Yami was pretty sure the wait was going to kill him before any weird static or ice did. Grandpa had been on the phone with Téa for a very long time. Apparently, Red-Eyes Black Dragon had done precisely what Pegasus thought he would. He was so occupied by helping other duel spirits in need that he spent all his energy. Thanks to Joey's connection to him, the three found the nearly knocked out dragon. Once Red-Eyes was reminded of his original mission, he stumbled back to Pegasus's hotel room with the rest of the group. There Pegasus had the supplies he needed to remake the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card. He was just beginning when Grandpa called.
"Is it possible for you to come to my shop to finish the card? The Pharaoh's not doing well." Grandpa asked.
After a bit of talking away from the phone, Téa answered. "We can, but moving Red-Eyes might be a problem. He seems to have lost the ability to stand up."
Once Grandpa relayed this message to the rest of the family. Both Junior and Yami asked the two spirits with them if they could help. The two blank-faced spirits glanced at each other. Seto's female Blue-Eyes snorted and returned to resting. Dark Magician floated to his feet and started heading out. Then he noticed Blue-Eyes wasn't following him. He tapped Blue-Eyes on her head with his scepter. She snorted and shut her eyes tighter, curling closer around the couch. Dark Magician kept prodding, getting more violent with every poke until she groaned and hopped up.
Blue-Eyes just about chased Dark Magician out of the house. On her way out, she paused for a brief moment in front of Junior, who was sweeping up the duel disk's remains. She snarled at both him and Yami as she pointed at the retreating Dark Magician with her wing. Then she was off, most likely heading for Red-Eyes.
Junior could only shake his head as he looked at Yami. "Why do I feel like she's blaming me for Dark Magician's behavior too? I just met the guy."
Yami could only shrug.
In another hour, everyone was at the Muto's residence, including the spirits. When Red-Eyes came through the wall, he leaned heavily on Blue-Eyes. Dark Magician followed behind and seemed to use his power to levitate half of Red-Eyes's body weight.
"If either of you dares say I told you so about how I should have been budgeting my energy, I swear…." Red-Eyes began to grumble. Mid-sentence, Blue-Eyes abruptly dropped him, and Dark Magician decided he didn't need to catch him. So Red-Eyes collapsed onto the floor, his head buried in the carpet. "Phey!"
"Yami!" Before the Pharaoh could react, he found himself in the mother of all bear hugs as Joey tackled him. Téa soon followed Joey's example. Yami could barely breathe, but he wouldn't have had it any other way. He used what energy he had left to hug them back.
"You should have told us when you started goin' south! We could have been here for you." Joey said, still clinging to Yami.
"We got… distracted," Yami managed. He didn't dare look at his friends' faces. He kept his eyes on his still cracked puzzle. Yami didn't want to take the chance that he might start hating them as he had Seto.
Yami's friends pulled away and sat next to him. The next hour was filled with them catching each other up with what they missed. In the next room over, Pegasus immediately began on the Blue-Eyes card. All while being watched closely by Junior, Grandpa, and Seto's Blue-Eyes. Time seemed to stretch on, minutes becoming hours as Pegasus slowly worked. The card itself was simple to make. Its base was a specific kind of cardboard Pegasus could grab from the Industrial Illusions's office in Domino. What was taking so long was the actual painting of the dragon onto the cardstock. This had to be done with special paints Pegasus mixed himself earlier that day.
"If I could, I would simply draw a stick figure dragon to speed up the process. But the magic wouldn't work. If this card is going to have any chance at bonding with our spirit, it has to have a very detailed picture." Pegasus explained.
Grandpa was listening intently to Pegasus as he explained the card-making process. It seems any last reservations he had disappeared as the two ended up talking about the thing they loved with all their hearts, games. It became another moment Yami really wished Yugi was here for. Yugi would have loved to hear these two veterans of the industry talk. Junior didn't add much to the conversation, still giving an untrusting glare to Pegasus. But he did seem rather interested when the two began discussing how different card designs from different regions affected duel spirits.
When the sky was a deep orange, Pegasus finally stood up from his chair. Blue-Eyes's design was finished. This card didn't look like any other duel monster card Yami had seen. It didn't have stars or anything to show what Blue-Eye's attack or defense was. The only thing on it was a picture of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon breaking through what seemed like a glass barrier to fly at the reader. This Blue-Eyes also had a large scar going across its chest. When they asked Pegasus about it, he shrugged.
