Hey guys! You know, it's real weird. I go back all the time and re-read the previous chapters, from start to finish and once I get to the end I'm like 'No!There's no new chapter yet!' I get so into re-reading it that I forget I'm the one writing it. I just find that really weird and amusing. So I just felt like sharing this but anyways...Story Start!
~Flashback~
"Papa! Papa!" A six year old Kiba exclaimed as she ran over to her father, who had just gotten home from work, and gently hugged his legs. He dropped his briefcase and pulled her into his arms. He buried his head into her black curls and sighed happily. Kiba giggled and looked up at him. "Mama said you had a surprise for me!" He let out a small laugh and placed her on her feet.
"Of course baby girl. Its Just you and me today. Mama is gonna stay with Asami." He picked up his briefcase and put it in its proper place. He held Kiba's hand and walked out the house. He put her in the car and buckled her in before doing the same for himself. Once he drove off and made it to his destination, he got out and placed Kiba on his shoulders before walking into the building. Sweet music filled Kiba's ears. A small gasp caught in her throat. She wiped small tears from her eyes and listened intently. She loved orchestras. She had since her father had first played Beethoven for her a few years ago. ((does Beethoven count as orchestra through?)). Her dad gently placed her in a seat and watched her. A small smile was on her lips. She sniffed and wiped away her tears of joy. She hopped up and gave her dad a hug.
"I love you papa!" He smiled and pressed a kiss onto her hair.
"I love you too Kiba."
~End of Flashback~
"Dad!" Kiba yelled as she shot into a sitting position. She looked around, taking in the sight of her room. She reached up and touched her cheeks, feeling tears running down them. A feeling of sadness and longing filled her and Kiba curled in on herself slightly. She thought of her parents, constantly since arriving in the YGO world but this was the first time she drempt of them. She missed them. Was this what Asami had felt when she had first appeared in her world? Suddenly Yugi barged into her room, startling the girl.
"Kiba, we have to get to the hospital!" Yugi rushed out. Kiba's eyes widened and she scrambled to get up before following after her brother.
"Grandpa!" Yugi said as the old man came out into the hallway where he and the others were waiting. Kiba and Asami both looked up from where they had been leaning against the wall.
"It seems that he has managed to survive. It's really late so everyone go back home."
"What about you, grandpa?"
"I'm going to stay here for a while."
"But what's the meaning of this? Both Mr. Kanekura and Professor Yoshimori, who were involved with the studies of the Egyptians, were injured." Tea asked as the group made their way home. Kiba and Asami were quietly trailing behind the others, both a little lost in thought.
"Isn't it obvious? It's the curse!" Joey exclaimed. "This is the result of messing with people's graves!"
"How scary!" Miho cried.
"Miho, there is nothing to be worried about! There's no such thing as a curse." Tristan said. "Even if there were such a thing, I would protect you with my life."
"For a person that doesn't use his head, of course you won't be afraid of a curse." Joey teased.
"What did you say?!"
"Both of you stop fighting!" Tea put in, getting mutters of 'okays' from both boys. They walked in silence for a while before coming to a stop at a crossroad. "Well this is where I leave."
"Be careful." Miho warned.
"I'll be alright."
"See you tomorrow." Yugi called as Tea walked away.
"What is that Joey? That thing on you?" Tristan asked when he caught sight of the blonde.
"Can't you tell what it is by looking at it? They're charms, charms!"
"Then what about that hanging thing?"
"Not only Kanekura but Professor Yoshimori got the same thing happen to him, that means the curse could effect me too!"
"You idiot, I can't understand what you're saying. There's no such thing as a curse and even if there was, if you're already afraid of it, then you're just a wimp."
"Oh shut up!" Asami gasped and jumped before turning to the door when Tea came in. Kiba and Yugi gave the brunette a curious look but Asami ignored it as she focused on the Ki coming from Tea. Tea's Ki was giving off a dark pulse, almost like it was currupted, which Asami guessed it was in a way since Shadi had changed it to suit his needs. The Muto twins noticed Tea as she walked by and Yugi smiled happily while Kiba frowned and looked back at Asami, who hadn't stopped staring at Tea.
"Ah...Tea, good morning!" The girl merely sat down at her desk, not answering. This drew a confused look from Yugi which only managed to grow when Tea turned to him and just smiled at him with a blank look in her eyes.
