Disclaimer: I don't own Yuugioh, but I bet I'd be much less of a recluse if I did.
Once again, I am euphoric in receiving my reviews and wishing there was a way that I could personally thank you all. But, alas, the new rules strip us authors and authoresses of that happy power.
And now I'd just like to add… God bless the CDs in my music case, for they are the tools I use to get in to my stories and make it sound real/believable. Or perhaps I'm imagining things.
And instead of being torn in two about if Atemu's name is Atemu or Atem, I'm just going to say that his name is Atemu but his friends call him Atem as a nickname because two syllables is so much easier to pull of then three.
Under Pressure
Rescue Missions and the Shadow Guardian
Joey was lead away from his friends. He followed the dank pathway, with only one Water Sprite holding on to his chains. They were underground. There was no light except for a weak lantern carried by the Sprite. There was a faint dripping noise echoing from the darkness.
He contemplated spinning around and taking out the Sprite; it wouldn't be very difficult. But where would he go? He would never find his way back to the palace… Aura had taken them too far away, damn her. And if by some lucky fluke that he managed to get back, what would Yuugi say if he came back empty handed? No Pure Shadows… no nothing.
Joey hung his head. Poor Atem…. Joey's mind forced back the image of Atemu thrashing and moaning in the infirmary.
"I can't believe I let Atemu down like this…" Joey whispered. "He's never let me down…"
The Sprite stopped, almost tripping Joey. Joey turned around and saw that his jailer was a female. She looked almost human except for her gills and longer claws. She had very large silver eyes and long silver hair.
"Hey! Why'd you go and do that for?" Joey snapped.
"You want to save your friend?" The Sprite asked quietly.
"What does it matter to you? You're working for people who want to kill him!" Joey snarled.
"No!" The Sprite said, motioning for Joey to keep his voice down. "I am loyal to the Empress. And the Emperor! Everyone in my family have been warriors for the monarch and I am no different!"
"Yeah right, why should I believe you?" Joey grunted.
The Sprite smiled and took out her keys and unlocked Joey's shackles. "Proof enough?" She asked.
Joey stared at her. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Calypso." She said.
"Well, Calypso, I'm in no position to be picky, so I guess I can trust you." Joey said. "What's your plan for getting out of here?"
Calypso looked inquiringly at Joey. "We can't leave. Not yet. We have to get your friend's antidote. The Emperor is in grave danger and-"
"Aura said there wasn't an antidote." Joey said.
"And you still what that traitor says?" Calypso asked, nonchalantly.
"Well I did, right up until you said that." Joey muttered.
Calypso gave him a reassuring smile. "Aura and Dimys have the antidote but it's very heavily guarded." She glanced at Joey. "Which means the possibility of us muscling our way through is slim to none."
"But… you have a plan?" Joey asked hopefully.
"Of course I do. But it's going to be risky with just the two of us. That's why-"
"You mean we don't have… any allies on our side?" Joey interrupted.
"That's why we have to go get my brothers and sister. They'll help us." Calypso continued, walking back up the path. "Come on, we don't have much time."
-
- - -
-
"Atemu! ATEMU!" Yuugi screamed.
Atemu was silent, his eyes glazed over and staring blankly at the ceiling. He didn't move; he had stopped thrashing and twitching and now seemed to have no energy left.
Yuugi let out a sob and scooped up Atemu in an embrace. He clutched Atemu just as he did in the vision he and Typhoon had seen and wept uncontrollably, his tears landing on Atemu's cheeks. Mr. Mutou gestured to Typhoon and they stepped out of the room, into the dark corridor. Mr. Mutou winced, still hearing his grandson's despairing sobs.
"Oh!" Typhoon cried, sinking to her knees. "This is all my fault! If I hadn't brought Atemu here Dimys never would have gotten to him and he'd still be well!"
Mr. Mutou watched Typhoon and felt like breaking down and crying as well. But he knew he couldn't. He knew he had to stay strong for Yuugi and Typhoon… and Atemu.
"Typhoon… Joey said that Aura told them you killed off innocent villagers and had a terrible temper." Mr. Mutou said, trying to take his mind off Atemu.
"I… what?" Typhoon asked, turning to look at Mr. Mutou. "I don't kill off innocent villagers! Dimys started doing that when she didn't become Crown Princess!"
