Title: The Dream of Daylight

Part: 1 of ?

Author: Callow

Warnings: AU, fluff, possible citrus-y content and (appearing in this chapter, at least) a worryingly bipolar Jounouchi.

Genre: Romance, fantasy

Pairings: Yami no YuugixYuugi with a side order of Yami no BakuraxBakura

Constructive Criticism: Please.

Disclaimer: I own a cat, but he's not appearing in this fanfiction.

Description: There's a place where daylight's just a dream and the nightmares won't go away. Yugi follows Yami into dreamland, and if he's lucky, they'll both wake up.

CHAPTER THREE

Far above him, Yugi could see Mokuba's face, rapidly becoming nothing more than a tiny pale oval in the darkness.

Around him, all that he could see was writhing blackness. A freezing wind rushed by him; it cut through his clothes and chilled him to his bones. He clenched his eyes shut --

And then the wind stopped, and something soft was brushing the side of his face.

Cautiously, Yugi cracked open one eye.

He was lying sprawled on his back beneath a low bush. A leaf was tickling his face.

For several minutes, he lay completely still, breathing deep and slow. In, out, in…

He closed his eyes. Hopefully, when he opened them again, he'd be in his room. It'd be Sunday morning, and he'd meet Yami and tell him all about this mad dream he'd had. And they'd laugh and go see that movie. Which they wouldn't pay any attention to at all…

No such luck.

He was still lying under the bush; the leaf was still tickling his face. The air was syrupy and warm, and smelled of flowers and rich earth. Beneath him, the grass was silky, dense, and far softer than any grass he'd ever felt before. It would've been very pleasant to lie there, if he wasn't so confused and (if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was, terribly) afraid.

He rolled onto his side, so that he could peer out from under the bush (How did I end up under the bush if I fell) Stretching away into the distance was a vast field, filled with wildflowers of every colour in full bloom, swaying gently in the breeze. They glittered like jewels in the sunshine.

Yugi rolled out from under the bush and stood up, picking leaves out of his hair.

'Where the hell am I?' he said aloud.

He wasn't expecting the answering voice at his ear. 'You're in my sister's garden.' Something sharp prodded the small of his back. He gulped and turned his head, very cautiously, to face the voice.

Standing on his left and a half step behind him was a youth, barely older than himself, as far as he could tell, though much taller. He was wiry and golden skinned; his eyes (a light woody brown) were narrowed dangerously. In his right hand, he clutched the long knife that poked into Yugi's back.

'Don't move,' the boy said, voice lowered to menacing growl. 'Who are you?'

Yugi's mouth felt dry. 'I'm… Yugi Mutou.'

'What are you doing here?' The youth pressed the knifepoint into Yugi's back, just enough to pierce the skin through his shirt. Yugi winced.

'Looking for Jounouchi!' he yelped.

The knife moved, and the youth walked around so that he was face to face with Yugi. He hadn't lowered the knife.

'What do you want with Jounouchi?' he pressed the tip of the knife to Yugi's throat now, just below his chin.

'I-I was told that – that he could help me!'

'Help you what?'

Yugi gulped, the delicate skin of his throat pressing unpleasantly against the knifepoint. 'My friend was taken away – I think,' his voice was higher than usual. 'He's here. I need help to find him.'

Much to Yugi's relief, the youth lowered the knife. But only a little.

'I'm Jounouchi,' he said. He took a menacing step closer to Yugi, leaning down so that they were nose to nose. 'Who told you about me?'

'A kid… Mokuba – he said his name was.'

'Mokuba… Kaiba?' Jounouchi's knuckles tightened around the handle of the knife.

'He – he didn't say his last name,' Yugi licked his lips. Jounouchi didn't seem to ever blink.

'Big for his age, red hair, cheeky grin?'

Yugi's stomach plummeted. 'N-no… he was only average height and he wasn't smiling when he came to me,' he found himself staring at the blade clenched in Jounouchi's fist. '…and… he had black hair…' he said quietly.

'That's right!' Jounouchi tucked the knife into his belt and grinned hugely.

'W-what?'

'That's Mokuba Kaiba, alright,' Jounouchi slung an arm around Yugi's shoulders and ruffled his hair good-naturedly. 'Mokuba's okay. I know his older brother.'

'Y-you do?'

'Yeah,' Jounouchi set off through the field, pulling Yugi along with him. 'He used to come through here all the time. Bit of an ass, to be honest, but he has his moments. Really fond of his little brother.' He stopped suddenly and released Yugi, face suddenly grave. 'Why'd Mokuba tell you to find me? There'd have to be more to this than just your friend going missing if he's decided to get involved.'