"Miho? Why are you in front of the nurse's room?" Miho, Kiba and Asami all looked over to where Joey and Tristan were making their way down the hall towards them. "It couldn't be that your hurt could it?! If you are, let me make you feel better!"
"Ah, keep quiet you." Joey complained.
"No you're wrong." Miho said shaking her head. "A while ago, Tea went in and I was just wondering if she was feeling bad because she was scared so..."
"Tea did?"
"Maybe she was bothered by something?"
"Yo, Yugi! Huh?!" Joey opened the door only to gasp when they saw Yugi on the floor being choked by Tea. Joey and Kiba immediately ran to the boy's side as Tea jumped away. "What are you doing?!"
"Show me the true strength in order to settle our score." Tea said but her voice sounded echoed by Shadi's.
"What?" Joey asked confused but Tea immediately ran away, cutting through Asami, Tristan and Miho.
"What was that just now with Tea?"
"Tea..."
"Yo, are you okay, Yugi?"
"I think so." Kiba and Asami were mentally yelling at themselves for forgetting this part of the episode.
"Come on guys, we have to find Tea." Asami told them. "She's not in her right state of mind." The others nodded and they split up in search for Tea.
"Did you find her?" Yugi asked as they all met up again in one of the hallways.
"It's no good, I couldn't find her." Tristan answered.
"He-hey...but why did Tea have that kind of voice?" Miho questioned. Kiba and Asami shared a look, Yugi looking at them curiously but they all turned to Joey when he spoke up.
"It's the curse...after all that's happened, it's as I thought, I'm sure it's the Egyptian's curse."
"Wait a minute, if that's so, then that means it could also be within one of us..." Everyone was quiet for a moment before Tristan continued. "An-anyways let's split up and look for Tea one more time!" Everyone turned and ran away. "Hey don't run away so quickly!" Kiba ignored him as she made her way down one corridor. She turned the corner and skid to a stop when she spotted Tea standing in front of her. Kiba's eyes widened slightly. This was wrong. Tea wasn't suppose to be here right now. She was suppose to be leading Yugi onto the roof right now wasn't she? Tea suddenly pounced on her, knocking the both of them to the floor. Kiba struggled in the girl's hold but her surprise and unawareness had given Tea an advantage to quickly pin her down. A shadow loomed over her and Kiba looked up, gasping when she saw Shadi standing over her head with the Millennium Key in his hand. Her mind was screaming at her to move, to struggle, to do something, but her body was frozen at the sight of Shadi bringing the key closer to her. Was she about to become his puppet? But this didn't happen in the show! She felt the Millennium Key touch her forehead and then everything turned black.
Yugi was searching the hallways when he caught sight of moment down another one.
"Kiba?" The girl broke into a run and thinking that she had caught sight of Tea, Yugi quickly went after her, following her up the stairs and onto the roof. As soon as he did get onto the roof though, he caught sight of Kiba standing on a wooden board that was hanging off the side of the roof by pieces of rope.
"By making you angry I was hoping to summon the other you, but it doesn't seem to have worked." Yugi's attention was drawn to Shadi, confused by his words.
"Eh, what's the meaning of this?"
"To summon the other Yugi, I'll go about another way now."
"What are you saying?"
"Listen to me Yugi, that girl is right now under my full control and she will listen to any of my orders." Yugi gasped and looked at Kiba, fear in his eyes.
"Did you find her?" Joey questioned as he, Miho and Asami met up again.
"No, not at all!" Miho said. Asami's head snapped to the side as she felt Tea's twisted Ki standing behind them. Before she could say anything, another shiver went down her spine. She spun around, facing Tristan when she sensed his own Ki, now twisted by Shadi as well.
"Guys..." She tried to warn the other two but they didn't listen.
"Oh, Tristan, how about you?" Joey asked as he caught sight of the male. "What the? What's wrong with you?" Tristan raised a mop then swung it down towards them. Asami grabbed Miho and Joey by the arm before dragging them down the only hallway that didn't have trouble down it. As she was running, a thought occurred to her. If Tea was here chasing them with Tristan, who was on the roof with Yugi? Before she could think on that more, she was distracted by Tristan almost hitting her with his mop.
