Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one.

Chapter 34

Tristan and Joey walked down the street. They usually hung out together on the weekends, and they were just walking around, killing time. Currently, it was 7:00 pm, and they were both starving. Coincidentally, they happened to be walking past Burger World and Tea just happened to be working today. They walked inside.

"Hi welcome to Burger World! Let me show you to—oh, hey guys! What're you two doing here?" Tea asked, surprised to see her friends.

"Oh, ya know, we was jus' out walkin' around an' decided to drop by," Joey replied.

"In other words, you want a free meal?" Tea translated.

Joey and Tristan both looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "Please?" they chorused. Tea sighed.

"Alright, but only because you don't come here very often. I cannot afford for you to make this into a habit," she said as she showed them to their seats. She then took their orders and left to give it to the chief.

A few minutes later, she returned with their food. "Here you go, enjoy your meal," she said, turning to walk away. Tristan stopped her.

"Hey, Tea, what time do you get off?"

"In about a half hour, why?" she asked.

"Well, me an' Joey were thinkin' of heading over to Yugi's place. We haven't really hung out with him all that much these past few weeks. Do you wanna come with us?"

"Sure!" she replied enthusiastically.

"Awright then, we'll wait here 'til you get off," Joey said.

She smiled and started towards one of the other tables she was serving. "You'd better not leave without me!"

Now that that was settled Tristan and Joey turned—and began consuming their food at an alarming pace.

~*~

\Alright, Yami. We need to find out what happened to Kenshin and we can't do that until we know whether or not Battousai had a hand in it. I want you to challenge him to a shadow game,\ Yugi said, after he had considered the matter.

Yami wasn't surprised by Yugi's response. After all, it was in Yugi's nature to do all in his power to help others, regardless of what happened to himself. \\Are you sure, aibou? If he wins, then you very well may lose your life,\\ Yami said again. He wanted to make sure Yugi knew what he was agreeing to.

\Yes, Yami. I'm sure.\

Sighing, Yami took control of the body and went to find Battousai.

~*~

Battousai was sitting in Kenshin's room. It was only 7:50, but he had decided to go to bed early since he had nothing better to do. The lights were turned off, and he was sitting on the floor between the window and the bed. His sword was just under the bed, out of sight in case Grandpa paid him a surprise visit, but within reach should he have need of it. He sat on the floor indian style with his arms folded across his chest and his head titled forward. His eyes were closed, but he was not yet asleep. He was actually feeling all the different emotions being broadcast from the next room.

Yami and Yugi were apparently having a serious discussion. Probably about me, he noted. Yami been a little worried ever since those 'reporters' had stopped by. Yugi had been fine until just a few minutes ago. Battousai guessed that that was when the talk had started. Yami was reluctant, Yugi was curious, Yugi was nervous, Yugi was indecisive, Yami was serious, Yugi was determined and Yami was worried again. That is where they were right now. Battousai felt Yugi's aura become more elusive as Yami's became stronger. Yami must be in control of the body. A decision has obviously been reached, Battousai thought, as he felt Yami's aura leave Yugi's room. Battousai hoped Yami would walk past his room, but knew he would have no such luck. I am really getting tired of dealing with him, Battousai thought, annoyed.

Yami stopped outside Kenshin's door. "Kenshin? Are you still awake? I would like to speak with you," he called through the closed door.

"Grandpa is downstairs in the shop, Yami. He can't hear what you call me. If you wish to speak, then speak quickly, for I am tired of dealing with you altogether," Battousai replied.

Yami was a bit taken back but his bluntness, "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm tired of your insinuations, accusations, and interrogations. If you must speak then speak, but I do really wish you would go away. This is a private matter between Kenshin and myself and neither he nor I appreciate your trying to interlope in our affairs," Battousai said, rather rudely. Okay, so I lied about Kenshin. But, he wouldn't like what Yami's trying to do any more than I do, Battousai thought to himself. He noted that Yami still stood at the door.

"Well then, Battousai, let me get to the point. I am challenging you shadow game," Yami said, his voice serious.

Now it was Battousai's turn to be surprised. "What?"

"I said, I am challenging you to a shadow game, a simple game where the winner is not determined by skill but by the attributes of his or her soul. We cannot play it here, we need an open space. Come with me to the park and I will explain the rules there. If you play this game with me, and you win, I will not bother you about Kenshin, or anything else for that matter, anymore."

Battousai was intrigued. What the heck, I've got nothing better to do. Besides, this sounds like it might be fun.

