Sorry it took this long to up date but i have to say that writing people who are panicking is hard. Aperently i survived all my finals, even Latin. and i found out a bit of triva. 'Muto' in latin means 'to exchange'. fits right! ok enough with that, it's been a long few weeks. thank you for continuing to read this.
before i go any further i need to tell you that a new charater has been added to this story. her name is Charlotte and she is great. I need to tell you this because she is not mine. she belongs to my good friend Saia-Kurume, who also writes on this sight. we got together and desided that both of our OC would work in eachothers storys. so Charlotte is making a deybue in this story. If you want to know more about her read 'Something Wicked' by Saia-Kurume. i hope you like her as much as I do.
ok one last order of buisness. i should warn you that this is the Bandit Keith part. instead of fallowing Yugi it will be fallowing Airi, Yami, and the gang, which means lots of jumping around. Sorry if it gets confusing. Special thanks to EB, battousaisgirl16, and Saia-Kurume for all their suggestions.
ok enough talk, lets get started.
Chapter 16
The next several months saw several changes for the group. Joey's sister Serenity was going through testing to see if it wasn't too late for her blindness to be stopped. Joey wouldn't stop talking about the progress and the doctor's positive reports on her condition. Joey went around unable to stop smiling for weeks.
There was more then one reason Joey was in a good mood. His friend from America had come to Japan for a visit and had officially become part of the group. Charlotte Langspur was a duelist on the American dueling circuit and she and Joey had been pen pals for a few years. She had decided to visit to get away from her abusive father. The day she arrived the black haired teen had gotten lost in Domino, not having enough practice in reading Japanese. Joey and Yugi had found her in front of the electronic shop, weak from hunger and fast asleep. Once she recovered and had been properly introduced she was instantly accepted into their group of friends. Charlotte had a very fun personality and got along well with the group. It also didn't hurt that she had punched Kaiba in the face when he had ticked her off. (A/N: Read other story to find out what happened)
Charlotte was staying with Joey and was now enrolled with the others in school. Because of the difference in the school systems she was in their class despite being a year older. The months went by with out that much incident. The group had some run-ins with Kaiba but nothing big. Luckily there wasn't any reason for Charlotte to hit him again, though there was still tension between them. His opinion of Charlotte may have improved more if she and Airi hadn't become good friends. Though Kaiba did seem a little more accepting of Charlotte then Airi, mostly because she was a professional Duelist, even if she was an American one.
Airi was grateful that there wasn't any big happenings at the moment. She had enough on her plate with school, which meant staying up late to finish projects. Yami would often sit up with her if he got bored, or wanted to get away from his puzzle, which would only remind him more and more about how little he knew of himself. He was becoming more and more restless, like he was supposed to do or know. But he knew nothing except that he had woken up in a puzzle 5,000 years ago.
It was about a year after Duelist Kingdom. The morning was like every other morning at the game shop. Gramps was outside sweeping. Airi was just turning on the dishwasher after doing the breakfast dishes. She looked up at the kitchen clock. Tea should be here any minute, but Yugi was still in his room. Usually he was already downstairs. She walked up to the attic to see what was going on. As she walked she could hear Yugi and Yami talking.
"Well this new chain should be strong enough." Yugi was saying. The rope around the Millennium Puzzle had snapped during a friendly but intense wrestling match at Joey's place so Yugi had bought a chain yesterday to replace it. "That was scary when the rope broke. I can't imagine losing the puzzle."
"We're going to need it more then ever." Yami said, standing behind Yugi.
"Is there something wrong?" Yugi reconsigned the undertone in his friends voice.
"The puzzle connects us Yugi. It's the only way I am able to exist in this world."
"You're still worried aren't you?" Yugi said, looking up at him as he got his bag.
"I'm not sure why but I feel something is going to happen."
"I'm sure we'll be ready for anything. We're a team." Yugi said.
"I'm included in that statement right?" Airi said, from her position in the door way.
Both boys jumped, not realizing she was there.
"Ha, pay back." Airi laughed.
"Hey, no fair."
"Face downs are fair." Airi corrected "Besides any crazy things that happen to you affects me."
"It could be dangerous." Yami said.
"And when has that stopped you two?" Airi said, indignant.
