(15/10/11)

Author's Note: -looks at the clock- Holy crackers! It's been a month?

-bows shamefully- I'm so incredibly sorry I haven't updated in six weeks! But I have to explain, please! I was gone for a month and wasn't allowed on the computer. But, my punishment has ended now, and I am able to write once again! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to be kept away, but the matter was done. I don't mind if you don't forgive me, but you should know that I wanted to write, but I couldn't!

Now, I'm finally back. -smirks with new found determination- And I WILL write once more! Ready everyone? Let's go for another ride down Past Repeating Lane!

Let's get started! Hopefully... I haven't lost anyone's interest in the story. o.o I apologize for everything, everyone! But I'm back now and I'm ready to continue!

(BTW: "Breathing" by Jason Derülo is my number one song right now. ~o~ Looooove the song and him! /)

Sarah was affected from Yami's duel against Arkana. Just the one duel has caused so much confusion amongst both her and the Pharaoh. They need to talk about what Marik said when Sarah was unconscious to hear, and what Sarah had seen from her past. Certain memories unravel when the time is right. That, we can not control. We can only assume that the spell involved will work properly and when Destiny will think the time is proper to reveal delicate secrets.

(I keep scaring myself whenever I write these summaries... x'D They sound so dramatic... :P)

Oh with the chapter! Hope you like it! Thanks. :)

Disclaimer!: Fanfiction, and I do NOT get any money out of it either. Thanks. ^^

Battle City-New Evil Emerges, Old Friends Reunite Chapter 28

The doctor said it was best if I stayed at the hospital. I didn't oppose, thinking that it was best for me right now, considering everyone's story about what had happened. Apparently I dropped like a brick, never moving, but still breathing. It didn't make any sense. It hadn't happened before. Not even when I was learning about my modern age. Which can only mean one thing.

This was no ordinary collapse. My mind must have been thoroughly stressed out to make me unconscious.

At first, when I woke up to find a hospital ceiling above my head, I couldn't remember anything.

But after a steady hour, all of it rushed into my brain at once, causing me to grimace dramatically at the sharp dagger of pain that coursed through. All the memories I had regained came back to me.

I've been mainly quiet ever since, staring out the window with the utmost confusion. I felt almost lost.

Joey had arrived shortly after I awoke, when Tristan went out to find him. I had a painful lecture about sticking around Yugi's duels with crazy psychopaths and how it's bad for me, but after we explained that I had no choice, he tossed aside the act and focused on saying how lucky I might have been to survive. The amount of blood I had lost could have helped in my faint, and if I hadn't had the help I got, I might have been out for much longer, and I could have been much more weaker than before.

That just added to the pressure.

A while later, everyone had decided to leave, thinking that it was going to be sunset soon and they'd best be going. After saying some best wishes and telling me to be more careful next time, the gang and Mr. Muto left while I had to stay for the night.

I had to admit; the past couple hours were intense.

And I did not want to relive them.

This pain...of remembering something; forcing the brain to look into past memories...has got to be the second worst pain I felt throughout my life time. It's worse than the kunai embedded into my body and worse than the time Marik's Rare Hunter slashed me. It didn't beat the Battle of the Nile though, but it was certainly close.

The mind is fragile. If I lose it, there's nothing left for me to do but waste away in decay.

I didn't want to relive the pain.

And I know I don't have to anymore.

The Dark Magician Girl attacking in Yami's duel...triggered something phenomenal.

A piece of my past that was kept from me... Was given back.

I'm beginning to take this tournament even more seriously now. My guards are beginning to shoot twice as high and my shoulders felt square already, even as I lay in bed.

I still felt weak from what happened, and had no intention of moving from this bed. We've decided to continue with Battle City tomorrow. I'll return to my apartment the next morning, around 8 am.

Right now, to get some breath and an escape from everything, I was staring out the window of my hospital room. The sun was beginning to set, dipping into the western horizon as slow a pace as necessary to give the coming moon enough time to catch up. The backdrop was a beautiful pallet of colours; yellow, orange, red, and some purple. Watching the sun rise was my favourite, but watching the sun set wasn't bad either, though that was my brother's favourite. The scene was gorgeous, able to lighten even the darkest corners of my lonely and confused heart.

I heaved a heavy breath. Lying in this hospital bed made me feel weak. This feeling wasn't the best but I also didn't like it. I wanted to get out of here and plan strategies for our second day of the tournament. Marik seems even more dangerous than I thought. But I knew that even if I did try, I'd be putting my health at risk, I mean I didn't even know what I'm dealing with!

But what had I seen at the end of Yami's duel?

Memories I needed locked away.

That much I know.

I don't want it to, but what if this new information leaked to Marik somehow? Or even Bakura? Gods know what they would do with this information. I know I have to be incredibly careful, but...like Yami had said; the future is unpredictable. Someone could read my mind and then the whole world will be in jeopardy. That is all we have to worry about if I'm extra careful.

I'm so confused... There's something I need right now to help me, but...

No...

Not something...

I need someone.

I have to tell Yami. This could help us—

Just then, a nurse opened the door. "Ah, she's still awake," I heard her tell someone. "Sarah? Dear, you have a visitor."

I blinked. Everyone went home. Could word have travelled to Ishizu?

Slowly, I tore my gaze away from the window and set it onto the doorway. My heart nearly stopped from the surprise.

It was Yami.

"Oh," I said after a moment of blinking. I just wasn't expecting him to be here. "Hi."

The nurse smiled kindly. "I'll just leave you two to your visit," she said. Just before she closed the door, I said a quick thanks. She smiled once more my way and closed the door with a click, sending the room into silence.

My eyes weren't playing tricks on me. It really is Yami. Among everything that had happened, Yami visiting me at the hospital was totally unexpected. Nonetheless, I'm glad he came. He was still wearing the school uniform. It's become more than it stood for; it's become a casual outfit.

"Good evening, Sarah," he greeted me. His hands were in his pockets, idly. "I had asked Yugi if I could come see you. I never got the chance before."

"I smiled, touched. "Aw, thanks," I said. "It's nice to see you. I'm afraid the nurses took away the chairs because of my last check up. You can take a seat beside me though, if you want."

With little hesitation, I moved to one side of the bed, leaving half of it for Yami. He complied and took a steady seat next to my hips. It would have been odd if he was standing there with nowhere to sit—and he was the one visiting me.

"Thank you," he said. He gazed down at me thoughtfully. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better than before," I answered. "Thankfully. At first, my head and arms were numb with pain."

Yami's eyes were steady; determined crimson orbs which for the time being held slight question. He also wanted to know what happened during his duel.

"That's good news," he said, seemingly careful and trying to avoid the uncomfortable question as much as he can. Maybe he didn't want me to go through the pain of remembering. The sun's last rays made the Pharaoh's face glow with a golden hue. "The gang and I were worried. Mostly Aibou though, because he didn't help you sooner."

