spiritfire: (sips Chinese Tea) enjoy yourselves

XXIX. Dark Solemn

Couple of months have passed and Yami learned to use his wings except when he's making fun of Yugi or pestering his sleep. For some reason, Yugi felt shy everytime the prince is around but he simple swallow it up. Whatever happened yesterday night must have opened a hole on his heart. Seeing the prince feeling better gave relief to the spiky-haired boy. He couldn't wait to leave this place for they have stayed too long.

Night has fallen and as usual Yugi would keep an eye on him. There was no change on his eye color for it was still silver. Little did he know that Kaiba and the headmaster were looking. They guessed that everytime Yami would fall asleep, Yugi would stay awake but when he has his flying lessons he would at least fall asleep then wake up again by night.

Day has risen and Rinoa calculated that at least one week from now, Yami would have his final lesson which is to hide his wings. While she was still teaching the prince some last flying lessons, Yugi felt his energy began to drain little by little but he has to bear it. All this time, he was using magic to keep himself awake.

Time flies fast and Yami couldn't wait to feel like a normal human again or to say the least.

"At least you're getting better," Yugi said. "It's nearly about time we leave this place."

"Hmmm..." Yami hummed then frowned. "I hope I don't screw up besides the fact that these wings are going to be a burden from now on!"

"I wouldn't worry about that now get some sleep, you're gonna need it." Yugi said as the prince's eyes began to droop.

"What about you?" Yami asked.

"Don't worry, I'll sleep later." Yugi replied with assurance and feeling relieved the prince fell asleep.

- - -

"To hide your wings, all you have to do is use apparation magic." Rinoa expalined as she begun the lesson after a week. Yugi was still awake and as for the room they were supposed to do the lesson, well they're at her office.

Yami knew about apparation magic. It was to transfer one place to in-between. So Rinoa revealed her wings and her right hand slightly glowed. With a simple wave of her hand, her wings disappeared. Yami couldn't believed it.

"Now then, I want you to try. Remember what I did and don't forget the 'in-between'." Rinoa said and the prince nodded. Magic began to flow on his hand and on his first try, he ended up making a feather disappear. Yami tried again but ended up only half a winf. Yugi couldn't help himself but to laugh.

"Okay, one more time!" Yami said as magic began to seep out then with the wave of his hand, his wings disappeared completely. Rinoa was pleased and so the prince practiced until he got used to it.

"Very good!" Rinoa applauded and Yugi was glad.

"You're okay now?" He asked.

"Never better!" Yami replied but all of a sudden, Rinoa sensed someone's magic or rather energy had been drained.

"T-t-that's good to know." Yugi said as the silver color of his eyes began to fade and suddenly fainted. Yami managed to grab him before he got hit on the floor.

"Um, can anybody tell me what gives?" the prince asked and there was a soft click on the door.

"I'm not too surprised."

Turning around, it was Kaiba and the headmaster who were just in time to see what's happening.

"He's been keeping an eye on you every night since you got 'you-know-what'. Plus he's been using his magic to keep himself awake." said Squall.

"Not only that, his face displayed a worried stone everytime you fell asleep." Kaiba added.

"The good thing is he was able to sleep while you had your flying lessons so he'll be better by tomorrow," Squall said. "You're lucky to have a friend like him."

"All this time, he's been this 'worried'. Yugi..." Yami whispered as he brushed off his yellow bangs.

- - -

Another night has fall and Yugi's eyes fluttered open. To his surprised, he was back at the guest room where Yami was staring at him close. He tries to get up but the prince had to force him down.

"You need to get rest and please don't force yourself." Yami pleaded. Yugi didn't say another word of it.

"How did I end up here?" he asked.

"...You use your magic just to keep an eye on me and didn't get much sleep. The headmaster said that you'll be fine by tomorrow since you slept during my flying lessons..." Yami replied, frowning very hard. Yugi just simply nodded and lied down on the other side.

"Yugi, were you worried about me?" the prince asked and that caught the spiky-haired boy in surprised.

"Why?" Yugi questioned.

"...It's nothing." Yami replied but Yugi cut him off and heaved a long suffering sigh.

