Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
A/N: Well here's chapter 4. It's a bit shorter than I had originally intended but since the original was too long to post as it was, I kinda had to cut it somewhere. So I'm putting this out and the second half of the chapter will be posted in about a week or so. I just have to write out the ending of it so that it actually makes some sense. Either way, sorry for the delay and I hope that everyone enjoys what I have here.
Chapter 4: Beyond the shadows
Word quickly spread among the servants about what had happened between yami and hikari. Except for those who had been present in the Meeting Hall when everything went down, none knew the exact details about what had occurred. The only thing that they really knew was that a rift had formed between the lovers and that was causing unease among the rest of the palace inhabitants. They knew instinctively that any trouble among their masters was bound to create problems for them as well, so all were on high alert just in case.
Of course, a new tension in the air wasn't the only abnormal thing that was occurring in the palace. The other was Yami and Yugi's new sleeping arrangements. Since their confrontation in the Meeting Hall, Yugi had slept in a different chamber than the one he normally shared with Yami. It was a bit stressful for the both of them, but Yugi wasn't budging in his decision to spend time away from Yami for what he had said. He was determined to show his dark one that he would not be so forgiving this time and that it was going to take real work to get on his good side again.
Some might have considered this a childish tactic and said that Yugi was acting like a spoiled child who had been denied a treat. Others might have seen him as simply taking his actions too far in trying to make a point to his lover. But for those who had spent a lifetime in Yugi's position, it would have been see as the only way to make another understood how he felt.
As much as he loved Yami, there was no way that he could continue to allow his lover to act the way that he had. It was time to teach him that there were consequences to everything in a relationship and that now he had to pay his dues. Still, feeling that way didn't make the whole situation any easier for Yugi. Part of him still desperately wanted to make amends with Yami so that they could be together again.
From the beginning, he never liked being separated from his yami for any length of time. The one thing that he desired above anything else was to be by Yami's side. When he was with his lover, then Yugi knew that everything would be all right. It wasn't the constant protection that his lover always provided for him nor was it the fact that it was natural for hikari and yami to be in constant company. What made it so important to be beside Yami was simply the love that Yugi had for the dark spirit and his desire to express that as much as possible.
That was why he had to stand by his decision to stay away from Yami until he had proven himself to his darker half. It was the only way that he felt that he would be able to both face his lover again and to retain his self respect. Otherwise he might just as well allow Yami to coddle him for eternity by keeping locked up in the safety of their inner chambers. So as hard as it was becoming for him to do so, Yugi continued to remain apart from Yami and block their mental link with one another.
This self-enforced isolation did have its advantages though. It gave Yugi the chance that he needed to start figuring out just what he needed to do when it came to proving himself to Yami. As of yet, even with Solitaire's help, he hadn't really thought of just where he could ask her to take them. Neither one was really familiar with what lay beyond the Shadow Realm, having only heard about such things either in the extensive palace library or rumors from those that had traveled to such places. Though in Solitaire's case, she did have some knowledge from having accidentally traveled to one particularly nasty world that she preferred to forget about. Otherwise, when they first began their search, the pair had little to go on to help them to decide where they wanted to go.
This changed after they went to the library and started to do as much research as possible. Working as discreetly as possible, they began to skim through the countless texts for possible worlds that they could visit. What they were looking for was somewhere that would provide at least some challenge but would not be too dangerous that it could prove lethal to either one of them. It was also preferable if there were some form of amiable culture on the world so that it would be possible to learn about how others lived and where it would be possible for them to blend in relatively unnoticed.
Knowing just what they wanted did help to narrow down on just how many texts that Yugi and Solitaire had to go through, but it didn't entirely limit their choices. There were actually more than a hundred worlds that could fit the profile that they were seeking and each one had characteristics that made it harder to choose among them. But even that was narrowed down a bit after Solitaire and Yugi weeded out the ones that lacked other desirable characteristics.
When the two were not researching in the library, they were in the private quarters that Yugi had chosen for himself. It was on the same corridor as the ones that he shared with Yami, but was far away enough where it wouldn't be that easy for yami and hikari to encounter one another. Not that there hadn't been a few times when that had happened of course. There were a few instances when Yugi and Solitaire had been returning to their new quarters when Yami had been coming out of the room he now lived in alone.
In those moments, there was always a tension between the two lovers. Yami would look like he wanted to say something but was entirely unsure of just what that should be. Yugi would turn his gaze away from his lover and stare at the floor. Solitaire would keep by her Master's side, ready to do something if necessary. This would go on for a few moments before Yugi would break away and disappear down the hallway into his new quarters.
