NOTE: After countless weeks of waiting, here is the next chappie! Sorry for delaying it. I really don't have many ideas.

Oh, another thing: remember, this story was started WAY before the end of Battle City, so many things were all "mixed up" or hypothesized. These parts of the story still apply: Marik still had the M. Rod; he and Ishziu had still been in Domino (but last chapter we heard they left) and so forth. So, you'll see some "untraditional" (is it called, non-CANNON?) things.

Oh, and don't call me weird in these little "YamixTeana" scenes if they talk strangely and whatnot. Heck, they used to have "air" in ancient and old times, unlike us now, n offense to us new age people, but heck, that's the way eras roll. (Just a simile: if any of you have ever seen "Teen Titans" I guess they kind of talk in that strange "air" that Starfire speaks in, you know?) Well, here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 24: Awaken the Spirit Within

Yami pulled away from Teana once more, opening his eyes to see her face again. Teana's eyes were wide with shock. Not two minutes back in the living world, and Yami had already showed that he still loved her. Wow.

"Really?" Teana could only squeak out.

"Really what?" Yami looked confused.

"You really…still love me? After all this time…there's no one else?" Teana inquired.

"Did I, or did I not just kiss you?" Yami smirked. Teana smiled. Her memory may have been just a little foggy, but it wasn't that bad to remember how Yami had felt for her. She just wasn't exactly remembering everything…like the other male whom had loved her….

But now, being in this new world, Teana needed more explanations, "Yami…what is this place? Is this…Egypt? What is it that we are wearing? Who was that girl inside my head? She looked so similar! And-"

Yami put a finger to her lips, and laughed slightly, "Calm down, calm down. I know you are full of questions, as this is a very strange and new world to you. Believe me; I was new here once as well. However, I can still give you some of the answers you seek."

"Oh, my pharaoh, you still have that royal air about you," Teana smiled. That was something she had loved about him. Of course…it had also been something attractive in someone else as well….

Yami chuckled slightly, "If you say so. Come. I'll give you a tour of the city; answering your questions along the way."

"Wonderful!" Teana replied, clasping her hands together. And with that, the two walked out of the park and down the city sidewalks, hands clasped, just like old times.


Joey was smiling brilliantly. Had he just seen, what he thought he had seen? statement! Joey shook his head, and ducked further behind the tree as Yami and Teana came closer.

Joey had seen them walk away from school together, and wondered if Yugi had finally gotten the backbone to tell Tea about his feelings for her. So, naturally, he followed. (Had Seto seen Joey, he would have been sure to crack a remark, such as, "Following his master, like the dog he is.")

He had seen the two enter the park and walk over to a bench. That's when Joey hid behind a tree nearby, just in case Yugi needed some help. And…he would get the show of a lifetime.

And then he had seen the Millennium Necklace come out of Yugi's pocket. Yugi had slipped it around Tea's neck, and she had stumbled slightly, but was caught by the small boy. That's when things started getting interesting.

Such as their kiss, for instance.

Joey had seen their mouths moving, but over the din of the park, naturally, and being not that near to the couple, he hadn't heard a word of their conversation.

Afterwards, the two had walked away, and Joey was determined to find out where they were going.


As Joey crept behind the two from a distance, he couldn't help but to think. And for Joey…this required a lot of concentration, being that he rarely did such a thing outside of dueling.

It was strange: Yugi, the small, innocent boy, that was as shy as the sun was bright, had gone and revealed his true feelings for Tea, when Joey had lied in Mai's face after he had told her his feelings.

He had three words for himself:

What

An

Idiot.

Joey sighed. Maybe…maybe it was his time now…to go back and amend things. Now that he looked back, Mai had seemed pretty hurt at his lie. And if Tea had known about his falsehood, she would have been sure to push him along, scolding him for saying such things.

But that was all going to change. If Yugi could do it, so could he.

Little did he know that that boy he was watching wasn't Yugi.

"So…this isn't Egypt?" Teana inquired.

"Right."

"This is…Dom…in…o…Ja…pan?" Teana thought out.

"Correct."

"Where's that? Or rather…where are we? I've never heard of such a place," Teana inquired.

"It's…almost on the opposite side of the world from Egypt. We're quite a ways from home, that's for sure," Yami laughed.

"Oh. And…pharaohs don't rule anymore?"

"No. There are such things as…presidents…prime ministers…there are still kings, but they aren't like our past rulers. They are a new form of king, so to speak," Yami thought back to what Yugi had told him about this new age.