"Yami, I won't lie to you and the fact that Noah hurt you was mostly my fault." Yugi said, his eyes were overshadowed wih his hair. "I would lay myself dead flat if anything bad happens to you and the torture you had to go through...". Here, his eyes nearly fall to tears until the prince shush him.

"Don't say another word. I already heard enough!" Yami said, trying to ease his sadness. "You just rest."

Eyes began to droop as Yugi began to sleep and Yami sunk himself to his own thoughts. Okay, maybe that was too plain simple words to begin with. And come to think of it, did Yugi poured a little of his feelings. No way but at least they're friends now. He glanced at the clock that was hanging on the wall and saw that it was already late so the prince decided to sleep.

- - -

Morning has finally risen as the two teens prepared themselves to leave GARDEN. Students were now preparing their classes as Yugi and Yami passed by the corridors to the hallway and finally to the exit. While they were on their way, they saw the headmaster and his wife plus Kaiba and Mokuba, waiting for them.

"So, ready to go?' Rinoa asked but suddenly Kaiba stood beteween them. Everyone stared in surprised especially Mokuba.

"Headmaster, Can I go with them?" Kaiba asked abd both Yugi and Yami suddenly frowned. Even the headmaster was a little startled at this and Mokuba suddenly turned pale.

"Big brother, are you leaving me behind?" Mokuba said, tears beagn to fell in his eyes. The older Kaiba kneeled down to his brother's face.

"Mokuba, I owe them a compensation and it was directly my fault that our stepbrother did this so the only thing I can do is help them in their travels. You understand, don't you?" Kaiba said as he wiped Mokuba's tears. "And besides, you're not a kid anymore."

"...I guess since Noah was legally your relative so I'll allow it on one condition." Squall stated and Kaiba listened.

"Be careful and don't worry about your brother. We'll keep and eye on him." the headmaster smirked but Yugi wouldn't stand it.

"Kaiba the destination we're going is far beyond your imagination but-" he hesitated for a while then he continued. "If you really insist on going with us,...". The Dark Magic Staff appeared on his hand. "It would be better if you know who I really am."

"What the hell are you talking about, Dark?" Kaiba said, eyeing on him suspiciously.

"One clue: his name isn't Dark." Yami said as if nothing was too surprising although everyone suddenly gasped but Kaiba merely chuckles and seems very interested.

"Since Altech forbids the use of magic, I'll use my support spells, is that okay?" Yugi asked Rinoa and she nodded. Squall told them that it would be better if they go outside so all of them did. Outside of GARDEN was huge except for the limited wires that were used to catch thieves. Yugi and Kaiba prepared themselves.

Kaiba unleashed his gunblade which he upgraded about three times already. Yugi saw it and knew it was somehow different than Noah's. He felt that there was no malice or malicious intent in that weapon. The pistol embedded in the blade was filled with dark blue color and from what he can understand that weapon can fire shockwaves through the blade that would increase the damage. What interest him the most was the emblemished symbol of a blue dragon's head.

"Hmmm, that weapon...could it be???" Squall murmured but decided to drop it.

"Say hello to my latest weapon: Valkyrie Trigger!" Kaiba smirked but Yugi was not too impressed although he was interested. Kaiba started with a Charge attack but Yugi used the Dark Magic Staff as his shield.

"Fire Slash!" Yugi shouted and the familar crescent shaped flame emerged from the tip of the rod and sent it on Kaiba but he simply slashed it in half. The spiky-haired boy growled that his attack had failed. The blue-eyed teen chuckled and assumes that he won already but he has no idea how wrong he was.

Yugi closed his eyes and began to focus as Kaiba began to use one of his special attacks that would render Yugi or his weapon useless but the spiky-haired boy was too quick so as soon as Kaiba initiated the technique, he quickly dodged the attack by placing one of his legs to the blade part of the gunblade. Yami smirked at this and knew that Yugi wouldn't go down that easily for he has seen him fight during their journey in the Lunarian Continent.

"You should not and I mean should not aim a weapon at a person who closed his eyes." Yugi taunted Kaiba but he just stared in interst and so the fight resumed. Yugi and Kaiba were now exchanging their attacks and each hit was too close for them to spill any wounds of the body. Squall and Rinoa just stared at the two of them.

"Those two reminds me of 'that time'." Squall whispered so that Rinoa wouldn't hear him. He rememberes when he battled Seifer, a former rival of his who also wielded the bunblade but even though he was gone the memory still resides in his thoughts.

