Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the property of Konami and Kazuki Takahashi.
Back again with the third chapter. This one's a little longer than usual, since I decided to cram two chapters worth of story together. Hope it doesn't suffer for it. I guess I should apologise for not revealing the secret behind Yugi's predicament yet, although I'm sure you won't have to wait long to discover it. Some of you might even have figured it out already. Shh, don't spoil it for anyone.
Thanks again for your reviews. It's always fun to hear your responses, be they positive or negative.
Kate – You said you got lost after the "first bit", and asked me to explain where we are. I assume by the "first bit" you're referring to the prologue. The prologue, with Yugi wandering through the forest and all that stuff, actually takes place after what you're reading in chapters one and two – which both take place at the Domino High School before Yugi is transported to the other place. That bit at the start of chapter one with the Dark Magician and Jinzo battling it out was sort of a trick I was playing on the reader to get them to think we were still in another world, only to surprise them by revealing it to be an ordinary tabletop duel, which comes to life in Yugi's mind and personifies a lot of his concerns regarding his friendship with Joey.
Anyway, hope that clears everything up. If not, feel free to vent at me!
--
Spirit
Chapter Two: Departure
--
Yugi wet his lips, his tongue lodging itself in the corner of his mouth as he studied his cards intently. For perhaps the first time in his life, he was fighting a duel that he neither wished to win or to lose – so how was he supposed to make the right decisions? As much as he believed in the heart of the cards, he had invested an equal amount of trust in the heart of his friend – and now Joey's heart seemed cold, unyielding to his sympathy. Uncertainty made its nest within Yugi's ribcage, lightly clawing its way up through his chest and toward his throat. The Millennium Puzzle seemed heavy around his neck, almost as though it had been filled with doubt, suffocating the confident spirit that dwelled within. He adjusted his collar, suddenly feeling quite hot, and refocused his thoughts on the game. His life points were at 4000, while Joey's dwindled at a measly 1500. The advantage was his – but what was he going to do with it?
"Hurry up, Yuge," Joey urged. "My Red-Eyes ain't gonna wait all day for you ta make your move. Unless that's your plan, o' course. Stall for time until class starts up, then you get out of havin' to duel me."
"You know I wouldn't do that," Yugi replied, although the thought had briefly crossed his mind. "It's just hard to think when I'm so worried…"
"Worried?" Joey snorted. "You don't gotta worry about me, pal. I've never felt better. I'm finally seein' things clearly. My old man always said I had my head up my…"
"I never said I was worried about you," said Yugi. Joey was idly drumming his fingers on the desk, his legs having been hoisted up onto a nearby chair as he regarded Yugi with a morose and slovenly posture; it was as if he didn't care one way or the other what Yugi was feeling. Yugi wondered if his father often sat in such a manner. "I'm worried about my friends. About Téa and Tristan."
"So, what? Now I'm not your friend?" Joey asked, making no attempt to mask his surprise.
"That's what you want, isn't it Joey?" Yugi replied. He had to strain his voice to make the act seem more authentic; no doubt the spirit of the Puzzle could have pulled this off effortlessly. "To be my opponent – my enemy."
"… O' course," Joey said. "How else am I supposed to prove I'm better than you?"
"Exactly," Yugi closed his eyes, so that he could be spared the anguish of having to look upon his friend's face as he continued: "If that's what you want, then so be it. We'll be enemies, Joey. For the duration of the duel, anyway." At last, he opened his eyes. Joey had clearly been shaken by his words, despite his best efforts to hide it; the incessant drumming of his fingers had ceased altogether, and his measured, cocky expression had receded to a faint frown. "If it's what you truly want, that is."
Joey stared slack-jawed at him, as though he expected Yugi to immediately retract everything he'd just said. But when he didn't, Joey was forced to merely clear his throat and reply, "That's what I want, Yuge."
"Okay then," Yugi swallowed, drawing a fresh card from his deck. "Let's duel!"
I sure hope I'm not just making things worse, Yugi thought to himself as he sifted through the cards at his disposal. I don't really want Joey to be my enemy.
If you wish to be his friend, the spirit's voice pervaded his mind, then for now, you must remain enemies. After you have dueled one another, I'm sure he will come around.
What makes you so certain anyway, spirit? Yugi implored his other self.
Once you win, he will realise just how much he is mistaken, the spirit explained. That he is wrong to treat you and the others this way. Besides, Joey doesn't seem to place as much importance on victory as others might.
Not usually… But then, Joey isn't exactly in a normal frame of mind.
What are you saying, Yugi? the spirit asked.
