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Lost and Found	By : lostintheheartland Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 9748 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or anything else nor do I make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
Title: Lost And Found – Episode 17 - Growth

Author: Maggiemay

Muses and Betas: Jazzy, mofaf1, Lady Laran, Sprinkles

Disclaimer: Don't own YGO or any of it's Characters. Do own my OC's and the work contained within this work.

Summary: Life after the Pharaoh left looked bright. Looks can be deceiving. Jounouchi is a cop who finds missing people. He's found everyone he's ever searched for – except one. This is the 17 episode in the ongoing 'Lost and Found' saga. How long will it last? Who knows? I'll keep updating as long as y'all keep enjoying.

Rating: M for Mature just to be safe.

Size:   12 pages and 5630 words.

*****

Darkness didn't take Seto as it normally did, instead a warm, steady pulse lulled him into relaxing as the blue light of his Ka began to flow from him, mixing with the golden waterfall of Jou's. Both were too preoccupied with simply holding each other to notice when unearthly green joined the blue and gold, dancing with the other two colors before spreading out along the floor and walls, forming the portal.

Jou, pleasantly relaxed and feeling very safe, ignored the small voice in his head that told him he had a challenge to finish. He successfully ignored it until a burning agony shot from his hand straight into his chest. "Ow fuck! What the hell?" The blond sat up sharply. Beside him Seto blinked in confusion and sat up too.

The pain faded to a memory just as a well remembered voice called "Jounouchi-kun! I knew you'd come!"

The wary ex-cop turned his head slowly, golden eyes scanning the large room, stopping on the figure of his dearest friend Moutou Yugi. "You know me, anything for my friends." His distinctive voice was impassive, not giving a hint to the emotions churning inside.    The enraged man didn't make a single move to leave the altar. Katsuya wasn't going to leave his lover alone like some sacrifice.

"Jounouchi!" Atemu's deep voice greeted cordially as the taller, more muscular version of Yugi stepped into the chamber. "Thank you for coming. Yugi has missed you." The ex-pharaoh frowned. "You don't have to stay there. You may enter into the chamber as you normally would enter any room."

Jou knew there were a few ways to play this scene. First he had to keep it in his mind that it was a scene, just like any other role he'd played in catching criminals. Atemu and Yugi, or whatever-whoever, were rapists, cheats; power hungry and dangerous. If he was going to protect and avenge Seto, he was going to have to put his real emotions aside and play it like any other criminal interrogation.

It wouldn't be easy because one part of him wanted to rip them limb from limb for what they had done. Another wanted to string the ex-pharaoh up and gut the bastard for raping Seto, and still another part yearned to talk to them, to ask what had happened to cause this because there had to be an explanation because his old friends hadn't truly changed as much as it seemed. The childish part of Katsuya wanted to believe in Yugi and Atemu despite the evidence.

That last part was fading fast. Seeing them side-by-side, knowing what he knew, Katsuya could clearly see they were not who or what they had been. Yugi - he was just too different. The aura of innocence and goodness was completely gone. What Jou saw was a void, a chilling absence of everything that used to be his best friend. Maybe existing 'between' had changed both of them, destroying the light in their hearts and souls. Maybe it was their actions because injuring someone brought injury to everyone, not just the victim. Or maybe it was just time making it's inevitable changes, but whatever had happened, Atemu and Yugi - this Yugi - were not the friends of the past.

The cop in Jou assessed the situation. Cool, but willing to be persuaded.   Not trusting but wanting to believe. Naive, gullible, stupid. The pair would believe that about him. The veteran of many interviews and interrogations donned his game face. Katsuya decided to let the cheaters think he could be won over. "You didn't leave me much choice if I didn't want my boyfriend to be tortured did you? Of course I came." He paused as if to reflect, "But if you really missed me you could have just ordered - excuse me - asked Seto before now."

"Jounouchi-kun, I've wanted to see you every single time." Yugi protested. "But I knew you didn't like this kind of stuff, and I knew you wouldn't... wouldn't..." The smaller man broke off as he stepped closer to the well.

"Wouldn't like what you did? You were right." Jou peered down at Yugi as Atemu crossed to stand next to his smaller look-alike. "I don't like anything about this crap, but I love my friends more than I hate woo-woo. That goes double for my lover." The blond smiled and pulled his lover close against his side. "So you chose to be here with Atemu, got it. I choose to be here with Seto." He paused for dramatic effect before spearing them with a demanding golden gaze. "You are supposed to be working on a way to free him. What have you tried? What have you discovered? 'Cause straight up this crap is messing with our lives." Flaming gold clashed with strangely hollow amethyst eyes directly. "You chose death, Seto didn't so it isn't fair he has to walk this line." Let the jerks chew on that for a while.

Curious to see if they would try to manipulate him, Jou added a lure. "So, how are you guys going to fix this? What do we have to do to free Seto from this mistake or whatever. He has a daughter to raise and I don't want to share him with you guys. You're dead, we are alive, and no offense but we want to live." When Seto slumped into his side,Jou carefully laid him back on the altar. He would have been concerned except for the sliver of blue eyes peering up at him from between thick lashes. Seto was playing possum. "Shit, I hoped he'd stay awake." Jou sighed and turned back to Yugi. "Okay what have you tried, why did it fail, and how do we get our lives back?"

Yugi looked to his larger twin with wide anxious eyes. "I told you Jou would help."

