Chapter 19: Story

Kaede drifted in the mist, plummeting head over heels into nothingness, the smoky clouds gobbling her form instantly. She watched the wispy world tumble about her, alone, two large wings always darting out of sight, but completely useless as to saving her tensed body, being chained by the fear.

About half way to the bottom the gray veil opened, exposing a floor of never ending blackness. It was like the night sky tipped upside-down, a new moon, and not a star twinkling inside it. It was a sea of blackened ink, wavering and bubbling, ready to completely take her.

She flapped her wings in panicky beats, but never did they catch any air, and she was only jerked from side to side, staring as the pool stretched closer and closer to her face, until her brow became furrowed about two feet from hitting the liquid, when everything suddenly stopped. Blinking with confusion she slowly reached forward and dipped her index and middle finger into it, creating a ripple affect when she removed them, the darkness coating over them. She rubbed her thumb into her stained fingers, and found the substance very sticky, like hot tar.

As the ripple's continued something the sudden ear shuttering noise made her flinch, and fall side ways onto a hard gray surface with a loud thud. Splayed out she touched the hard surface, not hurt but dumbfounded, until she altered her stance of thinking. This, the solid gray surface, was the ground or floor. The sea of black ink, however was vertical, now, and somehow not spilling out onto the floor. It hung there like a giant wall. A giant stinky wall, like coated with a strange adhesive, she concluded, since she found it tough to separate her fingers after a couple of moments. She quickly wiped it off on her clothes as she rose off the ground, flexing her wings without realizing it as she slowly leaned closer, curiosity flickering through her mind.

She was aware that she was dreaming now. It was clear in a way that wasn't before. It was also clear that something about this was very wrong. She wondered, feeling an icy chill traveling up her spine, why she hadn't seen this earlier. Lightly, she pressed her hand against the surface, feeling it stick and smear underneath her palm.

A loud creak droned for several seconds, making her immediately lift her hand in surprise. Large columns of the goop stretched and drooped toward the floor, making whatever surface underneath slightly clink and groan. She started in puzzlement, ignoring the splattering drips smack against the floor.

After a few moments she bit her lip, and carefully reached into it, figuring the only way to understand it was to examine it. She drove both of her arms in, slowly at first, then quicker, until she was past her elbows and the front of her shirt was covered, half her face pressed into it, when finally her fingers meet something solid and flat. And warm, very warm.

Not burning hot, but warm like standing in the sun wearing all black for too long. She prodded it, stroked it, her curiosity nipping at her more violently. She took a large armful of the dark goo and dropped it onto the floor.

Clawing at it she removed large wads of it, getting spotted in some spots, to enthralled with the puzzle to care, until finally her fingers met a sharp line, which she followed under she found an open gaping trench in it. Slowly she dug around the ditch, until finally she could see the material was actually a fragile type of stone, thin, but with an inner layer or crystal. It was this crystal that kept making the odd clinking noises.

The trench, she found, was actually a large crack in the stone, jagged around the edges, the hole completely filled with the putty-like black stuff. She wondered whether or not if the space, if any, was only holding an ocean of putty, or if the putty was trying to seal up the opening.

The biggest part of the opening was a little larger than the size of a softball. Looking at her blackened hand she debated the risks and decided to do it. If anything went wrong, she could always cover it back up quickly again.

Carefully, Kaede stuffed her fist into the hole, ignoring the surrounding fluid surging and falling onto the floor. For a few moments she felt nothing but the sticky bubblegum like substance until finally she felt the stuff stretch back, and felt open air on her finger tips again. Wonderingly, she curled her hand around some of the stuff and brought it back through the drippy tunnel she had made, pulling her arm back with all her might, until finally the sucking noise ended in a pop.

The sudden blast of hot air made her recoil for a frightened moment, but after few seconds she turned her face back and caught the strong smell of dessert blossoms tickling her nose. Puzzled she emptied out more of the blackness and felt more of the odor wafting in, as she lowered her head and peered-

"It's time to wake up, sleepy head."

Kaede opened her eyes groggily, and found Javas staring at her, as expected. Half asleep she wasn't as edgy or nervous, but dazed and insensitive, and simply stared back at his smiling face with hooded eyes. When he said nothing she slowly rose from the bed, pushing herself up right with her arms, and stretched, sluggishly realizing she was still wearing her clothes from the day before and found she didn't care much.

"Tired last night?" Javas asked. Guess that hadn't gotten past him either.

"Hmm? Yeah, I guess so…" She yawned widely and rose off the bed, and extended her wings to loosen them up, ignoring the throbbing in her back as she stumbled out into the hall, her coat not longer dragging.

