Sasuke: Robin Nightingale will never understand the pain I feel...the pain that comes from being one of the most popular male shonen characters in all of anime...Mine is indeed a tormented existence...How will I ever do disclaimers when there are thousands of fangirls who want to see me kiss Sakura...or them...or Naruto...

RN: *Ahem* (What about me?)

Sasuke: And kiss Robin Nightingale, I suppose...

RN: NO, I meant what about my story?! Do I own it or not?

Sasuke: Yes...you do...but you will never own Yu-Gi-Oh! until you feel the need to take revenge on Sasuke's brother who murdered Sasuke's family when I was just a kid...Damn you, Sasuke's brother...I shall get you back...somehow...

RN: *Throws blanket over him* I don't own Naruto Abridged Abridged either! Go watch it!

Chapter 23: Breathe, and Overcome

As the month of October slowly trickled into November, Domino City saw its days grow colder; and with it, came the change of leaves.

To the Pharaoh, this had always been one of his most favorite times of year. It didn't mean much for him to say he'd never seen anything in his life like the transformation brought about by autumn before, considering his memories stretched back only a few years. But to wake up one morning and see entire trees rippling with deep, rich reds and yellows was a sight the Pharaoh never tired of. He didn't know what autumn was like in Egypt, but he had a feeling the desert made it very different.

He didn't often try to make comparisons between his original culture and here, but this was one of the few times he would be very glad to have awakened in Japan.

He remembered the first time he'd seen the leaves change color. Yugi had had to point it out to him. Look, other me! his partner said inwardly. It's autumn already.

The Pharaoh surfaced curiously from the Puzzle and followed Yugi's pointing finger to a maple tree next to them. His eyes widened at the vibrant colors of the leaves, standing out brightly against the green background. He reached out a translucent finger, and though he couldn't feel it, he traced the edge of a leaf that was still partly green, following where it turned to red.

What's happened to them, aibou? he asked.

The leaves change color when it gets colder. When winter comes they'll all drop off, and the trees will be all bare.

The Pharaoh drew back his fingers in surprise, and looked at Yugi. You mean…they'll die?

That's right.

The Pharaoh furrowed his eyebrows. But…will the trees not die too, then?

Yugi shook his head. The trees will be bare through the winter. But then, when spring comes around, new leaves will sprout, and the trees will be full again. It happens every year.

The Pharaoh turned his gaze to the leaves again, frowning in thought. Before long, Yugi started to move away, and the Pharaoh walked alongside him, remaining out until they reached the school, so that he could gaze and each and every changing leaf.

He'd learned later that the changing of the leaves was common knowledge among everyone, even young children, and he'd felt grateful towards Yugi for not teasing his ignorance. There'd been much he was already aware of when he'd awoken, but admittedly, in the face of his memory loss, his knowledge of the world had been severely limited. He'd learned much over his time with Yugi, but every now and then, his partner would still point out something new.

Being in a body of his own was like awakening all over again. True enough, he'd experienced bodily sensations when he gained control of Yugi's, but those times were brief; now, being in a constant state of control, he was continuously re-exploring, re-trying new sights, new smells, new tastes. When autumn came this year, the colors seen through his own eyes never looked brighter.

He walked alongside Yugi on his way to school that morning, Yugi in his winter uniform, the Pharaoh in a bundle of scarves and sweaters. As before, his gaze was only for the leaves, the same wonder gripping him now as it did the first time. It only broke when he suddenly started coughing, in such a fit that he had to stop, and Yugi directed him to the side.

Yugi put a gloved hand on his back, his expression worried. He reached for the Pharaoh's coat pocket, but his brother put up a hand, halting him. Soon enough, the coughing subsided, and Yugi asked, "You okay?"

The Pharaoh nodded, and winced as the tightness in his chest eased. "I'm fine," he said at last.

Yugi smiled encouragingly. "We're almost at the school," he said. The Pharaoh patted Yugi's shoulder gratefully, and started walking again, as straight-backed as before.

