Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the property of Konami and Kazuki Takahashi.
Whew. Sorry for the delay, but I'm back from Scotland at last – won't bore you with the details. Also had to take my PC to be repaired, so I've been without internet access for a couple of days.
I'd like to thank all my reviewers for their kind words, and here's hoping the story continues to please y'all. Let's also hope I don't accidentally write the whole thing in Scottish…
Och, sae withit further ado… Ya ken?
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Spirit
Chapter One: Falling Apart
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The purple-clad warlock brandished the staff in front of his chest; his eyes never left the imposing, heavy-set figure of the robotic menace that stood opposite him on the platform. Beads of sweat, which had crept cautiously onto the wizard's hooded brow, were abruptly burned away by the magical energies radiating from his weapon. Usually it felt lighter in his hands – hands that had the power to send forth a volley of innumerable deadly knives with only the twitch of his finger, or conjure up an illusion so remarkably terrible and lifelike that even the bravest of kings would be forced to kneel before him in humility. Hands that held such power typically had no difficulty wielding a staff – yet this time something was different; something was causing him to waver, to hesitate.
While this foe was indeed worthy of his concern – for he had underestimated the cyborg several times before, and knew him to be a perilous opponent when not taken seriously – they were not, the mage mused, the kind to incite such confusion and doubt. He could sense his master's anxiety within his heart; he could literally feel the pressure he'd been saddled with, as though walls of shadow were converging on him and he had but moments to decide between victory and defeat. But there was something else in there that worried him, and shook him to his very core. His master was reluctant to fight.
The Dark Magician turned away from Jinzo and looked up toward the looming figure of his master, who was busy scanning the cards at his disposal as though striving to formulate a strategy. The dark mage knew better, however, for he could sense the dilemma that his master was struggling with. He was trying to stall, to avoid a direct attack; he wanted to give his enemy a chance at victory. But why? What reason was there to risk losing the duel? Perhaps, as a mere pawn in this game, he had no way of comprehending his master's thoughts, but in this battle victory seemed as crucial as ever. What unseen circumstances could have possibly arisen to give license to his master's doubts?
His master gazed down upon him; there was no reassurance evident in his face, no confident gesture or knowing sparkle in his amethyst eyes. This was not the same man he had dueled under so many times before. In every other conflict, even when victory seemed beyond their reach, he had remained steadfast in his belief in the heart of the cards. Right now, he didn't even seem to be thinking about his cards – only his opponent. The faded faces surrounding him looked familiar, but even they seemed far from his mind. The mage wished he could speak out, encourage his master to fight with what he'd previously shown to be a boundless will – but being merely a game piece, he could not. All he could do was follow his master's instructions to the letter, regardless of his personal feelings.
The Dark Magician lowered his staff, gave his master a steely glance, and wagged his finger deliberately. It was all he could do to convey what was in his heart – what was in the heart of the cards.
There followed a slight pause, as the action seemed to register with his master, and then came the command: "Dark Magic Attack!"
The mage whipped around, his robes spiraling majestically about his body, and pointed his palm at the mechanical monstrosity. With only a thought, he drew into his hand a ball of the purest black magic and cast it mercilessly toward his enemy; Jinzo didn't even have time to flinch before the ball struck his chest, sending jagged, fiery streaks through his armour and crushing his body from within. In mere moments, he had been blown asunder by the sheer force of the assault, leaving only a paling plume of purple smoke in his wake. The Dark Magician nodded proudly to himself. His master had not faltered – yet.
"Hey, c'mon Yuge!" Joey scoffed dryly, drawing Yugi's attention away from the tabletop they were playing on. "You don't gotta take it that seriously, do ya?"
"Huh?"
"You're yellin' out your attacks like we're in some kinda tournament sponsored by Kaiba Corp or somethin'," said Joey. "Honestly, you'd think your Egyptian God Cards were on the line the way you're actin'."
"I…" Yugi blushed. He had been so drawn into the game, so lost in the moment, that he'd almost completely forgotten where they were. "Sorry, Joey. I guess I can get a little carried away sometimes."
"When it comes to Duel Monsters," Téa piped in, setting her hands on the desk between them, "Yugi's deadly serious. Haven't you figured that out yet, Joey?"
"Yup!" Tristan snorted from where he stood by the window. "Yugi's poker face is second to none. Or should that be duel face?"