"Oh…. This world is so strange," Teana looked down at the sidewalk, "There is no sand…it is considerably cooler (hint, it is winter, remember?)…these buildings are not made of stone…it's all so strange," she ran her hand against some glass as they passed a shop.

"Yes, it is. And there is still so much to learn," Yami returned.


In due time, the sun began to sink beyond the horizon, as it grew later.

"It's good to know that Ra still works the same way," Teana said, eyeing the sun from the two's spot on the pier.

"Ah, yes…. But Ra himself is another question, so I've heard," Yami replied.

"What about Ra?" Teana turned to him, confusion quite clear on her face.

"I'm not sure exactly how to explain it…something about Ra not existing…nor the other gods for that matter," Yami retorted.

Teana decided not to press any further, seeing that she probably wouldn't get many answers out of her king. This new world was so abnormal….

"Teana," Yami said.

"Yes?" she turned to him.

"I do believe it's getting late. It should be time to go our separate ways right about now, I suppose," Yami returned.

"But…where am I supposed to go?" Teana asked, frantically.

"I'll lead you there. After that, let Tea take over again," Yami explained.

"Tea?"

"Yes…the other presence inside your mind. The girl you said you say before," Yami turned to her.

"Oh, her. So…her name is Tea?"

"Yes."

"Much like my name, I see," Teana said thoughtfully.

"That it is," Yami returned, taking her hand, and leading her back "home."


Joey tailed them until they were back at Tea's house. Once he saw Yugi (Yami, actually) walk away, he then went back to his house. Serenity would certainly be wondering where the heck he was. He grimaced at the thought, and ran down the sidewalks.

He had to stop at an intersection, where he didn't have the go. He continued to jog in place, though, ready to zoom off the second he got the chance. Serenity was going to skin him alive for being out this late, without telling her so. He swore, she was just a replacement of his mother.

Of course, being that she had lived with their mother for all these years, it wasn't very surprising. He sighed as the light dragged on and on. Was it ever going to change in his favor?

"Joey?" Joey turned around at the call of his name and saw a shaggy head popping out of a sleek black…limousine?

"Mokuba?" Joey inquired, jogging over.

"Hey!" Mokuba greeted. His head was pushed aside as Noa made room for his own skull.

"Sup, Joey?" Noa interrogated.

"Aw, nuttin' much. Just tryin' ta get home 'efore Serenity tans m' hide," Joey explained, glancing at the light.

"Well, why don't we give you a ride? I'm sure it will be faster than running," Mokuba offered.

"I doubt your brother would like dat," Joey narrowed his eyes, referring to Seto.

"Oh, he's not here. We went separate ways after school, you know? Come on in!" Mokuba popped open the door. Joey shrugged and slipped in. It saved him from collapsing on the couch later, from pure exhaustion.

Not that he wouldn't collapse when he saw the pile of homework he still had to complete. And immediately after he had shut the door, the light gave them the go. Joey sighed. He was surely jinxed or something.

Joey looked around the limo. It was pretty dang fancy! Though for Joey, many things were really fancy.

But this was the big, "WOW."

"Man, you guys sure live da life!" Joey leaned back in the seat, in awe.

"I guess…" Noa said, shrugging. He didn't really see the big deal about the limo. Then again, this was Joey. Seto had told him the kid was practically in the poor house. However, Seto tended to exaggerate just a little….

There was also the fact that Noa had known nothing else but the best for his whole life. He had gotten everything he wanted in his early years…and was made to be in the best conditions in the Virtual World. Now, he could still have everything he wanted.

But that was beside the point.

"So, Joey, what were you doing out so late?" Mokuba inquired.

"Oh come on, it's not that late," Joey retorted.

"For a school night, I think it might be," Noa said.

"Well…if ya really wanna know, I was tailin' Yug and Tea," he smiled widely, "They seemed to finally be hittin' on each othe'." Mokuba and Noa exchanged glances. That SO wasn't good for their brother's chances at her.

"Somethin' wrong?" Joey asked, noticing their looks. He had temporarily forgotten about their plan to get Seto hooked up with someone. However, he wasn't exactly on the plan that they were hooking him up with Tea. After all, he had just seen Tea being whisked away by Seto, and then he had to stop Yugi from going after her, and seeing her with Seto, thus breaking his heart.

Plus, even though he had been told about Tea and Seto's past, he didn't really know that Seto wanted her back. Tea had left that part out. Of course, it wasn't that hard to infer, however, for Joey…well, almost everything was difficult; especially in the area of common sense (sorry, I don't mean to do and Joey-bashing, or insult him or anything: I'm just telling it as I see it, and what I've read from other people, you know? No offense!) What a twisted world this has become….