Joey seems determined to beat me, Yugi replied. Not just duel me, but to win against me. I don't know why, but it's like he feels that unless he wins… he's beneath me. Not just as a duelist, but as a person. Yugi… You know that isn't true. Joey's a worthy human being. Yeah, Yugi nodded. I know that. But right now, he doesn't. "I play…" Yugi hesitated. His fingers had been poised over the card marked Chosen One, however after his discussion with the spirit of the Puzzle he decided instead to alter his strategy. "… Mystical Elf, in defense mode!" He placed the card depicting the blue-skinned elf with the long, golden hair onto the field. "She will shield my life points from your monster's attack."Yugi! That's the wrong move!
"Nice," Joey smirked, oblivious to the spirit's protestations. "Of course, my Red-Eyes'll have no trouble blowin' her away."
"Perhaps," said Yugi, innocently. "In the meantime, I'll place this card face-down and end my turn." He withdrew another card and set it down behind his Mystical Elf. "Your move, Joey."
"Fine by me," Joey replied, confidently.
Yugi, why didn't you use Chosen One? You had the perfect opportunity to destroy his Red-Eyes.
I couldn't do it, Yugi admitted to the spirit. It was too risky.
If you believe in the heart of the cards, there is no risk! the spirit rebutted.
It's not that, said Yugi. I'm sure Chosen One would have worked, but… I couldn't risk destroying his Red-Eyes. Not yet, anyway.
Why not?
That card, Yugi went on, represents the bond that Joey and I share. It symbolises Joey's identity as a duelist. It means everything to him. To us.
I see, the spirit replied. If you destroyed it, it would be like shattering that bond. But Yugi, can't you see that you must-
No, spirit! I can't just attack one of my friends like that! Yugi felt his chest rise and fall as he argued with his other half. If this was an honorable duel, and Joey wasn't in such a state, maybe I could do it. But not here… Not now.
You must not hold back, the spirit insisted. You must fight as hard as you can. It's what he wants you to do.
But it's not what I want to do!
Yugi, the spirit sighed. Would you prefer it if I were to take control and duel him in your stead?
No, replied Yugi. Trust me, spirit. I can do this without destroying Red-Eyes – without severing our bond.
As you wish, partner.
"I set this card face-down," Joey announced, slapping a card onto the desk, "before attackin' your Mystical Elf with my Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Now she's bound for the graveyard!"
"Hold on," Yugi interjected, flipping over his own face-down card. "I play this: The Reliable Guardian!"
"The wha?"
"Reliable Guardian allows me to add seven hundred defense points to one of my monsters for the duration of a turn," Yugi explained, "which means, once I add those to my Mystical Elf's defense, you lose three hundred life points."
Joey's face was a blank slate. Yugi cringed. He expected Joey to explode in a fit of uncontrollable anger, slamming his fist onto the desk so hard that it would send their cards flying in every direction. But instead of this, he began to snicker – then chuckle – then laugh uproariously. "Ahahaha! I knew it! I just knew it!"
"You knew… what?" Yugi could already feel the spirit mustering a long, drawn out 'I told you so'.
"That you ain't half the duelist ya used to be," Joey scowled, his mood suddenly changing. "It's true, Yuge. Ever since the last time you saved the world – while I tagged along like an obedient puppy dog, o' course – you've done nothin' to improve your skills. You let 'em go to waste."
"That's not true!" said Yugi, defensively. He could feel the spirit's disapproval churning away in the back of his mind, and decided instead to hold his tongue on the subject of his skill. "Joey, we saved the world together – as a team!"
"You always say that," Joey muttered. "But in the end, you're the one who gets to take credit for everythin'. You get all the powerful cards, and you win all the tournaments. Have you any idea what it's like to come home after one o' your adventures completely empty-handed? No, I guess you don't. Because you're Yugi, keeper of the Millennium Puzzle… an' I'm Joey Wheeler, with nothin' better to do than to help you out.
"How would you like it," he continued, "if you got home after one o' your adventures, and your grandpa was there waitin' for you, drunk as a skunk, and he said 'Gee, Yugi, you been gone a long while! There's been nobody to clean up after me, or make me dinner, or bow to my every freakin' whim! You just up and left, like you ain't got no responsibility toward me! Who do you think you are, anyway? I'll tell you! You're nobody! You're no good, just like your mother!' And then, once you tell 'em how you were savin' the world with your friends, he says 'Oh yeah? And whaddya got to show for it, huh?' And that's when you realise – you've got nothin'."
"Joey," Yugi mouthed, his voice stolen away by Joey's emotional outburst. It finally made sense; Joey wasn't tired of living in his shadow – he was sick of his father seeing him there. At that moment, Yugi knew he would've given anything to trade places with him and make sure his friend would never again have to suffer such abuse. But he couldn't. It seemed there was so much he could not do for Joey, and it tore his heart to shreds. "I wish I could help…"
"You can help me by losin'," Joey replied, his face hidden beneath his fringe. "After I win this duel, I can prove I'm not a total screw-up. No matter what Mai thinks of me; no matter what my pops thinks of me; no matter what you think of me, Yuge." With that, he revealed yet another magic card. "This duel is mine."