"It wasn't his fault," I said. Yugi was so kind and modest, but he blames some things on himself. "There wasn't anything anyone could have done to stop me from fainting. I was out before I even hit the floor."

Yami's brows furrowed forward with slightly troubled eyes.

I knew what that look meant.

He wanted to know what happened.

"Aibou had told me what your test results indicated," he said. "He told me what the doctors thought. Hadn't we told you not to hold the burden as much as you have?"

"I didn't want to," I admitted. "It was...something else that happened to stress my brain out more than normal. It was highly unexpected and I couldn't do anything to stop it. It just...happened."

Yami's eyes narrowed questionably. "What was it that happened, Sarah?" he asked me, almost cautiously.

I swallowed. No one else was around but me and Yami. We were completely alone. Even if we discuss our true objectives for the tournament, no would hear. Not even people who aren't supposed to know. And I have to tell Yami. It was important, and it was something bigger than what I thought.

"...it all started when you summoned your Dark Magician Girl," I began, running through the day's events in my mind. There wasn't any pain this time. No pain of remembering...because the memories are already with me.

Yami blinked at me slowly. "My new monster did this to you?" he asked, almost disbelievingly. He looked a little disappointed, that his new magician could have cause harm, but most of all, he wanted to know why.

"It wasn't your monster," I said, releasing some of the tension in the air. "When I first saw her—something was triggered. Like...a set of memories I wasn't supposed to know until now."

At this, Yami's head perked up with more interest. "Memories?" he asked.

I nodded. "Looking back on them now...I still don't think I should know them."

Yami blinked at me carefully. "Were they bad memories?" he asked me.

I looked down at my folded hands sitting on my lap. Though I was propped up against the bed's headboard, with the thin hospital blanket was over my waist, I still couldn't get my head to stop hurting, even though I was so comfortable. It was still throbbing a bit from the collapse and it also felt heavy. I wish I was back to being completely normal.

The day's events have left me troubled and confused.

Though my body may have been soothed by the softness of the bed, my mind was still stuck in a never ending circle of pain. Headaches are the worst. I saw medication for it on the table next to me, along with my phone that I had dropped. I didn't want to take the medication. Drugs will only make the body weak, causing it to become vulnerable to more doses. It'll count on the medications for help instead of functioning like it used to.

I shook my head, though it felt like a tonne. "Bad in a way that if these memories are in the wrong hands...we could be in more danger.

"Yami...I'm beginning to believe you about me having some sort of powers."

Crimson eyes widened. "I knew it," he said. "Ishizu wouldn't have mislead you about such a thing."

"I know she wouldn't have. And it wasn't like I didn't believe her... I just couldn't believe it. But now I know better."

"What is your power?"

I sighed—because this conversation wasn't going in the direction I wanted it to go. Sure I've been given some of my memories to keep us going in the right direction; memories that weren't safe to know until now. But these memories weren't enough. There are pieces still missing. And I wanted this conversation to be the last one of confusion. We needed to know everything properly, before we continue into the tournament, but it didn't work out that way. It was like we were walking around with only half our minds once again.

"I... unfortunately... don't know everything about it," I said quietly. "But judging by what I was shown, my power has more to do than just the both of us. There's someone else involved. And... She looks just like your Dark Magician Girl."

Immediately, Yami reached for his Duel Monsters deck from his belt. He shuffled through each card with intent eyes until he reached the one he was looking for. He took the card into his hand and gave it a look over, crimson eyes full of thought and narrowed with question. Then he showed it to me.

With a nervous swallow and tentative fingers, I took the card offered to me. Thee was the Dark Magician Girl, staring back at me in her circle of magic. Innocently.

As if she doesn't know what just happened.

"Someone else is involved?" asked Yami curiously, returning his deck into its sheathe. "But who? And how do they look like the Dark Magician Girl?"

I thumbed the thin edges of the card, staring questioningly at the monster. Who knew a card would be the trigger for this new set of memories? I can't believe it's in my hands right now. I was half expecting the card to suddenly burst into flames like another oddity. But nothing happened, thankfully. I proceeded to stare at the card, slowly drowning within my thoughts. It was all so confusing.

"I wish I knew," I replied. "Not even a name came to my broken mind. I only know what the person looks like. Just imagine the Dark Magician with brown hair, instead of blonde, wearing a linen skirt and blouse. You'll know what they look like too."

Yami tried imagining the girl I saw. He began to create a sketch of the idea. "Does she have the wand?" he asked.

I nodded. "As a matter of fact, yeah, she does." Softy, I sighed. "I know what you're probably going to say. This is all so confusing, my head hurts."

Yami's gaze hardened. "There has to be a reason why the memories you've just been given back came to you now," he said wisely. "Whatever the reason may be, we have to find it."

"And soon," I agreed. "Otherwise, who knows what'll happen. I might talk to Ishizu about it, since she is my caretaker and all.

"But, I wish I wasn't adding another problem to our already mountainous stack of issues. I'm really sorry."

Yami shook his head. "You shouldn't be so tough on yourself," he said. "It was obvious that this is Destiny's doing. These memories must have been kept from you for a specific reason."

"Maybe... It was to keep them safe from Pegasus," I suggested from out of nowhere. "He did have the Millennium Eye and at anytime he could have read my mind."

"See, now we're getting somewhere," said Yami. "If Pegasus had known about these certain memories, he could have used them for his own purpose.

"By the way... Is that all you know from your vision?"

I squinted up at the ceiling, trying to rid my eyesight of bright spots threatening to overwhelm my fatigue. "Um... I think so. I just saw the Dark Magician look-alike and..."

I held my head, groaning. It's still sore from the whiplash of passing down Memory Lane. I can't fully concentrate because of all the thoughts mingling together, mixing them up. It was a haze of words and pictures I couldn't see through.

Yami put up a hand. "You're still recovering," he said finally. "You took quite a few hits." His gaze landed on the kunai still sitting on the bedside table in a Ziploc bag with 'Confidential' written across it in big red letters. His crimson eyes narrowed. "That Arkana... He had no right to do this to you."

"He was right," I said, causing Yami's eyes to look back to me. "Every time your life is threatened, so is mine. If it's you who he's targeting, then I should have intercepted. I was about to, but he knew who I was and what I was going to do. So he used the cursed kunai to keep me away. He didn't want me interfering."

"Was there any severe damage?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. I'm sure I just have holes in my arms, that's all. Not a big deal."

Yami's crimson eyes had a golden hue to them as the sun's rays hit the side of his face. "I'm still getting used to the fact that I have a Guardian," he said, thoughtfully. "I hadn't been expecting it. I only thought you were one of Aibou's friends from his class, but when I witnessed you using some magic or defending us when there was trouble, I began to question your actual role."

"So, you were suspecting me from the beginning as well..."

"More or less."

I stared up at the ceiling. "I wanted to tell you. It was my dream, you could say, because I've been waiting for I don't know how long for you to be reborn. So I could tell you who I was, and then we..."

