THE BATTLE FOR LOST SOULS

Chapter Four: Pushing Beyond the Limits

Mid-afternoon

Location: Domino Hospital - Domino City, Japan

Immediately after the plane landed, one of Kaiba's chauffeurs picked up Yugi and the gang and drove them to Domino Hospital per Kaiba's instructions. Everyone first went towards Mokuba's room - each taking turns in visiting the sleeping boy and finding out from Koji that the CEO was returning to the hospital after a short stop at the Kaiba Mansion.

After Yugi had seen Mokuba, he told the others that he would be with Emrys. He then switched into the otherYugi so that his other self could accompany her to her scheduled physical therapy session two floors down.

An hour and a half later, Kaiba entered the therapy room where Emrys was at and stood beside Yugi. The young CEO had dark circles under his eyes from exhaustion and lack of sleep, but looked slightly revived from a quick shower, change, and a light meal. Along with his rival, he observed as the physical therapist worked with Emrys through leg strengthening exercises.

The two rival duelists observed inside the glass booth as Emrys grimaced in pain. Although they had the same concerns, each one had different emotions and thoughts going on within. The otherYugi's eyes narrowed to keep himself from wincing whenever she fell or stumbled, offering a mental message of empathy and encouragement to her so that she would go on. Kaiba, on the other hand, hid his disappointment and worries as he casually crossed his arms over his chest without any reaction.

Without removing his sight off of the ongoing therapy session, the amethyst-eyed duelist quietly asked Kaiba, "What did the doctors have to say about Mokuba?"

For the first time since Kaiba stepped inside the booth, quiet concern slightly clouded his face and demeanor. "His leukemia's getting worse. He's been getting feverish more often. The doctors suggested chemotherapy along with the ongoing blood transfusions. He said that he might consider a bone marrow transplant. I had informed the hospital to start looking for a suitable donor just in case the transplant is needed. The process would take months, so I'd rather prepare for eventualities."

Empathy and worry swam in Yugi's innocent eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that, Kaiba-kun. If you, or Mokuba, need anything then just ask."

Kaiba, who kept his focus at the therapy session, quietly said, "I don't know if you or your friends could do anything to help Mokuba. I'll talk with him about it. I want both of us to decide whether he would be willing to undergo that type of treatment. I'll stand by with whatever decision he would make."

Minutes later, Anzu peeked her head inside the treatment room. When the two young men were looking at her, she told her childhood friend, "Jii-san wants to speak with you."

The other Yugi nodded at Kaiba to excuse himself, walked outside, and then accepted the cell phone from Anzu.

The young CEO, on the other hand, stepped out of the observation booth and into the actual therapy room. He met the therapist halfway as the latter just finished the session. The CEO glared at the sight before him, the frustrated therapist walking away from an absentminded patient who stared into the distance.

Once the therapist stood before Kaiba, he then nonchalantly advised the duelist, "Her legs are still too weak. They need to be strengthened before we could try anything more strenuous."

The sable-haired CEO's eyes narrowed and burned. "Idiot! Isn't that why you're here? She came all the way from England. She's paying you to make her walk again, not to baby-sit her! Come back tomorrow!"

This time with a semi-quivering voice, the therapist replied, "Kaiba-sama, therapy sessions are supposed to be done -"

With a firmer and more threatening tone, Kaiba angrily pointed at the patient while he intently kept his dagger stares on the therapist. "You're going to work with her every single day starting today. If I don't see promising results within a week's time, you'll never work in Japan ever again! Do you understand?"

Angry, frustrated, but nonetheless afraid of Kaiba's threats, the tightlipped therapist walked out of the room.

The CEO snorted as he walked towards the wheel-chaired Emrys. This time, he was even more ready to burn off the anger in his system.

Now that Kaiba stood before her with arms crossed in front of his chest, Emrys knew and felt that he was glaring at her with such frustration and disappointment. Frowning and in pain, she then sardonically muttered as she looked sideways, "Don't you ever grow tired of bullying others?"

Without regard that someone could overhear them, Kaiba continued to glare down at Emrys and exploded. "What's wrong with you? You didn't even bother doing your best to get out of that infernal chair!"

"These things take time..."

