I'm so sorry this so late, but school and internet issues got in the way. Thanks batousaisgirl16 for editing despite internet fails.

Also since the USA election results are in i figured we better have some happy. So no matter what your political views, here's hopefully somthing good for this day.

Same stuff. Airi mine, Yugioh not.

Chapter 55

Yugi never wanted to be soul snatched again. Not only was being trapped inside a dark stone prison waiting for something to happen terrifying, but he never knew what he would face when he saw the light of the day. Talking to Yami in that soul valley place had been a pleasant surprise, mostly because he wasn't getting fed to anything, and he could help his friend. Now he didn't know what to expect. the last time he had been pulled out of his prison he was a monster sent to attack Yami while his sister and friends watched. Back inside the stone he braced himself for the inevitable. Next time would be the monster. He was sure of it.

"It will be over soon." he told himself. One way or the other, he knew the next time he left the room he would either be free or get digested.

He wanted to pace around the dark room, but there were no real dimensions for him to go. Just black everywhere. At least Yami got places to go in his puzzle. It was maddening to know what was happening to his friends and family. Being powerless was the worse torture.

Could spirits get claustrophobic? That was a weird thing to be thinking about when the world could end at any moment. Well it beat being mind controlled. He never wanted to see Airi cry like that ever again. He wanted her to smile again. He just wanted to see her again. Leaving like that was not being a supportive brother. Then again, destroying him and the other knights was the only way for Yami closer defeating Dartz. Did that mean he had to be grateful to Kaiba for blasting him with a dragon? That idea was just weird.

The other problem was the lack of sound. He tried to talk to hear something, but all he had was his thoughts to fill the void. Not being able to hear what was happening was driving him mad. There was a duel going on feet away. Who was winning? Who was still standing?

The familiar tug came around his shoulders. Yugi wanted to grab something but there was nothing to hold. He closed his eyes and allowed the sucking sensation to take him over. Wherever it was he hoped it was quick. He closed his eyes. It was easier this way. The next sensation he felt was standing on a hard surface. Standing? In a monster's stomach? So far he didn't feel like he was being digested by evil. He cracked one eye open, then both popped open.

He'd never been so happy to see the inside of his soul room in his life. The scattered toys and the stone walls were a welcome sight. He ran through the door, into the hallway and nearly ran into Yami. Startled they jumped back, nearly crashing into the walls.

"Yami!" Yugi through his arms around his friend. "Your alright. You won. I knew you would do it."

Yami remained silent.

Surprised, Yugi pulled away to look at his friend. The spirit avoided eye contact.

"Yami?"

"Yugi . . . I'm sorry."

Yugi stepped forward, looking eye to eye with the older teen. They were closer in height now, but still he had to look up. Yugi didn't know what to say. What could he say? Yami had saved him, but he did put him in that prison. It took facing each other in duels, twice, to get him back.

"Thank you, Yami."

"What?"

"Saving me. Thank you."

Yami opened his mouth, closed it, smiled weakly and nodded.

"Airi!" Yugi looked around as if expecting his sister to show up.

"Go ahead." Yami motioned towards the door.


Airi really needed to stop doing out of body experiences. Energy zapped and head spinning, she lay semi-conscious on the floor. She'd blacked out during the duel and now she couldn't hear any more battle. Who won? She was afraid to find out.

She slowly pushed herself up, eyes closed to blocked the spinning room.

Footsteps hurried towards her and she froze waiting for an attack.

"Airi, are you alright? What were you doing? Speak to me. Are you hurt?"

"Slow down Ya-" Airi stopped. Something was off about that voice. She opened her eyes and found a pair of violet eyes staring back at her. Violet. Eyes.

"Yugi?"

He nodded. "Hey. Are you alright? You look weak."

Airi gripped his shoulders. She pulled him closer so he was only inches away. Staring into his eyes. She studied them. She had to make sure. Her hands shook. They were violet. Violet.

"Airi?" Yugi's voice trembled. "Sis-"

Airi pulled him into a hug.

"You little idiot." she sobbed "How dare you be all heroic. You're back! Do you have any idea how worried I've been? Of course you had to be the hero, but gosh dangit I want to kill you sometimes. Don't you ever do anything like that again. You're back. You're back."