"Yeah yeah," Joey groaned. "He's a pro, and I'm a schmo. Now could you two please stop with the interruptin'? I'm tryin' to settle things with Yuge, and you guys are makin' it difficult to concentrate here."
"Now who's taking things too seriously?" said Téa, taken aback.
"Yeah!" Tristan agreed, folding his arms in a disgruntled fashion. "Whenever I try my hand at a duel, you're always throwing me off with your running commentary, Joey. You know what they say? Payback's a b-…"
"Tristan!" Téa gasped. "Don't you dare say another word."
"Everyone's on my case today," Tristan muttered, eliciting more than a few chuckles from Yugi and Joey. "Would you just hurry up and finish your duel already?" He sighed, turning to look outside at the students wandering the grounds of the school. "Class is gonna start any minute."
Yugi smiled to himself. His previous adventures had seen him fighting fated conflicts with evil spirits, dueling deadly foes whilst the safety of the world lay in jeopardy. Yet, as exciting as all that had been, he felt truly happy to be able to sit down and play a harmless game with his friends in the comfort of their school. A game where nobody's soul was on the line, and he knew his opponent wasn't the type to cheat. On the contrary, Joey was perhaps the most honorable duelist he'd ever faced. Sure, he'd had a rocky start, but these days there was nobody Yugi felt he'd rather be up against than his best friend. It made for an exhilarating challenge, but most of all – it was fun. He didn't always get that from other duelists; most of them just wanted to make a name for themselves by beating the famed King of Games, the kid who had managed against all odds to win the three Egyptian God Cards; they weren't in it for the thrill of competition. In the end, they forgot it was just that – a game, to be enjoyed and cherished. But Joey, perhaps more than anybody else, understood this.
"It's your move, Joey," Yugi nodded, a slight apologetic note evident in his voice. He was winning by a wide margin, and he could tell Joey was struggling to maintain his focus. Not only that, but something else seemed to be bothering him – and Yugi had a slight inkling as to what it was. "Give me your best shot."
"Don't gimme no pep talk!" Joey shot back, angrily. "I'm gonna clean your clock, just you watch."
"Good luck pulling that off!" said Tristan, wryly.
"I don't need luck," Joey said, glaring at his pointy-haired friend out of the corner of his eye as he drew a fresh card from his deck. "Not when I have this magic card in my corner." Joey's fingers nimbly flipped over a card on his side of the desk, revealing upon it the image of a large, glowing hand reaching outwards. "I play Silent Fiend. That'll shut you guys up good and proper. Dig it! Yeeeah!"
"What's that do?" Téa chuckled as she regarded Joey's ecstatic response. "Aside from make you act like a total spaz, I mean."
"It allows him to summon a monster from his graveyard," Yugi explained courteously.
"Yup!" Joey exclaimed. "And I'm usin' it to bring back my Jinzo!" Grinning to himself, Joey slipped the topmost card off the slim pile representing his graveyard and placed it face-up on the desk. Jinzo was back in play. "Jinzo's back and he's ready to take revenge on your Dark Magician. Go Jinzo! It's your birthday! Go Jinzo!"
As Joey kicked back in his seat and began whirling his arms about triumphantly, practically punching Tristan in the side a couple of times, Yugi couldn't help but share in the joy his friend was experiencing. It had been a while since Joey had looked this happy; not just throughout the course of the duel, but for the past week or two it had seemed as though his despondency would never end. Ever since Mai had turned him down for that date a month ago, his character seemed to have shifted from the rough-and-ready, happy-go-lucky sort, to that of a more downtrodden demeanour. Yugi supposed that, since he had used up all his courage asking her out, he had no real means of regaining his spirit – except, it seemed, through dueling. He was just glad to be able to help in some small way; he didn't like seeing Joey hurt like that, and if dueling helped to take his mind off it, then so be it.