'Could be friends again' wasn't able to come out of my mouth. I wanted our friendship to stand again. I wanted to feel that sensation of being whole again, knowing that I had a person close to my heart.

But who was sitting beside me wasn't the same person. I can feel the back of my eyes begin to sting from the thought. Sure this person had the same looks as the Pharaoh, but he didn't have the memories to make him the Pharaoh I once knew. He was just a king in need of some assistance in the modern world from his Guardian.

That's all I can think of him as right now. A Pharaoh who needs my help to recover the memories that had kept us close.

But... I'll change all that. Soon. Hopefully...

It may sound selfish, but I'm not only going to help the Pharaoh for the memories of our past and the way to defeat Bakura once and for all. It's so he doesn't have to wander the world with questions about who he was stuck in his mind. Because I can't imagine how confused he must have been when he first learned of his existence within Yugi. It doesn't compare to the amount of confusion I have just from regaining a few of my hidden memories today.

Yami stayed mildly quiet, his vivid eyes staring across the room. I hope I didn't kill him with words. The last thing I want him to feel is guilt. Or something rather.

I hid my face in my hand, trying to get rid the tiring feeling in my bones. "But I didn't want to scare anyone," I continued. "Sure, Bakura could have striked at any time, but it was a chance I was willing to take until I knew the right time for me to tell you anything. See, if I had just come out and said that I was 5,000-years-old, not only will the gang think that it's impossible, but you would be even more confused and it would have caused a major mess.

"I'm glad we went out together that day, a few days ago. Now that I think about it, the time couldn't have been any better. You knew you were a spirit within a Millennium Item and then you also became close friends with Yugi. You had more confidence then than before when you were confused about who you were in Duelist Kingdom. When I told you I'm your Guardian, it made sense. Now, there's the wall between us that needs to be broken down."

"You had to tell me who you really were as soon as possible," said Yami, finishing my thought. "In case Bakura really did attack again."

It was better to talk about our first real encounter than my vision. Right now, even as we speak, my head is still spinning from the duel. I should rest soon. "Yeah..." I sighed, quietly. "It was a dangerous gamble, to wait until after Duelist Kingdom but... Destiny had led me this far herself. It wouldn't have been best to tell you before."

Silence drowned us. We were merely going over things on our minds when Yami suddenly said something else. "You don't know how reassuring it is to know I have someone from my past here beside me."

I looked his way, and to me, he looked like a king that had everything ripped from him. His family, his friends, his kingdom—even his soul. In reality, he had lost more than what I did. And here I am, wanting the hole in my heart to disappear.

Yami's going through much worse. And after everything, he's lost his memories. He could have been an empty spirit if he hadn't had the determination to find answers.

I felt guilty, the horrible heart wrenching feeling people get when they know they've done something wrong, and all they want to do now is make the situation better.

With hesitant fingers, I gently touched his arm. He glanced from his dropped gaze, to my hand, to me. I could see exactly what I was thinking about just behind the determination in his eyes. He held all his emotions back so he can be stronger. How I wished I had that sort of talent. When talking about my brother, I fall to pieces.

"Hey, did you really think you had to go through everything without someone to help you navigate?" I said with a small smile.

"Well... Even if Aibou and the gang are willing to help me in my predicament, I'm glad I have someone from my past with me as well."

"What are friends, for?" I said, subconsciously rubbing the side of my head. I felt my eye-lids grow heavy. I was getting sleepier by the minute.

Yami noticed this. "Why don't we speak of today's events another time?" he suggested. "You aren't feeling very well and I don't want to activate your amnesia's symptoms."

I was about to oppose when the thought of having some rest washed over me like a wave of fresh air. It sounded like a great idea. "But we have...stuff to talk about," I said. "Like... The vision I've had. There's more than the Dark Magician's counterpart..."

Although Yami looked interested, he waved it off. "No amount of information is useful if the person discussing it with me isn't feeling well enough to tell me," he said. "Besides, there's quite a bit I need to say too, but your mind has already worked too hard for one day. We'll keep a time open for tomorrow morning, right before the tournament."

"...I suppose..." I said. He had a point, but I still think that we should discuss of a strategy to handle Marik and these new memories before tomorrow morning hits. No matter how hard I tried to fight off the drowsiness, I couldn't stop myself from blinking so fast, trying to stay awake.

I returned Yami's card to him after one last look. "Their eyes aren't exactly the same though," I murmured. "Her's is a darker colour, but...they're still so kind..."

Yami stood up from the seat that I gave him. He looked all superior-like when he's towering over me, as if he's ready to bark orders. But the irony of the situation was that instead of being strict, like most kings of their countries would be, his eyes held the compassion that made him different. It's what makes him a strong duelist and a strong person.

"Don't start thinking about it when I specifically told you not to," he said. Okay, maybe he still acts all superior-like, but he wasn't merciless. "You should be resting."

I managed a small smile through my fatigue. "Yes, doctor," I said, dropping my head gently onto my pillow.

"Good. Because if you weren't, Aibou would bite my head off."

I almost laughed out loud, but ended up moaning from pain instead.

"I'll be off now," he said, walking toward the door.

"Alright. Oh, wait!" Yami raised a brow. "...erm... Thanks for dropping by. It means a lot to me."

The irony of the situation once again... was that instead of simply nodding, he returned my smile. "What are friends for?" he said, echoing what I had said earlier. Then he gave me a slight wave before opening the door. "Good night, Sarah."

"'Night."

As the door closed quietly behind him, the room exploded into silence. All that was left was me in a hospital bed with machinery beeping behind me and the window to my left flooding the floor with the last of the sun's rays before it would drop out of view in a few minutes.

Other than being so bloody confused for part of the day, I felt pretty good. It was better than dying, which would probably have been the outcome of my deal with Arkana. (The charts on my bedside tell me I lost a lot of blood.) I don't know if whether or not he meant to throw those kunai at my shoulders or if he was off his real mark. But what I do know is that I'm still breathing.

Death. If the kunai had hit my chest and heart, or if it had sliced a major artery instead of leaving holes in my arms, then I wouldn't be here.

My eyes darkened. Marik...was playing for keeps. He really doesn't like me.

My hands clenched themselves into my pillow and blanket. "He won't get away with this... Threatening Yami for the power he thinks he deserves... He'll pay for it all. And he'll regret he ever messed with us."

But I still wished Yami and I could talk about what happened. It would have been better to discuss it now than in the morning...

As the night descended upon Domino City, Yami Yugi walked down the sidewalk with the Dark Magician Girl card still in his hand. As he gazed upon it, his crimson eyes were thoughtful, wondering how this card could come into play in his modern life. Though he was preoccupied by his thoughts, he hadn't failed to notice how uneasy his other half had been.

'Aibou, is something wrong?'