"I simply followed how the paint fell. I planned none of this." He said in his irritatingly whimsical fashion.
Pegasus then painted a clear coating onto the card to help protect it.
"Ok, we have until this dries to summon the Three Legendary Knights," Pegasus said.
"Everyone to the yard!" Grandpa ordered.
Junior picked up Yami as they hurried out. Yami clung to Junior's neck; his fingers gripped in frustration.
"The yard" was a small area by the store's garage surrounded by a fence. The family hoped that if there was any weird light show caused by the magic they were about to perform, it'd be hidden from view.
"Ok, bring out the three cards," Pegasus said.
Joey pulled out his Red-Eyes Black Dragon card, and Grandpa held out Seto's Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Yami tried to hold up Dark Magician's card but couldn't quite manage it. He refused to show how embarrassed he was, and thankfully he didn't have to ask for help. Yui immediately jumped to his aid. She lifted up his arm for him without a single word to him.
The three spirits of the cards gathered around. Red-Eyes once again relying on Dark Magician to help him to his feet. Even the usually blanked-faced spirits were twitching with anxiety and excitement. Everyone felt how much heavier the air seemed to get as they all waited.
"Now, if the Legendary Knights want to come to you guys, they should use-" Before Pegasus could finish, the three cards began to glow.
Teal, red and black auras seemed to radiate from their respective cards. For a split second, the three monster cards turned into "The Eye of Timaeus," "The Claw of Hermos," and "The Fang of Critias." Everyone stared in awe, but it was Joey and Yami that was the most fascinated. These cards had disappeared from their decks long ago. They thought they'd never see them again.
In another flash of light, the colored aura vanished, and their cards returned to looking like ordinary monster cards. But something else had definitely changed.
Standing next to the family was three men decked out in heavy plate armor. At first, Yami thought the Legendary Knights would only be something those with spirit sight could see. But the way everyone jumped back from the three newcomers made it clear to Yami that these weren't just duel spirits they had summoned.
Yami's gaze immediately met the single eye of Timaeus. The teal knight gave a reserved smile back to Yami.
"You have come to our aid once again, dear Pharaoh," Timaeus said.
…
Blue-Eyes, Kuriboh, Marshmallon, and Silent Magician still in her LV 8 form all gathered in front of the Silent Village. They hadn't had time to collect Yugi or any of the monsters with him. Instead, they focused on preparing for the Silents' attack and evacuating what monsters they could. They could see the fires and destruction slowly make their way down the mountain. They hoped maybe there would still be some traps to trip up the attackers, but if there were, it wasn't slowing the archetype's march.
"Do you really believe that there are some Silents that don't want this?" Blue-Eyes asked under her breath.
Silent Magician kept her eyes on the coming wave of blue and white. "Yes."
"I don't mean to say I don't trust you, but are you letting your hopes for your archetype outweigh the reality?" Marshmallon asked. "That destruction doesn't look forced."
Silent Magician didn't answer them. She kept her eyes on her incoming archetype. "How's Yugi and his group doing? Are they any closer to us?"
Blue-Eyes was still for a few moments as she spoke to Yugi through their mental connection. "His mind has been running a million miles an hour since I told him the Silents destroyed his traps and are headed this way. He and Gandora are-"
Blue-Eyes froze, her mouth hanging open. The three other monsters turned to her. Her face was twisted into an expression the three hadn't seen from the majestic dragon before.
"Blue-Eyes? Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Silent Magician tried to get her attention, but the dragon kept blankly staring forward.
"They call me," Blue-Eyes said in nearly a whisper.
Without another word, Blue-Eyes shot off. Her wind nearly blew the three back as she left them far behind.
"Who needs you?! Is it Yugi?!" Silent Magician tried to write in front of the retreating dragon. Blue-Eyes didn't turn back. She completely blew through Silent's words, showering the group in azure glitter.
"So even the great Blue-Eyes fears us." The hanging silver letters took a while for the three to notice. But when they did turn back to the mountain, they all jumped.
"Silent Swordsman," Marshmallon grumbled, losing their smile for once.
Silent Magician couldn't believe it. The Silent army was up higher on the mountain just a few moments ago. Yet, here stood Silent Swordsman in his LV 5 form. Beside him was Silent Paladin, Silent Shield Bearer, and many other Silents slowly appearing in flashes of light. It wasn't the whole archetype yet, but enough to outnumber the three.
