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The perfect team

Chapter 10: Musings

He never finished that sentence, because right at that moment, an explosion took all of their breaths away; Kaiba's building was blown up, never to be built again. Everyone was so mesmerized by the horrible sight that none of them noticed Tea's desperate looks until she cried:

"Where's Yugi?!"

(Scene Chance)

A bomb?

"You're going to blow us both up?"

"Not exactly. I'm a ghost, remember? I can't die, because I already did…five thousand years ago."

"Vindictive much?"

Bakura smiled.

"You can bend destiny to your will… Let's see if you can cheat on death, too…"

Without another word, Yugi ran…

(Scene Change)

"Oh, my god!" Alexis was the first to speak. That comment seemed to snap everyone out of his/her frozen state. Tea immediately began to run towards the still-burning building, but was stopped as Joey's arms encircled her waist.

"No!" she shouted. "Let me go! I have to get to him! Let me go! I have to save him, he's…"

"Dead, Tea. He's…dead." His voice was reluctant as he spoke. It seemed even he would like to think that there was a way, even when there wasn't…

"No! He isn't! He can't be… He…he…is alive, he has to be alive. He promised, he would…" Tea struggled against the blonde's hold, but in her disillusioned state, the man blocked her effortlessly.

"Accept it, Tea!" Kaiba snapped. "He's gone."

"How can you be so cruel? So heartless? She's just lost her husband! Do you have no shame?" Ishizu snarled right back at him, moving to where she stood beside Tea and enveloping the crying woman into a comforting hug.

"It comes with the job." Seto stated matter–of–factly. Ishizu shot him another death glare, turning the brown-haired woman in her arms around, so they could make their exit. Shoving her into Kaiba's limousine as gently as the Egyptian could, she moved to sit beside her, arms still comforting around the spy. Silence settled in the car as the driver chose the shortest way to the Kaiba Corporation airport. Nobody dared to say a word about what had happened. Even Seto chose to stay silent, so the only noises were Tea's quiet sobs. None of them could believe what had just happened. The great King of Games, the deadliest killer there is…or rather was…was dead. Blown up in a giant explosion.

Not a very honorable ending.

What could you do, what could you think if that had happened to the best? What should you do, when your idol has been killed with so little effort by your own enemy? Could they win against this Bakura, if even Yugi himself was powerless?

Those and many other questions ran through Jaden's mind, while he watched the buildings outside fly by. Until this day, he could never have imagine that someone--especially a no–name like Bakura (Who was that guy anyway?!) could measure up with a triumphant young master like Yugi.

'Just by looking at him, I would've never guessed he was so dangerous…' Jaden thought. 'Yes, he seemed out of his damn mind and ready to do everything it took him to get his revenge on Yugi for… whatever it was that Yugi did to him… But really, I thought he was just nuts! Not nuts and lethally dangerous. Why did I go? I should have remained there and helped Yugi. Maybe he would still be alive then… Or we could both be dead! Maybe Yugi knew his time had come and didn't want me to die, too. So he sent me away… But if I had just stayed… If I had make a quick move to get one of my daggers, I could have…'

"Stop it, kiddo!" he heard Duke's voice beside him. "You couldn't have done anything."

"But if…"

"I said stop!" the black-haired man bellowed.

"He's right, Jay!" Bastion added. "If you go on "what if"-ing yourself, then you'll go insane in no time. What happened, happened. We have other problems right now. Let's take care of some of those first."

"Yeah pal! Let's not think about that, but face the problems at hand!" agreed Hassleberry.

Jaden stayed silent after that. But deep within him, he could still feel the guilt. It was just like that time: when he couldn't protect his partner, when he let him die. Syrus had been so young and gentle. He wasn't cut to become a killer, so Jaden told him to advance to Ra Yellow. They would still see each other, he had told Sy. They would go on missions together and it would be like in the old times. But it wasn't meant to be! On their first mission together, they were caught breaking into the building by the security guards, and Syrus got into the line of fire! Damn it! He died, because Jaden was too slow to react properly and defend them both. The mission had to be aborted and the only thing the Slifer could do for his partner, his friend really, was to bring home his body.

His cold, lifeless body.

Jaden hadn't even noticed they had boarded one of Kaiba's airplanes; he was to deep in thought. His body moved on its own accord, following Alexis' lead as she pulled him by his hand. Sitting down beside him, she never let go, instead squeezing lightly. She brought him back for a moment, his eyes fixing themselves onto her's. He smiled reassuringly, but it was a fake smile, she knew. And he knew, she knew, but smiled anyway.

Then he sank back into his musings…

Alexis knew what he was thinking about, so she let him think, while holding his hand through his thinking. She was the only one he had told the story about his friend so far, the only one, who could possibly understand. And she would be there for him, she decided. She would be his anchor, when the darkness threatened to take him in completely.

(Much, much time later)

There they were.

The airplane had just landed on the private little airport of Maximilian Pegasus, on his own island.

The Duelist Kingdom.

"Welcome to my little island paradise!" Pegasus chirped, goofing around like nothing was wrong, which earned him dark, irritated looks from everyone. Even Kaiba, though just for the general reason that he didn't like happy people.

"Oh, I see. Bad mood day, huh? No jokes, no smiles, no happiness. Alright, I got it."

Another set of glares.

Pegasus ignored them: "Croquet will show you your quarters, where you can rest a little, while I make sure you'll receive everything you need for the battle. Enjoy your stay."

"Will he ever change?" Jaden heard Tristan sigh, exasperated.

"Unfortunately, no!" They heard an amused voice from under them. Not three milliseconds later the whole group--except Kaiba--stumbled down the stairs from the plane's exit – overjoyed, though a little confused!

End of chapter!

A/N: Well, a little insight into Jaden's mind after the disaster. This is just so I don't have to make too much of a time skip between the explosion and what happens next.

On a personal note: I got 14 of 15 points in my oral exam. Yeah! Thanks to all of you, who wished me luck.