with the she-devil?"
That got his attention. He whirled around. "What do you know about her?"
"Ah," the white-haired spirit smiled, "I seem to have struck a nerve."
Yami Yugi crossed his arms and glared at him. "Either say something useful or don't say anything at all."
"Oooooh…Touchy, touchy, aren't we?"
The other spirit growled in response. Yami Bakura squinted at something. "Hmm…I wonder what that is?" He pointed to the area behind Yami Yugi.
"I'm not falling for any of your tricks, Bakura," the ex-Pharaoh informed him.
"It's not a trick, you fool! Look for yourself!"
The spiky haired spirit refused to turn around at first. From the corner of his eye, he thought he spied some sort of light coming from behind him. A light? In the Shadow Realm? But that's impossible! He finally turned his head, and gasped softly. Indeed there was a light. It kept getting closer and closer until finally both Yamis had to shield their eyes from the brightness.
"Don't be afraid," a soft voice said to them. They both looked up to find they were surrounded by light. Standing in front of them was what appeared to be a young girl. She had black hair pulled up in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a long white gown. Yami's eyes widened. He recognized the girl to be an angel. He'd first met her after Joey had gotten shot. Somehow she had pulled him out of the Puzzle to try to help her to convince Joey to live. He'd seen her a few times after that, also.
"Hannah," Bakura growled.
"Hello, Bakura," the little angel smiled back at him.
"Wait. You know her?"
"And what if I do, Pharaoh?"
"How do you know her?"
"That is none of your concern."
"I've seen her before, too."
Yami Bakura smirked. "Oh, really? And what did you do to make her appear to you, Pharaoh? Not walk a little old lady across the street, perhaps?"
Now it was Yami Yugi's turn to smirk. "That is none of your concern."
"All right you two, that's enough," the dark haired angel scolded, "You'll both need to work together if you want to get out of the Shadow Realm."
"You can get us out?" Yami Yugi's eyes widened.
She smiled back. "Of course I can! That's what I'm here for."
Yami Bakura chuckled. "I never thought I'd actually be happy to see you, Hannah."
"Hannah?" Yami Yugi asked, "Is that your name?"
The tomb robber cut in. "No, I just go around calling every angel I happen to see Hannah. Of course it's her name, you idiot!!"
Yami growled. "How do you know her name?"
"I asked her."
"Oh," he replied, a slight blush coming over his cheeks. Unfortunately, this didn't escape Yami Bakura's notice.
"Don't tell me that the great, all-powerful Pharaoh of Egypt met an angel and never even bothered to get her name!" He threw his head back and laughed insanely. Yami just growled again in response.
"I said that was enough! Unless you both want to be left in the Shadow Realm!" Hannah put her hands on her hips.
Yami Bakura immediately stopped laughing. He certainly didn't want to get stuck there.
"I am going to bring you both out of the Shadow Realm for a purpose…to help defeat Monique. You are each going to be given a body of your own."
The ancient Pharaoh gasped. "You mean…a real, physical body?"
"Yes," the angel replied, "A real physical body…one that you won't have to share with anyone else. However, it is only temporary. After you have defeated Monique, you will then return to the state you were before you entered the Shadow Realm…Yami Yugi to the Puzzle, and Yami Bakura to the Ring. There is one stipulation, however."
"Isn't there always?" Yami Bakura sulked.
"You both must work together to defeat Monique. There is strength in unity...remember that! If you both do not cooperate with one another, you will both be sent back to the Shadow Realm. Do you think you can do that?"
The two Yamis glared at each other for a moment. Yami Bakura was the first to speak up. "Fine. If it means getting out of the Shadow Realm, I'll work with the likes of even him."
"Good," she replied, "Yami Yugi?"
"I'm not quite sure if it's a good idea to let him out of the Shadow Realm."
The tomb robber growled. "You idiot! Do you have any better ideas for getting out of here?"
Yami Yugi sighed. "Monique is still out there…and there's no telling what kind of havoc she may reek. I have to go back…for Yugi's sake…as well as everyone else's. If that means I have to work with him…then so be it."
"All right, then. Remember, you both have to work together…or you'll both be sent back." Hannah grabbed each Yami by the wrist. "Hang on!" The light around them grew brighter and brighter until they were completely bathed in a sea of pure glowing white light. Suddenly the light faded and they found themselves standing in the alley behind the Game Shop. They looked at each other, then down at themselves with awe. Sure enough, they each had their own bodies.
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Cool! The Yamis have their own bodies now!
Please read and review! I really appreciate it! Later!