She looked at Yami sleeping on the sofa, sleeping not as soundly as the normal person, but not bad enough for her to wake him from his dream. Looking, at T.R however, made her worry.

His eyes were screwed together and his teeth were pressed together lightly, his hands clawing into the couch. He was definitely having one nasty nightmare. She frowned at him, struggling to wake up, as she wondered whether to wake him or not. He needed sleep, but this wasn't restful at all. She watched him for a few moments, the dream getting worse as he started to sweat and growl.

She felt Javas lean over the sofa next to her, looking confused at him. He was more surprised when T.R started to whimper, but did nothing to wake him. Kaede ignored Javas's behavior, not caring to much about what he thought for the first time, and reached out and stroked T.R's hair a bit.

"Shhhh…" She soothed, disregarding Javas's sudden look at her. The old spirit's strained face slowly relaxed to a blank one, nightmare shattered. She removed her hand and continued into the kitchen, grabbing the coffee maker and turning it on. She started to search for the coffee when the Kaiba entered the room and sat at the kitchen table, drumming his fingers on the table. When she glanced at him, she saw a look of confusion, and decided to ask about it when she was more awake.

When she finally found the coffee powder and made one steaming jug of it, she took out two mugs, two spoons, and placed one of each in front of him and across the table.

"I don't drink coffee." He told her matter-of-factly. She filled three-fourths of his mug with the blackened liquid anyway.

"If you put a lot of sugar in it, it'll taste great…" She mumbled as she poured her own. When she had enough she replaced the pot and sat down across the table from him, taking the large creamer and dumping a fourth of it in. Javas watched, a bit worriedly, as she took the sugar jar and took about twenty spoonfuls before she started to mix it all.

"I like my coffee sweet." She told him sleepily, but starting to wake up from the hot smell. Javas eyed his own drink warily, before giving in and taking the creamer.

"…So…" He started, putting a bit into his cup, "I've been thinking…"

"About what?"

"Well, I can't quite figure something out." He started, now moving to the sugar.

"What's that?" She asked, taking the first sip.

"I've noticed you two look a like…are you related?" She blinked her eyes tiredly and thought about his question. Javas stirred his drink and waited patiently for her answer.

"Hmm…I really don't know. 5029 years is a very long time…"

"Wait a minute. You think T.R comes from the time Yami 'claims' he comes from?"

"No, I'm saying they both were alive during the same time period. They actually knew each other." Javas started at her.

"…You believe Yami?" She nodded.

"Yes, I do. T.R told me, when we first met, that he was about 5029 years old, probably older. If he was about sixteen, when Yami was Pharaoh, in the year 5029, that would make him about 5045 years old, actually. Two teenagers in the same era when something big happened. Have you noticed how much T.R hates him?"

"I thought he hated everyone."

"So did I. Actually, he probably does. I've just noticed he despises Yami far more than anyone else. And I think it has to do with a grudge that has lasted that long." She said sorrowfully.

"What makes you think that?"

"…I can't say. It's just a gut feeling I have…" she said. Javas sipped his coffee, recoiled, and pushed the drink away.

"But what, if your theory is correct, could possibly make them hate each other?" Javas asked bluntly. He was being sarcastic, and forgetting who he was talking to. His failing to remember comforted her as she became more and more awake. For the first time in weeks, she felt she was talking to someone like her brother, instead of a sugar-coated lover-boy. It relaxed her.

"Well, T.R calls Yami 'Pharaoh'. About 5029 years ago, an ancient king was ruling, that's what Mr. Mutou said when I first asked him about it. I bet if you go on the internet you won't find that information, believe me, I've tried looking. But what that means, I'm not sure of. It could be nothing, a lie, or something incredibly huge that people have kept hidden for all these years." She sipped her mug a moment before continuing.

"Also, I have also heard T.R called a thief, a burglar, and most importantly a Tomb Robber. If T.R robbed tombs back in ancient Egypt, you can definitely believe any Pharaoh would be pissed and threatened. Remember the Egyptians wanted eternal life, and they believed you needed to preserve the body and give them things for the trip. Tomb Robbers would steal the riches and probably destroy the body, a.k.a, no everlasting life. Needless to say, T.R would have a price on his head, making him hate the Pharaoh… I think."

"You think. You're not even sure?"

"It's just my guess. You got any better?" Javas thought for a moment, jaw tight and scratching his head (what he usually did when he was thinking hard). What she was saying made some sense, he had to admit that, but in his mind it was just so much easier to concluded they were both nuts and be done with it. If he did that now, however, he'd have to say she was crazy.

