Disclaimer: Le gasp! I don't own Yugioh?! Didn't see that one coming!
Ch. 6 Do you know what you're doing?
None of the others spoke a word as Yugi at last fell silent. His three friends stared at him, their faces reflecting the same shock he had felt the night before.
Joey was the first to break the spell, his voice rough and halting. "So, let me get this straight. This guy just walks in here, lays out this crazy mad science plot, and asks ya ta give up your PNA just so he can clone ya? And more than that, he wants your soul?"
"It's DNA, Joey, not PNA…" Tea sighed. She had set her cup down long before the story had finished, her hands too unsteady to hold it without spilling.
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"So…what're you gonna do?" Tristan finally asked hoarsely. He cleared his throat. "Are you gonna take this guy up on his offer, or not?"
"Are you crazy?" Joey suddenly said. All eyes went to him. "Of course you can't, Yug!"
Yugi never once lowered his gaze. "Listen, I know how crazy and dangerous it sounds. And of course I'm suspicious, Joey, don't make it sound like I'm not. But Grandpa knows him. He's known him for a while, and he's said Keichi would never be capable of anything malicious."
Joey chuckled. But it was not humorous. His laugh was bitter and disbelieving, so much so that Yugi was taken aback with astonishment. Never had one of Joey's most iconic features seemed so alien.
"Oh, sure, just like the last few maniacs that came after us. Remember Pegasus? Remember Marik?" Joey's voice shook with rage at the name. The emotions of the day's events seemed to be rushing forth now, and he suddenly leapt to his feet. "Why don't we go back and give 'em all a second chance? I'm sure they didn't mean it! 'Cept for maybe putting Mai into a coma! Hell, even Bakura was our friend for a year, den turned out to be housin' some kinda psychotic sadist!"
Tea and Tristan were actually struck speechless. They had never seen Joey so seriously angry before. His fists were balled, and he was breathing heavily, and for the first time Yugi saw the man who won all his street fights in years past, the boy who had learned not to cry under his drunk father's constant abuse.
With what appeared to be great effort, Joey slowed his breathing, and his angry scowl softened to a pleading look. When he spoke again, his voice quieter, but had lost none of its hardness. "They all start out this way, Yug. They come up to you and pretend to be your friend, pretend like they wanna help, give ya something nice. Then when it's too late to go back, they show their true colors, and they definitely ain't as nice as they were. I don't…I mean, come on, Yug! Didn't you learn anything from Battle City?"
"Of course I did, Joey, but I also learned a few things from Paradius!" Yugi didn't know where the shout was coming from, but before he could stop himself, he was arguing with his friend. Joey seemed just as surprised, because he immediately closed his mouth and stared at Yugi with wide eyes.
Yugi didn't register this right away, however, and went on. "None of them were inherently evil. Raphael, Valen, they all turned out to be good in the end. Even…even Dartz." A tremor shot through him at the name, but he forced himself to remain solid. "Bakura, Marik, they can't be held accountable for what their spirits have done. I can't turn Keichi away just because he appears nice. I'm not forgetting everything that's happened, Joey. In fact, I would have turned him away if not for Grandpa. But that's exactly why I have to give him a chance. Because if I go the rest of my life suspicious of every stranger who is nice to me, how am I supposed to live?"
Joey bristled, and for a moment Yugi was afraid he was going to have to actually fight his friend. Tristan looked ready to hold him back, just as Tea laid a hand on his shoulder.
Then the blonde sagged, and gave a sad, defeated sigh so quiet Yugi barely caught it. He tried several times to start a sentence while he scanned the ground in front of him, fighting some internal battle.
Joey's gaze flickered to Yugi, and he sat up straighter, still unable to speak. Yugi winced internally when he saw wetness in his friend's eyes.
"Your Gramps knew this guy for a long time?" Joey finally said, and there was a trace of his old humor back in his voice. Yugi finally cracked a grin, all the tension leaving his body. "Five years at the university and one in the field, that's what he says," he answered.
Joey laughed, and it sounded real this time, comforting and warm. He stood, strode over to his shorter friend and easily grabbed him in a headlock, ruffling his massive hair in a noogie. "Y'know, I reckon there's not that much ta teach ya 'bout courage. M'mean, it takes a lot to stand up to yer friends like dat, ya know what I mean?"
"Yeah, sure I do, big guy," Yugi said, muffled by his arm. He was trying to hold Joey's arm at bay while simultaneously attempting to squeeze out of the headlock. Trapped in his chair, the feat was near impossible.
"Does this mean you'll finally stop giving him lessons?" Tea's stern, yet relieved voice cut through their scuffle.
Joey stopped, and considered this. Yugi looked up from under his fist, half hopeful.
"Mmm, nah. Our Yug might have his bark, but you don't get nowhere wit 'out a bite."
Yugi groaned. Help? He pleaded inwardly.
He felt a wave of amusement as the spirit surfaced at last. I wondered at first if I should let you get out on your own. It might be good practice.
Yugi mentally rolled his eyes. Just help us out of here!
The Pharaoh chuckled and obliged, taking control as Yugi stepped back. Joey had until this point refused to relax his grip on Yugi's neck.
As soon as he opened his eyes the Pharaoh took hold of the arm that looped him. He slipped his head easily from Joey's grip and stood, twisting his friend's arm until it was forced uncomfortably up his back. Joey cried out as he was suddenly immobilized, forced to one knee and hunched over.
"Yugi!" Tea and Tristan both cried out, but where Tea had done so in chagrin Tristan had shouted in amazement.
Joey gasped from the strength of the Pharaoh's hold. "Damn, Yug, I didn't think you had it in ya."
"Perhaps I have more of a bite than you think," the Pharaoh snickered.
Joey groaned, recognizing the deepened tone of the Pharaoh's voice. "Awe, come on, it doesn't count when you're out, Pharaoh," he panted. "Yug's supposed to learn fer himself."
"Hmm." The Pharaoh released his grip, and Joey immediately flipped around, struggling to hold back on massaging his arm. He smoothed back his hair instead and dusted himself off.
The Pharaoh crossed his arms. "We inhabit the same body. Surely we're getting the exercise either way?"
"Yeah, but when you're out, it's like, I dunno, you got a growth spurt or somethin'. It ain't the same. I mean, no offense, but it's kinda like you're fightin' my man Yug's battles for 'im."
The Pharaoh's gaze grew distant. "Yes," he murmured. "It does seem that way, doesn't it?"
Joey's laugh faded when he noticed the Pharaoh had grown still "So," he said, sobering. "What's it gonna be?"
The Pharaoh jerked, pulled from his thoughts, but he knew what Joey was asking. "You mean, what will I tell Keichi?"
"Yeah," Joey said, nodding.
The Pharaoh frowned, and his brow creased. "I don't know yet."
Concern tightened the grips of all three of his friends. There was something the Pharaoh wasn't saying.
Then the Pharaoh grinned. "But if I say yes, it means I'll have an easier job protecting my Aibou," he said teasingly. "Ra—and Joey—know he needs it."
Hey! What was all that earlier? Yugi retorted reproachfully.
The guest room filled with their laughter, spreading over their tension like a balm and soothing their suspicions. Grandpa Mutou found them an hour later joking as they always did, as if the last day had passed like any other.
But, unsaid to anyone else, the twin souls of the puzzle floated uneasily, anxious over what would happen. Neither said anything to the other, but both wondered the same, foreboding question.
Were they really making the right decision?
Ah, brotherly love. Do R&R. For me. For my life. For the sake of the day when I finally mark this story as complete. Remember, Bakura's still prowling around the corner, I don't care how much Yugi is willing to forgive him!