"Feel the anger, feel the hatred, feel the grief! When your emotions are in effect, the other you must be released." Shadi said. The Millennium Puzzle started to glow and Yugi was replaced by Yami, who glared at him coldly.
"Shadi!"
"You finally showed yourself, the other Yugi."
"How dare you use Kiba in a game!" Yami growled out.
"I had to take any path in order to settle the score with you." Shadi calmly replied. "Yugi, if you lose the game, you will lose that girl." Yami narrowed his eyes and felt a scowl form on his face. "Before I set the rules, there's something I want to say to you. It has to do with acquiring the millennium puzzle. You acquired it in the first place but if you believe that you stumbled upon this puzzle by accident then you're mistaken. The puzzle has chosen you after waiting for three millennia and we too were also those that were chosen to weild these millennium items' powers."
"That's why you're saying you don't think of us as comrades. I don't want to hear any stuff about that! Set the rules already."
"Don't be afraid, Yugi."
"What?! Don't be afraid?"
"Inside somewhere you are afraid of that strength that you possess. Of the unknown powers of the puzzle, fearing that is the weakness of your soul. Look at the proof over there." Yami looked over to the fence, finding four small statues. At once, one of them broke, causing one of the ropes holding up the board to come undone, thus shaking the board and making it slant downward just slightly.
"Kiba!"
"Yugi, can't you recognize that the game has already begun?"
"Each sculpture is a representative of your soul. At the time you see a weakness in your soul, a sculpture will break. If the last three break, the girl will be lost. But you also have a way to win. On the rope is also the Millennium Key and connected to that is a representing sculpture of my soul."
"I see, if I could destroy your sculpture before I lose mine..."
"That's correct. At that moment, the Millennium Key will slide and touch the girl, releasing her from my control. Do you understand now, the one who has seen their weakness of the soul is the loser of this game."
"So this is a game to find other's weaknesses?"
"Then let us begin." A sudden wind picked up, revolving around Shadi before moving on to revolve around Yami."Let's go Yugi, this is the first test!" Yami looked down at the floor when small holes started to form before the small holes broke into a large dark hole.
Asami was running along side Joey, still dragging Miho to hurry the girl along as they ran from Tristan and Tea.
"This way!" Joey called as he suddenly turned a corner. Asami quickly followed him, forcing Miho to as well.
Yami stared down at the two yellow glowing eyes in the dark abyss. He took a few steps back before two monster hands shot out from behind him, holding up his arms and a monster like head shot out as well, the monster's mouth held open over his head.
"Yugi, the only way you can escape from there is to make the illusion monster disappear. This is a shadow game." Shadi explained. A board of nine tiles appeared before Yami. "On that panel before you, there are two of the same images hidden."
"Wait a minute, there are nine tablets, meaning there's one left over that doesn't have a match." Yami stated.
"That's correct. In that panel there is one tablet without a match. The objective of the game is to answer what that tablet is. But you will only be allowed to flip each tablet over once!" A slightly shocked look came over Yami's face before he forced himself to try and be calm. "I'll give you a bit of advice. That panel is a mirror that reflects the monster behind you."
"A mirror that reflects the monster?" Suddenly a crack appeared on one of the sculptures making Yami gasp and look at Kiba.
"Kiba!"
Asami watched as Tristan and Tea came into the room, both of them holding a mop. She and Miho were waiting on either side of the door, Miho holding a fire extinguisher and the brunette holding a bucket of water.
"Come on you slowpokes." Joey taunted from where he was standing in the middle of the room. As soon as Tristan and Tea went to attack Joey, Miho sprayed Tristan with the extinguisher, yelling his name, while Asami poured the water onto Tea. Tea turned to Asami, setting her sights on the girl but Asami was ready for that and quickly grabbed the controlled brunette's arm, flipping her over, and pinning her down with the arm she was still hold, held to her back, and her knee holding down Tea at her lower back. Asami looked back up in time to see Joey being pushed out of the window by Tristan.
"Joey!" She yelled, her hold on Tea loosing enough that, in her distraction, Tea was able to knock Asami off her. Asami scrambled to get up but Tea jumped on her, hands wrapping around her neck. Asami wrapped her hands around Tea's wrists, trying to pry her hands off but the girl's hold was pretty strong and she had the advantage of being on top of Asami this time.
