Disclaimer: WookieeBeta does not own Yuugiou. Except in her stranger dreams.


Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

Chapter Fifteen: Found

By WookieeBeta


The sub rocked gently, buffeted by the subtle back-and-forth currents that meant the surface was a raging tempest. Smith was pointing through the port side of the front viewing window.

"That's the leading edge of the canyon," he explained. "I'm going to spin us around and approach it dead-on; we'll drop down into the canyon without the interference of the waves. I'm afraid you won't get any good overhead views today, but I can't trust the water up there. Too violent."

"That's fine," Kaiba replied. "I can get the overhead view from my satellites, anyway. It's the inside of the canyon I want to see."

Smith grinned. "In that case, then..."

The CEO found himself eerily reminded of Mokuba, or perhaps the elder Mouto. The old oceanographer faced every new challenge with a manic leer, and he hadn't once mentioned any regrets about coming out. Kaiba couldn't help but wonder if the man wasn't a thrillseeker.

But those thoughts were swept aside as they descended into the calmness of the canyon. The water was dark, as the sunlight from above was dimmed by the storm and filtered out through the salt sediment, but not that dark, and the lights on the sub's exterior played over a stunning variety of marine flora. For the first time in a long while, Kaiba was stunned into speechlessness.

"Welcome to Alaminos," Smith said with a smile.

"It's...much more than I would have expected at this depth," the Japanese teen managed after a moment. "More alive, that is."

Smith nodded. "That's what most people say when they first see it. And it is, really, or at least much more so than most of the other canyons in the Gulf. No one's really quite sure why. And remember, you're not seeing everything. Between the storm and most of the fish being spooked off anyway, you're missing the vast majority of the local fauna. Usually I can't see ten yards for the schools of fish that like to sit down here."

Kaiba's elation disappeared as he was suddenly reminded of his purpose here. "What's it like farther down?"

"Want me to tell you, or just show you?"

"Show me, please."

There was a moment of silence as the sub dropped lower into the canyon. Kaiba peered intently out of the viewing ports on either side, half watching for any telltale flash of metal and half taking a simple kind of delight in the array of living things just outside the steel structure.

"We're almost to the bottom now," Smith announced a moment later. "I won't drop her any farther down, unless you want a few samples - if I do, we'll start kicking up dirt, and then you won't be able to see a thing."

"This is fine," Kaiba assured him. Smith spun the sub in a slow circle, giving him a good long look at the canyon wall and at the surrounding area.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the oceanographer said softly. "This is the whole reason I chose this career, you know. You'll never see something like this up above. And you'll never have this kind of freedom."

"Ever tried flying?" the CEO replied absently. Then his eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. "Wait a moment...what's that?" he asked, pointing.

"What's what?"

"There, farther down the canyon. I thought I saw something flash."

Smith looked suddenly ecstatic. "Great! I'd bet anything you saw a school of fish. Let's go check it out, eh?" The sub twisted back to face forward, and then her owner's careful hands urged her onward into the darkness. The probing lights reflected off of something in the distance.

"That's strange," Smith frowned. "They're not moving. I've never seen a school just sit there before." There was a long silence as he gave the sub a little more speed, hoping to scare the fish into moving. Finally they were close enough to make out the reflecting object in considerably more detail. Smith inhaled sharply.

The CEO's fingers dug into his seat's thin covering. "I don't think that's fish," he commented wryly.

Ahead of them loomed the giant dome of Noa's base.


Malik froze in place, paralyzed with terror. He was utterly vulnerable. The Rod was thousands of miles away, and the only person who knew where he was and was in any position to help him was being mind-controlled by the person who was trying to kill him - or, rather, steal his body. Not that it mattered; it amounted to the same thing. The Shadow Realm would destroy him just as easily as a knife to the throat, and more painfully to boot. Worse yet, he didn't even know precisely where the dark spirit was. Which meant he couldn't call for help without putting his new friends' lives in grave danger.

"Mou hitori no boku," he murmured softly. "Please...Mariku...please stop this..."

"Stop what, pretty-pretty?" Malik repressed a shudder; it was Jou's face, and Jou's voice, but those were his dark half's eyes staring quizzically at him. He suddenly understood why Yuugi had been so determined to free his friends from the control of the Rod, even at the cost of his own life. It was a terrible thing to see.

"Stop hurting people," the lighter half pleaded. "I don't want you to hurt anyone anymore."

Another confused look; this time, tinged with hurt. "Pretty-pretty doesn't like the suffering?"

"No," Malik replied, tears springing to his eyes. "No, I don't. I just want you to come back to Egypt, with me. Can you do that?"

"Back? To Egypt?" Jou's face frowned. "But...darkness does not want to go back. Pretty-pretty likes it here, does he not? Doesn't pretty-pretty like it here?" The frowning lips twitched for an instant, and suddenly it was a furious Jounouchi staring out through the amber eyes.

"Malik, get your spirit butt out of here!" he snapped quickly. "He's - he's stronger than you were - I can't hold him off very long - go, go warn Ryou and Bakura! Go on, get out of here!" Sweat was running down his face in rivulets, and the Egyptian could see the occasional flash of pain that meant his dark was trying to regain control.

"But Jouno - "

"Just go, Namu!"

It was the unexpected use of his assumed name that spurred the Egyptian into action.

"Just hold out for a while longer, Jou!" he shouted over his shoulder as he sped through the nearest wall.

Behind him, Jou gave tiny exclamation of pain and sank to his knees, holding his head in his hands. The doctors were all bombarding him with questions, asking him what was wrong; the other visitors in the room were staring blankly in shock. Had they really seen that pretty blonde boy running through the wall, shouting? Or was that just their imagination?


A/N: First of the new chapters!