Yugi felt a dash of respect for the Pharaoh's pride, before it was swallowed up by his previous concern. As he followed his brother, his mind flashed back to the week before, to the incident that had caused all this.

Enough time had finally passed that Grandpa felt it was all right for the Pharaoh to start using his old Deck again. They'd gone out with their friends to find a place out of the way, where nobody would find them, and where the Pharaoh could cut loose. Joey elected to be his opponent, stating he'd gotten stronger over the past year and wanted to test out his skills on the Pharaoh once again. The Pharaoh accepted without hesitation, and with a vigor that brought elated smiles to all of their faces, he and Joey began Dueling.

It gladdened Yugi to see the Pharaoh so energetic, for his brother had seemed a bit down the past few days. He didn't show it, of course, but years tied with the Pharaoh had taught Yugi to read his emotions well enough to know when he wasn't up to par. Yugi knew right away it was his time away from his old Deck that was causing it, and though the Pharaoh had been able to use it at home against Yugi, it wasn't the same as testing your strength against newer opponents. Now, he positively glowed with eagerness. Once again, Yugi could see the strength that trembled the limbs of past enemies.

But Joey hadn't lied either. It quickly became obvious the difference in strength between Battle City and now, and to everyone's astonishment, the Pharaoh found himself summoning not one, but two God cards before Joey was finally taken down. The Pharaoh was shaking by the end of it, but far from fear or frustration, he was grinning widely in excitement. Adrenaline thrummed through his veins, and he wiped his chin of perspiration before going to clasp Joey's extended hand in a tight grip. It had been a long time since he'd had a Duel that fun.

"You've grown so much, Joey" he said, panting. "It's an honor to have a true Duelist such as yourself as my opponent."

"Thanks," Joey replied, breathing just as hard. "Next time, I'll beat ya for sure!"

"I look forward to it," the Pharaoh said, and genuinely meant it. Something within him had changed since the tournament at the school. He didn't know when, but all of a sudden, the idea of being beaten by a worthy opponent suddenly didn't seem so bad.

Joey went back to high-five Tristan and Téa, and Yugi called out his congratulations. But for some reason, his brother's voice didn't sound as clear as he thought it would. In fact, it sounded quite faint. And though he'd found it a bit harder to breathe with the chilly air, right now his chest was rather tight. And were his eyes closing, or was his vision just getting darker…?

"OTHER ME!"

He blinked, and suddenly everybody was around him, looking down at him. He turned his disoriented gaze at Yugi, who for some reason was holding him up. Strange, he didn't remember that happening…

"Aibou…?" he tried to say. Except he couldn't get the word out. All he could make were these funny-sounding gasps.

What's happening…to me…?

"It's asthma," the doctor at the clinic concluded, pulling the stethoscope away from the Pharaoh's back.

Yugi bit his lip worriedly. It was as he'd thought…

"Are you sure? He's never shown symptoms until now…" Grandpa said.

Téa had been about to phone an ambulance, but Yugi had stopped her and called his grandfather instead, telling him to grab his old inhaler from the bathroom and get here as fast as he could. His grandpa didn't argue, hanging up the phone right away. Meanwhile, they'd lowered his brother to the ground, and while that appeared to help, he'd still gone frighteningly pale. An odd wheezing sound passed his slack lips with each breath.

Ten minutes later, Grandpa arrived, not even bothering to close the car door as he dashed towards the group. The Pharaoh's breathing had evened out somewhat, but it still sounded odd. Yugi snatched the inhaler from Grandpa's outstretched hands and all but shoved one end into his brother's mouth, pressing the nozzle.

The Pharaoh gave a great gasp, and suddenly he could breathe again. He took several deep breaths, never before so grateful for oxygen, and color started to return to his cheeks. Yugi sighed in relief, passing the inhaler to Grandpa as he rubbed his brother's back. As soon as the Pharaoh was well enough to be moved, they all piled in the car and drove to the nearest clinic.