But, at the same time, he found himself deathly afraid of making matters even worse. After all, if he were to slaughter Joey in this game, it wouldn't exactly help to cheer him up; instead, it might just make him feel like even more of a loser. His grades had been slipping drastically; even their P.E. teacher was finding faults in his performance, which for Joey was quite unheard of. He was in an emotional slump, and right now Yugi felt as though it was up to him to drag him out of it, because he knew Joey would try to do the same for him were their roles reversed. When they'd started this duel, Yugi had assumed Joey just wanted to pass the time between lessons – but now he saw that he'd invested a great deal in this contest, a lot more than Yugi had anticipated. True, there were no cards on the line, and this wasn't a Shadow Game – but Yugi knew deep down that this duel was just as important as any other he'd fought, for his friend's feelings were potentially riding on the outcome. No matter what, Yugi couldn't allow himself to hurt his friend in any shape or form. For if he did so, even by accident, he would never be able to forgive himself.
"You okay, Yuge?" Joey asked. "You're lookin' pretty shaken."
"I'm fine," Yugi replied – Joey had no idea that he was merely worried about him. "Heh, I guess I'm just nervous about losing."
Joey raised an eyebrow, and then lowered his head – his face now partially shrouded by his plentiful blonde hair. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Um. Nothing?" Yugi blinked. "Just, you know, the slightest mistake and I could…"
"Hey! Don't you patronise me!" Joey snarled, bitterness seeping through his words. He sighed, a guttural rasp punctuating the break in his speech. "If you lose, it'll be because I was the better duelist – not because you made a mistake."
"I agree, Joey," Yugi practically whispered. "I just… I don't want you to lose heart."
"What's there to lose heart about, huh?" Joey spat. "I've been in worse situations than this before, and I've beaten the odds." He was referring, of course, to the duel – but Yugi wondered if he weren't also casting this remark further afield, perhaps in the direction of Mai and his schoolwork. "Like when I won the money for my sister's operation."
"Dude, Yugi gave you that money," Tristan remarked, earning icy stares from everyone in the group – including Yugi. "What? I'm just saying. Yugi's the one who won the cash. Give credit where credit's due."
"Pfft," said Joey, choosing to ignore Tristan. "Heart. I got more heart than all o' you combined. Joey Wheeler can take anything and he'll keep gettin' right back up again. Just like my trusty Jinzo!" Almost as though someone had hit a switch inside his brain, Joey once again exhibited the same brash confidence that he'd shown before Yugi had chosen to speak so clumsily. "And with his help, I'm gonna take out your Dark Magician. Then you'll be the one to lose heart, Yugi."
"Joey," Yugi said, softly. He would have expected to hear such words from someone like Seto Kaiba, not his best friend – not Joey. This duel wasn't about having fun anymore. It was about Joey finding it in himself to defeat whatever it was that had shattered his pride; it was about him moving beyond Mai's rejection of his advances, and mending his broken heart; it was about excelling in the one area he'd yet to flunk in. That duel, the one for Joey's spirit, wasn't taking place on the desk before them; it was happening within him, and for all Yugi knew, Joey was losing – the same way he was losing their harmless little game. It seemed like there was nothing he could do to help. "I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
"Oh yeah? Why not?"
"Because Silent Fiend summons monsters in face-up defense mode," he replied, reluctantly, "and prevents them from attacking."
Joey stared silently at Yugi, almost as if he'd been taken aback by this simple statement. Yugi wondered if he should've kept quiet. The last thing Joey needed right now was to be lectured on the workings of his own cards. But then, just as it seemed like he was on the verge of tossing his cards aside in a fit of rage, Joey cracked a knowing smile. "Who said anything about attackin'?"
"Huh?"
"I'm gonna use Jinzo to summon an even stronger monster!" Joey said, removing a card from his hand and displaying it proudly to the onlookers surrounding them. It was the Red-Eyes Black Dragon – a card that meant so much to Joey that it practically symbolised his friendship with Yugi. "My Red-Eyes is gonna fry you up good!"
"Red-Eyes?" Téa asked. "But that card's still weaker than the Dark Magician. Besides, don't you need to make two sacrifices in order to…"
"Téa?" Joey spoke, his eyes never leaving Yugi. "The men are duelin'. Don't interrupt, 'kay?"
"Wha…? Hey!" Téa stamped her foot on the ground, insulted. "I was just trying to…"
"Téa, it's okay," said Yugi. "I think Joey knows what he's doing."
"Really?" she grumbled. "And here I was thinking he was just being a complete jerk."