The siblings held each other tightly. Airi never wanted to let go. Yugi was safe and he was here. Energy still spent, it took most of her strength to hold onto him.

Movement out of the corner of her eyes made her glace over her brother's shoulder. Yami stood detached a short distance away watching their reunion.

"Thank you."


Airi wasn't really sure what happened after Yugi came back. There had been a lot of happy shouts and lots of people around her. She was aware of Yami supporting her up, but after that everything went black. She must have used more power than she'd realized. Next thing she realized was she was waking up inside the KaibaCorp chopper. Confused she looked around and realized she was alone. Alarmed, she sat up, then had to wait a few minutes for the fog to clear out of her head.

Realizing there were voices outside, she went outside to find the others crowded around looking at something in the distance. A quick scan told her Yugi was nowhere in sight. Another look around told her neither was Kaiba or Joey. Panic began creeping back into her mind. What had happened while she'd been asleep? She hurried over to join the small group.

"Airi," Tea said. "We didn't expect you to wake up so fast."

"Where's Yugi?" Airi demanded.

Tea hesitated. "Well, he's with the others, saving the world."

"But they defeated Dartz"

"Yeah, about that."

Tristan cut in. "They're up there."

Airi followed his fingers and noticed for the first time another group of buildings had risen out of the sea and black ominous clouds circled around them.

Airi watched the sky with horror. What had she been thinking letting Yugi out of her sight. Yami and Seto had just finished dueling Dartz himself. Not to mention Joey had been out of everything for hours. None of them should be up there any more than Yugi. If she ever found out who assigned people to be heroes she would give them a piece of her mind.

The others around her made comments on what they thought was happening. Airi watched in silence, paying more attention to the jolts of emotions and energy shooting through her. It was a wild roller-coaster of emotions. Determination, fear, excitement, mixed together with others she couldn't place.

Tea's cry snapped Airi's gaze away from the sky. The portal the others had taken to the ruins to face Dartz appeared again before them her heart sped up. They were coming back, finally.

Kaiba came out followed closely by Joey. Mokuba shouted in delight and hugged his brother. The others greeted Joey. Airi waited for Yugi to appear. But he didn't.

"Where's Yugi?" Airi demanded.

Joey looked around confused. "He was right behind us."

Still Yugi didn't appear. And the portal began to shrink.

"They can still make it." Tea said.

Airi ran forward. She wasn't losing her brother again. She felt someone reach for her hand but she jerked it out and kept going.

"Airi!" Seto's voice followed as the portal closed behind her.


It took less than a second. Airi stumbled out onto the stone of a castle battlement, gripping the stones to steady herself. Looking around she spotted her brother and Darts right away. Dartz had the biggest black snake she'd ever seen. It was a fitting monster to destroy the world. Airi's eyes widened as she saw Yami's detached self appeared in front of Yugi, shouting at Dartz. What was he doing? Locating the stairs, she ran down them hoping to get there in time.

"Still you defend the darkness of the human race." Dartz taunted as Airi approached.

Airi caught up to Yugi, who jumped in surprise.

"Airi, what are you doing here?"

"I told you I'd be here to the end." Airi said. "You're not getting rid of me that easy."

"No matter how many of your friends fight against me, your little playing cards aren't going to defeat me."

Yami squared his shoulders. "If you want to destroy mankind you'll have to go through me."

"What!" Yugi and Airi said in unison.

Yami glanced back at them and Airi was sure she saw him wink.

Dartz's laughed in triumph and the leviathan rose up even higher. The monster transformed into a whirlwind and spun right down towards Yami, engulfing him in the middle of the tornado. Yami screamed but the sound was caught up in the roar of the wind.

"Goodbye, Pharaoh." Dartz said.

Yugi and Airi watched in horror. Inside Airi could feel the agony Yami was going through, but yet it was lessoned. She recognized Yami was keeping the pain inside him and not letting the others feel the full pain. She stepped forward, but Yugi held her back.

"Don't, it won't help." Yugi said. "When he's that determined, nothing can stop him."