Kaiba slammed his firm hands on Emrys' wheelchair. Looking directly into her eyes, he spat, "Bullshit! I know you! You get what you want if you will it! Do you want to walk again, or not? Are you going to whine again just as you did last time in New York?"

With a firm voice and a cold demeanor, Emrys quipped, "If you had such a problem about my whining, then you should've left me to die in New York. That would've saved everyone the trouble."

Silence dominated between them as the CEO was stunned from what he heard. However, he hid his shock as he became angrier and continued to glare at Emrys.

Emrys' hazel-brown eyes burned as she returned dagger stares into azure eyes. With such animosity laced in her voice, she asked Kaiba through gritted teeth and clenched fists, "Who the hell do you think you are? I'm not your lackey, so don't you dare intimidate me!"

Azure eyes flashed their own fury. "Who the hell am I? I'm the one who just flew you out here because Mokuba wanted you to be here with us. I did what he asked for because he's my only family and he's very important to me."

"What does your brother have to do with me and whether I could walk again?"

"I don't want Mokuba to be around with losers and weaklings! I want him to get well. He needs to be around fighters so that his will to survive is strong. If you want to see him and be around him, then you have to work for it!"

As many silent minutes passed between them, Kaiba kept his displeased gaze on Emrys as he sternly continued, "I know you, Emrys. You can haul your ass out of that chair whenever you want to. I already looked out for you the last time. If you really care for Mokuba and want to see him again, you're doing it without this wheelchair. For someone who claims to be a duelist, you're nothing but a pathetic disgrace!"

Shaking in anger, Emrys retorted through gritted teeth, "I'm not pathetic!"

With icy azure eyes and a cold tone, Kaiba deadpanned, "If you're not, then prove it!"

The unnerving air of silence filled the room as Emrys looked at Kaiba with such defiance and hatred.

Still holding onto the arms of Emrys' wheelchair, Kaiba said, "I have better things to do than to talk with a loser and an idiot! You disgust me!" He pushed her wheelchair back as far as he could against the nearest wall and stormed out of the therapy room.

As Anzu received her cell phone back from Yugi, they were stunned from hearing doors slam against the wall along with an irate Kaiba marching out of the room. The two childhood friends looked at each other. Their blood froze from the sight, the two friends not understanding what caused the sable-haired duelist to be this upset.

Kaiba, knowing that Anzu and Yugi were now staring at him, turned around and marched back towards the two. As Yugi stepped back from seeing how upset the CEO was, he let out a frustrated sigh and told the younger Mutou, "Until she walks again, she's not seeing Mokuba. If you or your friends work your way for her to see him before that time comes, Koji's tossing her and you out of his room."

Yugi stood stupefied as his rival turned around once more and walked away.

Kaiba's booted footsteps echoed throughout the hospital's marbled floor. As his white trench coat billowed behind him, the young CEO angrily mused, "The goddess of victory's testing your strength and will. Prove to her, and to us, that you're going to win this one. Otherwise, I've over-estimated you."

Anzu quietly excused herself to Yugi and headed towards Mokuba's room, heading the same direction where Kaiba was going.

Yugi, on the other hand, entered the therapy room and switched places with his other self.

The other Yugi saw a sobbing Emrys facing the wall. He ran towards her, pushed her wheelchair to give himself room in front of her, and went down on one knee. When she resisted looking into his eyes, his glance traveled downward on her lap.

Emrys' fists were raw and bloody. The wounds that she had from the previous night reopened and soaked the bandages on her right hand with her blood.

The other Yugi looked behind him and saw that there were blood smears on the wall. Closing his eyes to relieve some of the tension building inside him, he sat akimbo in front of Emrys and remained silent for a long while. He let her cry out her anger and frustration. Although he did not know exactly what she and Kaiba had discussed, he knew that his rival pushed her buttons beyond what she could handle.

Once Emrys' tears subsided, the other Yugi murmured, "You know that he's right..."

Emrys lifted up her head and faced her lover. Her tears dried up as hatred built up inside her. Hazel eyes flashed in clouded anger as she stared into his amethyst eyes.

With quiet firmness in his voice, the other Yugi said, "We saw today's therapy session. You could've done better. I've never seen you give up that easily. I've never seen you make a half-hearted effort until today."