"Yugi, Tea's here!" they heard Grandpa calling from outside.
"Be right there!" Yugi called back.
Yugi started off down the stairs, Yami about to fallow when Airi touched his shoulder.
"Hey, you sure your ok? You've been rather moody."
"I just wish I knew more. There has been one attempt for my puzzle, I'm just afraid the next one will be worse." Yami hated the idea of anything happening to Yugi and Airi because someone was after him.
"We'll figure it out. There has to be something. No one comes out of thin air. Lighten up a little, Yugi's getting worried about you. And so am I."
Yami nodded, smiling slightly.
"Morning." Tea said brightly, when Yugi and Airi came out of the shop. "Come on Yugi, We're going to be late."
"Sorry Tea, we were talking to the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."
"Really is something wrong?" Tea could hear the under tone of worry in Yugi's voice.
"He is just worried that something is going to happen. He just hates not knowing who he is or what his purpose is here. Ever since Duelist Kingdom he's been worried someone else might be after my puzzle. He has no real idea who he is or where he come from."
"Yugi, your rambling." Airi interrupted.
"Oh, yeah we have the big game today." Yugi said, snapping back to the present.
The two high school kids hurried down the street, calling out good bye to the Muto family as they went.
"If the game gets over early come back and help me sweep!" Gramps called after them.
"How often do you have to sweep?" Airi said, looking at the front step, which looked rather clean to her.
"Don't say anything negative about my art of sweeping." Gramps humphed. "I don't see you kids offering to help with this."
"We just didn't want to muss up your professional job." Airi said sweetly.
"Right." Gramps huffed, though smiling just the same. "Get in there and make sure inventory is still good."
Airi was in the back when she felt it. The sudden jolt of panic made her stop dead in her tracks. She hadn't felt this much panic since Duelist kingdom.
"Please not again." she muttered. "Don't be so quick to think the worse Airi." she told herself, trying to stay calm. "They're a team, as long as they are together everything will work out." She started to climb the stares, only half realizing what she was doing. The panicked feeling didn't leave, but had changed slightly. She was getting two different degrees, one seemed frustrated, the other was scared yet determined.
Airi's insides started to clam up. The intensity wasn't changing, but the reception on one of them was starting to weaken. She had felt something like this before, when Yugi had passed out during the duel with Pegasus. Something was very wrong.
Airi suddenly became aware that she was in her room. Without thinking of what she was doing she went the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled it open. Sitting there almost as if it was expecting her to come, was her card case. She pulled it out, then paused. What was she thinking? She had no idea where Yugi was or if he really was in trouble. Besides, how was she so sure that this kind of emergency called for her deck. They could be in some other kind of trouble where cards wouldn't help at all. She wished the mind link worked over long distances; getting random feelings with out reference was frustrating.
"Airi!"
She wheeled round to see Yami standing there. The look on his face was enough to confirm all the panic she had been feeling.
"Yami, what is it?" she said standing up, hand clutching her deck. "Is Yugi ok?"
"He was last time I was able to communicate with him."
"What?"
"Something is interfering with the puzzle so I can't even detach to help him duel. Thankfully who ever is blocking the bond doesn't seem to know about my connection with you."
"Wait, Yugi is dueling some one?"
"Yes and from what I've been trying to push through who ever it is is very powerful."
"Lets go then." Airi was already half way out the door. "Gramps I'm going out for a bit!" she called as she ran down the back stairs. She didn't even wait to see if he heard as she and Yami ran out on the street. Airi realized she was still holding her deck. Not having time to run back up stairs she clipped it onto her belt loop.
"This way." Yami indicated the road way to school. Both hurried along the street.
"How did this opponent get hold of the puzzle?" Airi said, not getting why Yugi hadn't been wearing the puzzle when he was challenged.
"Apparently he was tricked into taking it off." Yami said, inwardly cursing that he was getting faint feelings from his Aibou. "Are you still getting impressions from Yugi?"
"Faintly. What could possibly have possessed him to give up the puzzle?"
"Again I don't know, I wasn't paying attention." Yami said, angry at himself. "The next thing I knew was that our connection had weekend. I was able to detach long enough to hear the challenge from the thief and tell Yugi he would have to do this alone before some greater power forced me back."