It was a dumb question, but it came on instinct. Nothing imagined before happened today, and it meant something serious. Yami still asked Yugi how he was feeling because it was better to talk about what's on the mind rather than have those thoughts consume it whole to leave nothing in its wake.

Yugi's glowing and translucent spirit form appeared next to the Pharaoh, his amethyst eyes holding a mix of concern and curiosity. Too many different things happened in one day—and it was only the first day of the tournament. Who knows what'll happen next?

The other didn't shrug, shake his head, or nod. Instead, he said, 'I just can't get the image of Sarah falling...out of my head.'

Silence reigned among both teens. Yami's mind began to replay how he'd seen Sarah actually fall. It was a disturbing sight, to say the least, when one sees someone they know suddenly collapse. Witnesses would think of the worst.

'Who would have guessed regaining memories would cause such a thing,' said Yami, his gaze darkening at the memory. Vaguely, he wondered if it would be the same for him when he regains his own memories. 'We're in the midst of solving one problem and suddenly new ones appear from out of nowhere.'

'It's frustrating,' agreed Yugi. 'But we can't stay angry at an invisible enemy like Marik. We have to track him down and find a way to stop him before it's too late.'

'We aren't all on the same page at the moment,' said Yami. 'Sarah doesn't know what Marik said in our duel, and it was all important information. And she had a glimpse of what her power is. We have to have a decent talk at least in order to understand what we're going to do.'

'Tomorrow morning is our best bet. Even though it would have been better to talk with her tonight instead. It won't be too late though, would it?'

'No, it won't be too late, Aibou. Hopefully.'

The doctor visited Sarah's room that night, a few hours after she fell asleep, to check up on her. He tallied everything off on his charts and wrote on his clipboard what the machines read and beeped. All seemed to be in order so far. She was beginning to heal quickly. This surprised him.

A nurse was just about to walk into the room when the doctor picked up the bag of kunai still sitting on the table. He stared at it wide-eyed, wondering who would use such weapons against someone else.

"Will you do me a favour? Take these to the police. Alert them of an attempted murder."

"Yes sir, I'll get right on that."

Sarah's eyes peeled open at their voices, silently startling the doctor. "No, wait," she said, sitting upright with no problem. Signs of fatigue disappeared from her scarlet eyes and she was able to support her body weight on her bandaged arms. The blanket fell down her chest and landed on her hips like a quiet wind. "You don't need to do that. I'll take them."

The doctor pushed his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose and regarded Sarah. "Miss, you've been awake?"

"I was only awake for a few minutes. My eyes opened on their own."

"But it's the middle of the night," said the doctor. "You've only slept five hours, and before that you could barely even keep your eyes open."

"Believe me, I'm fine. Now, about those kunai—I'll take them."

"I don't think so. This bag is going to the police."

"Why's that?"

"Miss, this is serious. Someone tried to hurt you, and they almost succeeded."

"You don't understand. This has nothing to do with the police. It's all a...misunderstanding."

"Hold on, a misunderstanding?"

"Yes."

"Sir, the police can't file an investigation if this isn't a murder case."

"You're right. Hm... Alright. If you say it's a misunderstanding, and maybe these kunai fell off from a shelf or something instead, then the police don't need to be involved. But Miss, if it turns out to be the latter, you must alert the authorities. This is a serious matter. It shouldn't be taken lightly."

"Of course. And if it comes to that, I'll bring it to the police personally." The doctor left the bag on the table, Sarah said her thanks.

"Alright. Now that that's settled you should be able to sleep with ease. By tomorrow, you'll be as good as new."

Sarah took the kunai bag into her hands. "Oh, I'm afraid I can't wait until tomorrow," she said, surprising both the doctor and nurse.

"...what?" asked both with incredulous tone.

"Miss," said the nurse, breaking out of her shock faster than the doctor. "It's better if you stay at the hospital room for the night. You're still awfully weak."

"On the contrary, I feel great."

"...miss... I think you may have a fever... Please lie down."

"No, really. I'm fine. Thank you for all you've done, but...time is important to me right now. I can't afford to waste any of it when I know I'm healthy again."

The doctor double checked his notes. "But there are priorities..."

"I have them too. I understand that there are procedures, but I can't stay. I must leave—I'm sorry."

"Well... er... Your charts have been showing a positive difference in your health since you were hospitalized. But it doesn't make any sense. Usually it will take patients with the same situation a longer period of time to recover. What would take them a few days only took you a few hours."

"Um, let's just say that being able to heal fast is in my blood."

"Sir. I'm afraid I'll have to agree. She has shown remarkable recovery from her amnesiac state. We can't keep her hospitalized any longer if she's fully recovered."

"Hm... -sigh- Alright."

"Thank you so much."

"But keep in mind that you're still healing. The stitches will take a week or so to heal your torn skin, both on your arms and side. I've bandaged them up to reduce stress, but you still need to be careful."

"I will, doctor. Again, thank you for everything. I'll be on my way now." With the Ziploc bag in hand, Sarah walked out of the room, leaving no sense of doubt in her wake. The doctor and nurse noticed how she moved with no trouble when only a few hours ago she had been unable to even keep her eyes open.

Something was odd about this picture, but neither could figure out what it was. The knowledge was far beyond their comprehension. This wasn't like anything they've seen before. It had nothing to do with the medication they had suggested to her. Whatever helped Sarah suddenly become stronger than before was an ancient power; a legacy passed down from eldest to youngest.

The doctor sighed once more. "I wonder if that really was a good idea," he said.

The nurse regarded him quietly. "Sir, you know her medical status," she said. "Sarah is healthy again. There were no signs of weakness in her record and everything is in order."

"I suppose you're right, and she was insistent about leaving, but I can not understand one thing."

"And what's that?"

"About how fast our patient recovered."

"Hm... Maybe it really is in her blood."

"Perhaps. As if whatever I saw burning in her eyes didn't have anything to do with it."

"You saw it too?"

"Why, yes. It was some sort of emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on."

"...I've never seen such determination before."

"Was that what it was... Well, then. I suppose there isn't anything more we can do. Let's fix her room and sterilize."

Yugi was gazing through his open window, looking up at the bright moon in the dark sky, when Yami materialized next to him in spirit form. His crimson eyes watched Yugi carefully, trying to recognize the reason why he was still awake. The bedroom lights were turned off, casting the room into darkness, with the moon being the only source of light. Crimson and amethyst eyes glowed mysteriously, thoughtfully, determinedly; never once forgetting their goal to discover and reveal.

It was quiet inside and outside the house. The streets were empty, say for some stray leaves and the silent wind. The moon shone brightly above the light clouds, inciting all the rooftops to shimmer like a fading grey. Streetlamps casted hazy orange spotlights on the road, which were of only use to those on the sidewalk. Not a sound was heard and not a soul was seen.

There was no other presence known—except for the hushed buzzing of theory in both boys' minds. Thoughts and questions were running around in circles, lost on how to be solved. They hit dead ends and fall off cliffs, but they didn't go anywhere useful.