The doctor hung the stethoscope around his neck and checked the chart in his hands. "Has there been a history of asthma in your family?"

"I had it when I was younger," Yugi supplied. "Isashi's my twin, but he's never had asthma before."

The doctor nodded as though Yugi had just confirmed his thoughts. "Even so, it could still present itself later in life. And if he's your twin, and you had it when you were young, it's a very good chance he could get it too."

"He got hit in the chest by a soccer ball not too long ago," Grandpa added. "Could that have triggered something?"

"When was this?"

"Last week."

The doctor hummed, crossing his arms. "It's possible," he answered. "Probably something was weakened in his chest, then made worse by the cold. Getting yourself excited like that earlier would have definitely set it off."

Yugi felt a spark of guilt in his chest, and he sat back in his chair. The Pharaoh squeezed his hand. "I'm fine now, Yugi," he said gently.

"It's lucky that old inhaler still worked after so long," the doctor said, turning to his computer. "I'm going to prescribe you a new one. That old one saved you in that moment of crisis, but you really ought to throw it out, it probably won't be good for you to use it again. Keep this new one on you at all times."

The new inhaler rested in the Pharaoh's coat pocket now. Fortunately, there hadn't been cause to use it yet, but Grandpa still left no room for argument that the Pharaoh was going to get proper medicine as well. The closest clinic to their house was at Yugi's school, so that morning, Grandpa sent the Pharaoh off with Yugi and the doctor's slip.

They soon arrived inside. Having seen the interior before while still bonded to the Puzzle, the Pharaoh needed no direction to the clinic, but Yugi still insisted on accompanying him there. Only a couple times did fans stop them and ask for autographs, but beyond that they were without incident. Only when they arrived at the clinic did Yugi feel comfortable enough to let him be.

"I'll be fine getting home," the Pharaoh assured him. "I promise I'll use the inhaler if I have another attack."

Yugi still looked troubled. "I wish Grandpa could have driven you here and back," he said. "But with the shop so busy today…"

"I'll be fine," the Pharaoh insisted again. He smiled, and put a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Thank you, Yugi."

Yugi smiled back. "Hope you feel better," he said. After one more moment he set off down the hall. "See you after school!" he called over his shoulder.

The Pharaoh waved until Yugi was out of sight, then entered the clinic. It took only a few minutes to explain why he was there and to set his appointment, where he was directed to the waiting area. There was only one other person there, a girl, and from the looks of things, a student. The girl didn't acknowledge him when he took the seat next to her, but after a while she looked up, and recognition sparked in her eyes.

"You…you're…Isashi Muto, aren't you?" she asked.

Her voice was timid and soft, so much so that the Pharaoh almost whispered in return. "I am," he answered.

The girl smiled. "I saw you at the showcase. I didn't get to see you Duel, but…well…I worked at the fair, and I handed out your flyers."

"I see." The Pharaoh inclined his head. "Thank you for your hard work."

The girl bowed back, and when she brushed back her hair, he got a proper look at her face for the first time. He hadn't realized it before, but now that he looked at her closely, he realized she had a gaunt look about her. Her smile seemed to stretch her skin across her bones, which stuck out sharply, and her skin had a sickly tinge to it, almost like paper. She seemed frail, as if the slightest gust of wind would blow her away.

"What is your name?"

The girl, who'd gone back to looking back at her knees, turned to him in surprise. "Chiriko," she answered.

"Chiriko…That's a lovely name."

To his surprise, tears started to form in her eyes. She hurriedly wiped them away, looking embarrassed to be caught with them, but she mumbled, "Thank you…"

She sniffed, then continued, "Other people don't think so."

The Pharaoh frowned. "Why wouldn't they?"

Chiriko shrugged, not meeting his gaze. "It's a boring name. It's fitting for a boring girl like me."

That shocked him. "Hey…"

But Chiriko was still going. "No, they're right, I'm boring. I'm boring and not pretty, and f-fat, and…and nobody likes me, but that's okay, because I'm a h-horrible person, and—"

"Chiriko, Chiriko."