"We'll get there and help." Airi said, trying to sound confident for both of them.
Yami had stopped in front of a table with a purple cover and the remains of a crystal ball on the ground in front of it.
"This is the last place Yugi had the puzzle." Yami said, glaring at the ally behind the table. "That is where they went."
"Look at those arrows." Airi was halfway down the ally already. On the wall was an arrow that was pointing along the dirty passage way. "These must have been placed to lead Yugi where the creep wanted him."
"Him alone it seems." Yami said, indicating several other sights further along the passage. They looked just like the one Airi had found but were pointing in every way imaginable.
"They're no help to us now." Airi said, hitting the sign in exasperation and regretting it; bricks hurt. "Do you remember where the puzzle went after the thieves took off?"
"No." Yami paused, concentrating. "This way." He started off down the ally.
Airi dashed after him, a spark of hope rising in her chest. Ignoring the direction of the signs, the older teens ran down the narrow spaces between the buildings. Airi wished they could run faster. From what she could tell Yugi was barley holding his own. From what she was feeling Yugi's worry and loneliness were rarely interrupted by surges of confidence. Who ever he was dueling must be good to make Yugi doubt himself.
"Nearly there." Yami said excitedly. "It's just . . ."
But Airi never heard the end of that sentence. Without any warning Yami disappeared.
"Yami?"
No answer. She had lost all feeling of the spirits presence.
"YAMI!"
Still nothing. What was worse she couldn't feel Yugi either. All she could feel was the pounding of her own heart. If she couldn't feel either of them something must have happened to the puzzle. If the puzzle was lost Yugi was in trouble, and without Yami she had no way of getting to him.
She had lost them both.
"No Joey I'm not going to be partners with Duke." Charlotte was saying as she, Joey and Tristan stood in the entry way of school changing from their out door shoes to in door ones.
"Come on Char." Joey begged, hopping on one foot trying to get his shoe off. "I told you everyone else will already have groups. Tea will pick Yugi because she know that he'll actually do the project on time. Tristan and I will be together because we're good at thinking on our feet at the last minute. Duke has too many fan girls to chose from so he'll need someone out side of the group so those loony fans of his don't start a revolt."
"So you want to give him the one girl who'll probably rip his head off." Charlotte said. "Very charitable of you Joey." Duke had been switching between flirting with Airi and Charlotte. Charlotte had the worse time because she was in school with him all day.
"Wouldn't having a girl be his partner make things worse?" Tristan pointed out.
"Oh, great." Charlotte said, rolling her gray eyes sarcasticly. "Get those crazy fan loonies mad at me for life. Plus I'll have to put up with his twirling his bangs endlessly."'
"Why can't you be his partner Joey?" Tristan said.
"Because I want to get a good grade."
Charlotte would have called Joey a bunch of nasty names if Tea hadn't practically fell through the door. She had been running the whole way, only pausing to talk to Bakura on the way to get help.
"Wow Tea what happened?" Tristan said, taken a back by her entrance.
"Where's Yugi?" Charlotte said, knowing the two walked to school together.
"Yugi's in trouble." Tea gasped out.
"What!" That got the other three teens attention.
"His puzzle got stolen. He told me to cut the thief of around the corner but her never came out."
"Well we'll have to go find him." Joey said, jumping around again to put his shoe back on.
"Charlotte, tell the teachers we wont be in class." Tristan said, putting his own shoes back on.
"Not on your life." Charlotte said. "Yugi's my friend too."
"Could be dangerous." Joey said, giving her a grin. She glared at him.
"Considering I'm the one who punched Kaiba in the face, I think I'm ready for everything."
"Guys hurry." Tea said. "Yugi could be in big trouble."
"With what we've faced, that's what I'm afraid of." Joey said.
The four of them were half way down the front steps when they heard someone call after them. Turning they found the soccer coach, stomping after them.
"Oops." Joey muttered.
"Where do you kids think you're going?" Coach said. "You'll promised to help out with the soccer game today."
"We have a emergency." Tristan said.
"Like what?"
"Tea's cat is sick." Charlotte sniffed, wiping her eyes. "The vet says we don't have much time. We're going to give her family support." She was acting so convincing that the others had to look twice to make sure she was faking.
