Chapter 3 – Return of a rival

Yami stirred as a soft hand stroking his face roused him from sleep. Something warm and damp was moving over his eyes. He could feel that the lids were looser than they had been yesterday. He allowed the fingers dealing the dampness to carry on for a few minutes enjoying the touch that was soft and so gentle. He opened his eyes slightly.

"Hello sleepyhead." Said a voice that he knew very well.

"Mmm." He said through parched lips. His throat and mouth felt like a dessert again.

The damp caressing fingers worked their way into his mouth wetting the inside with drops of water, before removing themselves and returning with more water, which the owner of the fingers ran round the inside of his mouth making it wetter.

The former pharaoh sucked on the fingers a little savouring the water and after a few minutes he began to feel better.

He opened his eyes and looked up right into the eyes of the only one her had ever loved.

"Yugi." He said and the one above him smiled.

"How are you feeling?" inquired Yugi and then berated himself for such a corny question.

"I don't know." Said Yami, "I feel like I haven't moved for a long time."

"Yes five thousand years to be precise." Yugi smiled. "You are restored to your original body from your days as pharaoh."

"I am? How?" His body? He had his own body? Yami was amazed. Yugi continued.

"I discovered a ritual in an ancient manuscript and had to try it – I had to bring you back somehow even if it cost me my life trying."

"Your own life?" Yami stared at his light. 'he would have died just for a chance to bring me back.' He thought. "What did the ritual involve?" He asked out loud.

"I had to use the dagger from your tomb."

Yami remembered the dagger. Vicious object it was being pointed at both ends and used for ritual sacrifices.

"That dagger. You mean?"

"Yes the ritual required the blood of one whom the other loves to feed the body and draw back the soul."

Yami looked up at his light able to see him better now his eyes were properly opened.

"You look older, how long has it been?"

"Ten years."

"Ten years?"

"Yes, but had it taken me 50 years I would never have given up my aribou. I searched the earth for a way to bring you back."

If Yami had had any spare liquid in his body he was sure, tears would have appeared in his eyes at those words, instead he smiled.

"I'd say I've missed you except it only seems like yesterday since I last saw you."

"I wondered whether that would be the case. I'm just glad to see and hear you again. I'd forgotten just how much I love your voice and I feared it would never happen.

Yami began to move around on the table top and tried to move his arms and legs. He found he could lift his arms but his legs wouldn't budge.

"Ahh I can't move my legs Yugi."

"Well your body needs time to get back to working order, you can't expect to be dancing around in a body that hasn't moved for five millennia can you?"

Yami chuckled,

"You're right, I shall have to be patient." He lifted his arms up and saw the bandages. "I must be the first mummy that's been brought back to life. Those mummies you fought when Anubis made a comeback would be jealous!"

Yugi giggled and then shuddered as he recalled his time trapped in the millennium puzzle while Yami nearly died during a duel with Kaiba.

"Do you still duel aribou?"

"I haven't in ten years, it just wasn't the same with you gone. We're a legend you know. I did bring our deck with me in case you wanted to see it again."

Yami grinned.

"A legend eh? Well maybe we can brush up on our duelling skills again and show then what a real duellist is made of! Speaking of duellists, have you seen Kaiba?"

"Not since you vanished – he vanished himself. There was a big search ordered by Mokuba but no trace was found of him."

"What happened to Mokuba?"

"He lives in the mansion as far as I know surrounded by photos of his brother and sees no one. I did try going to see him to see if I could help but he didn't want to know. I felt sorry for him because I knew what he was going through – though I didn't tell him why I just said I missed you like a brother."

Yami reached up and stroked Yugi's face and he leaned into it before moving his head down and placing a kiss on Yami's lips and then standing up again.

"I've missed you so much." He breathed. "I waited so long for that."

"Then let's make it really worth it." Said Yami and he reached up sliding his hand round Yugi's neck and drawing him in for a deep and passionate kiss.

Yugi groaned into the kiss and ran his hands through Yami's tri-coloured hair loving the feel of it through his fingers. The kiss lasted a long time until they were interrupted by a cough.

They reluctantly broke apart and looked to see Ishizu smiling at them.

"You're feeling better I see my pharaoh." She said. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we have a long drive back to the hotel and we should leave as soon as possible."

Yugi sighed not wanting to break the moment but he knew she was right.

"I'll have to carry you." He said to Yami and the former pharaoh nodded not really minding being carried by his aribou he rather liked the idea of being in his arms.

"We should return these to the casket." He said indicating the millennium items.