Yugi and Kaiba kept clashing their weapons. Combo after combo hit after hit and neither of them would got any wounds in their body. Yami would say that those two are persistent and would consider as rivals. Yugi began to enjoy it at least to say. Kaiba on the other hand felt the same way as well.

"Give up?" Kaiba asked, smirking as he struggled to disarmed Yugi's weapon by putting pressure on it.

"No way until the fat lady sings and I'm not in the mood to do that!" Yugi barked and began to push the gunblade away from him. Kaiba began to move backward as he began to initiate his technique that might blow him away.

"Reversal Sweep!" Kaiba shouted and he put his gunblade to a backward stance then he began to dash as he put everything into one attack creating a shockwave in the process. Yugi got hit and was pushed backward. Suddenly, he felt that his body was swept away from where he was standing and got hit on the back.

"Man, he really didn't hold me and he looked at me way too down well then time for my special trick on my sleeve." Yugi snickered as the staff began to glow with energy. Kaiba knew that he's going to use one of his support spells.

"Haste!" Yugi chanted as the golden time appeared above his forehead and to everyone's surprise except Yami. Yugi's speed suddenly went up and Kaiba barely catch up to him. He didn't know where he would take a hit until Yugi used the staff to pummeled him on the back then later he hit some parts of the body. Luckily, it wasn't the vital parts.

"Shit!" Kaiba mentally cursed himself as he tries to shield from most of Yugi's blows until the Haste magic finally disappeared. Now was his only chance but the spiky-haired boy was prepared.

"Dimension Vortex!" Yugi chanted as a transparent vortex appeared behind him and went inside. Everyone were turning their heads as they wondered where did he go until Yugi appeared at the bottom and hit Kaiba in front sending him flying.

"Big brother!" Mokuba yelled as the blue-eyed teen was thrown out from the air. Yugi came out and he smirked.

"So much for your arrogance superiority," he grinned then he frowned. Kaiba got up and it seems that he wouldn't give up that easily. He readied himself then began to assault him with another of his attacks.

"Overtaker!" Kaiba shouted and with a powerful slash from the gunblade itself , he leaped up in the air and delivered two powerful slashes behind Yugi but the spiky-haired boy used his Protect Magic but it shattered and sent him flying. This time, Yami was getting a bit worried.

"I take your words back at you," Kaiba smirked as Yugi got up and went back to the field. He brushed the dust off his clothes but the damage that he took was very devastating that blood began to appeared above his face. What surprised them the most is he didn't mind at all. Rinoa wondered what the hell is he and would that attack would hurt him.

Yugi touched the blood that was on his face and wiped it. He looked at Kaiba in the square and suddenly something went wrong for Yugi displayed a feral grin on his face. Yami felt slapping the spiky-haired boy but decided to resist.

"Hmmm...it's been a long time someone wounded me," Yugi said, his voice was nearly dripping poison. "Since the day I was tortured by my fellow mates back there and yet your the first so I'm making this an exemption for you since you want to compensate everything.". He punched himself on the forehead and more blood oozed out then he was back on his usual fron on his face. It was kinda unvering.

"Time to end this this!" Yugi declared and began to use Dimension Vortex once again. Kaiba didn't know what to as he kept moving his head. He knew that he's screwed if he doesn't find him but what can he do. Suddenly, out of nowhere a crescent shaped fire aimed at him but luckily Kaiba sliced it in half.

"There's only one way out...if he can find it." Squall said staring at his student with serious intent. "He's been a lot of missions and this is no exemption."

"Agggh! There has to be a way!" Kaiba growled as he regained his position. Another Fire Slash from Yugi would not do him good and he has to find a way. He has to. Squall, Rinoa and Mokuba stared to him with intent. The blue-eyed teen closed his eyes and began to concentrate. In his sight was filled with darkness until humid air surrounds him and at the right moment, he slashed Yugi from above then pointed his weapon at his neck.

"Alright, you win!" Yugi said and Kaiba lowered down his weapon then Yugi healed himself. "It's time to tell you everything."

spiritfire: Thank goodness I made it and oooo...next chappie our little party will finally leave Altech...damn the weather here, it's too cold. Well please review