"Please, I need to be with Fluffy." Tea said, catching on and acting the part with her hands clasped in front of her.
The whole thing was extremely cheesy, but the coach bought the whole story.
"Such devotion. Of course you kids can go." Coach said, wiping tears from eyes. "Go be with that poor kitty." he called after them as the four teens ran off down the road.
"Poor kitty?" Joey said, once out of sight.
"Majority of people have a soft spot for cute furry pets." Charlotte looked very pleased with herself. "Glad to see it works here just as well here as it does in the states."
"This way guys." Tea said, taking the lead. She lead them to the table at the entrance to the ally. "This is where the creep tricked Yugi to get his puzzle. He ran down that ally after him and told me to cut him off at the next ally but no one came out."
"Maybe those signs will help." Tristan pointed to the first arrow.
"Look again genius." Joey said, pointing at a arrow that was pointing to a dumpster. "I don't care if there's a secret passage, noddy is gonna get me to go dumpster diving."
"Well the signs may still help even if they aren't pointing the right way." Charlotte said, continuing down the ally. "Some one switched the signs, but I doubt they had time to put them down different allies. Lets fallow and see if they will lead us."
"Great idea, Char." Joey said.
Suddenly they heard a yell.
"You guys hear that?" Tea said.
"Shh."
"YAMI!" the yell came again.
"Anyone know that name?" Tristan asked confused.
"I know that voice." Tea said, dashing off. "Airi!" she called as she ran.
"What would she be doing here?" Joey said, as the other hurried after Tea.
They rounded several turns, each of them calling out Airi's name, until they made a turn and almost ran her over. Airi was standing in the middle the ally, looking completely lost. She turned to them, her panicked face relaxing slightly when she saw her friends.
"Airi, what are ya doing here?" Joey said, caching his breath.
"Yugi's in trouble, why wouldn't I be here." She snapped.
"How did you know?" Tea wanted to know.
"What does it matter?" Airi wasn't about to talk about he connection to Yami at the moment; it would take to long. Yugi's friends still had some trouble wrapping their heads around the 'Two Yugi' thing and her connection would probably add to the already complicated situation. "Do you guys have any idea where Yugi could be?"
"That's what we hoped you could tell us." Tristan said, hating not having a game plan.
"They can't have gotten to far." Charlotte said.
"Yeah even if he was carried off in a car they can't have gotten to far out the city." Tristan said.
Airi went pale. The others gave Tristan death glares.
"What? We can't rule out kidnapping." Tristan said.
"Could you have any less tact?" Charlotte snapped.
"Lets continue with Char's idea and fallow the signs." Joey said, motioning towards the paper signs along the walls, also pointing in random directions. "They have to lead some place and we can figure out what to do from there. Come on."
Airi didn't move. She was too busy concentrating, trying to pick up any feelings from Yugi or Yami. Charlotte took Airi's hand. The other teen jumped slightly.
"Hey everything's going to be ok." Charlotte said, hoping her smile was convincing.
Airi nodded. She had to keep it together.
'Please let them be ok.' she mentally prayed.
When he gained consciousness Yami became aware that he was laying on a stone floor. How had he ended up here? The last thing he remembered was being with Airi trying to find Yugi.
Yami's eyes snapped opened. Airi. Yugi. What had happened to them?
He sat up, recognizing that he was in his puzzle, how had that happened?This room was slightly familiar. Nothing impressive, just plain brick work for walls and ceiling. Only one thing interrupted the continues brickwork. A few words were carved in Hieroglyphics on the wall in front of him. He squinted.
"Yami, the spirit of the puzzle." he read allowed.
As his senses started to clear he remembered. Before Yugi had started to construct the puzzle Yami had only been able to visit two rooms; this one and one that contained tablets with Duel Spirits on them. He had carved his name on that wall because that was the only thing he had been sure of when he had become aware of his existence 5,000 years ago. Only when his puzzle had started to be put together had he been able to progress to other rooms and only when the puzzle had been completed had he been able to leave the maze of passages.
Yami's insides felt like ice as a horrible thought surfaced in his mind. If he had been sent back to this room, then something had happened on the out side. He quickly stood. The door in front of him lead to the room with the tablets. The spirits wouldn't help, they had no control over what happened outside of their room.