Yugi immediately recognised the card. "Stop Defense!"
"The old Yugi woulda seen this comin'," Joey feigned disappointment. "Now your Mystical Elf switches into attack mode, and you lose sixteen hundred life points due to my attack!"
Yugi stared wide-eyed at the cards before him. Perhaps it was due to the spirit's influence, or perhaps it was just because of his overactive imagination, but for a moment he could literally see the monsters within the cards come to life. Joey's Red-Eyes spread its ebony wings and took flight across the wooden wasteland of the desktop, its nostrils flickering lividly as it sought out its target. Upon spotting the innocent elf maiden, the dragon shrieked – and for one inexplicable moment, Yugi thought of Téa – and let loose a barrage of fearsome fireballs from its malevolent maw. The Mystical Elf could only stare in horror, her hands permanently clasped in silent prayer, as the fires overwhelmed her – tearing the blue skin from her bones and rendering her but a charred mass on the floor. The Red-Eyes Black Dragon bellowed triumphantly, and Yugi was sure he could smell its odious breath – like how he imagined sulfur or brimstone might reek.
Yugi… Are you alright?
I'm fine, spirit, Yugi replied. But now I realise why I have to destroy Joey's Red-Eyes.
Oh? the spirit didn't sound too surprised. And why is that?
Because, Yugi went on, it no longer represents our friendship. Not to Joey, anyway.
Then what does it represent to him?
Yugi watched Joey's face – saw the delight he took in destroying Yugi's monster – and then answered. His father. It represents his father.
Very well, partner, the spirit spoke, knowing exactly what it was Yugi meant. Then do what must be done.
"It's your move, Yuge," Joey sneered as he watched Yugi reaching for a new card. "For all the good it'll do ya."
"I activate this card!" Yugi announced with authority. "Chosen One!" He placed the card face-up on the field. "Now I select one monster card from my hand, along with two other cards – and you get to pick one of them."
"Pick one?" Joey mimicked.
"Yes," said Yugi. "If you pick the monster, then it is special summoned to the field while the other two cards go to my graveyard. But if you pick one of the other two cards, then they all get sent to the graveyard – including my monster card."
"I get it," Joey rolled his eyes as Yugi offered him the three cards in question. "You're hopin' the heart of the cards will pull you through. Well lemme tell you somethin', pal…. There ain't no heart in these cards. I'm livin' proof." He allowed his words to sink in before grasping one of the cards. "So get ready to send all three of these babies to the graveyard!"
He pulled his selected card from Yugi's outstretched hand.
"No… No way!" Joey gasped.
"I'm afraid so," Yugi said. "You drew my Summoned Skull!"
Excellent work, Yugi! the spirit congratulated him. Yugi could sense the pride radiating from the Puzzle. But be careful, he still has a-
"Summoned Skull, attack his Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Yugi's eyes were ablaze as he called the move. Once again he had forgotten that such commands were unnecessary – that this was no hi-tech duel – but his desire to save his friend from despair had driven him to cry out. For he could not contain the anger – the sheer, irrepressible fury – that he now felt toward Joey's father. If sacrificing every card in his deck meant that Joey would be rid of his corruptive influence, he would gladly have done so. "Wipe him off the face of the field! Destroy him!"
"Don't get ahead o' yourself there," Joey scoffed. "You just activated my trap."
"What? Trap…?" Yugi was in shock – but it had been right there in front of him the whole time; he had been blinded by his anger. Joey flipped over the face-down card he had placed on his previous turn and showed Yugi just what was in store for him. "Skull Dice!"
"Correct!" Joey produced a shiny red die from his pocket, enclosing it within his fist and shaking it casually. "I have a feelin' we'll be sayin' guh-bye to your Summoned Skull in one quick roll of the dice." He cast the die across the desk, where it gradually came to a standstill right underneath Yugi's nose. "A two! That cuts his attack points in half! Man, could things get any worse for ya? I don't think so."
Yugi winced. Joey was right, in ways he couldn't even hope to imagine. Now he had 1150 life points, while Joey's score remained steadfast at 1500. He was losing both the duel and his best friend. What was he supposed to do?
Yugi…
I know, I know! Yugi sighed inwardly. If I'd used Chosen One in the first place, I wouldn't be in this mess.
I wasn't going to say that, the spirit assured him.
But it's true, said Yugi. How could I let this happen? Joey… I want to help him, but I…
Be strong, Yugi, the spirit encouraged. Right now, Joey needs you to believe in both him and yourself – and to believe in the heart of the cards. Stand up for yourself; do not back down for an instant. Show him your strengths, plentiful as they are, and reveal the weaknesses of his father. Then he will remember why he cares for you so.