'One more time. Let's think calmly and carefully. Shadi told me that this panel is a mirror that reflects the monster. A mirror...a mirror reflects their own image and if it reflects an image that means in that image there should be four pairs of the same thing that is represented in this panel. This is a mirror reflecting the monster. The thing that the monster has two of and only one of...' Yami thought.
"I got it! The thing that he has two of is ears, eyes, hands, and the only thing he has one of is his mouth!" He exclaimed once he figured it out. At once, the monster faded in a burst of wind and the panels flipped around, showing that he was right before disappearing in the wind as well.
"Congratulations Yugi, but the match has only begun. I'll show you your next opponent." Yami looked behind him, hearing noise, only to gasp in shock when he saw Joey appear.
"Joey!"
"That friend of yours is the image of the person that the other Yugi has buried in his mind. The friend who has once tormented you has been called forth before your eyes." Shadi explained.
"What?!" Yami asked turning back to face Shadi. The illusion Joey then strode forward and yanked the Millennium Puzzle from around Yami's neck, breaking the rope it hung off in the process and making Yami gasp. The floor surrounding the two suddenly sunk, leaving just a platform that the two stood on.
"In this game, both of you will roll that Millennium Puzzle and take a step towards the direction that it points in. The winner is the one to push the other off the cliff first. Now Yugi, let's see you defeat that jerk from your past memories." Yami turned to look at Joey.
'Without a doubt this Joey is an illusion crated by Shadi, but there is a possibility that he's been caught in Shadi's trap.' The male thought.
"Ha, is this the thing that you love to play with? Hah! Aren't you a little old to be playing with it little Yugi?" Illusion Joey mocked. Yami suddenly felt Yugi rise up, their wills becoming separate for a second before joining back into two. Their momentary weakness however caused two of the sculptures to break.
'Kiba! Damn, there's only one more sculpture left!'
Asami couldn't last much longer. Tea was cutting off her air supple and she couldn't throw the girl off her. Things were looking pretty bad.
"Asami!" Suddenly Asami could breathe again and she took in a few gulps of air in between coughs. It took her a moment to realize that Miho had slammed into Tea, knocking them both down and freeing her. Seeing that Tea was quickly getting up, Asami picked up her fallen bucket and, mentally apologizing, slammed it across Tea's head. The girl stumbled momentarily before turning and focusing on Asami once more, making the girl back away slightly.
'Okay. Well that didn't work out like I thought it would...' Asami thought as she dodged a swipe. 'Gwen made it look so easy when she did it to Merlin though. Although she did it with a pitcher instead of a bucket so maybe that's where it went wrong.'
"Well let's get this going, it's a battle." Illusion Joey tossed the Puzzle to the floor. It clattered as it hit before coming to a rest, it's tip pointed towards Yami direction. "The Puzzle's direction is that way, take a step towards there." Yami did as told and took a step closer towards the edge. "Now, it's your turn."
"I won't roll it. This game, I don't wan to fight with you." The male declared, surprising Shadi.
"Well then Yugi, I'll assume you pass. Now it's my turn again." Illusion Joey picked up the Puzzle before tossing it again. "The direction points the same way again. Yugi, take another step towards that direction." Yami did, stopping just a step away from the edge. "You're at the very end now Yugi. Don't tell me you're going to pass again?"
"I'm going to pass again."
"Are you forfeiting the game? Are you admitting defeat Yugi?" Shadi asked.
"I'm going to pass again." Yami repeated. "I believe in my friend."
"You believe in him you say? Yugi, you couldn't defeat the past. The weakness you have shown is the belief in another person. Know this, the strongest strength is to believe and trust only yourself. Now," Shadi turned to the Illusion Joey. "roll the Puzzle one last time. The game is over!" The Illusion Joey didn't move, he just stared at Yami. "What's wrong? Why aren't you rolling the Puzzle?!" Illusion Joey suddenly started to fizz and smoke, shocking Shadi. "What?! The illusion of the past is disappearing." The illusion of Joey disappeared and the Millennium Puzzle fell to the floor where Yami picked it up.
"The friendship we have still lasts even to this moment." Yami explained. "Even if you used your magic to manipulate him, it's useless." The sound of rope braking immediately drew Yami's attention and he spotted the rip in the lone rope holding up the board Kiba was still standing on.