"How?" Silent Magician wrote.
"You must remember Silent Lancer's ability, dear Azura." Silent Swordsman wrote. "If there is another Silent on the field, they can summon a few others to that Silent's side. In this case, you became the beacon for us to be summoned." As he talked, more Silents were being summoned behind him. The three realized soon the entire army would be at the base of the mountain in only a matter of minutes.
Silent Swordsman then walked to the middle of the clearing between the two groups. Once at the center, he stretched out his hand. "Now, I believe it is time for you to surrender."
Silent Magician gritted her teeth. Without a second thought, she stepped forward too. She heard the warnings from Kuriboh and Marshmallon but didn't listen.
"This has gone far enough, Silent Swordsman. I know you don't actually want the Gandora. So, what are you here for? Just to cause more destruction?"
"It is nothing personal. We are just here to do a job." Silent Swordsman said with thinly veiled sarcasm.
"Please, Argent!" Silent Magician using Silent Swordsman's childhood name made the warrior monster pause. "Don't do this. Focus on ending the lockdown!"
Bringing up the lockdown made the other Silents fidget in place, especially Silent Paladin and Shield Bearer. Silent Magician noticed this.
"You all know this isn't right!" Silent Magician began again, this time writing to the whole crowd. "Swordsman is using you all for his own gain. I know! He did the same to me when I was younger! I know you don't want this fight!" She pointedly glanced at Paladin and Shield Bearer. They looked away from her but didn't do anything.
"Azura," Silent Swordsman wrote, never losing his condescending smile. "I am forcing nothing. They are all here of their own will. But you are right about one thing. I truly do not want a fight, especially with you." He held out his hand as if to touch her cheek, but she slapped him away.
"We aren't giving you the Gandora." She wrote high and clear for all to read. "The whole domain, including Dark Magician Girl, is behind this decision. The Gandora are staying here."
"Then, where is all this support?" Silent Swordsman wrote with a slight tilt of his head as he looked at the empty town behind her. Silent Magician did not answer but kept her words held in the sky above him. Silent Swordsman read her words once again and then took a step back. He then turned to the other Silents. He began writing in Silent code. This code was quick one-second symbols made with magic. Other duel spirits would have no chance of deciphering it. But Silent Magician could. It was her and Silent Swordsman that made it in their youth.
Silent Swordsman wrote. "I will ask you all then, my most loyal friends. We came for the Gandora, but it seems we really aren't getting them without a fight. Do we want this battle?"
Silent Paladin and Shield Bearer seemed just as surprised as Silent Magician that Swordsman was asking the group. The Silents answered him also in Silent code. Some answers were too quick or written in a new system that Silent Magician couldn't read. But she got a general feeling.
Silent Swordsman turned back to Silent Magician and her friends to write in the universal language. "They agree. We don't want a bloodbath. I particularly do not want to have to hurt you again." Silent Magician was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Silent Swordsman continued. "But I doubt we can simply leave. We would be ruining our relationship with the Warrior Army and probably the whole domain of the Crags if we do not bring back the Gandora. We need some compensation for retreating."
Silent Magician held in her wince. "What do you mean?"
"We would need something equal to the benefits we would have gotten with the Gandora job. I know the Domain of the Beasts does not have much in terms of payment. I will not ask that of you. We, as an archetype, would simply like our hometown back under our control."
Kuriboh squeaked in protests as Silent Magician could only stare. Half of the other Silents seemed just as surprised, but the other half seemed even more excited.
Silent Swordsman then continued when Silent Magician didn't answer. "We want complete control of the Silent Village, no input from Dark Magician Girl on it. It is our home; it makes perfect sense for us to rule it."
Silent Magician managed to shake off her shock and step away. She knew what Silent Swordsman was trying to do. There was a reason the Silent's rebirthplace was put under the control of Dark Magician Girl and monsters other than the Silents themselves. If Silent Swordsman had control of the bell tower, he'd be in complete control of the archetype. Silent Magician's stomach seemed to drop. Anyone he didn't like, he could simply kill, and their next reincarnation would be raised how he wanted.
"No!" Silent Magician managed to shout.
Her using her voice astounded the other Silents, including Silent Swordsman. He just about jumped at her word and took a few steps back from her.