Chiriko gasped in the middle of her sentence as the tears began to fall in earnest, and her face crumpled. She pressed her eyes into her palms, a whine building in her throat. There was a moment that went on forever, during which she didn't move a muscle except to sniff, and the Pharaoh was at a total loss on how to comfort her. Speechless, he could only hand her a tissue when she sniffed a second time, which she accepted.

After a while, she seemed calm enough to mumble, "…sorry…"

"Please, no need to apologize," the Pharaoh replied, still shaken.

After another moment, she turned her red eyes to him and said, "You must think I'm pretty pitiful, huh?"

The Pharaoh immediately shook his head. "Not at all," he answered. "I'm just…concerned for you."

This seemed to add fresh tears, and her face screwed up again as she replied, "That's very kind of you…"

She spent another minute drying her eyes and nose, before saying, "This is partly why I'm here…" The Pharaoh handed her another tissue, and she accepted that gratefully as well. She sniffed, and blew her nose. "I have…well…my friends and family told me I have a problem."

At the Pharaoh's questioning gaze, she went on. "I…well…my appetite's gone down. I'm not as hungry as I was before. I thought it was a good thing, because I started losing weight, but then my friends started getting concerned for some reason. They said I didn't look well, and they told my parents, who made me go to the clinic."

Her eyes grew angry, and she clenched the tissue in her hand. "Some friends they are! It wasn't any of their business! I was fine!" she burst out suddenly.

"They're your friends," the Pharaoh reasoned. "They were worried about you."

"They still shouldn't have told my parents! It was…" Chiriko suddenly seemed to lose energy, and she hunched over again. "Well…it doesn't matter."

Where her previous reaction had been alarming, this sudden switch was far more terrifying. Any sign of life previously present had been drained. She didn't seem to want to speak anymore, or even blink.

It was almost like one who had just lost their soul.

The Pharaoh was moved with an overwhelming desire to aid her. "When did this start?" he asked gently. "Is it an illness?"

Chiriko seemed reluctant to answer, and for a moment the Pharaoh thought he'd ruined everything. But then she answered, "I don't know. That's why I'm here. It started about a month ago, after the showcase ended. I just…I've been feeling down, but I don't think I caught anything…"

Some bad memory must have been triggered, for a shadow flickered across her face, and she seemed to sink even lower. "It was my fault. I should never have tried to talk to Bakura-kun…"

Instantly, everything made sense. The Pharaoh straightened, his eyes narrowing. "Bakura did this to you?" he asked, his voice low.

Chiriko whipped up her head, a look of horror crossing her face. "I never meant…it's not his fault! I shouldn't have said…I shouldn't have talked to him. I annoyed him, so he was right to get angry at me…It's my fault, not his!"

"Trust me, Chiriko, if the fault lies with anyone, it's with him." The Pharaoh's hand curled into a fist.

Chiriko didn't seem to know how to answer that, so she merely sat back in her chair, while the Pharaoh fumed silently.

Damn you, Bakura, he cursed mentally. Still hurting people, even now?

"Um…so…you know Bakura-kun?" The Pharaoh looked back at her. He nodded.

"In a manner of speaking…" he said slowly.

Chiriko set the tissue she was holding on the low table in front of them and clasped her hands together. "He always seemed so nice…and I…well…I admit I liked him for a long time. He was just so handsome, and gentle, and quiet…but I always saw him from a distance. I don't think he ever even noticed me. And, well, on the day of the showcase, I saw him, and…" she let out a small chuckle. "Some part of me thought, 'This is my chance. I'll finally get to tell him how I feel.' He said he wanted to see the showcase, so I let him inside, but I missed the chance to confess to him before he went to watch the Duels. But at the end of the day I saw him again as he was leaving. He…He looked kind of mad at something, I realize now. I probably should have noticed, but I didn't…I guess I was only thinking about myself…"

She pressed a hand to her face. "I guess I'm pretty selfish, huh…"

Another pang of fury shot through the Pharaoh, but he didn't say anything, instead allowing Chiriko to continue.