The door on the other side would lead to the other parts of his puzzle. Dreading what might happen, he walked over to that door and pushed against it. The door wouldn't open. Yami's panic took over. If he couldn't leave this room then it meant his puzzle had been smashed.
Yami started to pound the door, willing it to open. Yugi would never have let this happen, but what if he hadn't been able to prevent it. What if he . . .
"YUGI!"
"This feels like we've been around in circles." Joey complained.
"How many ally's are there in this blasted city?" Charlotte said, kicking at some trash in frustration.
"Hey look guys." Tea said, pointing. A cloud of smoke was forming above the building in the distance.
"Looks like a fire." Tristan said.
"Great deducting." Joey said. "But from the color of that smoke, I'd have ta say that ain't no controlled fire."
Airi suddenly snapped to attention, looking towards the blaze.
"Yugi's over there."
"What?"
"He's there, I'm sensing it. It's faint, but its him!"
The others stared at her.
"Well then lets get moving." Tea snapped them all to attention.
They all hurried over to find the source of the smoke.
Yami almost fell through the door. He had been pushing against it for what seemed like eternity. He stumbled through, hope again rose in his chest. His puzzle was starting to be put back together.
And there was only one person who was able to do that.
He started running down the passages, sometimes hitting barriers, but more and more he was being able to get around his puzzle.
"Yugi!" he kept calling as he ran, hoping that with the completions with the puzzle Yugi would be able to hear him.
Because Yugi had to hold the puzzle as he put it back together his emotions were coming through clearly. Yami suddenly froze where he stood. He recognized those feelings; Fear and determination.
Something wasn't right out side of this golden prison.
"Yugi, Don't lose hope!" Yami yelled, hoping that Yugi could at least feel him if not hear him.
He started running again. Why did he have to be a prisoner when Yugi needed him. He was too frustrated to sense the growing heat that was also coming through the walls of the puzzle.
The group had found the burning warehouse where the smoke was coming out.
"Ya sure, Airi?" Joey said.
"Forget if it is or not." Tea said. "Someone might be in there."
"Right." Tristan said. "Tea, call the fire department. Joey and I will try and break down the door."
Tea ran a little bit down the road to be able to make the call clearly. Joey and Tristan were hitting the door over and over. Airi and Charlotte stayed back, so they wouldn't be a hindrance. Airi was trying sense anything; Nothing was clear, but she was getting slight hints. What hits she was getting weren't positive at all.
Suddenly the door gave way and a wave of smoke came out of the empty door way.
"Hello, any one in there?" Tristan called in to the burning building.
Suddenly a crazed figure in a crazy robe outfit came charging through the door. Yelling something about the place being haunted and clutching his head the man stampeded toward Airi and Charlotte. Airi got out of the way, but Charlotte stood her ground. As the crazed man approached she gave him a well placed right hook, knocking him flat. He hit the ground hard, out cold.
"Just as I thought; Bandit Keith." Charlotte said, rubbing her knuckles. "Man that felt good."
"Please tell me that we didn't do all that work to save him." Joey groaned, gesturing at the broken door.
"Yugi!" Airi had just felt a jolt, a strong one. "He's in there!" she started forward, but Joey put up his hand.
"We'll go in a look around. You two stay out here for the fire department. Charlotte, keep her here."
With that Joey and Tristan disappeared into the smoke. Airi stared after them.
"To heck with that." she said, and started forward, but Charlotte held her back.
"Let go Charlotte!" she yelled, the feelings were getting stronger. "Yugi's in there I'm sure of it!"
"The boys can get him. Burning yourself up wont help anyone. Yugi wouldn't want you to, and neither would the spirit. Yugi's going to be ok, trust them."
It was rather pointless to pull with the taller girl having such a good grip. Suddenly it was like there was click inside Airi and she was overwhelmed with renewal of the connection to the puzzle. The fear and panic was over whelming. What was worse, her brother's signal seemed to be getting weaker.
"YUGI!" she screamed, her shouts drowned out by the howling of the approaching fire trucks.