Spirit… What if it doesn't work? What if I lose him?
You cannot afford to ask that, the spirit replied. Finish your turn, and press on. And remember that I am always with you.
"I set these two cards face-down," Yugi nodded resolutely, "and I end my turn."
Joey drew – and his eyes lit up like bulbs. "Oh man. This is too perfect!" he whooped, his lips peeling back into a slow, sadistic grin. "I play this card – Monster Reborn!"
"No!"
"And I use it to bring back your Summoned Skull!"
Yugi, have faith…
"And now I play Polymerization, so that I can combine both my Red-Eyes and your Summoned Skull…" Joey searched frantically through his deck in order to find the appropriate fusion monster card, "… in order to summon the Black Skull Dragon!"
Dismayed and disarrayed, Yugi could only watch helplessly as Joey replaced the two high-level monsters with this new, seemingly invincible foe. The Black Skull Dragon had more than enough attack points to beat Yugi twice over, and from the look in his eyes Joey knew it. There was something like awe in his youthful features, as though he couldn't believe what he'd managed to do. He had Yugi on the ropes; with just a single attack, he could end this duel – and their friendship – forever.
After what seemed like an eternity, Joey spoke.
"Black Skull Dragon…" he murmured distantly, before raising his voice in order to add the final nail in the coffin. "Attack his life-points direc-…"
RRRRRIIIIIINNNGGG!
The tinny, tumultuous sound of the bell resounded throughout the school, drowning out Joey's voice completely. Yugi nearly fell off his chair in relief. "I guess class is starting. We'd better put this away before the teacher…"
Wait a minute, he thought. Why does the bell sound so different?
"What…?" Joey was frozen in mid-celebration. "What's going on?"
"Joey!" Yugi had to yell over the racket the bell was making. "We'd better finish this duel later! Téa and Tristan should be back any…"
Then, it struck him; the bell wasn't stopping. It just carried on and on, in one long, continuous loop; the school bell wasn't supposed to do that. It was also far too loud – so loud, in fact, that Yugi could already feel the telltale throb of a headache swelling in his cranium. Then he noticed that all the other students were filing their way out through the door as if being led by some invisible conductor.
"It's the fire bell!" Yugi declared. "C'mon, Joey, we'd better leave these here!"
"Which idiot scheduled a freakin' fire drill at a time like this?" Joey growled, kicking his seat back into the desk behind him and standing up. "I thought we just had one of these last month!"
"We can't pick and choose the time, Joey," said Yugi, secretly thankful for the unexpected interlude. "Otherwise there'd be no point."
"Well I ain't leavin' until we finish the duel!" Joey stated firmly.
"What?" Yugi blinked. "Joey, we'll get in trouble if…"
"I'm one turn away from winning this thing!" Joey insisted. "Don't chicken out just 'cause you're about to lose."
"I'm not chickening out!" Yugi grasped Joey's arm forcefully, taking him by surprise. "But we have to leave the building, otherwise they might punish us. What do you think they'd do if they found out we ignored the fire bell because we were playing Duel Monsters? They might take away our decks! Do you want to lose your cards, Joey? After all the effort you went to building up your deck?"
"I guess not," Joey grumbled, yanking his arm away from Yugi and storming out the classroom door. Yugi watched him go, and then turned back to the cards strewn across the desk. He stared at the Black Skull Dragon card, and recalled his vision of the Mystical Elf's destruction; he remembered being able to smell Red-Eyes' breath, and how it had seemed to burn his nostrils with its intensity. But in his mind, he no longer thought it smelled like sulfur or brimstone – after all, he had no idea what either of these things smelled like in the first place. No, now it smelled to him like something far more potent and deadly.
Now it smelled like alcohol.
--
The fire bell continued to warble indistinctly; meanwhile, the entire school – both its staff and its pupils – had swiftly congregated outside the building. Each class had gathered into groups, monitored by their respective teachers. Yugi had since joined up with Téa and Tristan, while Joey had managed to lose himself amidst the milling crowds of antsy students.
"I'm worried about him," Yugi remarked. "I think his dad is putting too much pressure on him. He's got enough problems without having to worry about his father's." And then, of course, there was the whole Mai issue – but he wasn't about to reveal that factor. Not after he promised to keep it a secret.
"That's no reason to take it out on us," said Tristan, standing next to Téa. "Especially Téa. Man, that was not cool." Yugi couldn't exactly disagree. Téa had always been an invaluable friend to the three of them; her support had seen them through even the roughest of patches.
