Guest: I feel that.

Chapter XXIV: Defenses

Yami woke first. He raised his head from where he'd had it tucked into Yugi's side and glanced around the den. Atem had gotten up at some point, though he'd only moved far enough to sit upon the ledge leading to the entrance of the tunnel. He lay there, not quite asleep but pretending as if to stall for some reason. Yami watched him a moment, then grinned when Atem cracked an eye and glanced at him pointedly. Atem poked his top tongue out and closed his eye again, turning away, and Yami got to his paws to rush over. He sprang for his wing where it draped over the side and Atem cracked an eye again to look at him. His mouths tugged into a grin and he raised and turned his head.

"Nothing gets past you, huh?" he teased. He flicked his tail lazily and Yami looked at the deadliest weapon at Atem's disposal. It was sheathed, but he remembered the blades from both of his parents' dreams. "Can't even lay around pretending to sleep without you coming to challenge me."

Yami grinned and rubbed beaks with him, chest warm with affection. "Of course not! I can't let you rest! I'm too young to be ignored."

Atem chuckled and licked his forehead. He got to his paws after a moment and leaned forward to grab him. Yami assumed his usual position, arching his back with his wings tucked into his sides. Atem grabbed him gently and lifted him easily, placing him in front of his paws. He licked his forehead and groomed along his neck and spine, holding him gently between his claws. Yami watched Timaeus and Yugi continue sleeping, the two curled into balls as if to keep their body heat contained. He turned to Atem after a moment, smiling warmly.

Atem paused grooming his cheek to consider him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," he murmured, smiling wider. He wondered at how relaxed he was there with him. It amazed him. Atem was so wary and yet, here he was, comfortable with him despite his usual trickle of unease.

Atem tilted his head but smiled all the same, puzzled but amused. "You're a strange little dragon." He finished grooming his face. "That's how we know you're related to me."

Laughter made Yami turn his head. Yugi was snickering without raising his head, an eye cracked and focused on them. Atem snorted and continued grooming him, though he flicked the tip of his tail at Yugi as if to beckon him over. The Gandora paused a moment, then hurried to sit beneath the ledge and watch them. He looked excited and undeniably happy, as if the sight of the two of them made him fit to burst.

Yami could feel the happiness surging from him like sunlight. It almost amazed him.

"My two favorite dragons are sitting together," Yugi exclaimed, wiggling as if he were trying but failing to suppress trembles. "I can't think of anything better to wake up to."

Atem snorted. "Well, I can see someone no longer cares about me alone," he scoffed. Yami snickered when Yugi huffed and swatted Atem on the wing as he'd done earlier. Atem smirked, glancing over. "What? You used to just enjoy my company and now Yami has to be there for you to even notice me anymore."

Yugi huffed and bristled. "Never," he swore, glaring. "You're still my favorite."

Yami protested, "But I'm the best!"

"Quiet while your father and I argue about you," Yugi dismissed, laughing when Atem chuckled and shook his head. The God Dragon let Yami leap down again and straightened, shaking himself out and stretching. A bone popped in his spine and Yugi stiffened for a moment.

"Relax, little gem. It's not painful. It happens every now and then." He turned his head to look at Yugi again. "My back has always popped. Timaeus probably broke it when his fat butt sat on me."

Yami burst out laughing and Yugi turned around, looking at the Wind Dragon as he snickered. Timaeus raised his head and grunted, "You little snake."

Atem jumped down and shook himself out. "I can't help it if you're overweight. It's not my fault."

Timaeus scoffed. "It's all raw muscle."

Atem snorted. "Yeah, right. I know raw muscle. That's not it." He gestured with a jerk of his beak. "Yugi is raw muscle. There's not a shred of fat on him. You're just pudgy."

Yugi burst out laughing. "Wow, Atem." He glanced at Yami. "He's fat shaming his best friend."

"I could still sit on you." Timaeus put his head back on his paws and yawned. "I could still pin you there while you squirm and plead with me to get up."

Atem bristled. "Not in front of Yami!"

"Oh, please, he knows the story. I told him last night all about how you threatened to poop on my head so I sat on you."

Yami grinned when Atem looked over and hissed, "That never happened" before quickly turning back. "Stop telling my son bad things."

Timaeus snickered. "Wait until I teach him to curse."

Yugi burst out laughing as Atem pounced. He hit Timaeus square in the shoulders and the Knight Dragon grumbled as he rolled over to kick him with his back paws. Atem took the blow and grabbed his shoulders, flipping him to his belly and boxing him gently in the head. Timaeus growled and sprang at him, knocking him backwards. They rolled a few yards about the den before Atem slithered out from beneath him and trotted several steps away.