He didn't like the thought of her being insane. This chat was opening his mind. She was not the pretty girl his eyes sought out far. She had a brain; she had made connections he couldn't have seen, which made her vigilant. Smart and crazy weren't two things that should be mixed, in his book. Despite himself, he decided to believe her, and liked her more by her persuasion.

"No, I don't actually. Your theory wouldn't be even a little credible if you had proof, but right now it's just guess work, speculation about impossible things. But I do believe what you say. Others will not. But you will at least have me."

He smirked and drummed his fingers on the table softer, more gently. Kaede watched his fingers warily, removing her arms from the table and sitting up right from her crouched position. He was trying to allure again, she could see it softening his eyes. She gripped her cup uneasily and recalled Christa's blissful nature when anyone stared at her like this.

Instead, she was terrified. She hadn't a clue what to do with a boy who acted this way. She knew what he wanted, but would never actually give it. In a way she couldn't explain, she wanted to say no but was too scared, like she didn't want to pass up the chance or something. She felt her palms dampen from her nervousness and almost had the cup slip from her hands if she hadn't caught it in mid-air.

"Am I making you nervous?" He asked her in a purring tone, proving he was just as watchful as her when it came to certain things. She quivered slightly and struggled to swallow. She needed to escape, desperately, but found herself nodding slowly.

"You know, most people are nervous around people they're attracted to…I'm very nervous right now…"

She started at him worriedly, now having her phobia reinforced, her suspicions proven true. She would have loved to just die, right now. Just flop back in her chair and be dead so she didn't have to talk, or say anything to invite him to come at her. She watched him lean closer, elbows on the table as he cupped his face with his hands, staring right into her eyes.

"You know, its okay to be nervous, I don't mind. I actually think it's cute." Kaede felt her whole body tense up, her brain going dead. He was getting too close. Far too close. She felt her hands shake and wished that, some one, anyone, would make this situation just go away, as she watched him lean closer to her across the table.

Her wish was granted.

The door opened unexpectedly, making Javas shoot back across the table into his chair, like someone trying not to get caught doing something they weren't suppose to, his face white. When he saw it was only Yami, he sighed in relieve and muttered things under her breath. Yami looked at Javas, then Kaede, then at Javas again and finally stopped by closing his eyes.

"Hmm." Was the only sound he made, breaking the silent moment hanging in the air. Javas waited patiently, knowing full well Yami would leave and he could go back to his business. He began to get angry when Yami didn't move or do anything for the next few moments.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Javas finally asked as sweetly as he could between gritted teeth. Yami opened his eyes at his question and stared at him a moment, just a stare he couldn't piece together, and then directed his attention to Kaede.

"No, Javas. But you can." Kaede blinked. Yami didn't give her time to wonder about it.

"Meet me in the family room in an hour. I suggest you get changed…maybe take a shower to water your wings, and it would be a good idea to cut some holes in your shirt for them too, you can always get some more. Go on now."

Kaede got up and left the room in tiny jerks. Yami watched her placidly as she left the room. When her foot steps were completely faded he turned his cool stare back at Javas for a moment, before taking her seat and folding his hands on the table. Javas started at him wonderingly, trying to figure out if he was angry or waiting for him to ask something. After a few long moments, Yami removed his hands from the table and fished around in his shirt pocket. Javas titled his head to one side, a look of complete bafflement spreading across his face.

Finally the grown man found what he had been looking for, a small white piece of paper. He turned it over and put it on the table, a photograph, and tapped on it. Before Javas knew what he was going, he leaned forward and examined it.

There were a group of people, of kids, all about his age, huddled in the snapshot, all grinning happily. Seven teens, all wearing bathing suits, three brunettes, one white-haired, two tri colored, and one blonde.

He stared wide-eyed at the two black, red, and blonde haired boys, standing in the front, one slightly taller than the over, arms hung over each other's necks, the short one beaming and holding out a peace sign. A tall brown haired girl with short cut hair smiled just as widely, also holding out the same sign. She stood next to a boy with brown hair and the boy with blonde, both hanging off of each other making rabbit ears behind the boys in front, wearing sly grins.

Next to them, to the right, the white haired boy with pale skin smiled calmly at him, holding another brown haired girl lightly by the shoulder. She was smiling too, her arm holding onto the boy around the waist casually. Javas could tell they were a couple. He also could see Kaede's eyes staring back at him from the picture, from the brown long-haired girl.

