NEW AN: I'm back with chapter two's revised form. This chapter deviates from the original version far more than chapter one's revision does, but the plot doesn't really change. Some things that were originally in chapter two will be moved to chapter three, though.

This version of the chapter is more descriptive and dramatic than the original one, I think, and hopefully more interesting. It is is the start of the actual plot, after all.

Also, like in chapter one, Yuugi's link will be in italics and Yami's will be in bold italics. I'll eventually get it uploaded to my domain with the usual slashes for their link, but I haven't yet.

So, I hope you enjoy chapter two.

Eien; part 2
by: Amiasha

Yuugi ran back to the Game Shop, splashing through the puddles on the sidewalk as he did so. He giggled, holding his bag over his head as he ran. The rain had started while he was in school, and had now become something of a downpour.

-Aibou!- Yami shouted mentally, sounding annoyed and slightly anxious.

Yuugi giggled again. He would have been concerned by the tone of the spirit's voice if he didn't already know what the other teen was upset about. Whenever Yami formed his own body temporarily, or even just came out of the Puzzle in his spectral form, he copied Yuugi's condition. If Yuugi was wet, he'd be wet, and the spirit wasn't looking forward to it.

-Aibou...- Yami whined again, now sounding more like a little kid asking for something. -Stop getting wet...-

-It's not like you'll melt, mou hitori no boku.- Yuugi responded, sighing with a smile on his face. He got a mental scowl from the spirit, snickered, and took the last few steps to the gameshop. He unlocked the door and went inside, relocking the door behind him and smirking when Yami materialized in his semi-transparent form, sopping wet as expected and looking very put out.

"It's not funny, aibou." Yami commented with a pout, that sent Yuugi into a fit of giggles.

A loud scrabbling noise caught their attention, causing them both to look towards the arch that lead from the shop to the living room which Mafdet came shooting out of, leaping onto the counter and sliding all the way across it before falling off the side. She blinked and sat down, beginning to wash her face, and pretending as if the entire thing was intentional.

Both boys looked at her for a moment before starting to laugh, thoroughly offending the kitten who strode off back into the living room, her tail held up in a lazy question mark.

Yuugi managed to quell his giggling long enough to notice a note taped to the counter. He wandered over to it, pulling the tape away and lifting the piece of paper. Yami followed him a moment later, leaning to look over the other boy's shoulder to read.

Yuugi,

I had to go out on an errand and I'll be back in a few hours. Could you or Yami watch the shop while I'm gone?

-Jiichan
P.S. - Mafdet shredded another booster pack. You owe me five hundred yen, Yami.

Yami sweatdropped and Yuugi began to giggle again. The spirit sighed loudly, stalking off in the direction of the kitchen to wring out his soaked hair. Yuugi jumped up to sit on the counter, pulling some papers from his school bag.

Yami returned a minute later with only slightly dryer hair, and looked up at his aibou who was shuffling through the wad of papers he'd retrieved. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find the results of that math quiz today." He responded, finally stopping on a crumpled, slightly damp paper. His eyes lit up. "80 percent!"

"Isn't that a record for you?" Yami asked with a smirk, causing Yuugi to return the expression and flip his hair, sending water at the spirit.

"You're so mean. But yes." Yuugi responded, returning to looking at his test. He then glanced up at the clock and sighed. "We need to open the shop. Mou hitori no boku? Could you do me a favor and watch it today? I really want to take a nap."

Yami's expression changed to one of guilt and Yuugi mentally facepalmed. "I'm sorry aibou; you must be tired from being up last night..."

"No, that's not it, mou hitori no boku." Yuugi replied, sliding off the counter and putting his hands on the spirit's shoulders. "Really. I'm just a little tired and I usually am after school, you know that. It had nothing to do with being awake last night. Please don't feel bad."

Yami nodded, still looking slightly forlorn, but got over it when Yuugi smiled and hugged him before the boy swapped their places and put Yami in charge of their shared body, Yuugi appearing a moment later in the slightly transparent form Yami had been in just before. "You'll need to get dry and change before you open the shop, Yami." Yuugi reminded the spirit. "Jiichan will have a fit otherwise, and so will I. I'm going to go back into my soul room now, if you're okay."