As the otherYugi's hands tried to rest on her lap, Emrys glared at him and slapped his hands away from her. That, however, did not stop him for trying again. Each time that he tried to hold onto her hands, the harder she resisted and the more insistent he was to hold her hand. Once he was able to hold her tense hands, he intently told her while looking into her eyes, "Kaiba may be cruel in his ways, but please pick the good from his words. We all want you to walk again. Use everything that you have within you to get well."

Emrys closed her eyes and breathed in a couple of times. When part of her anger died down, the other Yugi could tell that she wanted to tell him something but could not find the right words to say. Eventually, she hid her face with her hands and sobbed for many minutes before she murmured, "I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to take it out on you..."

With an empathetic and tightlipped smile, the other Yugi said, "It's okay. We're all here for you."

Hiding the defeat and weariness she felt inside from her voice, Emrys then told her lover "I would like to stay at my own place for the next few days."

Along with his customary scowl and raised eyebrow, the other Yugi asked, "Are you talking about your condominium in Domino City's business district?"

Emrys quietly nodded for her reply.

With his frown becoming more intense, the other Yugi then inquired, "Why? Weren't you supposed to stay over with Jii-chan and me? Jii-chan's expecting you and Professor Hopkins plans to contact you at home tonight."

"The building has elevators, so it'll be easier for me. I've also had a long day. I'm not up for company. I just need to settle in and clear my head."

Hearing the plea hidden in Emrys' voice and words, a slightly relenting other Yugi then asked, "Do you want us to visit you tonight?"

An apologetic smile crept over Emrys' face. "I'm sorry, my love. Tomorrow would be better day for a visit. I need to be alone tonight."

The duelist's amethyst eyes looked into his lover's eyes as he said, "All right, although I don't like the idea of you being alone tonight. Call us if you need anything, especially company."

"I will, and I'll be fine." Emrys then fished inside her purse, removed two keys and a small security sensor from the key ring, placed it in a separate key ring, and handed the items to him. "This black plastic lets you inside the building. The bigger of the two keys gives you access to the penthouse. The smaller one is the key to my place."

The other Yugi placed the key ring inside his pockets. Afterwards, he told Emrys, "Why don't I walk you outside, so that the nurses could take a look at your hands? After that, the driver can take you home. I guess that we'll see each other tomorrow?"

As soon as Emrys tiredly nodded for her reply, the lovers walked towards the nurses station. After her wounds were tended, they stepped outside. She zipped her utility bag to grab a note card and an envelope. After she scribbled inside the card, she sealed it inside the enveloped and asked him to give it to Mokuba. Once she got on the limousine, they kissed and waved goodbye to each other. The two lovers were respectively sad upon going separate ways but knowing that it was necessary.

As the limousine drove out into the night, the other Yugi kept his intent and concerned stare as he mused, "I don't know what's going on with you, Emrys, but you need to fight whatever's eating inside you. Otherwise, I'm afraid to even think what lies ahead for you if you don't..."

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In the meantime, Anzu returned to the waiting area outside Mokuba's room. She gestured Honda and Jonouchi to follow her to a place away from everyone's earshot. Once there, she told the other two about Kaiba's outburst outside the therapy room. The young men were stunned and speechless for a minute as she repeated what the CEO told Yugi before storming out.

Honda, who stood beside Anzu, shook his head as he slipped his hands inside his pockets. "Kaiba asked Yugi to go to England and accompany her back here. He then bans her from seeing Mokuba once she's here. Trust him to do something that drastic."

"As much as I hate Kaiba's guts, maybe that's his way of encouraging her," suggested Jonouchi, who was now leaning against the wall with arms casually crossed in front of him and with his head slightly bowed down.

With her expressive sapphire eyes going wide, Anzu countered, "What's so encouraging about demeaning somebody?"

The blonde teen slowly looked at Anzu and Honda and matter-of-factly responded, "Some people become more driven whenever someone intimidates them. I love to punch Kaiba every time that he did that to me, but I accepted his challenges. In turn, I strive to do better. The same might work for Emrys, so that she could walk again sooner. After all, she cares a lot for Mokuba."