'His brother,' Yugi said 'was taken away too… Mokuba seemed to think I could help him.'

'Someone's taken Kaiba?' Jounouchi paled. 'Oh… that's bad.'

'Why?' Yugi grabbed his arm. 'Do you know who took them?' A familiar prickle of cold fear inched down his spine.

Jounouchi nodded. 'Follow me.' He gripped Yugi's sleeve and towed him across the field.

As they walked, the flowers grew taller, larger. Soon, blooms the size of tennis balls were brushing against Yugi's knees, then his chest. And then they were the size of basketballs, and Yugi had to hold his hands in front of his face to shield himself from their leaves and petals. A few more steps, and the flowers were the size of trees: Yugi couldn't see the sky any longer. Only a little sunlight filtered through the leaves. Birds called and twittered; Yugi could only see them as little darting shadows in the gloom. He could hear a river somewhere in the distance.

'I know who took your friend,' Jounouchi said. He'd led Yugi to a clearing amongst the trees. He sat heavily at the foot of a tree (or was it another flower? Yugi couldn't tell), propped against the trunk. 'Sit down,' he made casual gesture with an open hand and watched while Yugi sat, a little stiffly, on the grass. 'Sorry to make you wait. It's not a good idea to talk about some things in the open.'

'Who took Yami?' Yugi leaned forward, palms spread flat on the grass. 'And… why can't we talk in the open…? Wait,' he held up a hand, remembering various fantasy books and movies he'd read, as well as role-playing games he'd played. 'Don't tell me. Whoever it is, they're very powerful and have spies everywhere, right?'

Jounouchi blinked. 'No… well, I guess she could have spies. But I don't think so. I don't think anyone likes her enough to spy for her. She's probably quite powerful, though.'

'Probably…' Yugi shook his head. 'Who is this person, what does she want with Yami, and where do I find her?'

'That's an interesting attitude,' Jounouchi pulled his knife from his belt and held the blade up, turning it so it caught the faint green light. 'I can only tell you who took your friend. I don't know where she is. I don't know exactly what she wants, and I don't want to.

'The woman who took your friend goes by the name of Aranna. She's one of the lesser Queens.'

'Lesser Queens? You mean there's more than one?'

''Course!' Jounouchi stared at him quizzically. 'How many do you have?'

'Never mind,' Yugi shook his head again. He plucked a blade of grass and turned it absently in his fingers. 'If you don't know where I can find this… Aranna, what am I supposed to do? Mokuba said you'd be able to help.' He couldn't help the accusatory note that filtered into his voice.

'I never said I couldn't help,' Jounouchi said evenly. He handed Yugi his knife, hilt first. 'See this design here?' His fingertips brushed over an intricate pattern of curls and waves embossed in ruddy gold. 'It's on all the weapons forged by the nixes. This,' he waved a hand over the knife, 'was made for me by a …well…the guy who made it's not a really a friend. His name's Bakura. My friend is his er… partner, Ryou. I can't take you to Aranna…' he grinned lopsidedly. 'I can't leave my sister's garden for… one reason or another, but I can help you get to Ryou. He'll help.'

'Mokuba said the same thing about you.'

'Hey! I don't have to take you to Ryou. I could just leave you to wander around here until a barghest eats you,' he crossed his arms. 'Mokuba helped you as much as he could by sending you to me, and now I'm you as much as I can. Ryou knows things.'

Yugi ran his fingertips over the pattern on the knife. He could feel Jounouchi's stare burning into him.

'All right,' he said eventually. 'I'll go to see this… Ryou person.'

Jounouchi's crooked grin crept back onto his face. 'Ryou's no person.' He leapt to his feet, so fast that Yugi jumped, almost cutting himself. 'Come on. If the Spider Lady's really got your friend, you'll want to get him back sooner rather than later.'

Still holding Jounouchi's knife, Yugi scrambled to his feet. Jounouchi was already halfway across the clearing, already beginning to negotiate a path through the dark undergrowth. He scurried to catch up, holding the knife as though it was a poisonous snake.

'Wait!'

Jounouchi paused and looked over his shoulder at Yugi.

'Y-your knife?' he said uncertainly, holding it out hilt first.

Saying nothing, Jounouchi took back his knife and tucked it into his belt.

'And…' Yugi looked away, rubbing his upper arm. 'I'm sorry I was… rude… This is just – weird, you know?'

'No, I don't,' Jounouchi said. After a few minutes of silence he continued. 'But I get how you're feeling. If it was my sister or one of my friends I'd be pissed too. Just…' he shifted aside an overhanging branch and started walking again, 'try to trust us, okay?'