Yami nodded at him, smiling. "Of course, aibou. Sleep well."

Yuugi smiled too and disappeared, leaving Yami alone in the shop. He glanced at the clock again before going upstairs and entering Yuugi's room to find dry clothes and a towel. A few minutes later he reentered the shop, no longer soaked but with slightly frazzled hair from the haphazard towel drying of it. He snickered a bit and ran his fingers through it, trying to make himself look slightly more presentable and knowing Yuugi would have scolded him for not making sure it was entirely dry if he hadn't been asleep.

Finally having gotten his hair somewhat into order, Yami walked to the front door and unlocked it, flipping over the 'closed' sign to 'open'. He sighed slightly as he saw it was still pouring outside, before wandering back over to the counter. Chances were no one would show up in this weather, so it was going to be a very drowsy evening until Sugoroku returned or Yuugi woke up from his nap.

He flopped down onto the stool behind the counter, resting his chin on his hands. Mafdet returned from the living room, jumping back onto the counter only slightly more gracefully than before and beginning to rub her face on the spirit's cheek. Yami smiled, picking her up and setting her in his lap to be pet as the kitten yawned and curled up almost immediately, purring away as she fell asleep in record time. That was, after all, what kittens do.

The spirit's attention was quickly drawn from the cat when he heard the door of the shop open. A tall man in a heavy hooded coat entered, not appearing to notice Yami and seeming far more interested in thevarious duel monsters displays. Yami watched him warily, feeling uneasy and opting not to greet him as he was supposed to for people entering the shop.

Suddenly, Mafdet reawakened, jumping onto the counter. Much to Yami's shock, considering the kitten was always sociable, she stood her fur on end and laid her ears back, hissing loudly at the man.

The man jumped in surprise and turned, freezing in place as he laid eyes on Yami. Yami felt his breath catch; something was very off about this customer. The spirit stood slowly, eyes still fixed on the man's strangely red ones.

The stranger began to walk forward, towards the counter. Mafdet's hissing grew louder and Yami began to back away, feeling his stomach knot in fear as warning bells went off in his head. He didn't want to wake Yuugi but he felt the situation called for it and immediately tapped into their link, trying to keeps his voice calm so as not to worry the other boy.

-Aibou?- The spirit asked, trying to balance his awareness between the physical world and the mental one in order to both communicate with Yuugi and keep watch of the strange man.

-...Mou hitori no boku?- Yuugi asked after a moment, sounding like he needed coffee. -What's wrong?-

Yami didn't answer him, backing away until he hit the wall as the man walked around the corner of the counter and continued towards him. Yami swallowed and began to activate the Puzzle, though his ability to start penalty games had been a unreliable for a long while now.

As the man drew within a few feet of Yami, Mafdet suddenly launched herself from the counter and onto his head. He shouted in surprise and grabbed the cat, tossing her lightly to the side, and turning back towards Yami. The spirit took the momentary distraction to try to get past the man, but he was stopped by a strong arm blocking his path and knocking him back into the wall and subsequently to the floor.

-Mou hitori no boku! What's going on?- Yuugi's worried voice came through the link again, this time louder and more awake. The spirit felt Yuugi's presence come forward enough to look out his eyes and the boy's surprise and confusion filtered towards him through the link.

Yami looked up at the man who'd produced a in intricate and decorative looking staff from his coat. It was about the same height as the spirit if not taller, made of twisted wood wrapped with what seemed to be thick, golden wire that secured a large, ruby colored glass orb to the top. The man pointed it down at Yami, the spirit feeling magic begin to crackle in anticipation of a spell. Yami prayed that the Puzzle was working and held out his hand, the gold eye appearing on his forehead.

His spell went off at the same as the man's and they collided. A pulsing, magenta orb of magic appeared between them, almost lazily beginning to expand. Yami stared at it in shock for a moment, as did his opponent, before the man turned and ran for the door. Yami was imilarily inclined, but the fact that the rapidly expanding orb was blocking his path he did the only other thing he could do and covered his head, hoping his kitten was alright and had escaped back into the living room, just as the orb violently exploded.