Ishizu nodded and gathered up the tray with the six remaining items on it after Yugi had retrieved his puzzle and returned it to it's place round his neck.

"I left this in pieces until the other day, it feels good to wear it again."

"You wouldn't be the same without it." Smiled Yami.

Yugi went to fetch a blanket and when he returned began to remove all the bandages from Yami's body. This made shivers run down his spine as he worked his way down but he was wary of Ishizu returning so he covered Yami up with the blanket and removed the rest. Carefully he wrapped Yami in the blanket and lifted him into his arms.

"You okay?"

"I am now." Yami smiled and rested his head on Yugi's chest. Yugi held his dark close to him. He felt so comfortable and was fully worth the pain that was still in his stomach. He shifted Yami a bit and pain stabbed at the wound.

"Aahh." He groaned and winced. Yami looked at him sharply.

"Yugi what's wrong?"

"I had to stab my stomach to feed blood to your body and I guess Ishizu's healing didn't heal it completely."

"Put me down, I'll make my legs work!"

"No, I'll be fine – really"

Yami knew he couldn't really walk no matter how much he wanted to he still felt so weak.

"Alright if you're sure."

"I'm sure."

Ishizu came back having sealed the millenium items back in the room inside the casket where they would be safe.

"Let's go." She said and Yugi followed her out of the room cradling Yami in his arms. It felt so right and he felt completely happy at this moment. His dark was back with him and had his own body so now they could express their love in ways they never could before.

They emerged into sunlight, which temporarily blinded them especially Yami who cried out in pain as his eyes couldn't cope with it. He turned his face into Yugi's chest to hide from the sun and Yugi held him tighter as his own eyes tried to get used to the light.

"YUGI MOUTO!" shouted a voice and Yugi dimly saw a figure walking towards him and thought he recognised the voice.

"I've waited ten years for this moment Yugi." Then Yugi knew who it was.

"Seto Kaiba! I thought you vanished?"

"You thought wrong Yugi, you see I researched your pharaoh and found out all about him and the millennium items. I have been watching you from a hidden location and know all about you and your little friend there. Looks a bit weak doesn't he? I'm not surprised after five thousand years! And it's no wonder you kept defeating me when you had extra help you cheating slimeball! I also know you haven't duelled in ten years and will be well out of practice."

"You're wrong Kaiba, I never cheated. The pharaoh's soul is part of me, my dark side – he emerges to duel because Duel Monsters is a dark game."

"Don't give me that crap Yugi, I have waited for this time – knowing you would eventually find a way to bring your pharaoh back and this time he won't be able to help you! Amateur."

"Kaiba I don't have time for your pathetic revenge games! Please let us be on our way. We can do this at a later date."

"Sorry Yugi that's not possible. You see I can't let you leave here as I need her to open the sealed tomb and give me the millennium items. They will be mine and I will own their power! Then I will regain my title of the world's greatest duellist and the 'Great Yugi' will be nothing more than a memory."

"Kaiba STOP this is insane! You have no idea how powerful those items are. And why have you hidden yourself away for ten years? What about Mokuba?"

Kaiba's face clouded.

"It was necessary, I couldn't let you know I was still around and watching you in case you abandoned your search for the pharaoh's tomb – I needed you to show me exactly where it was so I could claim the items – I was hoping to reach here before you performed your ritual and revived the pharaoh. I wanted to take that away from you – make you suffer as I have suffered. As for Mokuba, he loves me as a brother and will stick by me no matter what"

Yugi was enraged. How dare he even think such a thing? And how could he do such a thing to his own little brother who thought the world of him? 'Does he hate me so much?' He knew the answer to that.

"I don't have a Duel Disk." Poor excuse he knew but he was stalling for time so he could think up a plan.

"I brought a spare" Kaiba smirked. "I trust you have your deck, if not I took the liberty of…"

"I brought my deck." Growled Yugi. He looked down at Yami who was still hiding his face from the sun.

"I have to do this, I cannot allow Kaiba to get those items."

Yami nodded and Yugi walked over to where there was a shaded spot in between some rocks. There he laid Yami down gently.

"Ishizu please stay with him." Said Yugi and he winced from the pain in his wound again.

"That paining you?" Ishizu was looking worried.

"A little but I'll be okay. I have to win this duel." His face set, Yugi got up and walked to stand opposite Kaiba who threw him a duel disk. Yugi put it on and activated it.

From their places, Yami and Ishizu watched worry plain in their expressions. 'You can do this Yugi.' Yami silently urged.

Yugi and Kaiba stepped up into duelling positions after cutting their decks.

"LET'S DUEL!"