He remembered the incident at Duelist Kingdom, when he had felt his whole world come tumbling down around him after the spirit of the Puzzle almost sent Seto Kaiba to his death. At the time, he had been so distraught that he could barely bring himself to speak – let alone duel. In fact, he had sworn to himself that he would never again play Duel Monsters, lest he risk doing something truly awful. He tried to shut out his friends, and had even prevented the spirit from taking control of his body; but despite all this, Téa had made a point of standing up for him. She didn't necessarily understand quite what he was going through – but of course, at the time, neither did he – yet she was still willing to go the extra mile to try and shoulder whatever burden lay before him. Now Joey was facing a crisis of his own, but instead of letting Téa demonstrate her friendship he had practically slapped her in the face. Tristan was right; it definitely wasn't cool.
"You okay, Téa?" he asked.
"I'll get over it," Téa nodded. Yugi didn't doubt it. She may not have been the strongest person he knew – not physically, anyway – but emotionally she was hardy beyond belief. "I just wish he would too."
"Téa," said Yugi, stepping forward and touching her hand softly. "Joey's hurting a lot right now – for many reasons. It may take him a while, but I'm sure he'll recover. We have to stand by him. All three of us do. We need to weather this storm alongside our friend."
"You're right," Téa smiled, gently squeezing Yugi's fingers. "Even if we end up getting a little wet in the process."
"I don't mind getting wet," Tristan said, sarcastically. "I'm more worried about being burned. That guy has one fiery temper."
"You're not kidding," Téa chuckled despite herself.
"It's true, he does," Yugi replied, his voice ponderous and reflective. He thought back to when Joey and Tristan used to push him around. Joey had seemed so scary back then, almost like a monster. Back then, there was no way he could have imagined that they would end up sharing such an inseparable bond – that he would look into the heart of the monster and see so much goodness within. Now, of course, he knew where all of Joey's anger originated from – his father, the real monster. "But I'd gladly allow myself to be burned by Joey's temper, if it meant showing him just how much I care. I'd carry those scars like I carry my Puzzle – with pride."
Well said, Yugi.
Heh… Thanks, spirit.
"Yugi," Tristan smirked. "You're one of a kind, man."
"What would we do without you?" Téa mused.
"You'd probably have a lot more free time on your hands!" Yugi grinned sheepishly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Joey hovering over by the school gate. "Gimme a sec, okay guys?"
"Sure thing," Tristan replied.
As he walked on over to where Joey stood, Yugi stuffed his hands into his pockets and tried to look as though he was just minding his own business. To top it all off, when he reached the gate he feigned a surprised gasp. "Hey, Joey. I thought you'd be with the rest of the class."
"Whaddya want, Yuge?" Joey asked, without even so much as glancing over at him.
"I just felt like stretching my legs," Yugi lied, his voice awkwardly upbeat. "It can be pretty tiring just standing there in a huddle, y'know? I guess you're doing the same, huh?"
"Quit it," Joey groaned, clearly not taken in by Yugi's act. "I don't wanna talk to you."
"Okay, Joey," Yugi said, lowering his eyes. "I'll be over here with the others, then." Yugi turned around and started back toward where Téa and Tristan were chatting.
"Wait!"
"Huh?" He looked over his shoulder, and saw that Joey was now facing him with an unexpectedly anxious expression on his face. All traces of melancholy had been wiped clean; he didn't look mad or sullen – he looked like regular old Joey Wheeler. "What is it, Joey?"
"I…" Joey began. "What you said before, about us being enemies." He seemed almost nervous, as though it had been Yugi who'd flown off the handle earlier and not him. "Did you mean that?"
"Only for the duration of the duel," Yugi beamed, giving him the thumbs up, "and we're not dueling right now, are we?"
"I… guess not," Joey breathed a sigh of relief. "What about Téa and Tristan?"
"What about them?"
"They must be pretty ticked off with me," Joey suggested. "I know I would be."
"They forgive you, Joey," said Yugi. "We all have our bad days, from time to time."
"Yeah?" Joey snorted, a shadow passing across his face momentarily. "How come you never have 'em then, huh?" He shook his head and looked away. "Sorry, Yuge, I…"
"It's okay," Yugi replied.
They were both silent for a time. In the background, they could just make out a squad of cheerleaders who clearly weren't letting the fire drill cut into their practise time; their chanting somehow rose above the bothersome sound of the bell: "We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit, how 'bout you?" Yugi stepped forward and took his place beside his friend.
"I have bad days all the time, Joey," he smiled wryly to himself. "The day my grandpa was kidnapped? Bad day. The day you were brainwashed by Marik? Bad day. The day I got bubble-gum in my hair? Very bad day."
Joey spluttered. It had the makings of a laugh, Yugi thought wistfully.
"But you know what?" he continued. "Every time a bad day comes along, or a bad week, or even a bad month… I stay strong because I know there's gonna be a good day somewhere on the horizon that makes it worth all the pain and the misery." He looked over, and saw that Joey's face had lit up once more. "The day I got beat up by that bully while trying to protect you and Tristan sure seemed like a bad day at first… But it turned out to be the best day of my life."