Yami tilted his head, more than slightly amazed by the display. He hurried toward Atem, who turned to him in surprise. "How did you do that?" he demanded, looking back and forth. "He weighs more! He should have been able to pin you."

Timaeus scoffed, "Now even your son is calling me fat."

"He knows a fat dragon when he sees one," Atem retorted immediately. But he kept his eyes on Yami, puzzled. "My scales are naturally moist. It makes me slippery in fights. No one can keep a grip on me."

Yugi murmured, "He can get out from under my claws, too. It's a natural defense mechanism for most Sky Dragons. It helps them breathe underwater and in the air, too."

Yami frowned and looked him over. "But you're not…shiny or anything."

Atem blinked and tilted his head. "I'm always sleek and shiny. How dare you."

Yugi snorted. "Atem, don't be mean."

The God Dragon smirked and considered him a moment. "I only look shiny when I've gotten wet. Otherwise it's just a slippery sensation. It happens when I'm in a fight. I don't control it, so I'm not sure…" He glanced at Timaeus and Yugi. "I don't know…"

Yugi shifted his weight awkwardly and looked at him, smiling gently around his uncertain expression. "It's okay if you can't do everything Atem or I can. You're completely different from both of us. You've got both of our genes and we don't know which are more prominent yet."

Yami huffed and looked at Atem. "If I'm wet, will I become slippery, too?"

His father seemed taken aback. "Any dragon is slippery when they're wet. I… it's more a question whether you retain that in your scales than anything, Yami. I don't—"

"Can we find out?" he demanded, mind racing. If he was slippery like Atem, that meant less fighting, right? It meant he could escape if Jaden came after him, right? It meant Atem and Yugi and Timaeus were less likely to get hurt, right? "I want to know!"

Atem blinked once, long and slow, as if he were struggling to comprehend what Yami was demanding of him. He looked to Yugi after a moment, then glanced at Timaeus, and turned back uncertainly. "We…can test it, yes. My claws aren't as sharp as theirs. So we'll test it using mine."

"Okay."

Atem looked at Yugi uncertainly. The Gandora seemed troubled, as if their inability to answer Yami's question truly upset him. He wasn't immune to the disappointment in his gut. He didn't have answers and Yami seemed so determined and…oddly terrified, as if he thought not knowing might be a crime of some kind. Atem felt guilty and stupid. He'd never even considered what defense mechanisms Yami might have. The fact he had to ask before it was even thought about was almost shameful. He felt more and more ridiculous as time passed. Watching Yami leap into the water and come to shore and wait to dry did not help any. Yugi was quiet and withdrawn, as if he'd been struck just as violently by the question as Atem himself was.

Atem turned away when Yugi looked over. Shame made his blood cold and guilt made his belly ache. He'd overlooked it. Something that could have been fatal for Yami later had been overlooked. He'd neglected to even consider it.

And the truth of it was he knew he would never be able to protect him forever. Even Yugi knew that. The Gandora might have wished otherwise, but it was obvious he knew better than to assume he could weather every problem to come their way.

Despite every calculation and every effort they made, it was inevitable they'd be incapable of protecting him forever.

But he didn't know why Yami was thinking about it and asking, either.

Was he afraid?

And, of what?

Jaden was almost nothing more than a cautionary tale, a dragon meant to come from the darkness and gobble him up when he misbehaved. He shouldn't have feared him—not yet. Jaden didn't know he existed for the moment. He was safe for the time being.

So, why would he be afraid?

He knew better than to assume Yami was blind to the tension between the three of them, however. He knew he'd listened to them argue more than once. He knew he'd seen Atem fight Jaden off, even attacking the Leviathan in an effort to scare them both away. He'd seen the wound; he'd healed it. He knew exactly what Jaden was capable of, even if the injury he'd sustained had been all but minimal.

Jaden hadn't put much effort into hurting him. He knew that much.

Had he, the damage would have been much more significant.

Atem looked at his former wound and then lifted his eyes. Yami was bounding over, dry as desert sand during the summer. He blinked and the hatchling slowed, pausing for a moment with an expression he couldn't read. But his eyes dropped to Atem's paw as well before they shot to his again.

The look of sheer determination on his face made Atem bristle.

Was he doing this for them?