Then everything would go back to being as tense as before, sometimes even more so since Yami was frustrated with being unable to say anything to make things better. It was no mystery that he wanted to apologize to Yugi for what had happened. Just like his hikari, he wanted to make their life together as wonderful and loving as he possibly could. He just wasn't sure how to make it so with Yugi withdrawing so much from him and with the other problems that were constantly popping up that kept distracting him.
Whatever was to be done, the solution wasn't going to be found anytime soon. Though he would still try to communicate with Yugi, a great deal of Yami's attention had been on preparing for the journey that had helped to start this whole mess. Through a little investigation, Solitaire had managed to find out that Yami and a select group of Monsters would be going to Yami Bakura's territory for a meeting. Just what the meeting was about, she hadn't been able to find out. That information had been closely guarded and if she didn't want to be found out, Solitaire was forced to barely scratch the surface through her search.
Still, what she had been able to find out helped Yugi to figure out exactly how they were going to do things. They had known from the beginning that it would be impossible for them to leave before Yami did. If they did, then it was almost certain that Yami would sense the energy being given off by Solitaire's transfer abilities. Once he did, then he would be hot on the trail of wherever Yugi and Solitaire went. When he caught up with them, there was no doubt in either of their minds that there would be hell to pay. Since that was something that they wanted to avoid at all costs, Yugi had decided that they would time it.
Timing it meant that they were going to have to make the transfer exactly when Yami did. By doing that, they would be able to mask the energy that their interdimensional jump gave off with the energy given off by Yami's. This would allow them to leave both the palace and Shadow Realm undetected. Thus giving them the chance to make their journey without having to worry about being chased after.
And with the world that they were going to, they were going to need all their attention on learning about the world and its people in order to survive. The world in question was the one that Yugi and Solitaire had decided upon after narrowing down their list completely. It was a world that was fairly close to the Shadow Realm, so it had been more documented than others had. The inhabitants were similar yamis and hikaris, so it would be easy for Yugi to blend in physically. Anything to do with magic was sparse outside of myths and legends, so both he and Solitaire would have to be very careful about using their abilities in front of others.
Solitaire was thinking about such while she was cleaning up the front chamber when a knock came from the main doorway. Looking up from her work, Solitaire was actually a little surprised that anyone was trying to visit them. Since this mess had started, Yugi had dismissed everyone but Solitaire from his presence. He said it was because he wanted to be alone and without distraction. As of yet, his wishes, though questioned by some, were respected by the servants.
Putting down the duster that she had been using, Solitaire went to answer it. She was extremely curious as to who their mystery visitor was until the door was opened. That was when her expression changed entirely. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she had to fight to hold back a warning hiss. For the one that she was facing was Yami's main advisor and his own bodyguard, the spellcaster known as Dark Magician. And just as Solitaire glared at him, so too did he for her.
From the start, the two Monsters had never gotten along. For what reason, no one but they were even sure about. One thing that was apparent to everyone though was the consistency of the arguments that the pair had. The norm for them was at least twice before third meal, though it wasn't uncommon for them to have up to four arguments. If they had any less than two, then the other servants knew for a fact that one of them must be sick.
Of course, no one ever said as much. No one had that much of a death wish to say anything that might turn the two from fighting with each other to joining forces against someone else. Instead they just sat back and watched things take their natural course. The natural course though, was usually letting Dark Magician and Solitaire go at it until their throats were sore from squabbling.
"What do you want?" Solitaire demanded tersely.
"I am here to inform Yugi-sama that Yami-sama wishes to see him before we depart. There is something that he wants to discuss," Dark Magician said stoically," Now let me pass, underling."
Planting herself firmly in the doorway, Solitaire shook her head defiantly. She rarely backed down from the more powerful Monster and now was not going to be one of those times. Whether he liked it or not, the Dark Magician was just going to understand that he wasn't going to get passed her on this one. If he tried, he was going to be in for an unpleasant bite to the hand again.
"No," she said.
"I said move," he ordered more forcefully.
"And I said no, wand-boy," Solitaire snapped, adding her insult as emphasis," Just like you, I've got my orders and I intend to follow them."
Dark Magician stopped short on the retort that he was about to deliver. He knew that there was only one person that Solitaire would follow orders from for any length of time and that was Yugi-sama. And if he had indeed given her some sort of orders, then it put a different light on the situation. It meant that he had to find out what those orders were and see how they entailed or conflicted with his own.
"And just what are your orders?" Dark Magician demanded.
"To keep guys like you from bothering my Master. He made it very clear that he doesn't want to see anyone else until he deems otherwise, including Yami-sama," Solitaire answered.