As the puzzle got closer to being completed Yami started to pick up snips of what was going on out side. He finally recognized the heat that was starting to grow in intensity. If the puzzle melted, he didn't want to think about what would happen to him. What worried him most was how Yugi was holding up. He would hear the other boy mutter to himself now and then, and this privet encouraging and comments about the heat did nothing to ease Yami's feelings of helplessness.
Suddenly he heard another voice. Was that Joey?
"I'm not leaving without my puzzle!" Yugi was yelling at someone.
"Yugi get out!" Yami yelled, willing his other half to hear him. "Leave while you still can!"
Yugi could hear the protests from the puzzle, but he was ignoring them. He wasn't going to leave his friend in this place.
"One last piece." Yugi muttered, squinting through the heat. The last piece clicked in place, making the puzzle shine. Yami appeared behind Yugi, wheeling around to see the smaller boy standing, proudly holding on to his puzzle. The chain was securely fastened to a ring in the side of a dueling platform which prevented him from leaving the burning building.
"There it's finished." Yugi said proudly. Then slumped forward, holding tightly onto the puzzle, barley holding onto consciousness.
"Yugi!" Yami was to him in a moment, grasping him by the shoulders. "Stay with me Yugi, you have to stay awake!"
"Heat." Yugi muttered.
"Yugi!" Joey and Tristan were there.
"Come on Yuge we've got to get out of here!" Joey said.
"Can't . . . leave . . . my puzzle." Yugi said stubbornly.
"Joey try and free the puzzle, I'll get Yugi's deck."
Joey pulled against the metal. Nothing happened. Yami was still holding on to Yugi's shoulders, wishing he could take control but he could only do that when Yugi was wearing the puzzle.
"Yugi, let go. You have to get out." Yami said. Yugi wasn't going to die because of him.
"Not . . . leaving . . . puzzle." Yugi said, voice hardly audible, vise like grip not loosening.
"No Yugi, let go!"
"I've got Yugi's deck." Tristan was back, putting the cards in his jacket pocket.
"This chain wont budge. It like made of iron or something." Joey said. He had been trying to get it down and had zero success.
"We really have to get out."
"Ya think I don't know that. He wont budge without da puzzle."
Yami almost yelled at them to hurry up, but remembered they couldn't hear him.
"Get one of those roads." Joey indicated some roads that were close by. He and Tristan began to hit the metal ring holding the chain there.
"This isn't working."
"Oh, what told ya that."
"So . . . hot . . ." The heat was too much for Yugi's small frame. He was fading fast, stamina used up to compete the puzzle.
"Yugi stay awake, please." Yami said, shaking him slightly in his desperation. "Think of Airi, your Grandfather, hold on for them."
"Hey, I have an idea." Joey said. "Stick the pole in the hole and we'll pry it out."
The boys slipped the rod in the ring. They pulled their end, putting there everything into it.
"Yugi!" Airi's voice came from outside, faint though the roar of the flames and the screech of the fire trucks. Yugi's eyes flickered open.
"Sorry . . . I . . Tryed . . ." he mumbled before passing out.
"No!" Yami roared.
"Almost got it." Joey muttered as he and Tugged harder.
Yami stood up. Red eyes burning, he seized the bolt with both hands and pulled. He pulled with all the strength he had left. Slowly, the bolt shuttered as it fought the combined force of the three boys.
"Come on." Yami muttered, pulling harder.
The bolt suddenly shot out causing them all to lose their balance and fall over. Yami landed next to Yugi who had slumped to the floor. Suddenly he felt drained of energy. Yami waited until he saw Joey pick Yugi up and he and Tristan were half way to the door before he faded into the puzzle. Once inside, he collapsed unconscious to the floor.
Airi didn't know what to say to Grandpa when he arrived at the hospital. She had ridden in the ambulance with Yugi and had stayed with him until the doctors had taken him away for tests. Gramps had been contacted by the doctors and had come over immediately. He was currently demanding to know why no one ever told him about things like this. Airi just stood there letting him reprimand her. She was too numb to really care if she was in trouble or not. She was holding the Millennium Puzzle, which the doctors had managed to pry from Yugi's fingers. Yami hadn't appeared, and she didn't expect him too any time soon. Now she was the one gripping it tightly. Just having the puzzle with her gave her some kind of feeling of reassurance.