Sleep evaded them.

'Aren't you going to sleep?' Yami asked Yugi after a moment. It was better than trying to get some rest when he knew it was impossible. Talking with others always helped. But even without any words exchanged, Yami knew what Yugi was thinking about, because the same thoughts were swimming around in his mind as well.

Yugi shook his head, a little too slowly. 'Not really,' he said. His voice was hinted with restless fatigue. 'The first day of the tournament was really exciting and eventful—but not in a good way. I expected to fall straight to sleep as soon as my head will hit the pillow, but I haven't been able to.'

'Aibou, this isn't something that should give you sleep deprivation,' said the Pharaoh. 'Try again. I'm sure you'll be able to get some sleep if you lay down for a little while.'

'And what about you? You need as much sleep as I do.'

'Aibou, I... It's my responsibility to think about all of this, not yours.'

'It's mine as much as it is yours. We're in this together.'

'Yes, but—'

'Yami, let's just admit it: We're still awake because we can't even think about sleep at a time like this. There's a maniac out there on the loose with a Millennium Item in his hand and who knows how many Rare Hunters at his disposal, not to mention that he wants to come after you for your power and he definitely doesn't like Sarah the least bit—he sounds like he wants to kill her! He's after the Puzzle, and the three Egyptian God cards; who knew they existed in the first place... Not only can he be hiding at any corner, waiting for the best time to sneak an attack, but he can also be holding cards we've never even seen before to give him an advantage to no scale! Sarah's in the hospital, we're all the way here, and we both hold info that needs to be exchanged with each other. Where's the time for sleep in all that?'

Yami slowly blinked at the other, understanding his frustration, but he never thought Yugi was holding in that much. 'Is that all?'

Yugi caught his breath. He hadn't realized that he had begun to rant all of a sudden. He's just made them relive their troubles. With a steady breath, trying to calm some of his frightened nerves, Yugi wiped his hand over his face, placing the other hand on his hip. 'I'm sorry,' he said, almost quietly. 'I shouldn't have said all that. It doesn't matter how many problems we have because if we work together we can get through them. It was just...'

Yami stepped closer and placed a ghostly hand on his partner's shoulder. 'I can understand why you're so frustrated, Aibou,' he said soothingly. 'At least what was on your shoulders is now gone, right? Now, was that so hard to talk about?'

Yugi shook his head, confusing the other. 'There's one more thing,' said Yugi, taking the opportunity to freely discuss what was bothering him without having the trouble of day in the way. 'It's... about this one scene I accidentally caught you replaying in your mind. When... Sarah collapsed. Did she really fall like that, Yami?'

Unfortunately, what Yami was trying so hard to forget about haunted him once more. He found the image of Sarah on the floor with blood pooling under her arms disturbing his mind again. It wasn't because Marik had threatened to kill her if she got in his way, or the fact that a friend of Yugi's is willing to die for his safety—it was both. He was just informed of her being his Guardian a couple of days ago and already she's showing to great extent just how seriously she takes her job.

Like any other friend, even if their friendship bond hasn't been recognized in 5,000 years, one would find Sarah's actions to be quite dramatic. If she hadn't been his Guardian, then she would never have been involved in such dangerous situations.

What had been Destiny's reason for giving the Pharaoh a Guardian?

Great. Another question.

'I know I just reminded you about it all over again,' said Yugi sincerely. 'But... I just can't believe it. I mean, I've never seen anyone fall like that before. Let alone a friend of mine...'

'And you don't have to anymore.' Yugi looked up at Yami, confused. 'As soon as Sarah is released from the hospital tomorrow, we'll discuss what to do in the tournament. Since we know how far Marik is willing to go to win the Millennium Puzzle, now we can easily plan strategies against him. I'm sure it'll all work out, and in the end, we'll have time for the second day of the tournament.'

'I hope one night is enough for her to recover properly,' said Yugi. 'Sarah seemed completely out of it when we were visiting her.'

'I'm sure she'll be fine.'

Suddenly, they heard a noise from outside and became as still as statues. Something padded across the pavement, trying their best not to be heard but they were found. The boys' listened intently for anything suspicious. It could have been someone walking casually down the sidewalk, or a late night jogger, but by the way they sounded so careful and light gave it away that they were attempting to arrive undetected. There came a moment when the sound of their footsteps were right below the window.

Yugi didn't dare move to see who it could be. He exchanged glances with Yami who immediately understood what he was trying to say.

Rare Hunters.

It was the perfect time to attack now that they think about it. They would assume that Sarah wasn't going to be here; she was at her home, resting for the night. During the night is when the shadows are much more active as well. It was a great time to be cowardice and attack when the Pharaoh least expected it.

Now that they were here, what were the two boys going to do? Sarah wasn't here to Guard, so they were on their own.

'What do we do?' asked Yugi.

Yami could think of only one thing Marik would do, even at a time like this. 'He's going to force me to duel him,' he answered. 'Either him or his Rare Hunters, but Marik seems like such a coward that I can't imagine him coming here. So it's one of his servants doing his dirty work again.'

Before either of them could find their breath, they heard another sound that replaced the footsteps. It was a hushed whisper, one of urgency and caution.

"...Yugi? Yami? Are you two awake?"

This voice... it sounded familiar.

Glancing to each other once more for reassurance, Yami and Yugi quietly looked out the window. Rare Hunters would have done something sinister to see if whether or not Yami and Yugi were still asleep. Who knows if they would even care, most likely not. But they would try to find a way into the house so they could challenge the Pharaoh into a duel. And though mimicking someone's voice would prove a formidable but malicious strategy to trick them, the boys knew that copying this person's voice would be a difficult task.

Yugi was the first to see who it was. His eyes widened and he almost jumped out of his skin from the surprise. The person below was someone he was least expecting to be walking about in the night, let alone be released from the hospital.

"Sarah?" asked Yugi incredulously. He peered over the window ledge for a better look and indeed found the Guardian a storey below, standing there in her usual white t-shirt and blue shorts attire. Yami blinked with slight confusion and awe, wondering the exact same thing as his light half. What was Sarah doing here? She was supposed to be recovering at the hospital!

As if this was a normal visit, Sarah answered the boy's confused question with a small wink and smirk, waving to him from below. She acted as though she was never emitted into the hospital; as if she's just woken up from a good night's sleep. The bandages around her arms were fresh, and they were evidence enough that she came here straight from the hospital. Why, though? She was incredibly distressed before when they visited her earlier that day. But now... She looks as though she's regained all of her energy in just a mere hours. Her long ed hair wavered behind her like a cape in the silent wind.

"Hey guys. I'm glad you're awake."

Yugi blinked once more, testing whether or not he was hallucinating. "Sarah! What do you think you're doing? You should be at the hospital resting!"