"Yugi…"
"Just wait and see, Joey," said Yugi. "Your good day will come. And always, above all else, count yourself lucky that you don't have gum in your hair."
"Yugi," Joey repeated. The word seemed to catch in his throat, and Yugi got the impression he was struggling to hold back tears. "There's somethin' you should know. It's why I've been actin' like this."
"It's about your father, right?" Yugi nodded. "You don't have to tell me, Joey. I get it."
"No, it's not that," Joey said, looking askance at him. "Well, not exactly. It's about…"
"I say, hello there!"
Yugi and Joey span around, taken off-guard by this sudden interruption. They had been so drawn in to their conversation that they hadn't even noticed Bakura approaching them. Their pale-skinned classmate waved at them cheerfully, despite the fact that he was barely two feet away.
"Bakura!" Yugi acknowledged brightly. "Hey, how's it going?"
"I have to admit, I'm rather excited," he replied. "Don't you both find this all very thrilling?"
"Excited?" Joey frowned. "What, you don't got fire drills in England or somethin'?"
"Fire drills?" asked Bakura, scratching his head. "I don't understand."
"Yeah, you know," Joey shrugged. "They make ya wait outside doin' nothin' while some stupid bell rings for about five minutes. But then, I guess if you think cricket's exciting, you'll enjoy anything."
"Now that you mention it," said Yugi, rolling up his sleeve and looking at his watch, "we've been out here for over quarter of an hour. This must be the longest drill we've ever…"
"It's no drill, guys," Bakura interjected.
"What…?" Yugi and Joey asked in unison.
"The school's on fire," replied Bakura. "Can't you smell it?"
"No, I…" Yugi stopped himself in mid-sentence. He couldn't just smell it – he could practically taste it. It wasn't unfamiliar to him, either; his senses stirred in him the memory of being trapped in a burning warehouse at the unwitting hands of Bandit Keith, trying desperately to solve the Millennium Puzzle before it was too late. His lungs had been smothered with the stale stench of smoke; it was an unforgettably traumatic experience. And now, in the schoolyard, he could smell it – taste it – feel it all around him. Fire. Bakura was right! "Oh no! The school!"
"The teachers say the fire brigade should be arriving shortly," Bakura explained. Behind him, Yugi could see thin tendrils of smoke pouring out from a few of the open windows. "I certainly hope they can control it; I'd just gotten used to this place."
"It doesn't look that bad from out here," Joey shrugged. Then, a look of horror appeared on his face. "No…! No!"
Before Yugi or Bakura could say anything, Joey had bolted toward the burning building. He rushed past the cheerleader squad, who had long since ceased their peppy performance once they realised the gravity of the situation, and managed to slip behind one of the teachers who was busy trying to direct the students away from the danger zone. Having made it this far, he darted in the direction of the door leading inside.
"JOEY!" Yugi screamed. He rushed past Bakura, waving his arms frantically. It was too late; Joey had already made it into the building. "COME BACK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"Yugi, what's wrong?" Téa asked as he stumbled by. It appeared that nobody else had witnessed Joey's mad dash. "Did you find Joey?"
"Téa! Tristan!" Yugi cried, pausing only for a moment. "The school's on fire, and Joey's inside! I don't know what happened, he just…"
"What?" asked Tristan, his eyes bulging in their sockets. "He's in there…?"
"We've gotta do something, guys!" Yugi implored them, sprinting onward. Within moments, both Téa and Tristan were by his side, all three of them heading toward the school in the hopes of preventing whatever crazy stunt Joey was trying to pull. It's likely they would have made it, too, if they hadn't been abruptly stopped in their tracks by one of the teachers.
"Hold it!" he growled at them, raising his burly arms up and catching Téa and Tristan by their shoulders. Yugi recognised him as one of the P.E. instructors; there was no way they'd be able to force their way past this guy. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"You gotta help us!" Tristan begged, writhing in the teacher's grip. "Our friend's still in there!"
"Please!" cried Téa. "You've got to get him out!"
"Ain't nobody in there, kid," the P.E. teacher replied. "We already took a headcount; everyone's accounted for. Now I can understand if you left somethin' inside, but it's way too dangerous to go in there right now."
"That's exactly why we need to get him out of there!" Tristan yelled.
"Can't you just check for us?" Téa demanded. Her voice, strong as it was, belied the sheer panic no doubt festering in her heart.
"Sorry," the teacher shook his head, stubbornly. "I've got strict orders not to let anyone inside until the fire department arrives. Now, if you would kindly get back into your groups…"
Yugi had heard enough. If they weren't going to be able to convince anybody to go inside and get Joey out, he was going to have to do it himself. As the teacher began ushering Téa and Tristan away from the entrance, Yugi crouched as far down as he possibly could and slipped between his legs. For once, his stature had become a blessing; the teacher had been so busy berating the others that he hadn't even noticed Yugi's presence. Rising up, Yugi launched himself over the concrete threshold between the schoolyard and the entranceway. He didn't look back, but as he plunged inside the school he heard what could only be described as a pained shriek from far behind him. It was not unlike the death cry he had heard as he envisioned the Mystical Elf's gruesome fate at the hands of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
It was Téa – she hadwatched him go.