The door opened to reveal a smirking Battousai, amber eyes shining in the light from the hall. "Lead the way."

~*~

Tristan looked at his watch again. "Didn't she say she got off at 7:30? It's already 7:54!" Just as the complaint left his mouth, Tea walked up.

"Sorry I'm late guys. One of the girls called in and I had to stay until her replacement could come," she explained as they walked out the door. "I guess it's a little late to go see Yugi, huh?"

"Yeah. Oh well, we'll see him in school tomorrow, anyway. Hey, why don't we walk you home?" Tristan suggested.

"Okay!" Tea agreed. The trio started walking to Tea's house.

~*~

Yami and Battousai arrived at the park. Yami led Battousai to a rather secluded area and stopped. Battousai stopped as well.

Yami scanned the area. Satisfied that there were no bystanders to be caught in the middle, he turned to Battousai.

"You will need to give me the Mask in order for this game to work. If you win, I will give you my life. However, if I win then you will have penalty game. The rules are simple. I will ask you one question. You will answer, and then I will attack you with shadow magic. There will be only one attack. Your answer will determine the outcome of the game. If you lie, then your senses will be clouded and you will not be able to dodge the attack in time. It will hit you, and that will be your penalty game. However, the attack will be such that if you tell the truth you will see the attack coming and will be able to dodge it in time. I have issued the challenge. Do you accept?"

"It is a shadow game. If I lose, you are entitled to take my life. The rules bind me, and I would be powerless to stop you from killing me. Retrieving the Mask with such restrictions in place would be a simple task," Yami explained.

Battousai searched his aura. Yami was not lying. Battousai smirked. "Alright, I accept your challenge."

Yami held out his hand for the Mask. With only slight hesitation, Battousai pulled the Mask off and handed it to Yami. Yami took it and stepped back. He then spoke, saying two words.

"Game start."

And Battousai's world promptly went black.

~*~

Tea, Tristan and Joey walked, the latter two joking back and forth. Every now and then, Tristan would make some remark that got Joey all riled up. Tea would then get dragged into the middle with Tristan hiding behind her while Joey tried to get him.

"It probably would have a lot safer walking home by myself. I swear, you two act like little kids!" she exclaimed, extracting herself from in between the two of them. At the next corner, she turned and started walking a different direction.

"Hey Tea. Isn't your house this way?" Tristan asked, dodging Joey's fist. After Tristan's question, Joey stopped trying to pummel his friend and looked around.

"Tristan's right. Didja move or sometin'?" Joey asked.

Tea turned around and look at them. "Yes, my house is that way. However, it's shorter if you cut through the park," she explained, still walking.

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged before following after her, previous argument forgotten.

~*~

"What's the meaning of this?!" Battousai demanded. He didn't like not having access to one of his major senses, especially when he didn't have the Mask.

"Calm down, Battousai. I am going to move so you won't know where the attack is coming from. If you answer the question truthfully, then you will regain your sight in plenty of time to dodge," Yami said, in a pacifying tone, his voice seeming to come from everywhere and no where all at the same time.

Battousai just crossed his arms. It made sense, but he wasn't about to admit that. "Then speak," he commanded, "Ask your question, and let's be done with this entire affair."

Yami complied. "Battousai. Do you know what happened to Kenshin?" Yami asked.

I should have known. It figures that he'd ask about that. Oh well, that was his one question and knowing the answer won't do him any good, Battousai thought to himself. "No," he answered, evenly.

Battousai waited for the attack, noticing his vision start to clear. Yami was in his line of sight, apparently giving him time for his vision to clear. He then attacked.

Battousai smirked as he saw the attack coming. Yami was right—it was much slower than normal. He could dodge it easily. However, being the type of person that he was, he decided to wait until the last minute to step out of the way.

Right before it reached him, Battousai felt a familiar glimmer across his consciousness, distracting him. He knew that feeling well.

//Kenshin?!// Just then, the forgotten attack hit him, plunging him into agony. One excruciating cry escaped his throat before he could stop it. It felt as if he was being torn in two. He's trying to separate my soul from Kenshin's body! Battousai realized. The body was not willing to release it's hold on the soul and fought to keep it, but Yami's magic was stronger. After what seemed like ages but in reality was only a minute or two, Battousai felt the pain lessoning as he was ripped from the body. His world went black as he sank into oblivion.

~*~

Tea and the others heard the scream at the same time. Tristan and Joey immediately took off running toward the sound, ready to come to the defense of whatever person was being attacked. Tea, fearing for her own safety, hesitated briefly before following them. There was only one scream to be heard, and the boys were worried that they may arrive to late to help.