"Téa…" Yugi gulped. She didn't know about Joey's problematic love life, and so she had been less than sympathetic whenever he'd acted so sullenly toward her. Joey had come to Yugi in confidence, asking him whether or not he should take the plunge and ask Mai on a date. He had been afraid that, if Téa or Tristan had gotten wind of his feelings, he would've never heard the end of it – especially if things went sour between them. He'd made Yugi swear never to tell anyone, which prevented him from explaining what Joey was going through. If only Téa knew, he was sure she'd understand and forgive him. Instead, he had to sit by and watch them bicker. It pained him to do so, but he was bound by the oath to his friend – bound and gagged by it. "He was just kidding."
"Don't stick up for him, Yugi," Tristan cut in. "Joey's just a sore loser is all."
"I haven't lost jack!" Joey cried, slamming a card onto the desk. Yugi gasped, recognising it as the magic card – Soul Exchange. "I use this card to sacrifice one of your monsters, Yuge. And guess which one I'm gonna pick? It ain't exactly a tough choice, seeing as how it's the only one you got on the field."
"My Dark Magician…!"
"That's right!" Joey crowed. "Your Dark Magician is goin' straight to the graveyard, along with my Jinzo!" Solemnly, Yugi removed his favourite card from play as Joey did the same for his trap-defusing monster. With a triumphant laugh, Joey then replaced his Jinzo with the Red-Eyes he'd just mere minutes ago revealed. "And since any monster summoned using Soul Exchange is unable to attack until my next turn, I'll leave it at that. But don't think for a minute that you're safe; my Red-Eyes will be more than enough to take out whatever you got stored in your hand."
"Wow," Tristan commented, hoarsely. "The tables sure turn quick in this game, don't they? Joey now has one of his most powerful monsters in play, whereas Yugi doesn't even have a single card on the field."
"Gee! Ya think?" Joey snapped. "Here's an idea, Tristan. Why not go pester somebody else with your inane comments? Y'know, someone who actually enjoys your company?"
"Joey!" Téa's jaw practically hit the floor.
"I oughtta stuff those cards down your freakin' throat, man!" Tristan threatened, his fists clenching at either side of him. He too had sustained his fair share of verbal abuse from Joey recently – and unlike Téa, Tristan wasn't the type to just let it pass.
"I'd like ta see you try," Joey murmured.
"Tristan! Joey!" Yugi lunged instinctively between the two of them, preventing Tristan from making good on his promise. He couldn't physically hold Tristan back – he was short enough that even coercing Téa would have proven to be a trial and a half – but he had to do something to stop them from going at one another; they were his friends, after all. "Please, Tristan, Joey's just caught up in the moment. It's an intense duel."
"Yeah?" replied Tristan. "I don't remember him throwing insults at us like that when he was dueling at Battle City, or at Duelist Kingdom… In fact, come to think of it, he actually used to appreciate our support. But I guess those other duels weren't quiteas intense, huh?"
"I… I don't…" Yugi stammered.
"Get this guy," Joey smirked, thumbing his nose at Tristan. "He actually believes I ever gave a damn about his support. Lemme ask you somethin', Tristan. What's your support ever done for me? Huh?" He leered up at the three of them, who were busy looking on in shock. "What have any of you guys ever really done for me?"
Yugi felt his heart sink; things were clearly far worse for Joey than he had initially imagined. If he had allowed himself to lose all hope in not only himself, but in his friends as well, then something else must have been eating away at him. But what could it be? Was it his father? Yugi felt himself shiver, like a cold hand had clutched his spinal column; he knew about how abusive Joey's dad could be, even though he didn't like to talk about it. It was a miracle that Joey had turned out to be so unlike his father, so warm and full of vigour. But now, looking into Joey's creased brow where crevices of cruelty seemed to span the gulf between those hateful brown eyes, he could perceive traces of a hardened, sadistic man lying underneath that soft surface. He saw it and was terrified of what might become of his friend if he didn't do something to help. He had to do something.
"How can you say that!" Téa's voice was shrill, like a bird warning away predators. "After all Yugi's done! After all Tristan's done! We're your friends, Joey! We…"
"Please, Téa," Joey rolled his eyes. "Spare me the friendship speech, I've heard 'em all – and they're all equally as meaningless."
"I can't believe you…" Téa's lips continued moving, but the words failed her. As she turned to leave, Yugi felt his throat tighten; he wanted to go with her, to make sure she was alright, but he couldn't just walk out on Joey and Tristan – it would only allow them to let loose on one another. It would only cause more hurt. He couldn't handle that. He had to stay.