"Argent! I don't know what happened to you, but you didn't use to be like this. WE, as Silents, didn't use to be like this! We were once the greatest protectors the domains knew. But now, we are all nothing more than the monsters we swore to protect the domains from. I know you have all felt extreme hatred for our past actions. But I know there is redemption for it. I am proof of that. I committed just as many sins as most of you did back then, but I managed to pull away from that. Please! Just step away from this path!"
The whole Silent army was frozen. Silent Swordsman was the first to move, and he looked at Silent Magician with wide eyes. He slowly raised his hands in a sign of peace. Then he spoke, using what sounds he could. "A…Azur." He croaked.
Hearing Silent Swordsman speak made Silent Magician pause. He started walking towards her, and she let him, even as Marshmallon and Kuriboh tried to warn him off.
"Azura…" Silent Swordsman spoke again. Thanks to his power level, Silent Magician knew it hurt him to make such a complex sound.
Once he was in front of her, they continued to keep eye contact as Silent Magician wrote. "Please, Argent. Come back. We can start again. We can never be what we were before, but all of us Silents can finally be the protectors we always wanted to be again."
Silent Swordsman slowly reached out his hand but flinched and pulled back. "You know, even now, I still love you." He sighed.
Silent Magician liked the sentiment but didn't answer. Her love for him died long ago, but maybe they could be something different after-
"I hope we can be together again in your next life!"
Silent Magician didn't read his words as she was too preoccupied with the sword he unsheathed with lightning speeds. The world seemed to go in slow motion. Marshmallon and Kuriboh were trying to jump to her aid. The other Silents began to shout their protests or cheers. At the same time, Silent Magician was too frozen to move. She should be running or counterattacking. She should have been prepared for this. But Swordsman always had a way of taking her by surprise. She could only stare as the massive sword swung down.
And then the sword was gone; in fact, all of Silent Swordsman was gone. Silent Swordsman was rammed into and thrown far across the clearing in a black and red blur, leaving a trail of upturned earth in his wake.
Everyone looked up to see two figures silhouetted by the unmoving sun, a large dragon, and a human rider. Hakairyuu had dived right into Silent Swordsman from the sky. One shoulder was wrapped tightly in bandages, and on her other stood Yugi. The destruction Hakairyuu caused made the wind pick up, its imperfection spreading across the clearing.
"Pharaoh! Gandora! About time you got here!" Marshmallon shouted.
Everyone turned to see more monsters come into the clearing. More Gandora, MUCH more Gandora, landed next to Yugi and Hakairyuu. Dark Magician Girl floated out of the trees with many, many little monsters. Even Marshmallon's construction crew appeared, each with a big bag of transportable magic.
"Sorry, we're late!" Yugi shouted. While to the other monsters, Yugi looked the picture of strength, Silent Magician didn't miss how weak he actually was. He was only being held up by Hakairyuu's wing and his own sheer willpower.
"Are you ok, Silent Magician? When Yugi lost contact with Blue-Eyes, we came rushing here. But we had to pick up a few friends along the way." Hakairyuu said as she pointed with her tail at the mob of monsters behind them. These monsters shouted their support as the Silents clustered closer together.
"Why are you all defending these dragons?!" Silent Swordsman wrote in large font as he struggled to his feet. His cold expression was gone and replaced with seething rage.
"We want peace, and we've found it here! We aren't giving it up and are more than willing to work for it!" Silent Magician continued to be surprised as it was Giga that roared that. What's more, the other Gandora echoed him.
"And we monsters are willing to protect them." Dark Magician Girl yelled. She then raised her scepter and shot a shower of pink sparks into the air. This seemed to be the signal as more monsters came out of the woodwork; the Silent Acolytes, guards from the castle, even everyday citizens that Silent Magician had tried to evacuate earlier. Each announcing loud and clear that they were going to defend the Gandora and their domain.
Silent Swordsman was utterly frozen for a moment, then his face twisted into a half-mad scowl. "You are so willing to protect these literal dragons of destruction. But when the Knights and other domains were persecuting us, you all happily sat by?!" Silent Swordsman then turned to the wary Silents. "This is what we are fighting against! This is why I ask us to stand together as Silents!" He wrote as he pointed to the domain's inhabitants.
"No! Our treatment was because we willingly inflicted the same pain on others! And we are about to do it again!" Silent Paladin wrote and shouted. The other Silents stared as she pushed past Silent Swordsman and stood by Silent Magician. "I will not try to defend the hate towards us, but I won't defend continuing that hate!"
"Paladin?!" Silent Swordsman balked. Shield Bearer then passed him as she not so gently pushed him aside.