"The rope that's holding Kiba!" The floor reappeared and Yami rushed forward. The board was suddenly pushed up slightly and Yami looked down, surprised to see Joey standing on the ledge under the board, supporting it.
"Kiba, now that I'm here, everything's alright!" Joey yelled.
'Joey!' Yami mentally thanked him before turning towards Shadi.
'Impossible! These companions support each other mutually!' Shadi thought. A crack appeared on Shadi's sculpture. 'Oh no, my soul's sculpture!'
"You don't understand, do you Shadi? Where the true strength comes from that is...The strength of trusting your friends!" With those words Shadi's sculpture broke and the Millennium Key slide down the rope to Kiba's open hand. As soon as it made contact with her hand, Kiba's eyes became focused and she blinked. It took her a moment to realize where she was but when she did, her eyes widened and she let out a strangled gasp.
"Why am I standing on this?!" Kiba got out.
"It's fine, so just come back to the building!" Joey yelled. Kiba nodded and started back. "Hurry, I can't hold on any longer!" Joey looked down when he felt someone grab his leg. "Tristan!" The controlled male was climbing up, still after him and reached for his face making Joey try and lean his head back, loosing his grip on the board. Kiba, who was still on it, felt it shake and almost fell when the board did but a hand grabbed hers when she instinctively reached up to try and grab something.
"Kiba!" She looked up to see Yugi holding her arm and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding before focusing on getting a footing. The board meanwhile, hung next to Tristan and the Millennium Key touched his back, freeing him from Shadi's control.
"Eh?! Why am I here?!" Tristan cried out gripping Joey's leg in fear.
"Shut up! Stop moving so much!" Joey yelled grabbing onto whatever he could to try and keep from falling.
"Everyone are you okay?" Miho asked as she rushed onto the roof. Asami had sent her ahead as she dealt with Tea back in the classroom. Kiba and Yugi were able to get back to safety and as soon as her feet were on the stable ground of the roof, she wrapped her brother up in a hug, thankful to him for saving her. Well, him, Yami and Joey.
"Ah, I can't move because of you!" Joey said.
"Ah, I can't die at such a young age!" Tristan cried ignoring him.
"You're fine, so let me go and go back inside the building!"
"No you're the one that's fine!" The male yelled back. The board fell and disappeared, leaving only the Millennium Key to fall. A hand reached out and grabbed it. Asami smiled in relief at having caught the Key.
"Alright come on Tea, time to come back." Asami muttered as she turned around and faced her. Tea was getting up from where Asami had knocked her over to and Asami tensed, body curled in slightly. Tea rushed at her and Asami waited till the girl was close enough before dodging to the side and touching the Key to Tea's back. Once Tea was back to normal Asami hesitated for a second before tossing the Key out the window and to the ground where she knew Shadi was. Ignoring Tea for the moment, Asami watched as Shadi caught the Key and walked away.
"Wait what?! You were the one on the roof?!" Asami exclaimed. She and Kiba were in the latter's room, their homework laying forgotten on the bed in favor of their talk. Kiba nodded and Asami paused, starring at her. There was something different about Kiba now. Something she couldn't name but could recognize. "Kiba?...Are you okay?" The girl didn't answer instead she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. It was silent for a moment before Kiba sighed.
"We're...we're really in the Yu-Gi-Oh World aren't we?" Kiba asked, her voice a whisper. Asami sighed as well, a wistful smile coming onto her face.
"Yeah, we are." She gave Kiba a teasing look. "We've been here for months if you haven't noticed." Kiba laughed a bit but quickly became serious again.
"I know but...I don't know-it's just-it's just...It never really sunk in I guess...I mean, yeah we were here but it didn't sink in that it wasn't just a show anymore. We could die here, Asami, and not just that but the people here, they're real people, they're not just characters anymore..." Kiba shook her head slightly. "I don't know if I explained that correctly but yeah, this is all real. You've almost died twice and I almost died today...it just...puts things into prospective I guess..." Silence reigned for a moment before Asami broke it.
"This place can be a lot more dangerous then we realized but I think we can get though this. Together. Plus we've got people to help us along if we struggle." Asami grinned and Kiba did too as she looked over to her dresser where she had a copy of the photo they took at the museum the other day.
"Yeah. We do don't we."
Okay, finally finished! Remember girls and guys, I do love reading your comments so feel free to leave one. Till next time. Bye! ^w^/)