Yami knocked his head hard against the wall from the force and slumped to the ground, very dazed and only vaguely aware of many loud crashing noises that followed all at once. He groaned and rolled over onto his back, putting his arms over his eyes to block out the light that had suddenly become too glaring.

-Mou hitori no boku!- Yuugi sounded panicked through the link, materializing a few moments later by his dark's side and leaning over him. -Mou hitori no boku! Are you alright?- The spirit didn't respond and Yuugi tried hard to stay calm, carefully taking his other's hands and pulling them away from his eyes. -Mou hitori no boku, look at me, please. You're scaring me.-

Yami's eyes opened slightly as the spirit squinted at Yuugi. He gently tugged his hands free of Yuugi's and slowly sat up with his other's help. "I'm alright, aibou." He murmered, giving the other boy a weak smile before reaching a hand up to touch the back of his head. He winced when he touched it, but it was only sore and not a serious injury.

Yuugi sighed in relief. "You freaked me out." He said, sitting back on the carpet. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Yami nodded, looking around. It seemed, from what he could see and hear, that they were again alone in the shop. The strange man must have run out when the spells misfired. Yami glanced around again, seeing that quite a few shelves and displays had been knocked over and scattered, no doubt the crashes from before, but then spotted what else he'd been looking for. Mafdet slinked around the corner from the living room, looking a bit disheveled but otherwise unharmed.

"Who was that, mou hitori no boku?" Yuugi asked, as the kitten trotted over and rubbed against Yami's hand to prompt the spirit to pet her.

Yami did as Mafdet wanted, before looking back up at Yuugi. "I really don't know. I mean, something about him seemed familiar, but otherwise..." He gave a tiny laugh. "I was actually too busy being terrified." He admitted, attempting to get to his feet. Yuugi shot up also, steadying the spirit though Yami seemed to be alright.

Yami slowly made his way around the counter, careful not to trip over any of the scattered items on the floor, and reached the door of the shop which was standing slightly ajar. He leaned out, looking back and forth in the rain, but saw and head nothing but the usual traffic on the streets and the sound of the storm itself. He shivered, leaning back into the shop and shutting the door. Yuugi, who was right behind him, put a hand on his shoulder. "I think you should close the shop, mou hitori no boku. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked again, concerned by the spirit's slow reactions and shakey movement.

Yami nodded at his other, before turning back to lock the door and flip the sign to closed. He leaned against the door for a moment, looking exhausted.

"Okay, swap." Yuugi said finally. "You need to rest. Once we've swapped and I get into the living room, seperate and hang out on the couch."

Yami nodded and changed positions with Yuugi, disappearing into his soul room as Yuugi took over. A few minutes later he concentrated, creating the solid form for himself that he'd learned how to make a few months earlier. There were limitations, the main one being that he couldn't spend extended periods of time in a seperate body, but for short periods of time he was fine. And this would allow both he and Yuugi interact with others at the same time without having to speak for each other or rapidly switch who was in control.

He stretched out on the couch, letting one arm hang over the side and the other rest on his stomach. Mafdet joined him a moment later, flopping down on his chest and yawning widely. Yuugi chewed on his lip, looking down at the spirit who slowly met his gaze. "What?"

Yuugi shook his head. "Nothing; I'm going to get something to drink for you." He said, turning to go around the couch to get to the kitchen. He didn't get far however before the spirit shot upright, scaring the cat. It took Yuugi a moment to figure out what was wrong, but then he heard the sound of the doorknob turning from the shop. However, he quickly identified the sound as a key turning, not just the knob, and tried to reassure the spirit. "Mou hitori no boku, it's okay. It must be jiichan."

Yami looked slightly embarassed, and a few minutes later Sugoroku entered the room, looking confused. "Boys? What happened to the shop; it's a mess. And why is it closed?" He asked, before he took a good look at the two and noticed how disheveled his older grandson looked. "Yami? What happened?"

Yami shook his head. "Nothing." He murmed. "And I'll fix the mess in just a few moments; I didn't mean to-"

Sugoroku cut him off by waving his hand. "Forget about the mess, Yami. I don't care about it, really. And don't lie to me, either. What actually happened?"