Atem turned his head and looked at Timaeus. What had he said to him last night when he and Yugi had gone to rest in the den? Timaeus was blunt and to the point at the worst of times. There was no telling what he might have said to get this idea in Yami's head.

"Don't be mad at him," Yami said quietly, startling him. "I asked him something and he just answered my question."

Atem blinked and glanced at Timaeus sideways once more. He still remembered the Wind Dragon laughing and telling him his mother had only made up stories about every dragon having a mate especially for them. He'd relented on his laughter when he'd seen how crushed Atem had been, but he knew even when he'd told him otherwise that Timaeus hadn't believed it. He'd never been a good liar. The truth, as blunt and terrible as it was at times, had always been his best friend.

Atem sighed and turned back. "It doesn't matter what he told you. We should have figured out what you were capable of before now," he answered somewhat sharply. "I neglected to do that, and I apologize."

Yami shook his head slightly, about to open his mouth, but then seemed to think better of it. Instead he smiled and looked at him. "Okay, well, I'm all dried off now! So, let's see!"

Atem nodded and exhaled, then stood taller. He raised a paw, then swiped at him. Yami stumbled several steps and Atem pounced. He caught him between both paws, forcing him to his belly.

Yugi snarled softly from where he stood feet away. His every scale was raised in a bristle as he glared at Atem. The God Dragon almost flinched away and left Yami there. But the thought occurred to him Yugi was reacting instinctively to what he perceived as only a momentary threat. Yami squirmed and struggled under his paws but could not escape. Exhausted, panting, he whined, "Okay, okay, let go!"

Atem scrambled away, watching as Yugi rushed forward to inspect the situation. When he had sniffed every inch of Yami and licked him everywhere, he turned to Atem with a frown. The apology went unspoken, but he could see the guilt in his bright eyes. Atem nodded slightly.

He couldn't fault him for being protective. Atem had struck him and drawn blood when he'd approached the egg, after all. If Yugi had charged him, Atem wouldn't have been upset.

Yami looked absolutely crestfallen.

"You could be late to develop it," Atem said quietly, flustered. "It's possible. I developed the ability to use venom late in life."

Timaeus shuddered visibly. He shot him a glare and the Wind Dragon looked away with feigned innocence. Atem turned back to Yami, murmuring, "It's also possible you'll have one of Yugi's defense mechanisms instead."

Yami turned his head. "What can you do?"

Yugi looked flustered, eyes widening drastically before he shot Atem a startled glance. "I, uh… um…" He floundered a moment, then shot Timaeus a panicked look. He seemed so startled to be spoken about or to at the moment that Atem felt terrible for suggesting he help.

"He can take a hit without being budged. He can latch onto other dragons. He can catch on fire." Atem glanced at Timaeus as well, struggling a moment before his friend met his eyes and tilted his head. There was always something comforting about the way Timaeus peered back at him. "Sometimes, when a fight gets bad enough, Gandora Dragons are known for shedding an entire layer of skin to get away from enemies. His fire breath is one of the strongest in existence. And he's able to turn to stone when he needs to. His claws are great for evisceration, digging, and even climbing trees. He can also dig his claws through stone no matter how deep."

Yugi blinked when Atem turned back to him. Yami was staring at Yugi with a fascinated expression.

"Really?"

Yugi looked at their son and offered a tight smile. "I can't do some of those things. I'm not old enough." He grinned more genuinely. "But I have caught myself on fire before."

Atem relaxed slightly when Yami's expression turned excited. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

Yugi opened his mouth, then froze. His head whipped around and a bristle traveled down his spine. Atem felt it then as well, a furious burning sensation that seemed to boil within his bones.

"What is that?" Timaeus snarled.

"Jaden…" Atem sprang into the air. "Get Yami to the den. I don't know what he's summoning me for, but do not let him out of sight."

Yugi nodded. "Got it."

He landed atop one of the taller outcrops of red stone, pressing his claws into the dirt and angling his body to survey his surroundings. He bristled faintly, blinking slowly, and looked about before he sprang forward and into the narrow shadow the stone cast. He cast a wary look around, the burning in his bones making his belly churn. He narrowed his eyes and snarled softly, unable to stop himself, and curled his lips further back to show his sharp teeth. He flexed his claws and dug them into the stone, growling a little louder.

"Always the wary creature, hmm?" an amused voice commented. Atem looked around the corner to spot Jaden seated before him. The golden male tilted his head and for the first time Atem noticed the Leviathan and Yusei standing there alongside him. He hasn't sensed them, but he realized they likely had not wished it. "Come. We have some things to discuss."