"Joey, you total…" Tristan began.
"Listen!" Yugi cried out. Already the other students had started to turn and look at them, wondering what all the commotion was about – however not one of them, it seemed, wanted to get involved. Yugi swallowed; it was hard, being the only person in the room who was trying to save their friendship from falling apart at the seams – especially when he couldn't tell Tristan the truth about Mai and Joey. "Both of you, please stop this… Joey, listen to me."
"Mmph," Joey grunted, his head cocked to one side.
"I understand what you're going through," Yugi continued. Joey shot him a look that seemed to act as a kind of warning, as though he was afraid that Yugi would blab their secret. But Yugi knew he would never do that; he couldn't possibly save their friendship by destroying their trust in one another. "But you can't just lash out at us; it'll only cause you more pain in the long run. Téa was right, we're your friends – and I know you still care about us, otherwise you wouldn't be playing Duel Monsters with me."
"Only reason I'm duelin' ya, Yuge," Joey confessed, "is so I can prove that I'm better than you… That I don't need you."
"You don't mean that…" Yugi's eyes widened.
"I already know I don't need Téa, or Tristan, or Ma-…" Joey caught himself in mid-sentence. "Or any of the others. But like Tristan said earlier, it was you that won the money for my sister's operation. And ya gave it to me."
"Because you're my friend, Joey!" Yugi insisted. "Because I know you'd do the same if…"
"But you only won it because you managed to beat me," Joey continued unabated, as though Yugi hadn't said a word. "Because you were the superior duelist. That's the only thing stoppin' me from casting you aside like the rest of the lowlifes." He paused and grinned up at Tristan. "That means you, pal."
"Son of a…" Tristan threw his hands up in the air. "I've had it with you, man! Forget you, I'm outta here."
With that, Tristan was gone. Yugi hoped he'd left to find Téa, as he couldn't stand the thought of her crying in some dark corner with nobody to console her. However, as much as it pained him to think of Téa being on her own at a time like this, he couldn't just walk out on Joey. To do such a thing would be like confirming everything his friend had so spitefully said – that he didn't need them around anymore. But Yugi knew better; he knew that Joey needed him the same way he needed Joey. Somehow, he just had to show him.
"As I was sayin'," A shrug was Joey's only response to Tristan's moody departure. "The only reason I wanna duel you right now is so's I can show you that I can fight my own battles from now on – without you."
"That may be," said Yugi. "But in order to prove that, you have to duel me." He held his breath before speaking these final words: "And I don't want to duel you anymore."
"… What?" Joey's shock was almost palpable.
"You ask the impossible, Joey," Yugi turned his eyes to the floor. "We used to duel each other for fun. No stakes whatsoever. But these are the highest stakes I've ever had to face. If I win this duel, you'll hate me. If I lose this duel, you'll end our friendship. That's what you're saying." His voice had grown weak, and he mustered all his strength in order to bolster his confidence and drive his point home. "Either way, I lose my best friend!"
"What the heck does my friendship even mean to you, anyway?" Joey demanded. "Look at how I treated Téa, and Tristan. Is that how a friend acts? Huh? Tell me, Yuge!"
"I'll tell you how a friend acts!" Yugi replied emphatically. "He gambles everything, even his own safety, for his friend's happiness! That's what you did when you risked your own life trying to save my Exodia cards. That's what I did for you when you were under Marik's control, and both our lives were in danger."
"Don't try and drag up ancient hist-…"
"A friend is someone who'll stand by you no matter what!" Yugi cut him off. "You've always stood by me, Joey… Haven't I stood by you, too?"
"Does it look like I'm standin' by you?" Joey glowered, shifting back and forth in his seat in discomfort. "Seems to me that I'm stabbin' ya in the back. Anybody can see that's hardly an act of kindness."
"You're not stabbing me in the back, Joey," Yugi said. "You're betraying yourself."
"What's that?"
"You're hurting, and I can understand why," Yugi didn't want to go into specifics – not in front of so many people. Joey's broken heart was Yugi's little secret, and it seemed it was up to him alone to mend it for him – if only he could. "And because of it, you feel like everybody else should be hurting. But that's not the way Joey Wheeler works. Not the Joey I know."