Yami just stared at the floor, and Yuugi was getting concerned again. The spirit seemed to still be a bit shocked from the events earlier. Something about it had really bothered him; more so than their many other encounters with people out to harm them in some way.

Sugoroku was trying to figure out what to do next, still not quite able to read the spirit's reactions correctly and trying to figure out what was wrong with the boy. "Yami, please." He said. "I'm not angry with you about the shop. I just want to know what happened."

Yami looked up and Sugoroku did a mental victory dance; it seemed he'd guessed right. The spirit sighed. "Shortly after I opened the shop, someone entered. Mafdet became bothered and she started hissing at him, and once he noticed me he seemed to recognize me. He cast a spell at me and I did the same towards him, but something went wrong and there was an explosion. That was what knocked over the shelves."

"Are you alright?" The older man asked, coming forward to peer critically at the spirit in search of any visible injuries.

Yami gave a small smile, though he was getting slightly annoyed by the constant repetition of the question. "I'm fine, jiichan. Really."

Sugoroku seemed unconvinced, and looked at Yuugi who shrugged and sat down next to the spirit. Mafdet, who'd gotten over the great insult dealt to her by Yami sitting up while she was trying to sleep on him, returned to the couch to swipe at Yuugi's bangs.

"Well, what do you think this one's after?" Sugoroku asked with a small smirk. "Millennium Items? God cards? Your violent, horrible death?"

Yami and Yuugi both giggled, realizing how incredibly pathetic and strange it was that this was commonplace for them. "Possibly all three." Yami finally said, looking slightly more cheerful than before.

"Well, I'll make sure to dig out one of my old guns." Sugoroku commented, still smirking. He then looked at the two again. "Do you think you should tell your friends about this?"

Yuugi exchanged glances with Yami, who sighed and shrugged. "It's your choice, aibou."

Yuugi considered it for a few minutes. "I think it was probably luck on his part that he found you... The others are probably safe for now, but I'm worried. If they aren't, then... I think we should warn them not to open their doors for any stange guys with red eyes, then have them all meet us tomorrow to discuss what do to."

Sugoroku nodded. "It's late and raining, anyway. Gathering tomorrow would probably be best. As long, of course, as you don't expect him to return tonight."

"We'll be ready for him, if he does." Yuugi responded confidently. He then smirked a bit evilly. "And if he does, you'll get a chance to shoot him."

Sugoroku clapped his hands together happily, earning a smile from Yami and giggles from Yuugi. "Well, I think what we need now is some dinner. Let's go find something that looks good to make."

Yuugi cheered and got to his feet, turning and helping the spirit up. Yami seemed to have recovered, much to Yuugi's relief, as he wasn't wavering when he stood and he'd lost the slightly pallid look he'd had before. They followed Sugoroku into the kitchen, and Yuugi took the opportunity to contact his other through their link.

-Mou hitori no boku?-

-Mm?- Yami responded, looking over at him. -Before you ask, yes. I'm fine.-

Yuugi laughed mentally. -Okay, I won't ask then.- He grew serious. -But... I'm sorry, mou hitori no boku.-

Yami blinked at him in surprise. -What? Why? You didn't do anything to me.-

-I was really supposed to be the one watching the shop.- He explained, sighing. -If I hadn't asked you to, nothing would have happened to you.-

Yami leaning to touch his forehead to Yuugi's. -That's not really true. I would have taken over. I'm supposed to be the one protecting you, remember?-

Yuugi sighed, but smiled. -Yeah. But I think it's about time I start returning the favor.-

Yami smiled back at him. -You don't need to. If anything happened to you I would stress and get an ulcer and that's not what you want, is it?-

Yuugi laughed and straightened back up. -No, not really.-

"Hey, boys." Sugoroku called from the other side of the kitchen, with a slightly evil grin. "If you two don't get over here and help me choose dinner I'm going to make a decision for you."

The two sweatdropped, but wandered over to help their grandfather. And to note to later hide the large package of anchovies Sugoroku seemed particularly enamored with.