"What are you talking about?"

Yugi shuttered. "Can't you feel it? Yami's rage fueling the leviathan."

"What?"

"I don't know how, but I'd know that sickening feeling anywhere."

Airi looked up at the tornado and felt the same sickening feeling she had when they'd lost Yugi. This was Yami's darkness threatening to destroy him. Dartz' sickening grin confirmed it for her. She again tried to step forward. There had to be some way of stopping this. But again Yugi got in her way. Looking at her brother, she saw her own panic underneath the resolution.

"Strong isn't it." Dartz said. "Soon it will be over. The mighty Pharaoh destroyed by his own rage."

Looking back up at Yami she could see in the rigid lines of his stance it was taking all he could to keep it at bay.

Airi grabbed her brother's hands. "Yugi, he need us."

"We can't do anything. It's his fight. He told me to keep us out of it."

"I know, but we can help. We know he's more than his rage. He can overcome it."

Yugi's fingers tightened in her. "Right."

The siblings pushed away their own doubt. Airi pictured Yami overcoming his guilt and getting Yugi back. Yami showing Rafeal the error of his loyalty. Yami saving the world from Evil Marik and Evil Bakura. He could make it. He had to make it.

The dark winds didn't slow. They intensified. Airi and Yugi looked on helplessly as Yami nearly disappeared into the dark clouds.

"Yami get out of there!" Yugi shouted through the link.

"Trust . . . Me . . ." Yami response sounded tired.

Shouting from across the way reminded them of Dartz. Their enemy no longer looked very confident. If anything, he looked scared. This gave Airi hope. Whatever Yami was doing, must be working.

The winds threatened to knock them over and the sibling held on to each other to stay standing. The wind stung her eyes and she closed them. It pounded her ears but she didn't dare to let go of Yugi.

It suddenly stopped. Surprised, Airi's eyes snapped open. The black cloud was gone. Yami stood there in one transparent piece. Relief changed to concern as Yami began to fall backwards. As one the Muto's ran forward and caught the spirit before he hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Yugi asked.

Yami nodded, smiling weekly. "It's over. It's destroyed."

Airi shook her head. "You jerk. Scaring us like that."

"What about Dartz?" Yugi asked.

All three of them looked over where their enemy had been standing. He lay in a crumpled heap on the stone ground. As they watched his began to move. Airi tensed, but Yami put his hand on her arm.

"It's ok. It's not the same man."

Confused, Airi watched as a light appeared around Dartz and people materialized. Airi gasped as Ironheart, Chris, and Skye appeared at Dartz's side. Chris helped Dartz up.

Ironheart turned to Yugi, Yami, and Airi. "Thank you all. You have destroyed the evil and brought my son back to his family."

Airi blinked. Dartz was related to them? Actually, that was probably the least odd thing on this whole adventure. Watching Chris hug Dartz was odd, but made her smile. Yugi tried to look like he knew what was going on, but of course he'd never met any of them until then.

"Your job is finished Pharaoh, and I let you return to complete your original mission. Go in peace." Ironheart raised his hand and another portal appeared behind them. Yami attempted to stand, but almost fell flickering slightly at the strain. Airi and Yugi bother linked their arms with his.

"Together?" Yugi said.

The others nodded. They walked towards the portal together. Just outside they looked back at the reunited Atlantian Royal Family. The three of them again faced the portal and arm in arm they stepped inside.


Airi woke up on the beach. She blinked up at the sky feeling a little annoyed. This waking up thing was getting old.

Yugi. She looked around and saw her brother laying in the sand. She tried to get up but a hand on her shoulder prevented her.

"He's alright." Yami said. "Just sleeping."

Relaxing Airi finally looked around her. They seemed to be on a beach. Why had the portal brought them here? Looking out at the waves Airi couldn't believe only a moment ago they had been fighting monsters out there. Wind rustled the trees behind them and the waves were soothing.