What the doctor said about normal patients taking a longer time to recover entered Sarah's mind for only a moment, because she knew she wasn't normal.

"But, I feel great!" she said, her voice just a bit louder than a whisper. She knew that by this hour, Mr. Mutou would be asleep. "I needed to talk to the both of you. About everything. Is it alright if I come up?"

Yugi was hesitant. If he ever had to imagine one of his friends released from the hospital too early, he'd see them as zombies because of how little rest they had. Sarah's had an early release, and yet she looks as though she's been resting for a few days, not hours.

If this really is Sarah, then Yugi didn't want to leave her outside all by herself. "You can, but... I'm afraid you'll wake grandpa if you open the door."

Something shimmered quietly over the Guardian's rose coloured eyes. It was a secret waiting to be revealed. She had a plan, and she already planned on what the boys would think of it.

"Hold on," she said. "Move back a bit—I'm coming in."

Again, Yugi's eyes met Yami's. One confused thought was between them: How will Sarah get up here without using the door?

"What?" Yugi looked over the window ledge again. "But... How will you—"

Yugi's question died in his throat. Sarah backed up, creating room between herself and the house. She was directly in front of Yugi now, out in the open. She was already running when Yugi only began his question.

Two steps, and the muscles in Sarah's arms and legs flexed powerfully—until she cartwheeled across half the property, pumping power into her body. As soon as she completed the cartwheel, and her feet landed on the ground for a only a second, she started a back flip instantly. When she landed on her feet after finishing both acrobatics, her knees automatically bent to roughly twenty degrees. She was suddenly like a spring someone had pushed down and was ready to let it go just to see it fly. She gained a lot of energy from her fast movements, which gave her the ability to jump as high as she wanted to some extent.

In this case, when she jumped up, her hands just barely caught Yugi's window ledge. The boy, startled from Sarah gripping the ledge at such a height, silently fell backwards onto the carpet while still maintaining an awed sort of look. Yami blinked.

With a soundless groan, Sarah hoisted herself up with both hands now on the ledge, gripping the hard structured material so as not to lose balance and fall to her doom. She pulled her legs over the window ledge and righted herself, falling into place before the two boys.

"I'm sorry I dropped in at such a late hour, and like this," said Sarah, tilting her head towards the window slightly. "But I knew this was important and I couldn't wait until next morning."

"But Sarah," said Yugi, standing up from his fall. "You're hurt and you need to rest, you can't just think that you're okay. Your health is much more important than some enemy."

"I appreciate the concern, but you and I both know that this is serious and we can't afford to waste any time. Plus, Marik could have sent his Rare Hunters after you—tonight is perfect because they know I'd be hospitalized for my unconsciousness. He can attack the both of you and I wouldn't be able to do anything."

"At the end of the day though, you've still only slept for a few hours. I still think that you should take the whole night off."

"On the contrary, I don't feel very tired. Actually, when I woke up just a few minutes ago, I felt as good as new. I didn't feel any pain in my arms or my head, and when I tried remembering stuff from the duel, nothing bad happened. I can think of everything with clear images and even replay them over and over again in my head without any problem. I've recovered."

"But... Someone in your position couldn't have... I mean, I'm glad, but... It seems unrealistic."

Sarah's eyes were thoughtful. "Even the doctor said that my fast recovery wasn't normal," she said. "But I thought about how much this tournament could help us, and about how we have to look out for each other that I couldn't have recovered any farther. It was as if... When I slept with determination to wake up feeling healthy again, my body reacted to my intentions and sped up improvements."

Yami regarded Sarah. "Conviction," realized Yami. "You didn't want to take so long, so your determination helped you recover."

"Wow..." said Yugi with slightly wide amethyst eyes. But then he smiled. "It's great that you're feeling better, Sarah. Are you really though? Or are you putting up an act and forcing yourself to walk?"

Sarah sweat dropped. "No. I'm not forcing myself. I promise you, I feel great."

Just by looking at how effectively Sarah was able to move the boys could understand what she was headed towards. Instead of looking as weak as she did in the hospital bed, Sarah looked as though she was never there. Now she was even more vibrant and engaging than before. She was ready to face the current situation and the spark of fire in her rose coloured eyes displayed her determination.

Yami nodded, feeling his own determination flood him. "Alright," he said. "Let's get started then. First things first; we need to tell you what Marik told us."

"He was there?" Sarah asked incredulously, but it as a quiet incredulous, still courteous for Mr. Mutou.

"No, he wasn't there, but it would have been an improvement of his character," said Yugi. "He took over Arkana's body and mind controlled him, remember?"

"Well... Now that you mention it, I do remember you saying something about it at the hospital," Sarah pointed out. "What did he say?"

"He said that he was avenging his family; the Tomb Keepers," said Yami, crossing his arms over his chest like he usually does when he's thinking. "They were enslaved to guard the Pharaoh's tomb until his return, without being able to live their own lives the way they wanted to. He said that they were living in darkness without ever being able to see the light of the outside world."

Sarah blinked at the Pharaoh. Something was troubling her. "Are you sure he said... 'Tomb Keepers'?"

Yugi and Yami looked at each other momentarily. "Yeah, that's what we heard," said Yugi, returning his gaze to Sarah. He noticed her slightly widened eyes. "Why? What's wrong?"

Sarah rummaged around through her mind, thinking of something she had heard about a long time ago. It had something to do with the 'Tomb Keepers'...

And then it hit her. The realization was not reassuring, though. "When I met Ishizu after being reborn she said that she herself is a Tomb Keeper..." she said hauntingly. "That... Her family had been waiting for our resurrections for generations and generations..."

"My name is Ishizu Ishtar and I'm a Tomb Keeper, keeping guard of the Pharaoh's tomb until his return, just like my family did for five millennia."

There was silence. No one was expecting this. Sarah's own care taker... Is she related to Marik? The better question was... Is she involved with Marik's plans? This is crazy...

"I can't believe it," said Sarah, shaking her head. She felt a horrible feeling settling into her gut. "I just won't. She seemed so... nice to me. She cared for me and everything..."

"Let's think about this first," suggested Yugi, before Sarah went against Ishizu. Who knows, maybe she wasn't part of Marik's plan. "There isn't any proof linking her to Marik. We don't even know if they're from the same family. Marik never told us his last name. There's a chance that he isn't an Ishtar."

Sarah began to calm. Even she knew that falsely accusing someone is wrong, but the way the concept suddenly just popped up had horrified her. "You're right," she said. "I was just trying to think of all the possibilities of it being true is all."

The boys knew. To Sarah, Ishizu is her mother in a way. If there was a chance that she could be on the enemy's team it would break Sarah's heart. She really is vulnerable to thoughts relating to her late family.

"Um... Maybe there are two families that are Tomb Keepers," suggested Sarah, avoiding the idea of Ishizu being related to Marik. They are two different people anyway; one helps Sarah and the Pharaoh while the other one is against them. They couldn't be related.