--
Flames licked at him from either side as Yugi dove haphazardly down the corridor leading to the classroom. He had been calling Joey's name ever since he got inside, and had thus far received no response. The more he searched, the more desperate he became – and the more desperate he became, the worse the fire seemed to get. At first he'd felt reasonably safe, as there had only been a faint blanket of smoke covering the ceiling in the entrance hall. But the further he progressed, the riskier it became.
The fire seemed to have spread rapidly, as though it had a mind and a will of its own. He could remember walking down this corridor on his way outside with Joey. Then, it had been spotless – a testament to the janitor's dedication. Now, the floor was cluttered with shards of blackened wood and scattered piles of rubble. Evidently the ceiling was slowly collapsing; that was never a good sign. The whole place was ablaze. It reminded him of his duel with Panik, when he had been forced to endure such intense heat that – had he been without the spirit of the Puzzle – he may very well have been fried to a crisp. This was much worse, however. At least, in Panik's case, the fire was under another human being's control. An evil and malicious human being, but a human being nevertheless. The fire that now ravaged the school had no master; it was free to cause as much destruction as it so desired. And it appeared to desire a great deal.
Perhaps worse than the fire, however, was the smoke. Yugi couldhandle the fire – it made its presence known with both its blistering heat and its unmatchedferocity, whereas smoke was silent and cold, not to mention impossible to evade. It clogged his throat and clouded his vision, stinging his eyes and forcing them closed. But he couldn't just close his eyes – not when Joey was in danger. What made things even worse was that Yugi knew Joey was in here somewhere, but because of the smoke he was having a hard time seeing. Joey could have been standing but a few feet away and he would have been totally oblivious to it. His only hope was the classroom. It was the one place he thought he might find him.
At long last, he came to it. The door had collapsed inwards, toppling over a number of desks in the process. Yugi strode over it, making sure to watch where he stepped. Rubbing his eyes, he peered through the gray curtain shrouding his sight. He couldn't see anything! The smoke was too thick! He reached forward and tried to steady himself on one of the desks, only to slip and fall onto an overturned chair. He moaned – lacking the strength to cry out – and immediately began to cough. The smoke's icy caress was overwhelming him; he suddenly found himself unable to fight the urge to sleep.
"Yuge?"
Yugi's head snapped up. It had barely beenlouder than a whisper, but it was enough to bring him back to his senses. "Joe…" he hacked. "Joey?" He scrambled over toward where the voice had come from. There, slumped against a desk with a dazed expression on his face, sat Joey – his eyes blinking in disbelief. "It's me, Joey… I'm here to save you."
"Yuge… Yugi…" Joey croaked, clutching something to his chest. "I had to… come back… I had to…"
"C'mon," Yugi clambered to his feet. Offering him his hand, he smiled weakly. "We've got to get out of here. Here, let me…"
"Yugi!" Joey hissed, grabbing Yugi's hand and pulling him down toward him. He was now close enough to see what Joey was holding. Duel Monsters cards – both his and Joey's. "You understand… right? The cards… I had to come back… for them…"
Yugi's brow creased. "Joey, your life is worth more than your deck. We can always buy more cards… But you? You're irreplaceable."
"But Yuge…" Joey wheezed, sliding them into his pocket protectively. "They're all… I have left…"
"That's not true at all," said Yugi, placing a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder. "You have your sister, Serenity. You have Téa, and Tristan… and you have me. Now c'mon, let's get out of here!"
"Seren… ity…" Joey mumbled as Yugi hoisted him up to a standing position.
"That's right, Joey," said Yugi, his voice straining as he led Joey out of the room as carefully as he could. "Your sister wouldn't want you to get hurt. She loves you."
"My sister…" Joey said, his eyes glazing over. "Serenity…" Then without warning, he toppled over face-first, landing sprawled out on the floor.
"Joey!" Yugi yelled, rolling him over onto his side; he seemed to have fainted. Before Yugi could try to wake him, however, he heard a prolonged groan – but it didn't come from Joey. Instead, it came from somewhere above his head. Yugi turned to look up at the source of the sound, only for the ceiling to give way. "No!"
Plaster rained down on him, followed by sharp fragments of wood. He raised his arm to shield his face, but it wasn't much help; the shards sliced through his jacket, cutting into the skin on his arm and causing him to let out an agonising scream. Soon, chunks of stone were pelting him in abundance, striking him so hard that he felt sure he would surely lose consciousness himself. One particularly heavy slab caught his shoulder with such force that he fell onto his back, his skull bouncing off the floor. Smoky fingers soon enveloped him as the final few scraps of debris landed on his chest, pinning him to the ground. He couldn't move.
