AN: Wow, two updates in one day. Oh well, that's what happens when you're sick, more time to do this kind of stuff. Okay people, here it is. The final chapter. After this, it's all over and I have to start something new. That's okay though, because I've got several ideas stewing and festering inside my brain, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! Or its characters.

Chapter 5: Please Forgive Me

XxxX Three weeks later XxxX

"They're nowhere!" Bakura yelled, banging his fist on the table. "We've scoured the city, searched everywhere, and there is no sign of them!"

The Yamis were sitting at a café in uptown Cairo. They'd been in Egypt for weeks and hadn't found a trace of their Hikaris.

"Well…" Marik said slowly, lifting his head to stare off into the distance. There is one place we haven't looked yet. But I honestly didn't think that Malik would ever go back there."

"You know where they are?" Atemu asked hopefully, leaning forward.

"They could be in the underground tunnels, where the Tomb-keepers were. But Malik hates that place."

"It's our last chance," Bakura said, resignation evident in his voice.

//

"…99…100! Here I come, ready or not!" Ryou called, turning around. The dark tunnel behind him was silent. He grinned. Hide 'n Seek. It might be a children's game, but a maze of underground tunnels and the fact that they were now insubstantial enough to walk through walls made it a lot of fun. Striding off in a random direction, he moved as quietly as he could. He didn't want to alert Malik or Yugi to the fact that he was coming. Looking around, he realized that he was near the entrance to the catacombs. Yugi and Malik wouldn't have come this way. Upon hearing a giggle that could only have been Yugi, he reconsidered. Turning, he tried to determine which direction the sound had come from.

"Marco?" he called jokingly.

"Polo," came a voice and Ryou froze. It wasn't possible. Spinning around, he found himself face to face with Bakura and his breath caught. Bakura was smiling, until he noticed that he could see the wall behind Ryou.

"Holy Ra," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Ryou backed away and his gaze fell on the Millennium Ring around Bakura's neck. His eyes went wide and he cast a fearful glance over his shoulder, hoping for somebody to come around the corner and help him.

"You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be around us, especially not with those!" he said a little shrilly, pointing at the Ring.

"Ryou," Bakura pleaded, stepping forward and reaching out his hand. He stopped, hurt, when Ryou flinched and shrank from him.

"I can't 'Kura, I can't," he said sadly, shaking his head. He turned to go, but Bakura reached forward and grabbed at his shoulder. As soon as his hand came into contact with Ryou's hazy form, the Millennium Ring glowed brightly. Ryou vanished, leaving nothing but the echoes of his scream.

//

Malik crouched silently behind a crate. He heard the sound of soft voices, the Ryou's scream. Jumping to his feet, he ran in what he assumed was the right direction, calling Ryou's name. Stepping through another stone wall, he came face to face with the one person he least expected to see. He yelled. Marik yelled. They both yelled. Before Malik could do anything else, Yugi came barreling around a corner and slammed straight into him. Since they were both practically ghosts, they couldn't just phase through each other.

"Oh my gosh! Malik are you okay? Where's Ryou? We've got problems! The Yamis are here and Atemu's following me and he's got the Puzzle and…" Yugi's frantic babbling cut off when he caught sight of Marik, who was staring at them both in horror.

Malik looked down and realized that they were both sprawled halfway through the solid wall. Standing up quickly and dragging Yugi with him, he saw the Millennium Rod clasped tightly in Marik's hand. Just then, Atemu came around the corner and spied the group.

"Oh fudge!" Yugi exclaimed and Malik could only nod.

//

The Yamis stood in silence, nobody willing to break the spell that seemed to hold time in place.

Ishizu spoke first.

"They wanted you to be happy."

Those six words acted as a catalyst. Marik slumped to the floor, sobbing like a child, while Atemu sank into a chair, turning the Puzzle over and over in his hands, his eyes gazing unseeing at the far wall. Bakura took out his fury and frustration on several innocent pieces of furniture, reducing them to splinters. Ishizu waited calmly for them to pull themselves together. After a while, Bakura ran out of things to break and Marik's sobs quietened.

"So…what did we do? What happened to them?" Bakura asked through clenched teeth.

"As far as I can determine, since they were in spirit form, they were trapped in the Millennium Items," Ishizu stated. This seemed to break Atemu's trance.

"Does that mean we can still talk to them?" he asked hopefully.

"We are not certain, my pharaoh," came a voice and Shadi stepped from the shadows.

"What do you mean?" Marik sniffed.

"Since they were not the original, intended souls for the items, we cannot be sure what the effects are and what has been done. I would like to retain possession of the items while we attempt to discover what it is that the gods intend. Will you be willing to continue with your present lives, knowing that you may never see your light halves again?" he asked intently, peering at them closely. The Yamis all had identical looks of horror on their faces, but they glanced at each other and seemed to gain some composure. Atemu nodded.

"If we are willing to die for them, we should be able to continue living for them. They gave up their lives for us, we must not throw that away or their sacrifice will have been worthless," he said.

"Good. Now, hand over the items. Shadi will care for them until the time is right," Ishizu said. With heavy hearts and obvious reluctance, the Yamis passed him their items.

"Goodbye my Hikari, until we meet again," Atemu whispered as Shadi vanished with the Puzzle, and the spirit of his aibou.

THE END

AN: Oh no! It's over! But it can't be. I must write more. Please, if you have any suggestions for a sequel, I'd be eternally grateful. Here's a little preview of what I already have, but that's about it. Okay, so goodbye for now everyone. Until I post something new.

XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX

Preview:

It was dark. Things chittered in the shadows. They rustled and hissed and whispered things. Horrible things. He concentrated on the light. The only thing visible in the darkness was him. He glowed a little brighter, attempting to see anything beyond the place in the void where he floated. His feeble glow fell upon an object lying on the ground. It was a picture. Turning it over, he could make out the faded image of a boy with tri-coloured hair and knowing crimson eyes. He seemed familiar, like an imaginary friend that had moved away. Perhaps a dream? Something screeched and he was swallowed by a tide of darkness.

//

It was dark. Someone was laughing and it wasn't pleasant. He struggled to move but found himself chained. His only source of light was himself. His faint glow did nothing to alleviate the darkness, it merely gave the shadows a menacing depth. Something glittered on the floor, catching his attention. It was a mirror. Looking at his reflection, he was surprised to see another face beside his. It was similar, with the same white hair and pale skin, but its eyes were sharper and a deeper brown, and its hair was even wilder. The mad laughter was suddenly cut off as a screech echoed all around and the darkness flooded in on him again.

//

It was dark. A cruel wind roared and sand blew all around him. The pale light given off from his glowing body did nothing more that show him where to put his next foot. Hearing a faint noise above the howling gale, he looked up to see a shadowy figure, blonde hair in every direction and indigo eyes glittering with a strange, undefined emotion. He stopped in surprise as vague recognition flickered through him. Reaching out a hesitant hand towards the figure, he stumbled as a screech cut through the sound of the wind and he fell into darkness.

AN: Well, that's my preview. Let me know what you think. Love Foxy.