"Now that's a start," said Yami. "Ishizu was able to meet you first so the other family had no reason to intervene."

"But wouldn't they still have made themselves known?" asked Sarah.

Yugi put his chin in hand. "If Marik is going against the Pharaoh, what if the rest of his family is also? They could have been hiding on purpose because they didn't want to meet you guys. After all, Marik said that because his family was enslaved is why he's going against the Pharaoh in the first place."

"It makes sense now," said Sarah with slight relief hinted in her voice. "And then both families were given a Millennium Item to help them guard the Pharaoh's tomb. Ishizu has the Millennium Necklace so it makes sense that Marik will have the Millennium Rod. At first, I was so confused on how he could have a Millennium Item."

"Speaking of the Millennium Items." Yami's eyes met Sarah's; an understanding of sorts past through them. Yami's eyes told Sarah that though the matter before had a chance of being true, there wasn't any evidence to prove it. These were theories they were working on to try and piece together a map of what has been discovered so far.

"Marik also mentioned something to do with Ancient Scriptures," continued Yami. "Do you know what they could be about?"

A series of images ran through Sarah's mind at the mention. They were of the night Yami sealed away his soul in order to seal away the evil they were fighting, and of the day after. All the preparation for her rebirth and their future was in that day. It had been so busy and full of apprehension that no one could even think about anything else but the Pharaoh who's trapped within the pieces of his broken Millennium Puzzle.

Among those things included the Ancient Scriptures.

"Yes, I do know," answered Sarah. "In fact, I was right there beside Master Mahad and Priestess Isis when they had come up with the idea.

"The Ancient Scriptures tell whoever reads it how to give the Power of the Pharaoh back to him when he is able to be resurrected. The moment you were sealed away, Yami, the Millennium Puzzle shattered into pieces, which must have caused you to lose your memories. Anyway, until someone can successfully piece together the Puzzle, the Pharaoh will continue to be locked away, and he will be unable to access his powers. The Puzzle is it's own metaphor; a puzzle. It's so complex that it's taken five millennia to finish putting together. We knew how tough it will be. Destiny had to choose the right person to put it together as well, because in the future, they will be able to help us.

"The whole reason the Ancient Scriptures was created was so that when the time comes, the person who solved the Puzzle will be able to help the Pharaoh regain his powers. Master Mahad had told me that my first priority was preparing myself for my entrapment. He said that he and Isis will handle the Ancient Scriptures, so I don't know what they look like and how they've been handed down through time. But I know by heart already what to do. The Ancient Scriptures are only there as back up.

"Has Marik really mentioned those exact two words?"

"Yeah," nodded Yugi. "He said that he studied the Ancient Scriptures and knows how to take the Pharaoh's power for himself."

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "So that's how Master Mahad had done it. He told the Tomb Keepers to keep guard of the Ancient Scriptures, and over the generations, they would pass the knowledge on."

"That's how Marik knows about it," said Yami. "So, he finds that he has no freedom in life and decides to use the knowledge he has against me in order to avenge his and his family's suffering."

Sarah's eyes softened, a frown on her lips. "Something must have been going through his head that he didn't understand. I mean, he was doing his job and then all of a sudden he's against you and me. Darkness being able to grow in someone's heart is something we can not control. The feeling of being isolated must have gotten to him."

"Hm."

"So he knows how to get the Millennium Puzzle," said Yugi. "He said that he can't just take it. He needs to win it from us in a duel."

"That's how this sort of stuff works," admitted Sarah. "And I'm glad no one can actually steal it, because even if they did, the Millennium Items would be useless. Unless they've been won in a fair game from the original holder. And in order to get the Pharaoh's power, Marik needs to win the Millennium Puzzle from you."

"He also needs the three Egyptian God cards."

"Marik said he needed the third card." Yami's crimson eyes hardened. "He either knows where the other two are or he has them already. The last is still to be won."

Sarah clenched her teeth with frustration. "No way, does he really?"

"Unfortunately," replied Yugi a bit sadly. "He said that unless you don't know where the third one is, he... He has no need for you."

A depressing silence pressed upon the occupants of the room. Sarah almost scoffed. "What a coward," she said. "First he hides in the shadows and then he threatens to kill me..."

'Kill' is an awful word. Was Marik really willing to do such an evil deed?

"He doesn't appreciate how you're 'always in the way'," quoted Yami.

"Marik even scoffed when he was referring to you 'not doing your job right'." Yugi's face almost turned white. "That's when I noticed you were on the floor."

"That moment has passed, and honestly, I'm fine. Don't worry." Yugi was full of the friend protectiveness thing. It wasn't like Sarah didn't appreciate it but... Thinking about not being able to fight the pain at that moment is painful itself. Yugi could tell she didn't mean anything harsh and merely allowed the thought to be brushed aside. "Now, onto the matter that matters; was that all he said?"

"He added one more tidbit of info, and a warning." Sarah regarded Yami carefully, like what he was about to say was classified information. "He said that he was going to send another Rare Hunter after us named the 'Quiet One'.

"And he's supposedly going to hold an Egyptian God card."

It felt as though something abdicated. Marik was dropping a whole lot of bombs around them.

"Are you serious?" asked Sarah, unable to comprehend. "He's going to use an entity against you?"

"It appears so," he said. "He's willing to wager an Egyptian God in a tournament duel if it means having a chance to win the Millennium Puzzle."

"Maybe that isn't the reason," said Yugi carefully.

Sarah seemed to understand what Yugi was getting at. "Yugi's right," she said. "Marik could also be using an Egyptian God card because he knows he won't lose. They're cards we've never seen before—and whose special effects we've most likely haven't heard of."

"If that really is the case, then we'll need to keep our focus," said Yami. "This duel is bound to happen, we can't avoid it. Yugi, we'll have to be careful."

Yugi nodded. "Right," he said, because that's all they can do at the moment. Believe that if they keep their focus and concentration then they'll be able to withstand the God cards.

No one in the group has even heard of the cards before they entered the tournament. Now they've been threatened with them—and they're supposed to be powerful cards based on just their names.

"That's all Marik said," said Yugi with a slight sigh. It was certainly a lot of information to digest at once, but there was even more from Sarah.

"I take it as my cue to start from where I left off?" said Sarah.

Yami nodded. "Along with the Dark Magician in Ancient Egyptian 'form', what else did you see?"

Sarah closed her eyes, replaying the images she received during her memory recovery. They were much clearer, playing like a movie behind her eyelids. "These memories..." she began. "They have something to do with my supposed power."

"Really, Sarah?" asked Yugi, surprised. "Do you believe us now, when we told you that it could be possible?"

The other simply looked at the ground by her feet, shadows covering her eyes. Her hands gripped the top half of her arms, tightly, as if she was hugging herself. Yami and Yugi felt a chill run up their spine. Was the news not good news?