Finally Gramps guessed his granddaughter had been through a enough and told her to go rest a bit in the waiting room. Tea and Charlotte were there, waiting for news of Joey and Tristan as well as Yugi. The other two boys had been whisked away in a second ambulance and were getting tested as well. The three girls sat together, watching as Gramps and the doctors talked, perking up when ever a new doctor appeared.
Joey and Tristan appeared, sporting several bandages. Other then this they were fine. They did their best to cheer up the gloomy female trio. Charlotte and Tea did their best to laugh. Airi didn't so much as smile. She was walking up and down the hall, having to do something so her mind wouldn't dwell wholly one the long wait. Gramps didn't look any calmer. He stood by main desk, to be the first to get any news.
Finally a doctor came out. Yugi had suffered lack of oxygen and was still unconscious. Yet despite being trapped in a burning building there was no lasting affects. He would have to be kept over night for observation however. Everyone found that they were breathing easier as well. Airi held the puzzle closer, sure that some how the magic had kept her brothers injuries form being worse then they were. Yugi's friends wanted to go in and see him, but the doctors insisted family only. The group promised to return the next day to see how Yugi was doing. Thank heavens tomorrow was Saturday.
Gramps and Airi were led to Yugi's room. In the large hospital bed he looked even smaller. Airi placed the puzzle on the bed next to his hand, knowing he would want to know where it was when he woke up. Both of them sat by the bed until late that evening. Even if he wanted to stay all night, Gramps knew his body would give him heck in the morning if he tried to sleep sitting up. He suggested going home, but Airi wasn't about to leave. After a few moments of arguing Gramps gave up. He paused before leaving, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You know this isn't your fault."
"I know."
He nodded, giving her a hug before he left. Airi sat on the sofa near the bed. Though exhausted she couldn't relax. Her nerves were to much on edge, like they needed some kind of out let. She stayed all night, only leaving the room to get a drink from the drinking fountain.
When she came back she found Yami sitting on the edge of Yugi's bed, watching over his smaller companion like a sentry. He had rested enough to detach. He wasn't about to let Yugi out of his sight again.
"Yami."
He looked up. Glancing to make sure Yugi was still sleeping, he stood. He wasn't sure what he was going to say. Airi looked so warn out with worry it made him feel sick to know he was part of the cause. He should have been able to prevent this, but now the people he cared about were hurting because of it.
"Airi I . . ." he was going to apologize, but he didn't get a chance.
Airi's eyes filled with tears and she threw her arms around the spirit.
"Thank heavens your alright." she whispered. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
Yami put his arms round her.
"It's alright Airi, I'm right here."
She held on tighter.
Feeling how drained she was, Yami gently lead her back to the couch and sat her down, arms still protectively around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, comforted by his presence.
"You can sleep now. I'll keep watch." Yami whispered.
"Yami."
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
"Sleep now, everything's alright."
Airi's eye lids couldn't protest any longer and she drifted into sleep.
Airi slept peacefully through the night. So she would be more comfortable, Yami lay her out on the couch. He took his position of sentry on the edge of Yugi's bed, watching over them both all night.
The next morning Yugi finally opened his eyes.
'Where am I?' he thought. After a few blinks he took in the room around him. He found the puzzle near his hand and touched it lightly. Thank heavens it was safe. He looked up and saw the spirit, and his face lit up with a smile. "Yami you're ok." he said relieved.
Yami who had glanced over to Airi to see if she was going to wake up soon, snapped his eyes back to the other boy. Next thing Yugi knew, the spirit had pulled the boy into a relieved hug.
"Hey, I'm ok." Yugi was taken aback by the spirits reaction.
Yami released him, but still held on to his shoulders.
"Don't you ever do that to us again Yugi." he said, red eyes glaring unblinkingly into the large violet. "What were you thinking, you could have died."
"Did you just want me to leave you in that furnace." Yugi said.
"Better me than you. You have people who care about you and I . . ."
"Am my friend." Yugi interrupted. "You couldn't get out by yourself; I could you feel your panic in that puzzle. I wasn't about to abandon you."
"I kept telling you to get out." Yami said, not breaking eye contact.