"But Aura said-"
"I know what Aura said, but why would she say it?" Typhoon cried. She looked around as if hoping the answer would jump out of the shadows. Then her eyes became wide and she looked at Mr. Mutou. "Maybe..."
"Do you have an idea?" Mr. Mutou coaxed.
"Aura… wouldn't be helping… Dimys... Would she?"
Mr. Mutou frowned. He looked toward the infirmary door. "Do you and Aura get along?"
"I thought we got along fine." Typhoon muttered. "But…"
"But what?"
"She did seem pretty frustrated with my wanting to marry Atemu… you don't think…?" Typhoon's voice trailed off.
"I don't think what?" Mr. Mutou snapped. "That she is jealous? Of course she is." He looked livid. "That spoiled little brat!" He cried.
Typhoon gasped. "Atemu's friends! They're all with Aura! Oh no…"
"Then we'll just have to go get them, won't we?" Mr. Mutou said, helping Typhoon to her feet.
"Oh! My most loyal warrior, Calypso, is with them! They should be safe as long as she's with them." Typhoon said.
"That's good! And we know all of the Sprites that went with Aura are loyal to the monarch as well because they went with Aura thinking they were helping find an antidote for their Future Emperor." Mr. Mutou exclaimed.
Yuugi bolted out of the infirmary suddenly. He looked terrified of something and clutched his grandfather tightly, trembling furiously.
"There's something… coming!" Yuugi gasped, looking into his grandfather's eyes. "It's like a big shadow! Coming out of the wall, I swear! It seems light, though, not scary, and I don't even know if that makes sense."
Typhoon put her hand on Yuugi's shoulder kindly. "That's not possible. What you're describing does make sense but it's not possible. You see, you're talking about Pure Shadows. And they don't show themselves to anyone other then the Shadow Guardian and those with close ties to the Guardian and pure hearts." She shook her head. "But the Shadow Guardian is dead and she's been dead for years."
"She? The Shadow Guardian was a girl?" Mr. Mutou said.
"Yes, you see, every time a new Guardian is chosen, it is always the opposite gender of the previous Guardian." Typhoon said, looking toward the infirmary door with interest.
Yuugi stared at Typhoon, bewildered. " What's happening with… Atemu… he's not a Shadow Guardian!"
Mr. Mutou stared at both of the teens. "There's only one way to find out, you know."
-
- - -
-
Atemu- - -
I am no more… it's only a matter of time before my body dies…
"Atemu…"
I am sleeping… but I hear something… it sounds so far away…
"Atemu…"
What is that voice…? It sounds so sweet… so loving…. It couldn't possibly be talking to me… never to me… it sound like a woman…
"Atemu… let me help you."
"Who are you?" I ask.
"I am Nyx. I've come to help you…"
She sounds like a mother trying to calm her anxious child…
"Why?"
"Because I need you. Now trust me… close your eyes… and open your mind…"
Do I trust this voice? I feel arms wrap around me…and I feel safe…
"Do you trust me, Atemu? I will protect you, I promise."
The voice is whispering in my ear. Someone… protect me? This voice… this Nyx… would she really protect me?
"I trust you." I say.
"Will you do something for me if I protect you?"
"What? What do you want me to do?"
"Will you protect my shadows?" She breathes.
The next thing I hear is Yuugi… whispering my name.
-
- - -
-
The three sprinted into the room and Typhoon gasped, staring at the large, dark cloud welling out of the wall, surrounding Atemu. Then without warning it threw it's self at Atemu, causing Yuugi to shout with fear. Atemu's body seemed to absorb these shadows, but he didn't scream and convulse like he had when he was force to absorb the Tainted Shadows. Recognition flashed through Atemu's eyes. He blinked and sat up clutching his head.
"Atem?" Yuugi whispered. He took a step forward.
"Yes, Yuugi?" Atemu muttered, still holding on to his head.
"Atemu!" Mr. Mutou and Typhoon cried lunging forward. But Yuugi was already there, his arms wrapped around Atemu.
"Atemu! You're okay!" Yuugi cried, tears streaming down his face.
Atemu looked at Yuugi with a miserable look on his face. "Not quite."