"I was once complicit in my crimes against other monsters, believing I was allowed to do them because I was stronger and their 'protector.' I know better now. We all should!" Silent Shield Bearer wrote.
Yugi and the others seemed surprised at the two's sudden turn but took it at face value and cheered as the two stood by Silent Magician.
Silent Magician smiled as the two finally got the courage to stand against Silent Swordsman. "Come! This is a new start for everyone. For both Gandora and Silent. Step away from your destructive paths and be at peace again! We will all help. It will be a long journey, but not one you have to take alone!"
This seemed to finally resonate with the scared Silents. Even as Silent Swordsman continued to angrily try to convince otherwise, other Silents stepped forward. They were fearful, embarrassed at first. But as more stood against what they knew was wrong, the more Yugi's side welcomed them gladly, the Silent Acolytes seeming the most excited. It became nearly two-thirds that left Silent Swordsman.
"This is it, Silent Swordsman. This isn't a battle you'll win." Yugi said on top of Gandora, his voice carrying far and clear. "There is no point in trying to continue this fight. But you can do something else. Help your archetype end the lockdown."
"I will never take orders from you in this or any other lifetime!" Silent Swordsman snapped. His band of loyal monsters staying by his side.
While Yugi's team definitely outnumbered Silent Swordsman's, the Silents were much stronger and better trained than the low-level monsters. What's more, Yugi saw the look in these Silents' eyes. They had nothing to lose, so they were going to fight as if it was to the death. Yugi had Hakairyuu pullback. Yugi didn't want to drag them into a war at a time like this. He just had to have a bit more time to think of a plan.
Then an earth-shaking crack made the sky quiver. It was like someone had poked a pin into a balloon, only in this case, it was the very atmosphere above them. The sky turned a deep purple as everything felt like they were being pulled in two directions, down by gravity and up by the sky's suction. Then a dark opening appeared in the air. Once this appeared, everyone had to fight to remain on the ground as this hole started sucking everything up.
"What's going on?!" Yugi yelled. Hakairyuu was holding on to him tightly to stop him from being lifted.
"I haven't seen this in years!" Marshmallon shouted. While they didn't seem affected by the pull, they were focused on keeping their crew from flying away. "It's like when the Great Leviathan was trying to break through the dimensional barrier. But I don't see an eye in the sky!"
"It can't be the Great Leviathan! I saw that monster destroyed myself!" Yugi shouted back.
"It sure has similar magic!"
The suction became stronger as monsters were being pulled up. Thankfully, other monsters came to their aid. Many Gandora began jumping up to catch flying monsters and pull them back to the ground. Then they would lay on them to help hold them down. The Silents grabbed each other and even other spirits that flew by them. For a few moments, there were no sides as everyone fought to stay grounded.
Then it all stopped.
Everyone fell back to the earth with a collective crash. Yugi had one moment to look up to see numerous items start to rain down on them. The suction had pulled many things out of the monsters' grips, including all the bags of teleporting magic. For being such big bags, this magic seemed to be the lightest of everything the suction got a hold of. It pulled these bags the highest, then dropped them, causing nearly all the packs to open and spill their reflective contents.
"Watch o-!" Before Marshmallon could call out, the whole group was covered in this liquid-like magic. Then, they were all randomly teleported in a multicolored spark that could be seen for miles around.
Yugi fell flat on his back. It felt like he had been picked up and violently thrown. He opened his eyes to see he was in total darkness. Yugi groaned as he tried to sit up. As he lifted his head, he immediately hit it on something hard. The sound the surface made was wooden like he had just knocked his head against a door. He was in a wooden tube only big enough for his body.
"Not again…" Yugi moaned as he found himself teleported into yet another log. He didn't hesitate this time as he started worming his way backward. Once he fell out of the trunk, he found himself on rocky ground. Yugi looked out over the domain. He could even see Dark Magician Girl's castle from up here.
"I'm on the mountain?" Yugi wondered as he got to his feet. "Hakairyuu! Silent Magician! Kuriboh!" Yugi tried calling. No answer. Well, no answer that Yugi would have liked.
"What did you do!?" Came the purple lettering. It appeared as if typed on an old computer. Yugi turned to see a single Silent monster about his size. This one was made entirely of blue and white metal. They were vaguely human-looking with their bipedal body. Their "face" was a flat, featureless reflective surface. On their chest was a pulsing purple orb.