Yami sat next to her still looking drained, but better than he had. Neither spoke as they watched the sun slowly descend towards the water. Yami's fingers tentatively rested on hers, and she noticed him glance at the still sleeping Yugi. With a jolt Airi realized that now Yugi was back she wouldn't be able to interact as easily with Yami. With a lump in her throat she remembered the impossible nature of their relationship. He was dead, on a mission, and she . . . was only a small part of his story. There wasn't much of a point in letting anyone find out only to have their sympathy when Yami had to leave. Airi scooted closer and rested her head on his transparent shoulder. She felt the light brush of his kiss on her hair. Airi closed her eyes and let herself enjoy this moment.

A light moan forced the two apart. Yugi moved, sitting up on the sand.

"Yugi." Airi knelt by his side. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm breathing." Yugi dodged her playful slap. "Ok, bad joke I know." he looked around. "Where are we?"

"Not sure." Airi said.

"We're in the same area." Yami said. "Atlantis disappeared beneath the waves while you two were resting."

"So, are we stuck here?" Yugi asked.

"Good question."

"You're friends are nearby." a voice made all of them jump.
Dark Magician Girl floated before them. Behind her were three knights Airi had never seen before.

"We've come to thank you in person." One of the knights said. "Thanks to you, the threat of Dartz his now gone for good. Now we may move on."

"And we have returned to our natural forms." Another knight said.

"We are forever in your debt." the third said.

"Happy to help," Yugi said. "I wish I could have done more."

The middle knight, in turquoise armor shook his head. "You've helped more than you will ever know."

"Who are they?" Airi asked.

"The Legendary drag... I mean knights." Yami said.

Airi's mouth dropped open. She looked again at the knight in turquoise armor. That was the giant dragon?

All three knights saluted Yugi and then Yami.

The turquoise knight, or Timaeus, walked in the air until he stood in front of Airi. Taking her hand, he bowed.

"Thank you as well." he said. "you are a remarkable young woman, Miss Airi."

Embarrassed, Airi nodded. Yugi smile was proud.

"We must leave you." Dark Magician Girl. "I feel your friends close by."

Before he left Timaeus leaned in. "I wish you two the best"

He turned away before Airi could answer, and gave Yami a meaningful look in passing. The knights gave the group one final salute before disappearing.

Dark Magician girl waved. "Take care. We'll meet again." and she too disappeared.

The drumming of wings made them look up and see the KaibaCorp helicopter come into view. Airi and Yami began waving their arms and calling out. The chopper descending on the beach. First one out was Joey, who got Yugi in a head lock and gave him a noogy while calling him out on being a stupid little hero. The rest of the group followed another group reunion in the sunset. The Kaiba brothers stayed in the doorway of the chopper.

Airi was about to join the others when she realized Yami still stood on the beach looking towards the sea. With a sinking feeling she realized what he was thinking. This threat was over but they were still no closer to completing his mission.

She stood by his side looking towards the sunset. "You could be a little happier."

"How many more?" Yami said. "Everywhere I look there is another threat to me and my friends."

Airi lightly brushed the back of his transparent hand with her fingers. Yami quickly glanced towards Yugi to make sure he was occupied before looking at her and smiling.

"Enjoy this one, then move on to the next." Airi said. "It's still today. And it's a beautiful ending."

"Beautiful like you." Yami said.

They again looked at the sunset in silence. Airi wanted to take his hand, but knew that wasn't possible. So much had changed but they were back where they'd started. He was a ghost, she was alive. There was no way to bring him back. No point acting like that was a possibility.

"Another tomorrow." Yami muttered. "That's all I want."

Airi smiled. "Tomorrows coming, but let's enjoy today."

"Airi you coming!" Joey called "Kaiba's leaving without you."

"Coming." she called. The others were already climbing onto the chopper. She turned away from Yami and started walking.

"I love you." Yami said. "Never forget that."

Airi stopped, looking back into his red eyes.

"Will you?"

"Never."

"Neither will I."

"Come on or we'll leave you behind." Seto shouted.

Yami faded. Airi took a deep breath and turned towards the group. Yugi stood waiting for her. Without a word they put an arm around each other. Together they walked to the others, and whatever tomorrow brought.


A/N: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Season 4 is finished. Only one more to go.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. and thank you so much for sticking with it until the end.

Love you all and God bless.