"Nope, nothing's wrong," Noa smiled.

"Yeah, we're fine!" Mokuba added.

Soon, they had reached Joey's house, and let him off. Joey greeted them farewell, and ran inside.

As the limo drove off, Mokuba frowned and buried himself further into the seat, "Houston, we have a problem."

"You can say that again," Noa sighed.

"Houston, we have a problem," Mokuba smirked.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Noa retorted.

"I was being serious," Mokuba frowned again.

"I know…but you were also trying to be funny!" Noa implied.

"Was not!

"Was too!"

"Was not!

"Was too!"

"Was not!

"Was too!"

Thus, the conversation was greatly misdirected from the main topic, and began an argument over whether or not Mokuba was being "funny," all the way back to the mansion.


Seto stepped out of his limousine in front of the Kaiba Mansion. He had reached home earlier than his brothers had. They wouldn't be home for another half an hour or so. He shut the limousine door behind him. Seto had immediately gone to Kaiba Corp. after school, not having had to pick up his brothers. The two had had some sort of club or extracurricular activity at the time, so he needed not to pick them up.

Seto was glad his brothers got to do things that he hadn't, as a kid. Sure, between the ages of say…seven and twelve, he had been in a few clubs or sports, but they weren't as intense as the older activities, naturally. After that, everything had gone downhill.

Death.

On your own.

Foster care…

Gozaburo.

His life hadn't been the same ever since. But that was all in the past now…just like his and Tea's relationship. Of course, he didn't want to think this way, but the chances of him getting her back were slim to none. She hadn't shown him anything but coldness and hatred lately, and after the way she had told him off a week ago…let's just say things weren't looking very pretty.

He saw a brown package lying near the door, addressed to him. Seto eyed the tall, yet skinny package warily. He hadn't been expecting anything recently. It didn't even have a return address on it.

He carefully picked it up and brought it inside. Seto set his school items aside, having already completed his homework (not a very hard task for the young man) and proceeded to his office.

He reached the sanctuary and set the brown package at the edge of his desk, and sat down in the swivel chair behind it.

Seto turned on his computer, and while it booted up, he carefully scanned over the box.

Should he open it?

What was it?

Was it a trap of some sort?

You could never know these days…especially in Seto Kaiba's case.

But Seto Kaiba was one to take risks. After all, every behavior involved risks: the risks were just at different levels. Besides…he felt some sort of strong attraction pulling him towards the box. This was even more of an urge to wish to see what was inside. So, he reached over casually and gripped the package, bringing it over to him.

He tore off the brown wrapping, and inside, was a white box. Taped to the box was a note. Seto took up the note and read it:

Kaiba,

It seems that FATE has seen me to be leaving this part of the world. Therefore, I am leaving this to you. Hopefully, you have now realized what an effect the past has had upon your life. I felt that this "Item" belonged more to you, than it did to Yugi Muto. Don't call all this rubbish…it's life: it's FATE. Open the package. I swear you're life will change: if you haven't started seeing a change recently, ever since Battle City.

Marik Ishtar

Seto squinted in disgust and confusion at the notice. What the crap did this mean? Sure, all that stuff about "FATE" had sure been "rubbish," but what was meant by the rest of it. And what did "leaving this part of the world" mean exactly? Was that freak-show going back to Egypt?

Seto exhaled slowly, and tossed the note aside, staring at the package. It was something from Marik Ishtar. The idiot who had ruined Battle City for him…. Should he open it?

Something drew his hand to lift the cover of the box. It was quite a strong magnetism…like he absolutely needed what was inside…or at least to see it.

He lifted the top of the box off, and his eyes widened when he saw what was inside.

Seto Kaiba lightly ran his finger along the gold of the Millennium Rod, and a sharp sting passed through his head. Slowly, his eyes lowered back down to their original width, and turned darker…more cold…more shadowy…more ancient. Seto picked up the Rod and smirked.

At last…he was back.


There you have it! The latest chappie to FFL! Sorry it took so long to get up! It was a mixture of unwillingness and writer's block. You know, originally, this chapter was quite shorter than it is now. Be thankful I re-scanned it before I posted it, adding to the work I did at 7:30-8:30 the night before! Anywho, PLEASE REVIEW! (I know the chapter may not have been all the best, but it will get better! I promise! We're still laying low! PLEASE REVIEW!)