As much as he tried to, Dark Magician couldn't help but slightly quirk an eyebrow at Solitaire's comment. He was used to Solitaire's sass, so there wasn't anything new about that. It was just the conviction that she was using now that surprised him so much. The only time she ever acted like was when her orders were serious, which was almost never. Still, the fact that she used it at all told Dark Magician that Solitaire's orders were indeed genuine and there was absolutely nothing he could do to counter them.
The best that he could do was to use his own authority and order Solitaire to deliver the message. After doing that, all he could do was return to his master and then hope for the best. It was a small chance after so much time, but there was always the possibility that Yugi would change his mind before they left. If he did, then it might help to start patching things up between hikari and yami. Something that like everyone else Dark Magician knew was becoming more and more necessary.
Unlike the majority of the Palace inhabitants, he had seen firsthand just what sort of an effect the separation was having upon Yami. Though he was managing to hide the worst of it for when he was in private, Dark Magician had seen cracks in the mask that his Master had created. Moments when they would pass by the corridor that led to the chambers where Yugi was staying and a soft, longing shine would appear in the back of his eyes. The kind that might easily be mistaken as a trick of the light by anyone who didn't know Yami very well. But Dark Magician knew better.
With the exception of Yugi, Dark Magician considered himself to be the one person that knew Yami best. He was the one that spent the most time with the dark spirit when he was not with his lover, so it was an assumption that Dark Magician could right make. That was how he knew how to decipher those moments when Yami came close to breaking down. And it was from these experiences that helped Dark Magician to know how to handle them as best he could without Yugi present.
And for now, handling the problem was making certain that Yugi got the message. Dark Magician still had no idea what would happen. Maybe the hikari would change his mind and come visit the dark spirit before their departure or maybe he would simply to opt to remain as aloof as he had been recently. All in all, it was the only thing that Dark Magician could do for the moment.
"Very well, if Yugi-sama wishes to remain undisturbed, then I will respect his wishes and tell Yami-sama that he has declined. They will simply have to wait until our return to speak to one another," Dark Magician said," But you are to make certain that he knows that Yami-sama wanted to see him. Is that understood?"
"Yeah, I get it," Solitaire replied.
"Be sure that you do, underling. If I find out otherwise, you shall pay dearly," Dark Magician warned.
"Wouldn't be the first time," Solitaire said.
Dark Magician stared down at her for a moment more, not even wanting to comprehend just what extent that statement went to. Given Solitaire's reputation and attitude, he had no doubt that she had indeed done something that had gotten her some very strict punishments in the past. Shaking his head, he decided not to bother with the matter anymore. Now that he had at least tried completing his task, it was time to return to Yami so that they could start on their journey. With the way that things were becoming in the Shadow Realm, now was not a time to be causing delays.
So with a final glance at Solitaire, he turned and walked down the corridor. From her spot in the doorway, Solitaire watched him until he went around a corner and was out of sight. Once he was, she snorted once and then closed the door behind her. Considering the tension that had been at an all time high in the Palace, that whole thing had honestly gone better than she would have thought. She would have almost thought that Dark Magician would have been at her throat again to let Yugi know what was going on. But then she knew the stoic spellcaster better than that.
He might have been a grouch at times and tended to get a little overzealous when it came to carrying out his orders, but Solitaire knew that deep down he meant well enough. She knew that he cared for his own master the way that she did for Yugi and that he wanted to do what he could to make things better for him. So, just this once, she wouldn't cause him any grief and would deliver his message to Yugi without fail.
Turning away from the now closed doorway, Solitaire retreated down the short corridor that led to the rooms she had been sharing with Yugi. The first one was just a sitting room with a couch and a table for anyone who wanted to make small talk. This Solitaire passed through without a second thought as she made a beeline for Yugi's sleeping chamber. This room Solitaire started to enter normally but then slowed her pace when she saw Yugi.
He sat on a pile of cushions at a far window with his back to her. His full gaze was focused to the world beyond his window, so Yugi gave no clue as to whether or not he was aware of Solitaire's presence. This caused her to come to a full stop a few steps away from Yugi while she considered the best way to tell him what Dark Magician had said and what was happening. For once though, Yugi saved her the trouble of solving her dilemma and made the first move.
"Was it Dark Magician?" Yugi asked without even glancing back.
"Yeah," Solitaire nodded.
"And he had a message from Yami saying that he wanted to see me?" Yugi continued.
"Yes," Solitaire said.
For a moment, Yugi remained silent. He continued to stare out the window into the shifting shadows beyond. His face remained a blank and gave no clue to the storm that was raging within him. A storm that had been going on ever since he had decided to take this course of action. One that often made him question just what he was doing and if it was truly the right course of action. Made him wonder if it would just be better to stop right then and there so that he could go back into his lover's embrace.