Yugi waded through the tall grass in silence. After a while Jounouchi, apparently wanting to put him at his ease, tried to start up a conversation with him.

'So… how long've you known Mokuba?'

'I don't,' Yugi watched as Jounouchi almost tenderly unknotted a tangle of vines and thorny branches. The knife remained tucked firmly into his belt. 'He just… turned up in my living room.'

'Jeez…' Jounouchi pushed aside the last of the vines and led Yugi onto an uneven, but obviously oft-used track. 'I hope you know this friend of yours a little better than that.' Yugi blushed; glad Jounouchi wasn't looking at him. 'Dunno if I'd want to go where you're going for someone I barely know.'

Yugi never got to ask him what he'd meant by that, because at that moment, the trees parted to reveal a vast sea, glittering under an impossibly blue sky. Above the horizon, the sky darkened, and its colour changed to a violent red. Yugi shuddered without knowing why.

'See there?' Jounouchi pointed at the horizon. 'That's where you're headed.'

Yugi glanced to the left, then to the right, and then back again.

'How?' he asked.

'Swim,' Jounouchi said, as though it should have been obvious.

'Swim?' Yugi stared at the water, lapping innocently at the grassy bank. It looked very deep. 'All that way?'

'Yep.'

'But –!'

'Sh,' Jounouchi said, and cupped his hands around his mouth. He took a deep breath and called a series of long, resonating notes out across the sea.

The surface of the water rippled. As the echoes died away, Jounouchi let his hands fall to his sides.

'Wait,' he said, watching the now calm surface of the water.

'For wh –' Suddenly, the water at Jounouchi's feet began to boil and froth. Yugi gasped and resisted the urge to take a half step backward. 'What the…?'

'Bakura,' said Jounouchi simply.

Before Yugi could ask more, a pale head crowned in equally pale hair burst above the bubbling water; a man tossing back a long plait, bound in place with a series of glistening silver bands.

'Bakura,' Jounouchi said again, this time in greeting.

'Jounouchi,' Bakura said, inclining his head curtly. His eyes shifted to Yugi. 'What's this?'

'This is Yugi,' Jounouchi grabbed his elbow and hauled him forward. He stumbled and landed on his knees at the water's edge, almost nose to nose with Bakura. 'He's looking for his friend.'

'So?' Bakura raised an eyebrow, running a calculating eye up and down Yugi, taking in everything from his delicate build to his rumpled clothing. He sniffed, apparently unimpressed.

'So his friend was taken by the Spider Lady.'

Only a brief flicker in Bakura's eyes gave away any interest on his part.

'Oh?' he said coolly.

'Don't fuck around,' Jounouchi said brusquely. 'He needs to see Ryou. All you've got to do is show him the way.' He stopped a made a noise somewhere between a sigh and a growl. 'I'll owe you one.'

'You already owe me for the knife,' he swam closer to the bank where the water was shallower. Water cascaded from his bare shoulders as he stood waist-deep. 'I'll take him to Ryou. I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't.' He stared, stone-faced, at Yugi. 'But you'll owe me.'

'F-fine,' Yugi hated the quaver in his voice, but Bakura's stare was intimidating. Something occurred to him. 'Where is Ryou? I… don't see any islands or boats or anything…'

'Under the water,' Bakura said.

'Under --!'

'Well,' Jounouchi said, grasping Yugi's hand briefly in farewell. 'It was good to meet you.' He grinned. 'Hope I see you and your friend back here soon. Promise I won't pull a knife on you next time.'

'But –'

'Come on,' Bakura grabbed his arm and hauled him into the water.

Caught off guard, Yugi's head slipped below the surface, water filling his mouth and nose. He shot to his feet, spluttering and choking. When he could see again, Jounouchi had vanished, and Bakura was calmly disentangling one of the silver bands from his hair.

'Here,' he thrust the band at Yugi.

'Why…?' Yugi turned it over in his fingers. It was thin and smooth, cool to the touch. Instead of warming beneath his fingertips, the chill of the metal seemed to seep into his fingertips. The cool of the metal wound through the veins and capillaries in his fingers and hands. It tingled, though not unpleasantly.

'Do you want to drown?' Bakura asked. 'Put it on.'

Yugi slid the band onto his wrist, like a bracelet. Now he could feel the strange tingling chill spreading up his arm, across his shoulders… He gasped when it hit his chest and flowed into his lungs.

'Ready?'

'I – yes,' he croaked.

Bakura nodded once, curtly. Then, without another word, he disappeared into the depths of the sea.

There was nothing else for Yugi to do but follow.