"Oh, yeah," quipped Honda as he stared back at Jonouchi. "If you consider Kaiba mopping the floor with you every time you take up his challenges..."

"Watch it!" complained Jonouchi while glaring at an amused Anzu and raising a fist in front of Honda.

The three then shifted their attention to an approaching Yugi, prompting the three to stop their banter and for Honda to ask in behalf of the group, "Where's Emrys? Weren't you with her earlier?"

A tightlipped Yugi sadly replied, "She already left. She's staying at her condominium tonight." This time, it was his turn to get baffled when he looked around and noticed somebody missing. "Where's Bakura?"

"He went home to rest. He hasn't been feeling well since our plane trip back home," said Anzu while her face reflected concern and empathy for their platinum-haired friend. She - as well as the rest - did remember that he kept going back and forth to the lavatory due to a sudden bout of airsickness.

Amethyst eyes blinked a couple of times as their owner remarked, "Let us call him later on, just to make sure that he's fine. He's all alone in that apartment of his." He gently smiled as he saw affirmative nods from his three good friends.

Shortly thereafter, the four of them walked back to Mokuba's room and went inside to join Kaiba.

The younger Kaiba stirred awake from a dull sleep. Seeing everyone there, he asked, "Where's Emrys?"

A half-smiling Yugi replied as he gave the boy Emrys' note card, "She had to leave and wanted me to give this to you..."

Everyone, most especially Anzu and Kaiba, was stunned as the duelist with the tri-colored mane handed the note to the sick boy. After all, Kaiba banned Emrys from seeing Mokuba until she could walk again.

Saddened with Emrys' absence, a half-pouting and weakened Mokuba accepted the card and opened it. The note read:

Hi, Mokuba,

Hi, Kiddo! I missed you!

I'm in town, but I have to finish my appointments and sessions before I can see you.

I'll be seeing you in a week's time. Let us work hard in getting well soon.

I'm looking forward to that museum trip that you've been wanting to take.

Remember that when we do take that trip, we'll have a long day ahead of us -

with me walking and serving as your tour guide,

and with you being in perfect health to enjoy our trip.

With much love, Emrys

The boy sighed as he inserted the note back in its card. He then handed the note to Kaiba as he stared at Yugi and his brother. "Are her legs that bad?"

"They are," replied the amethyst-eyed duelist with a tinge of sorrow in his voice.

The CEO looked at his younger brother's face became grimmer from what he just heard regarding Emrys. He then pulled out the note and read its optimistic message. Although he appeared emotionless on the surface, he momentarily felt the pangs of guilt within. He was surprised that her note did not indicate anything about how he forbade her to see the sick boy, nor did it say anything about the altercation they had at the therapy room. A tightlipped Kaiba mused with a hint of gratitude, "She and I are almost the same. We hide our feelings well. For her sake, she must face my challenge to her. If Mokuba could be her incentive to strive harder, then so be it."

Mokuba, once his older brother returned the card to him, now handed the note for Yugi and the gang to read. As he studied his elder sibling's tightlipped demeanor, he could tell that Kaiba and Emrys had another argument. Although he gave his brother the benefit of the doubt, his heavy silence reflected his disappointment. He wanted her to be there for them. He wished that the two of them got along better. Deep down, he still hoped that the two would become a couple.

By this time, Kaiba had already dismissed his guilty feelings. For him, there would be time later on to rectify matters if he still felt that it was necessary. For now, his brother needed his time, strength, and attention. He reverted to his nonchalant demeanor as he calmly said, "Don't be sad, Mokuba. She'll get well very soon, and you should concentrate on doing the same."

End of Chapter Four

Author's Notes

Yu-Gi-Oh is the copyrighted property of Kazuki Takahashi. Alexandra Emrys, other original characters, The Scrolls of Passage, The Dead Incantations, The Portal of Osiris, and this fanfic are properties of the author. This fanfic is written for entertainment purposes only - thereby releasing the author from any liabilities.

Many thanks go to my good friend and awesome beta-reader Wes / Namonaki Pharaoh. Your tireless and enthusiastic efforts in beta-reading for this story arc, as well as your friendship and support, are greatly appreciated ;-D