Yugi shook his head when that thought threatened to take over yet again, letting the single tear that had managed to make its presence known to fall unnoticed to the floor. He would neither let himself fall into the old ways nor would he allow himself to cry like he had in the past. Come what may, he would stick with his chosen path and follow it without regret.
"If he sent Dark Magician, then Yami must be getting ready to leave on his trip. So we better start getting ready to do too," Yugi finally said.
"Guess so," Solitaire agreed.
Getting up, Yugi left his window and went over to a bureau that was in the corner. Like most of the other furniture in the palace, it was constructed of a special stone that was found in the Shadow Realm. It was small and decorated with carvings of delicate creatures like Dream Sprites and Emissary of the Oasis in positions of dancing and enjoying the freedom that came for their kinds. The size made it unable to hold much more than some clothing and a few other trinkets, but that suited Yugi just fine. It was more than enough to hold what he was looking for.
Opening one of the doors, Yugi reached into one of the back corners. Feeling around, he took a moment to find what he was looking for under the tunics that he had placed over it. When he finally felt exactly what he wanted, Yugi pulled his target out of the corner. In his hand he held a travel bag that he had packed for this occasion. In it were some clothes, rations and small trinkets that he had packed for the trip. The clothes he would be able to make last, but the food would only last for a week at most.
Yugi knew that if things worked out for them, then it wouldn't matter how long the food lasted. If they were able to do well on the world that they had chosen for their trip, then they wouldn't have to worry about finding something to eat. They would be able to get food from the natives either through friendship or by trading the pieces of jewelry that he had packed. And if things didn't work out and they had to return home again, then it really didn't matter.
The possibility of that happening was something that Yugi tried to avoid thinking about. He knew that there was a strong chance that they might not be able to make it on the world that they had chosen, no matter how much research and preparation they had put into their upcoming trip. If he thought more positively about this, then Yugi thought it would have a better chance of succeeding. So he was trying to do what he could to make things start off as well as he could.
"You got everything?" Solitaire said as she watched Yugi.
Wrapping the strap over his shoulder, Yugi replied," Yep. I think I might have put a little too much, but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry."
Solitaire just nodded. She herself didn't worry about packing any supplies like food and clothes because as a Monster those weren't necessary for her. The only thing she wore was her own scales since they were the only protection that she needed. As for food, Solitaire wasn't picky about what she had. She could either share with Yugi or just hunt for her own. She could satisfy her hunger either way.
"Can you feel anything yet?" Yugi asked.
By asking this, he was referring to whether or not Solitaire sensed any interdimensional energy. Just as Yami would be able to sense any transfers that Solitaire or anyone with her abilities made, so too could she with him. That was how they would be able to time the jump at the same time Yami and his group made theirs. So it was crucial that Yugi be sure that Solitaire know exactly when they had to leave or risk everything falling apart.
"Not yet, but it should be soon. It won't take Dark Magician long to reach Yami-sama and tell him what I said. Give or take, I think it'll be a few minutes before they jump. So you better go ahead and grab hold of me just in case," Solitaire replied.
Nodding once, Yugi reached down and scooped up Solitaire. He held her before him so that she would be free to concentrate on the jump without losing him. For, as Solitaire had explained, the only way that she could transport anyone else with her was only if they were touching her. Otherwise, she would just disappear on her own and leave any would be companion behind.
"I haven't done this since before I met you, so it might get a little bumpy," Solitaire warned, twisting her head so that she could look up at her friend.
"Okay, I'll be ready," Yugi nodded.
"Good, now just hold on and leave the rest to me because I think Yami-sama's getting ready to jump now," Solitaire replied.
The statement was so sudden that Yugi never had a chance to respond. A rush of energy came over him as Solitaire started to concentrate on transporting them to their target. The room around them started to blur as the reality around them was left behind and they started to move into another one. Blackness soon followed, though Yugi remained aware through the entire thing. He could still feel Solitaire's weight in his arms, so he knew that their bodies were still as solid as ever.
That didn't stop the fear from welling up inside of him as they started to free fall among the blackness. For a second, Yugi's fear almost caused him to forget his resolve and reach out to Yami through their link. But just as suddenly as the blackness had come, it started to disappear. A new reality of colors and shapes started to take form before his eyes. A reality that would soon provide a change in his life that would go far beyond just leaving Yami and the Shadow Realm behind.
A/N: Okay, it's a little rushed I know, but I wanted to get straight to the point in this chapter. I hope that it made enough sense. If not, just post any questions with your reviews and I'll answer them in the next chapter. Also the rivalry that I have between Dark Magician and Solitaire was put there just for humor's sake, no matter how dry. It's something that I'll get into more in later chapters, so no worries.