"And what would Joey Wheeler do, then?" Joey asked, with an honest curiosity. "Run cryin' to my good pal Yugi? Or better yet, to my mom, or my little sister? Can't exactly do that now, can I?" His voice started to break, although he tried to mask it with a sharp cough. He sat up straight and addressed Yugi as though the previous conversation hadn't even taken place. "So are we gonna duel or what, pal?"
"Not if you insist on putting our friendship on the line," Yugi shook his head.
"Damn it, Yugi!" Joey yelled, raising his fist in the air as if to strike out at him. Yugi didn't flinch; he wasn't afraid, for he knew that if Joey still cared for him, he would never willingly harm a hair on his head. Joey stared at his outstretched hand in surprise; Yugi wondered if he was thinking about his father. "I… I just need you to duel me. I need to know there's one thing in this world I can still do right."
Yugi hesitated. In his entire dueling career, he had never backed down from a challenge. But here, in the most unlikely of places, he was contemplating refusing a duel. A duel against Joey, no less. If he didn't know the stakes, he would have thought himself crazy. In the past, his friendship had only strengthened his resolve. Now it made him weak – prevented him from making an all-important choice. If he played this duel out, right to the bitter end, where would it lead them? Would they still be friends? Or would Joey abandon him as he was threatening to do so? Would it drive Joey into deeper pits of despair? How could he possibly make this kind of decision alone?
You're never alone, Yugi.
Spirit! Yugi beamed, as he heard the voice of his other self speaking to him through the Millennium Puzzle. What should I do? Joey's at his wit's end… He wants me to-
Yes. I have been observing. The spirit sounded deep in thought. He has been spurned by the one he loves, has he not?
Yeah… Yugi admitted. He never could keep a secret from his other self – even one of Joey's. And now he's taking it out on the rest of the gang.
It's almost frightening… how swiftly love turns to hate.
Um. Yugi blinked. I guess you could say that, yeah.
Yugi. You must finish the duel.
Huh? Yugi was surprised by the spirit's resolve. The way he said those words – it was as if he knew it was the only solution. But spirit, what if he loses?
He probably will.
Yugi cringed. But don't you see? That's exactly why I can't do it.
You've beaten him before, haven't you? Even now, in this moment of crisis, the spirit's pride in his host shone through. So what's stopping you?
It was different those other times! Yugi replied. Joey wasn't in the state he's in now. It'd be like kicking him when he's down.
If you ask me, said the spirit of the Puzzle, Joey's the kind of person who… Oh, how do you say it? Takes a kicking but keeps on…?
It's licking, actually, Yugi half-smiled. Takes a licking but keeps on ticking.
Licking? The spirit was audibly disgusted. I'll never get the hang of these modern idioms.
Don't get me wrong, Joey's tough, Yugi suppressed his laughter; Joey was still sitting in front of him, and it would do no good whatsoever to make him think he was laughing in his face. But right now, I think he's already taken as big a licking as he can stand. You don't know how painful heartbreak can be.
I'm sure I can imagine, the spirit replied, confidently. Anyway, Yugi, think about it this way. To refuse this duel would hurt Joey far more than defeating him ever could. For some people, the only way to release their pain is to fight. Whether they win or lose doesn't matter. It's a kind of catharsis. If you care for him, you will let him fight you. Be there for him, Yugi. Duel your friend with all your heart.
Spirit, Yugi touched the Puzzle hanging around his neck, his eyes closing momentarily as he thought the words that came from within his heart. Watch over me, won't you?
Of course, partner.
"Very well, Joey," Yugi nodded, getting back into his chair and picking up his cards. "I will duel you. And what's more, I'll win!"
"Now that's more like it!" Joey clasped his hands together and flexed his arms, the harsh sound of his knuckles cracking setting Yugi's teeth on edge. "Get ready, Yuge, 'cause I'm gonna use my Red-Eyes to wipe out your life points – and kick you ta the curb!"
Yugi stared horrified at the solitary monster card on the field. Joey planned to use the card that best represented their bond to sever all ties between them. He was going to set their friendship ablaze with the dragon that had once meant so much to them both.
Spirit…
Yes, Yugi?
I'm afraid. I'm afraid to lose him.
I'm here, partner. I'll always be here. Whether he is or not.
--
END OF CHAPTER ONE