Atem suppressed his unease. If he knew about Yami, he'd have to strike him down where he stood if it came to a fight. It was that simple. Resolved, he came forward and took a spot as close to them as possible without stepping out of the shade.

"What is it?"

They all looked at him in bewilderment for a single moment. Yusei smiled finally, realizing before the others, and snickered, "We really need to pick a better meeting area for Atem. He's going to burn like a human meal in this heat."

Jaden blinked, then frowned. "Oh… Apologies, Atem. I'm used to us meeting here to discuss problems." He tilted his head. "Is the heat so unbearable?"

"The shade is fine."

He nodded slightly and turned away. "We were discussing the issue that came to pass earlier today." He looked at Yusei then, as if the Stardust Dragon might step forward and speak instead. "Yusei was…overlooking things happening within the Clans and—this is hard to say, but the truth of it comes to a murder within the Lightning Clan camp."

Atem raised his head. "If Seto is dead, I swear I didn't do it."

Yusei laughed and the Leviathan smirked. Even Jaden cracked the smallest of smiles, though it lasted only a moment. He turned back to him, the grin falling away.

"No, it was a hatchling."

Atem bristled. "I'm sorry?"

"Someone killed a hatchling and left the body in the center of the camp for the rest of the Clan to find. Since Yusei was looking into the future at the moment, we thought there would be time. But…it happened by the time he tried to see the present."

Atem wondered for the first time what it was like to be able to see time through visions in the water. He'd never been so curious before now. He'd accepted long ago it was not an ability he'd gained, though he doubted he had one to begin with. But now… Now he had to wonder.

"How long did it take?"

"It's…almost instantaneous," Yusei supplied, shaking his head sharply. "I don't know how they managed to do it so quickly that I could not see anything. I attempted to look into the past to understand it, but the hatchling left in the camp was…blind to me."

Atem bristled and stared. "How?"

"We don't know." Jaden huffed. "You and Yugi are the only dragons blind to us—or you were, prior to this. Now there's…a third."

"So what do you think that means?"

"Frankly?" the Fire Dragon said more quietly. "I think it means they're related to you. I think it was one of your brother's."

"Why would Malik or Bakura want to kill a hatchling?"

The Leviathan blinked. "Huh?"

"What?"

Yusei blinked and shook his head. "No, Atem," he said with a frown, "we mean one of Seto's."

He froze. "You think one of his hatchlings killed them?"

"You're the only dragon in the world that can block us from your fate. We have yet to encounter another but for Yugi due to proximity to you." Yusei looked as if he wanted to bury himself in a hole somewhere, turning his attention to his own paws. He looked ashamed. "It makes sense to believe the dragon in question is related to you."

He bristled. "Seto wouldn't kill a hatchling—and what hatchling would wish for such destruction?"

"The other problem is that we do not know it was on purpose. It could have just as easily been an accident. No one believes it was done out of malice. We didn't get to see what happened and for all we know, they played too rough and panicked and left the body to hide when they realized their friend was deceased." Jaden looked him over, tilting his head. "None of us are under the impression that his connection to you means anything but the possibility of immunity to us."

Atem felt small and weak and furious. He knew Jaden was not accusing him, but his senses stung with the idea all the same. It felt as if he were. The way he'd phrased that reassurance made his hearts pound. He bristled again, then looked away and narrowed his eyes into slits. He bore his teeth a moment and exhaled sharply.

"You believe it to be an accident?"

"What hatchling would spill blood before they know the meaning behind it?" Jaden asked quietly. "It would make no sense that it was a calculated attack. But I doubt we'll get an admission. We're going to perform reconnaissance for the sake of trying to find a clue as to what happened."

He looked at Yusei and then the Leviathan. Yusei was still staring down at his paws. The Leviathan met his eye without difficulty, as if he fully agreed with what Jaden was saying.

"And we all must go?"

"God Dragons involve themselves in any hatchling deaths—especially within a Clan," Yusei said gently, raising his eyes. "We mean to make them feel better for the loss as well as feel out any potential suspects to have caused the death. It's better to do this and allow the Clan to feel we are there for them than to mind our own and keep away from their business. This is perhaps the one and only time this comes into effect. Meddling is not what we're here for."

He wanted to snap that it seemed all they'd done since they'd discovered his existence, but Atem felt too exhausted. "Okay. Yeah, I… Okay."

Now that we're at the end of part one, what's everyone's favorite chapter so far?