"That," Yami said, interrupting Javas's buzzing thoughts as he tapped on the shorter tri-colored hair boy, "is Yugi Mutou at the age of sixteen. The boy next to him has only had a body to himself for about two weeks. You will see his face in your father's data base. His face will be the one you will see that defeated Seto Kaiba. But that was before, when both boys were sharing a body. When we were both Yugi Mutou, thinking and doing as one. That is why, there are two puzzles in this picture, when in there should only be one. Do you know why there are now two?"

Javas just stared at him, dumbfounded, and unable to speak.

"That is because; I still cannot exist without the puzzle and a vessel to dwell in. The body I have right now, is only a tool this girl," he pointed to the girl with Kaede's eyes, "made for me; she did the same for this boy," pointing at the white-haired kid, wearing the ring Kaede always did.

"I still need a living person to be directly connected with to live. That white haired boy's name is Bakura, and he too had a spirit in his object, a spirit that had dark intentions. He was freed from being controlled by that girl, and he could enjoy a normal life, for a time. That girl's name was Ryelle. Now, Bakura's spirit was still alive since he was. Ryelle refused to destroy him, so she made him a servant, to do as his family asked and protected them with a magic that was given to her by the earth when she was brought here. That magic is now hereditary. Weaved into her blood. When one of her descendents has what it ever it is that is needed for the magic to bloom, will be pasted to him or her when she would die. This in turn would happen to her successor, the gift being pasted down to one person after another, until that blood line completely stops. When that gift stops, then everything that magic has made will be broken, including the body I have now, and the imprisonment of Bakura's spirit."

Yami stopped a moment, letting all the information seep into the youth's head before continuing his explanation.

"Now, these seven friends, they do what all children do. They grew up. They also went their separate ways, to a point. Bakura and Ryelle married when they were old enough. They had three children. A son and two daughters. The first son and daughter weren't suitable for the magic to thrive in. The youngest daughter, however, was different, and so, that gift was hers to take fully. The two boys in front took on their grandfather's shop when he died. Yugi married the girl with the shortest hair, Tea, and had one son. A son he never sees. The brown haired boy, Tristan, moved out west when he was old enough and got a job as a body guard from some celebratory. The blonde, his name was Joey; he decided to tour the world, deciding to get strong in his dueling skills by dueling around that world. He made money doing all sorts of things and when he had enough quit and moved on. He married an other duelist, her name was Mai, and now they travel together, both wanders. Now, Joey, he had a little sister, her name was Serenity. She was beautiful, and the best sister a guy could have. She grew up and married a rich business man, and had a child of her own. Her husband however, hated her brother, as Joey hated him. That was what partly made Joey travel. And these friends didn't see each other for a very long time.

'During that time, Ryelle had to separate from Bakura, since they didn't want to corrupt their children. Bakura's other spirit had already started talking to the boy, telling him things that also got him into trouble. She left Bakura before their last child was born. And he never got to see his last daughter. He was doomed by his darker half again, and lived sorrowfully on one hope. That when his children got old enough not to follow temptation, that they would return and he could live his life again with his family. He never got his wish.

'His wife died when their youngest was eight. He couldn't even attend the funeral. In Ryelle's Will, it was said to leave the children with her sister, until the youngest was at least thirteen, then they could go back to their father. No one questioned it. So the five years past, until the girl turned thirteen, when they moved back into the city and meet their father. He rejoiced for the first time in a decade, and set down rules for his dark spirit to follow, the thoughts of ways that he could have protected his children had consumed him since his wife had left, so he was ready when his children arrived. The only thing he hadn't thought of was the magic given to his daughter. Being the holder of the Millennium Ring, he had some powers, so he tried everyday to suppress the major sources of her power. It drained him of strength and made him tired often. He asked the taller tri-colored haired boy, me, for help a lot. He could only do so much. Still, there was one thing the girl could not be concealed from was her talent of speech, to speak with the plants. She had that small gift her whole life.

'Now one day, she stumbled upon the ring and wore it. She was also had the gift of being able to be a vessel for the ring, and pasted the test. The father was freed of his prison, only to have his daughter unknowingly take it. After that, some way of another she and the spirit left the house, for reasons I have no knowledge of, but, I am very certain that they meet with Serenity's son, who offered them a haven.

'Around this period, the girl's father was worrying to death about his daughter. He went to the closest of his best friends, but found enemies waiting for him where he would have usually found help. When both of the boys found out, we immediately called for help. And so, right now, the friends are coming back, one-by-one, to find both the daughter and father."

Yami rose from his chair, using the table to help him up, and looked down at the stunned child, leaving the photo for him to inspect, knowing full well he would when he left the room. He strode over to the door, opened it, and paused a moment.

"And if you're wondering, you do get your hair from the blonde in the photo. And your short-temper."

He closed the door behind him.

Book Dragon: "Please Review"