Hooray a chapter! Sorry it took so long, this chapter was a little tough for me to write, but I'm pretty happy with the turnout. I'll try to have the next one out soon!

Chapter 11

Yugi taught Yami how to speak, slowly and patiently. Yami learned quickly, he knew how to speak, but the process of working vocal cords was merely learning how to control them. He was speaking coherently within a week, and had fully mastered it by a week and a half.

He still seemed lost, though. Now that he could communicate, he talked often with Yugi, but he spent most of his time with the other dragons. They made him feel a little more comfortable, if not safe, and he was able to sleep more peacefully pressed against the warm scales of another dragon.

More often than not it was one of the female dragons that offered herself for a sleeping place, usually Valkyria. But every now and then Malik would come to the pair, even Odion or Bakura. Magician was the only other one that seemed to stay with them most of the time; the old dragon had made a sort of connection with Yami, even in his transformed state.

Yugi felt empty without Yami's warm presence in his mind, but the two had found more ways to communicate with each other, through touch and body language. It was not uncommon to see the two walking hand in hand around the factory, usually not speaking, but sometimes talking quietly.

At night, cradled in the warm nest of one of the dragon's body's, the two would wrap around each other, pressed fully against each other in an attempt to achieve the closeness that had once been. Yugi found that he could not drift off to sleep without Yami's breath on his hair, and the former dragon could no longer sleep without Yugi there, regardless of the dragon.

Yugi still wasn't sure of this emotion that he was feeling, but he knew that somehow it would help. He had always felt something special for Yami, but it was growing with every day that they spent together. He wanted, more than anything, for Yami to be back to his old self, but some other part of him wanted the dragon to remain the way he was, human, within Yugi's reach.

Yugi just didn't know what he wanted anymore.

"Aibou."

Yugi was almost instantly awake, his eyes flashing open to meet crimson orbs. He sat up, rubbing at his eyes tiredly before turning to look at his former dragon. "What is it, Yami?"

Yami chewed on his lower lip, and then spoke softly. "I'm… I'm forgetting, aibou."

Yugi frowned, his eyes narrowing as he watched Yami's face grow worried. "What do you mean?"

"Every night I dream about flying. But tonight… Tonight I couldn't remember what it was like. It was almost as though…. Like I had thrown myself into the wind and then fallen. I… I can't remember what it is to flame, or to fly, or even to be linked with you…" Yami looked up at him. "I'm forgetting what it is to be a dragon."

Yugi crossed his arms, thinking. "This is not good… We need to figure out how to change you back, you're becoming too much like a human."

"You are correct, Yugi."

Both boys looked up in shock to meet Mahado's serious eyes. Yugi smiled slightly in greeting, though the gesture was a little forced. "Mahado."

The man nodded, walking forward to kneel beside Yami. The man studied him for a moment, his eyes looking deep into the former dragon's, and then he put a hand on Yami's chin, pushing his face up. "It won't be long before there is a human boy in this body, and no dragon at all."

Yami's face fell. "But… I just want to be a dragon again…. Is that too much to ask?"

Mahado shook his head, ruffling Yami's hair. "No, of course not." He smiled. "All we have to do is figure out the legend. It's clear that this was meant to happen, all we have to do is understand the next few lines, and no doubt we will know what has to be done to change you back."

Yami looked down at his hands, shifting uncomfortably. "I feel so trapped…"

Yugi hugged the other soothingly, petting his hair. "I'm here for you Yami, we all are. You know that any of us would do anything to get you back into your true form. All we need is time. Things will work out, you'll see."

Yami tangled their fingers together habitually, holding their joined hands close to his face as he calmed himself. He was more frightened by what Mahado had said than he had been by anything else that had happened in these last two weeks. He wanted to return to his dragon body, it was all he wanted.

But what if they didn't succeed in time, and he had to remain a human for the rest of his days? He didn't know what he would do…

Yami couldn't sleep. He could feel Yugi's even breathing against his chest, could hear the slow thudding of Magician's heart as the dragon slept with them cradled in the curve of his body, but he still couldn't go to sleep.

He didn't know the reason, but some part of him wouldn't calm down, and something was tingling on the edge of his senses. Yami frowned, shifting and raising his head so he could look over the shape of Magician's tail. 'Something's coming… I know it…'

He shook Yugi gently, and then nudged at Magician's side. The great dragon was instantly awake, his large eyes going right to Yami. What is it, Yami?

Yami frowned, his crimson eyes focused on some point in the distance. "I don't know. But I don't like this feeling."

Yugi stirred against him, yawning and placing his face against the former dragon's chest in an attempt to go back to sleep. "Yami? What's wrong?"

Yami shook him again. "Come on, Yugi, wake up. We have to get out of here."

Yugi forced himself fully awake, stretching. "What do you mean?"

Yami's right, I can sense something. We need to get the two of you inside, and wake the others. Magician's powerful voice caused Yugi to instantly take Yami by the hand, leading him into the factory. Magician rose and woke the other dragons, preparing the group.

I don't like this. Harpy's rough voice echoed in their minds. This is the second time that they've tried to catch us off guard at night. It doesn't seem like their style to try something that already failed.

But they didn't fail…Kisara's voice was soft. They changed Yami… What if this has something to do with him?

Yami shivered as he heard this, moving closer to Yugi. The boy automatically embraced him, humming softly to try and calm him.

At that moment a strange sort of singing pierced the air. All went still, hypnotized by the sound. Yugi stared, his body locked in place. 'I… can't move…'

He heard a snarl somewhere in the distance; Malik. DAMMIT! What the hell are they doing?.! Why can't I move?.!

Stay calm everyone, we can get out of this…Magician didn't sound so sure of himself, but he was calm.

Yugi tried to break the spell that had been placed on him, but at that moment Yami moved away from him, his eyes locked on the door to the factory. Yugi gasped, his eyes following his dragon's movement.

Yami's eyes were open wide, the light gone from them, fascination and wonderment in there. It was as though Yami had no control over his movements. He was being lured out there by this cursed magic.

Yugi tried to move once more, but he was held fast. "NO!" he managed to cry. "YAMI! YAMI PLEASE!"

The other stopped slowly, moving to look at him. Those eyes flickered, but remained lifeless.

A voice pierced the air. "You may be human, but you are still his dragon!"

Yugi looked up to see a spear of magic, bright yellow in color, heading right for him. 'No! They mean to kill me, and therefore Yami! NO!'

Yugi closed his eyes, unable to move. He simply waited for the impact, waited for what he knew was going to come.

"NO!"

It was so familiar, Yugi almost thought he was back in time, to where Yami had first flamed, but he knew that was impossible. He waited, but the impact never came.

He slowly opened his eyes, and then gasped, tears flooding his eyes and pouring down his cheeks as the magic released him, allowing him to clap his hands over his mouth.

Standing in front of him was Yami, arms outstretched, the magic pierced through his heart.