"I didn't do anything. Whatever happened to the sky caused the construction crew's teleporting magic to rain down on us. I think I remember Hakairyuu saying it reacted wildly when it teleports living things. The whole group must be spread around." Yugi thought out loud. He then turned back to the Silent. "Are you ok?"
"I am functioning." The robot wrote. They then seemed to study Yugi for a few moments. "Is there anyone else around?"
"I was riding on Hakairyuu, but I don't know if proximity affects teleportation," Yugi said. He once again called out to his friends, but there was no other answer. "I guess it's just you and me… What's your name?"
The Silent once again studied Yugi. "Silent Android." They wrote. Then quicker than Yugi could react, the Silent reached for their belt and pulled up a blaster. "You are coming with me! We are finding Silent Swordsman and turning you over-"
Years of fighting villains taught Yugi well, like how the moment to run in these situations was when his enemy was busy talking. Yugi leaped over the fallen log, used it as a momentary shield from the first round of gunfire, and then made a break for it.
"Or I could just bring your body back!" Yugi heard the android beep.
Yugi didn't dare look back as he ran. But his adrenaline rush didn't last long. His body was still falling apart around his puzzle, and Yugi knew he couldn't keep running. Yugi began franticly looking around the countryside for some escape when he suddenly felt it. Just up ahead, he felt a familiar magic, the magic he put down yesterday. One of his traps was still around.
"Why are we fighting?! Can't we just work together to get off this mountain?" Yugi called as he dove behind some bushes.
"Because Silent Swordsman wants you dead." Silent Android beeped. Yugi watched from the bushes with held breath. He had to wait until Silent Android was nearly on him, then he released the trap. With a thunk, Yugi heard his Trap Hole activated and pulled the Silent down its bottomless pit.
Yugi looked around the bush to watch as Silent Android disappeared from view. Yugi took in a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't see them again. He was about to stand when the sounds of jet engines made Yugi pause. Silent Android suddenly flew out of the hole, lifted by boosters on their legs.
"Seems Paladin and Shield Bearer did not get all your traps. I should have known they were traitors from the start." Silent Android wrote now that they knew Yugi could read their lettering. They still kept their blaster on Yugi as they landed outside the trap.
Yugi tried to think fast. He saw a large branch by him and swung it at the duel monster. Silent Android didn't even try to block the swing. The branch broke into pieces when it made contact with Silent Android's body.
"I told you, I'm Silent Android. My ability is that nothing under eight stars can damage me. Not any trap, not any spell, and especially not you as a zero-star human! You have no chance of-!"
It seemed as if someone else took Yugi's advice to act while a villain was talking. Yugi stared in utter shock as Silent Android was punched right in their reflective face. This punch sent the monster to the ground. They didn't have a chance to get up as the attacker stomped on their chest, right on their orb. This caused a strange surge of purple lightning to move through the duel monster. They seemed paralyzed.
"Yugi?"
Yugi heard the soft voice. He even registered the person that said it (they were standing right in front of Yugi). But Yugi still couldn't believe it. He rubbed his eyes and tried counting back from five just to make sure he was actually awake. The man was still there, now running to Yugi's side and picking him up.
"Da-DAD?!" Yugi gasped as he was lifted into the air.
"Oh, Yugi!" Dad pulled Yugi into one of the tightest hugs Yugi's had in a while. Yugi couldn't stop his tears. He let them freely flow as he held tightly to his father, praying that this wasn't an illusion.
Then Yugi felt something else. It was like someone had lit a fire in the puzzle. The world seemed to disappear around Yugi. His dad was saying something to him. Yugi even believed he saw his mother and other spirits at the edge of his vision. But that all didn't matter to Yugi at that moment. Because across the clearing, slowly getting to his feet with the help of Mom, was Yami.
Their eyes locked, and they couldn't move their gazes if they tried. They both felt the same undying feeling. They were right there! Their partner, their dearest friend!
Suddenly, all weakness left them. All headache or bodily pain seemed to fly away. They pulled out of their respective parent's grasps and ran to each other.
"Pharaoh!" Yugi cried as he launched himself into his partner. The Pharaoh happily opened his arms to catch Yugi. It was not a graceful hug. It was more of a crash when Yugi accidentally overpowered him and pushed him to the ground. But they didn't care as they laughed in each other's embrace. It felt so familiar, painfully familiar, even though they had never been able to hug like this before. After all this time, they were finally back together.