"And I don't abandon my friends when they need me." Yugi said, also not looking away. "You would have done the same for me."
Neither one of them moved, staring unblinkingly at each other. Finally Yami allowed himself to smile.
"Your right Yugi." his face went stern again. "But never forget how many people care about what happens to you. Please be more careful next time."
Yugi caught sight of his sister sleeping on the couch.
"She hasn't been here all night has she?" he said.
"All night." Yami said.
"She's mad at me, isn't she?"
Yami didn't get a chance to answer because Airi started to stir. Yami went over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder as she sat up.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better." she said, blinking to clear her vision. "How's Yugi?"
"You can ask him yourself."
Airi's eyes snapped right to the bed, where Yugi was sitting up. Both siblings stared at each other for a split second. Then Airi's eyes narrowed. Yugi gulped. This is what he was afraid of.
Airi stood up and march over to the bed. She seemed to tower over him when she was this close. Yami stayed back, not sure if he was suppose to interfere or not.
Yugi looked up at his sister, not knowing if saying he was sorry at this moment would just set her off. He was sure he was going to get the lecture of a life time.
Airi moved suddenly. Yugi closed his eyes, not wanting to see what she was going to do to him. He opened them again when he realized she was holding him in one of the tightest hugs she had ever given him.
"If this is what you call being an idiot then you get the grand prize."Airi said into his shoulder, fresh tears flowing. "Yugi you . . . you . . . idiot."
"Are you going to suffocate me instead of yelling?" Yugi said. Her hug was making it hard for him to breath.
Airi pulled away, wiping away tears with the back of her hand.
"I am sorry." Yugi said. "Can you forgive me?"
She smiled at him, shaking her head.
"Of course I forgive you." she smiled at him and Yami. "I'm happy everyone is ok."
"All in a days work for the greatest heroes in the world." Joey said, as he, Tristan, Tea, and Charlotte entered.
The reunion of the friends was the best way to start the morning. Tea's hug was almost as hard as Airi's. Charlotte told him that it was lucky he was in the hospital or she might have given him a good punch for scaring them like that. Grandpa arrived by that time and was relieved like the rest that Yugi was awake.
"Oh, before I forget." Tristan pulled out Yugi's deck and handed it to him.
"Thanks. You guys are the best."
"What else are friends are for." Joey said. "And might I remind everyone that it was my brilliant idea that saved the day."
"Yeah, let's put the pole in the hole and see if that works." Tristan snickered.
"Say what!" Joey and Tristan would have started fighting if Yugi hadn't intervened.
"Knock it off you two, or I wont share my hospital food with you."
That stopped them cold. Thankfully Charlotte was able to distract them with some new rant about how ridiculous Duke and his fan club were.
While the others were talking, Yami stood by the window, watching them solemnly. This last experience had turned out well, but he was sure there would be others. Why him? He knew nothing about himself. Getting sent back to the heart of his puzzle reminded him that he didn't know anything. He had carved his name in the wall of puzzle so that he would at least know that about himself. He was going to have to prepare for the next attack.
Yami looked that the group. All of them looking relieve that it was all over, for now. Airi was sitting on the bed, arm protectively around her brother. She looked up and caught his gaze, smiling reassuringly when she noticed his worried glance. He smiled back, vowing then and there that nothing was going to happen to any of them. He would make sure of it.
The nurse arrived at that moment with Yugi's food.
"I call the sandwich." Joey said.
"Hey what do I get?" Tristan demanded.
"You can have the Jello."
"Hey that's mine." Charlotte said.
The Domino History Museum was unloading a new exhibit. In the basement a young woman with long black hair was looking over a collection of tablets. She was looking at one with particular interested. On top of a create next to her was the a copy of the paper, open to the page about the fire and the near death of a certain boy. The woman looked over the paper, the necklaces she was wearing suddenly shone. She nodded to herself.
"The time is nearly here." she said. "Soon. Very soon."
A/N: yay we have officaily started season two. I hope you like this chapter, i forgot how much fun i have writing this story, it was murder not alowing myself to write over finals.
PLEASE REVIEW! i'm starting to go into the really serious stuff so i need all the encuragment i can get.
Love you all, have a great week and thanks again for reading!