"Anyways, I…I stopped him, and confessed to him…but I guess he was really mad at something, I don't know, because when I did, he said…" Her arms started to cross over themselves, and she looked like she was going to be sick. "H-he said…h-horrible things…things I never thought he could say…I don't know why he said them, but…I don't remember exactly what happened after that, but I just…I started crying while he left…"

The next time he laid eyes on the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, he would rip his soul to shreds and feed them to his Deck, the Pharaoh decided. He knew exactly what had put Bakura in such a bad mood, and so a part of him felt guilty for being the indirect cause for this girl's suffering. But there were no justifiable words for Bakura's actions, and the Pharaoh would make him pay if it were the last thing he did.

But right now, Chiriko was the one in need. As the girl dried her eyes once more, she muttered, "I didn't think he'd say things like that…but maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought I did…"

"It's not your fault," the Pharaoh broke in. When Chiriko looked to him in surprise, he went on.

"Bakura…lately, has not been doing well." It wasn't the best way to describe it, but certainly he couldn't just say her classmate had been possessed by a three-thousand-year-old malicious spirit. "Right now, he has a few problems of his own, and it's…changed him. He's become more dangerous. There are those who are trying to help him—" That was true, at least—they were doing everything in their power to free Ryou Bakura of the evil spirit's control, "—but I would advise you stay away from him for a while, at least until he gets better."

Chiriko had an unreadable expression on her face, but it was clear this new information had triggered a thought process. Hopefully, it would convince her that whatever had aspired was not in any way her fault, and free her of this vicious cycle of guilt and self-depreciation.

"I feel I've met you before," the Pharaoh said, recalling the day of the showcase. "We talked briefly before I went in. But even then, I could sense your kindness, and your maturity. Yugi told me he'd seen you work in other events before, and he was always impressed with how you took responsibilities upon yourself. Those don't seem the qualities of a horrible person."

Chiriko's eyes had widened at his words, and when he finished speaking they slid to the side in a pained expression. It was unclear whether or not she believed him, but she didn't refute him, which the Pharaoh took as a good sign. It seemed this girl had her own darkness to conquer, and the Pharaoh could only hope he'd given her enough aid to overcome it.

"Narasaki Chiriko?"

Chiriko looked up. "Yes," she replied. She stood, gathering up her used tissues, but before she followed the nurse who called her, she turned around and bowed deeply to the Pharaoh.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Isashi," she said. "…Thank you."

The Pharaoh bowed back, but his eyes never left her. "I hope you feel better soon," he replied.

She smiled, her paper-thin lips seeming to gain a little radiance. She disappeared after the nurse, and the Pharaoh was left to his own thoughts.

No one, it seems, is without their own darkness to overcome, he reflected. He looked down at his own hands, which, once upon a time, caused as much pain as he had seen. The memory stabbed at his heart, and he rubbed his chest briefly. And some are greater than others.

The pain persisted, and a twisting in his gut began to make it harder to breathe. He reached in his pocket for the inhaler. Before he could use it, however, the pain began to subside, and his breathing eased. He let his hand fall to his lap, the inhaler still resting in it. Yugi's concerned voice floated back in his mind, and he smiled.

But I suppose, when that happens, he thought, letting his head rest against the wall behind him, we can use our experiences to help others fan their own light.

RN: I can't believe I wrote this literally in the span of one night...One of the very few perks of being sleep-deprived is it somehow makes things make sense. Bet ya didn't see this coming, huh? Well, I had the time. For once...Plus I've been re-watching the show, and that definitely helped kick some things into gear. Season 4's heart-wrenching as ever, especially in Japanese.

PLUS...Who else is ready for Dark Side of Dimensions in January?! Go watch it! Support the series! I saw it in Japan over the summer and let me tell you it was AMAZING! Yu-Gi-Oh as it was always meant to be, in my opinion. You won't be disappointed!