Rounding a grove of trees they saw Kenshin lying on the ground, his amber eyes expressly showing the excruciating pain he was experiencing. His body jerked violently as he tried to control the pain with in him. Abruptly, Kenshin's form stopped moving and lie still, his jaw slack and his lifeless eyes staring blankly in front of him.

Joey and Tristan were furious. How dare someone do that to their friend! They looked up, ready to give the beating of a lifetime to whomever had done that to Kenshin,--and they met Yami's eyes. He looked at them, his face expressionless. Silence stretched between the two groups until Tea broke it.

"Yami?" she asked, uncertainly, "What happened? What—what did you do to Kenshin?"

Yami said nothing, just started walking over to where Kenshin's body lay. Joey and Tristan blocked his path, standing protectively, if not somewhat uncertainly, in front of Kenshin. Tea was checking to see if he was still alive.

"I'm sorry, Yami, but we want to know what happened before we will let you near Kenshin," Tristan said. None of them, save Yugi, really knew Yami that well. Granted, they didn't know Kenshin very well but he was currently hurt and all the evidence pointed to Yami who didn't deny it. Yami stopped.

"Move out of my way," he commanded in an authoritative tone. Neither Joey nor Tristan moved. Yami sighed, suddenly looking very tired. "Please. I wish to take him home."

Tristan and Joey looked at each other a little uncertainly, but still didn't move. "Sorry, Yami, but you gotta see dis from our poin-ta-view. We hear Kenshin yell, find him on the ground and you standin' dere like nuttin's wrong. Dat's not gonna make us to trust you wit' him, ya know what I mean? Sorry, I realize Yug trusts you and dat's usually enough for me, but how do we know you're not controlling Yug like the spirit of the Ring did wit' Ryou?" Joey asked, trying not to offend Yami too much. Yami shook his head.

"You're just going to have to trust me, Joey. I would like to take Kenshin home. You may all come, if you wish. I will explain everything there," Yami said.

Joey wasn't sure what it was about Yami, maybe the tone of his voice or the look in his eye, but he stepped aside. Tristan followed his example. Yami nodded his thanks, and walked past them. Yami kneeled, closing Kenshin's still star and gently gathered Kenshin's unresisting body in his arms. He stood and began walking back towards the game shop, everyone else following behind him in silence.

~*~

Yami stopped by the alley right before the game shop. Everyone else stopped as well. Yami turned to them.

"We didn't let Grandpa know we left. I don't want him to worry about Kenshin, so I'll need you three to distract him while I sneak Kenshin in the back, Make small talk to give me a little time to put Kenshin in his room, and then ask to talk to Yugi. Grandpa should bring you up to his room, where I'll be waiting. I will explain everything then," Yami said.

After a little hesitation, they agreed. Yami walked into the alley and behind the game shop and waited. After he was sure Grandpa had answered the door, he let himself in and silently made his way up the stairs. He opened the door to Kenshin's room, and placed him in his bed. He removed Kenshin's shoes, leaving him dressed in his normal clothes, and pulled the blanket over him. If Grandpa happened to walk in, he would think Kenshin was asleep.

Satisfied with his work, Yami closed the door to Kenshin's room and entered Yugi's room. He took the Mask out of his pocket and placed it on the desk. He sat at Yugi's desk with his back to the door, pretending to be working on homework. Not long after he had sat down, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. There was a knock on his door.

"The door is open," he called, raising his voice a notch in pitch to sound more like Yugi's.

Grandpa opened the door, Joey, Tristan, and Tea behind him. "Yugi, some of your friends came to visit," he said as they walked past his into the room. Yami nodded to show he heard, not turning around. Grandpa closed the door as he exited the room.

Before he could walk very far away from the room, he heard Joey's loud voice. "Alright, Yami, what gives?"

"Quiet, Joey! I don't want Grandpa to hear," came Yami's quieter response. This, of course, piqued Grandpa's curiosity and he pressed his ear against the door to hear better.

~*~

As soon as Grandpa closed the door, Yami turned around to face his friends. Almost immediately Joey asked, "Alright, Yami, what gives?"

Yami looked at him sharply. "Quiet, Joey! I don't want Grandpa to hear," he said, sternly.

Joey got the hint, and lowered his voice. "So what gives? Whadja do ta Kenshin?"

Yami sighed. "I suppose that I had better start at the beginning."

~*~