"He's right. Just because the Pure Shadows granted his sanity back, doesn't mean they've cured him." Typhoon said, putting her hand on his forehead the check his temperature.
Atemu struggled to his feet with Mr. Mutou's assistance.
"Where is everybody?" Atemu asked. He was still pale and his breathing was labored and forced. His face was brimming with concern for everyone else and pain.
"In a lot of trouble." Typhoon said.
-
- - -
-
Joey followed Calypso toward a small group of four Water Sprites with the same silvery hair and eyes as her.
"Neptune!" Calypso called. The largest Sprite jerked his head up.
"What?" He grunted. He stood up and was about two feet taller than Joey. He was muscular and bulky but seemed to be as swift as his sister "Who's that, Calypso?"
"This is Joey." Calypso said, gesturing toward her side where Joey was standing. "He's a friend of the Emperor."
Neptune stared long and hard at Joey. "So… you're a friend of that bleeding heart?"
"I… what?" Joey stuttered. Then realizing that this Sprite was insulting Atemu, he turned a violent shade of purple. "He's not a bleeding heart! He cares about other people!" Joey snapped. "But he doesn't have to! He could be some maniacal tyrant! Is that what you want?"
Neptune looked reproachful for a moment and then Calypso smacked his shoulder. "Quit being a jerk, Neptune!"
Neptune grinned. "Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to see what kind of loyalty a man like him gets. Apparently a lot."
Calypso rolled her eyes. "Shut up and listen for once Neptune." Calypso snapped. "I need you, Triton, and Proteus to go and get that little bottle of medicine Dimys was showing off the other day. Can you guys do that?"
Neptune and two others from the group nodded. Neptune looked at the smallest Sprite and said, "Proteus, can you handle distracting Dimys for us?" When Proteus nodded, Neptune looked at the other and said, "Triton, you need to watch out for Aura, alright?" Triton nodded and the three of them sprinted out of the room.
Neptune paused at the door and looked back at the two remaining Sprites in the room and Joey.
"Listen you three, be careful. We'll meet back here okay?"
"No!" Joey said, causing everyone to look at him incredulously. "We need to rescue my friends and if we came back here, we'd be trapping ourselves. We'll get out of here and head toward the palace."
"Seems like a plan." Neptune said, smiling. "Stay safe."
With that he turned on his heel and marched down the corridor.
Calypso smiled and then turned to her sister. "Leucothea, we've got to hurry. You know where the others are, don't you?"
"Yes." Leucothea said. "Come."
Calypso and Joey followed Leucothea down a dark path, much like the one that Calypso was guiding Joey. Soon, Joey started hearing shouts and screams and he sprinted down the path to find Kaiba, Mokuba, and Tristan all crammed into one cell. Tea was alone in one cell at the end of the corridor.
"Joey!" Tristan cried. "Get us out of here!"
"Leucothea, do you have the keys?" Joey asked, looking over his shoulder.
Leucothea smiled and pulled a silver hoop with large keys dangling off of it out of a purse she had tied to her hip.
"Right here." She said, and unlocked the cells doors, Tea leaping out happily and Kaiba, Mokuba, and Tristan, toppling out right on top of each other.
"Let's get out of here, we don't have a lot of time." Calypso whispered.
"On the contrary," Dimys said, standing in the entrance way. She had Proteus by his neck and held a knife at his heart."You have no time left."
-
- - -
-
Atemu stared wide-eyed as Typhoon and Mr. Mutou told him their thoughts about Aura.
"This is terrible!" Atemu cried. "We have to help them."
"Atem, you're still sick, you're not going anywhere." Yuugi said, putting a hand on Atemu's shoulder.
"But I can still move around. I'm not as sick." Atemu grumbled.
"Oh yes you are, even if you don't have those shadows feeding you bad memories, your body is still ill." Mr. Mutou snapped. He looked at Typhoon. "Speaking of which, what do you have to tell us about that mass of Pure Shadows that helped Atemu?"
"The only thing I can guess it that the old Shadow Guardian's essence wanted to help Atemu survive." Typhoon said.
"But why?" Yuugi asked.
"Wait…" Atemu said. "Was the former Shadow Guardian's name Nyx?"
Typhoon glanced at Atemu and nodded. "Why?"
Atemu shook his head. "I think… she asked me to be the next Shadow Guardian."