"Joey…" he mumbled. His jaw throbbed every time he moved his lips. "Téa…" He had a feeling his left arm was broken. "Tristan…" He could feel blood trickling down the back of his neck. "Grandpa…"
Spirit…
But he wasn't about to give up just yet.
With every ounce of strength left in him, he began to inch his way across the floor, slowly sliding out from underneath the offending pile. At first, this proved difficult – his foot was wedged tightly between two pipes that had landed at angles to each other. He soon remedied this by slipping his foot out of his shoe, leaving the sneaker trapped regrettably beneath the rubble. Then, after about five minutes of the most arduous crawling he'd ever done in his life, he made it out. He'd done it. He was free.
However, Joey wasn't. He'd somehow managed inadvertently – for he was still out cold – to avoid the brunt of the avalanche; only the lower half of his body was coveredin debris. Yugi rubbed his brow, ignoring as best he could the sharp pains that flared up in his side when he bent down, and hooked his arms underneath Joey's. Dragging him to safety proved much easier than pulling himself out, but Yugi was worried nevertheless. He had no way of knowing if Joey had sustained any serious injuries.
"Joey!" he said, lightly slapping his friend across the face in an attempt to wake him. "Joey, can you hear me?"
For a moment, there was no response. "Yuge…?"
"Joey!" Yugi exclaimed, ecstatically. The severe pain he'd been feeling was replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief. "You're okay!"
"Yuge…" Joey murmured. "Let me come with you… to Duelist Kingdom…"
"Huh?"
"You gotta let me come… My sister… She needs me… I gotta duel… for my sister, Serenity…"
Tears rolled down Yugi's cheeks, and sizzled on the hot floor below. "Of course, Joey," he smiled, clasping Joey's hand in his. "We're a team."
"Yuge… You're my best… My best…" With that, Joey fell quiet again.
"Don't worry, Joey," Yugi said, more to himself than anything else. "We'll get out of here together." He was about to pick Joey up, when suddenly he noticed he wasn't wearing his Millennium Puzzle. In the ensuing chaos, it must have somehow fallen from around his neck. "Oh no…!"
He saw it moments later, hidden underneath a fallen ceiling tile. Its familiar golden sheen had given it away; even through all the dust and the fumes, it retained its unmistakable glow. Yugi limped over and scooped it up in its hand, thankful that it was still in one piece. His joy was short-lived, however, when the Puzzle refused to budge more than a few inches. The chain, which typically remained wrapped around his neck, must have snagged itself on something. Were he not desperate to save his friend's life, this would have been little more than a minor inconvenience. Instead, it had become a matter of life and death.
"I'm not leaving without you, spirit!" Yugi declared through gritted teeth. He tugged and he wrenched at the Puzzle, hoping the chain would become dislodged. It didn't. The representation of the Eye of Horus crafted into the pyramid's surface stared up at him with a painful indifference. "I won't leave you!"
Then, there was a noise not unlike thunder. At first, Yugi thought it came from within the Puzzle, but then he saw what had really caused it. At the end of the corridor, the walls themselves were starting to collapse. The fire had grown so out of control that it no longer wished to be contained within the school. Yugi froze with the Puzzle still in his hands, petrified. The flames began to encircle him as though trying to ascertain what his next move would be. He looked deep into the Eye of Horus and saw the fire reflected within it, and thought for a moment that he could hear the spirit calling out to him, even though he knew it to be impossible.
GO! SAVE YOURSELF, YUGI!
Yugi fell backwards as though he'd been shoved, letting go of the Puzzle in the process. He looked from the item, to Joey, and then back again. He knew what he had to do.
With Joey's arm wrapped around his shoulders, Yugi staggered his way through the inferno.
"Hang in there, Joey," he told him. "Once this is over, it'll just be yet another bad day."
--
… I was able to get us both to safety …
… You would have been so proud of me …
… Joey was still unconscious when the firemen took him away …
… But you have to understand …
… I couldn't just leave you here …
Yugi knelt beside the Millennium Puzzle, his lips trembling as he reached into the ring of fire that had now surrounded the sacred item. Its once mystic glow had dulled, and had been replaced by an unbelievably strong heat.
… I fought my way back …
… Because I know I can't live without you …
… You're part of me, spirit …
… Now, please …
… Come back with me …
He closed his eyes and bit hard into his lower lip as he finally found the courage to grasp the Puzzle.
… I need you …
The flesh on his fingertips peeled away the moment he touched it.
… Forgive me for leaving you behind …
He screamed.
… Spirit …
The fires embraced him.
--
END OF CHAPTER TWO