"Yeah, it's true I've begun to realize just how truthful you guys were," said Sarah, leaning against the wall. "but it wasn't like I didn't believe you or anything. It just seemed... impossible at the time. I mean... I'm a servant to the Pharaoh; merely a shield. I can't have important powers...

"But I realize now that I had been wrong. My powers are indeed very real—and they're dangerous."

Yami's gaze hardened. "How are they dangerous?" he asked.

Sarah shook her head, mystified. "I'm asking myself the same question, Yami." She met his gaze, scarlet orbs full of a distress the boys hadn't seen since Sarah began to cry from reminiscing of her late brother. They felt their heart clench. They hadn't seen such sadness in one's single life before.

Sarah took a deep breath. Although she breaks down easily, she isn't one to allow herself to stay down for very long. A moment later, determination was flaring in her eyes.

"Unfortunately, I've only been given bits and pieces of various memories," she said. "and it hasn't helped our situation by much because it's given me more questions to get answered. But there is a bit that is clear now.

"I saw a scene where the three of us were smiling like we were best friends; you, Dark Magician Girl, and me."

Yami looked slightly confused. "But I thought you had said we were the only ones..."

"That's the part I don't understand either." She looked away. "If we had another friend then how in the world could I have been kept from that knowledge? What kind of a friend am I if I forget about another friend?"

"There has to be a reason," said Yugi. "You said that when Yami summoned the Dark Magician Girl those set of memories were triggered. Obviously they've been kept from you for a reason. In that case, you couldn't have done anything to stop it."

"I guess you're right. But it's still depressing."

"Now the question is... Why would her look-alike be concealed from you?"

Sarah considered Yami's question. One answer was only able to appear. "If this is about my power then she must have whatever is needed to access it."

"Of course!" said Yugi. "That would explain it."

"I saw this one scene of a small square tablet with hieroglyphics written around the perimeter. It was blurry so I couldn't read what was on it, but it in the middle I could see a hole of some sort where a specific object would fit. It's an odd shape, bigger than... the shape of my Locket for example. It looks like a... diamond shape or something close to it."

"A tablet, you say?" asked Yami.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. It looked a lot like the carvings but instead of being huge it was portable and with different stuff written all over it. But I don't find a significance reason for it..."

"It's a door."

Yugi and Sarah blinked Yami's way. "I'm sorry?"

"That tablet could be a door to Sarah's power," said the Pharaoh. "And if she saw the Dark Magician Girl's look-alike in the same set of memories, then she must know where the tablet is. Either that or there's some other specific reason for her being in Sarah's memories."

"Other than those bits of memories, there's nothing else," said Sarah. "And your theory makes a lot of sense, but it was all in Ancient Egypt. The tablet would be lost."

Yugi looked down. "Along with the girl," he realized. "But... there has to be a reason for you knowing about all this now."

"I know," said Sarah. "I suppose we'll have to keep searching and dueling to find our answers."

"So it all comes back to the same thing," said Yami. "We have to continue with the tournament to find the answers to our questions."

Yugi sighed, wondering how all of this had begun. It was so complex with all the different twists and conditions and whatnot. "This is too much for one night..."

"Wait," said Yami, remembering something. "Sarah, you still haven't said anything about how you came to the conclusion of your powers being dangerous."

She tilted her head to the side and shrugged, apologetically. "It's all blurry, I'm afraid," she said. "But the reason why I said that was because like any other kind of power, if it's fallen into the wrong hands, then we're in trouble."

"I see." Yami looked Yugi's way. "Have we thought of everything then?"

"Nope." Yugi released a small yawn. His amethyst eyes suddenly looked tired. "We forgot about sleep."

"Alright, then let's wrap this up quickly," said Sarah. "Now that we have some things cleared out, we can face the tournament with more confidence than before. Tomorrow morning, we're going to have to be on the look out for Rare Hunters especially. Them more than duelists to duel because they're dangerous. But if they aren't around and we're challenged to duel, then we'll have no choice because we have to keep moving on with the tournament."

"If we are challenged by the Rare Hunter with an Egyptian God," said Yami. "Then what?"

"We do what we do best," said Yugi, optimistically. "We stick together and fight the duel with all we've got. It's the only thing we can do."

"Excellent. So we have a plan."

"I suppose we do." Sarah looked out the window. "That was fast."

"Was it really?" asked Yugi. "My head's almost spinning from all this new information and planning techniques. We sound like a military quad or...something."

Sarah and Yami exchanged glances. "We can never be too careful," said Sarah.

Yami nodded. "Arkana showed us enough proof about how Marik is willing to play. He's ready to send us to the Shadow Realm as soon as he is able to win a duel against us."

"Well, we'd better not give him the chance," said Yugi, confidently. He put his hand in the middle of our little circle. "Let's do this. Our plans start at dawn."

Sarah and Yami glanced towards each other once more. They knew he was right.

"I agree," said Sarah, putting her hand over Yugi's.

"So do I," added Yami, placing his own ghostly hand over top of Sarah's. It felt like a warm pressure to her because of him being in his spirit form.

"Great." Yugi smiled. "Marik isn't going to know what hit him."

Sarah smirked. "Or what I'll pound into him if he gets me mad enough."

"But by then," said Yami with his own smirk. "it'll be too late for him."

Such confidence suddenly sprung into each teen. With each moment they passed with each other, they felt the determination in their hearts grow. Suddenly, Marik just seemed like another opponent in a duel, but even though the actual meaning behind it all is more complicated than what it looked to the normal eye.

But let's just admit it. These guys aren't just normal teens.

Instead of being able to join a tournament with ease to answer some of their questions, they've been given a larger task to accomplish. And it'll be their toughest fight yet.

It'll be a fight for freedom. Heart. Conviction. Trust. And even sacrifice. Tough battles are ahead for everyone—including their friends.

Whom should they trust? Whom should they befriend?

Whom should they call the real enemy?

One won't know... Until one kept moving forward.

Author's Note: -bows in remorse- I'm so sorry it took me six weeks to update! But school is beginning to get in the way again. And the eleventh grade is no joke, people! Ahaha. lol I'll try updating as much as I can and as quick as I can, but I can't guarantee a chapter every week, like I had silently planned to do. But I'll try my hardest!

I'm really sorry it took me so long, again! I hope you can forgive me! I also hope that you liked this chapter, despite how late it is. :3 Thank you for reading!

OMR! Have you guys seen the new Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal premiere? It was freaking awesome! The dubbed voice actor for Yuma isn't bad at all! He sounds great! ~o~

lol. I love Yu-Gi-Oh!. X3

Thanks again everyone! For everything. Reviews are very much appreciated!

(I'm sorry for any grammatical errors. xD)

"We're not alone this time. Thanks to Yugi, Joey, Téa, and Tristan, we can fight side-by-side with more support. This tournament won't just help us with Marik and your memories, but I know that it will also help us with our bond. It's growing stronger each day, little-by-little. ...I'm glad..."