"You did Aibou." Atemu hesitated, his expression was probably supposed to be conflicted or something, but to Jou it held more than a hint of smugness. It was an expression the cop had seen on many criminal's faces, criminals who thought they got away with murder - literally in some cases. It was an expression Katsuya took great pleasure in ripping from their faces. Atemu would be no exception if played right. Jou deliberately assumed a concerned, falling for the bullshit, look.

The scheming Pharaoh saw the look and went for it like a fish after blood bait."I have tried various spells and forms of magic. They have all failed. It is beyond my ability to end the tragedy. I've searched and searched, but there is nothing I, as a demi-god, can do. The only answer I've found that will free him is for a specific goddess to step in. Ma'at, the one who controls passage to the realm of the dead." The once-pharaoh drew a shuddering breath and the pseudo-conflicted look on his face deepened. "There is something you can do. I hesitate to mention but it is the only way I've found that will help the problem. Ma'at, the Goddess, is distant and I have been unable to contact her to ask for help. She is preparing to ascend to a higher realm."

"Who? Say what?" In full 'fuck the bad guy's mode' Katsuya donned his old 'baffled blond airhead' look from school. It was a look that had always served him well.

"Jounouchi..." The once Pharaoh sighed as if in pain. "Ma'at is the goddess who weighs all hearts with her feather, at the time of death. She decides who goes on and who does not."

"Yeah okay. So why do you need her help?" The blond honestly wondered what reason they would come up with - besides ambition.

"She guards the boundaries of life and death. This portal, the need for it, is something she controls. If we can speak to her, get her advice, then she can repair the damage wrought by Seto's mistake." Atemu explained quietly.

"So call her or whatever it is you guys do on this side. Why would we have to do anything? It's not like we have a direct line to the gods. I'm pretty sure that Kaiba doesn't have anything like that. If he did he would have made the call a long time ago." He kept his tone perfectly rational, not the slightest hint of the snarling outrage he felt came through. It was probably one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but he managed it, because freeing Seto was more important than ripping off Atemu's head and screaming down his throat.

"I have tried." Atemu sighed and lowered his head in defeat. "As has Yugi. Ma'at is a title as much as it is a name. All beings rise higher towards re-joining the creator as they evolve, including gods. The current Ma'at is reaching her time of ascension and is preparing to leave. She has no time or interest in our problems. She strives only to evolve. We cannot reach her."

"Yeah? So there has to be someone filling in for her then. Why not go to them?" Logical on a human scale and a fairly predictable question.

"Not really. Haven't you noticed the state of the world? The injustices? The imbalance? That is because Ma'at is leaving and her replacement has yet to ascend into her place."

The answer came out too easily, too pat. It was obviously practiced. Jou had heard enough as a cop to recognized a planned speech. Criminals often rehearsed their stories, not realizing that stories that flowed smooth sounded more like works of fiction than actual accounts. Actual accounts had highs and lows as emotions and memories rocked through the person giving the details. Small memories would surface, little pieces that a rehearsed story would never have. Jou could almost hear the rest of the script before Atemu even said it. To show interest, or at least gullibility, he prodded "So all the bad shit going on is because this Ma'at chick can't do her job right and her replacement isn't trained yet?"

"Yes, for the most part. That leaves Seto and us in this eternal cycle. There will be no hope for any of us until the new Ma'at rises. When that happens I'm afraid our request will fall to the very bottom of the pile of tasks the new goddess must deal with. It could be years, decades, centuries, before the imbalance is corrected and Ma'at turns her attention to us. It will be much too late."

"Well that sucks. Isn't there some way we can get the old Ma'at to pay attention?" That was a leading question, and Atemu took the bait just as Jou hoped.

"Not the old Ma'at. However, if we could speak to the new Ma'at, maybe gain her assistance before she takes on the title, would free Seto. The word of a Goddess, even a fledgling goddess, should have the power to undo what he has done." Atemu dangled the carrot just as Katsuya expected. There it was. The expected trap. How dumb did the ex-Pharaoh think he was? Not that in this case it was a bad thing. Jou knew that now was to pretend to fall into the trap.

"Hmm. Well where do we find her? Is there a goddess nursery somewhere we can visit?" It seemed dumb, but they should buy the idiot act. Atemu didn't expect him to be smart. It was a mistake that many people had made, to their loss. "Besides what makes you think she would help us? What if she's a bitch?" He padded the role nicely.

"She is on earth in human form at the moment. Your lover knows her but is reluctant to bring her to us because he doesn't want to lose her and it is possible once she knows her true nature she will choose to stay in this realm. He is very protective and possessive of her. We have actually considered they were lovers." Atemu said softly. "But since you and he are involved, then obviously not."

Jou wanted to laugh at the obviousness of the ploy. Did Atemu believe that by insinuating Seto might be involved with someone else that Katsuya would get jealous and want to get rid of the supposed rival? Atemu may have been something in his time, but it was obvious that time was long past. Staying in his role, Katsuya asked again. "What if she won't help?"

I believe she will help us because she is the reincarnation of one of my most loyal advisors, sworn to serve me. Those ties still exist and will exist until her Ka goes through its evolution into god-state, at which time it will shed all mortal and immortal ties created in its previous incarnations." Urgently Atemu leaned forward, careful not to touch the side of the well. "That is why I must speak to her before she ascends."

"Her huh? Can't be that many possibilities then. Seto doesn't like women much." Katsuya stated the obvious.

"I say her because in this realm the form of Ma'at is female, but that doesn't mean that the new Ma'at is female while on earth." The scheming spirit explained patiently. "But if you could perhaps get the name of the person Seto suspects and give it to Seth or Kisara, we can bring that person here the next time the portal forms."

"Huh. What makes you think he'll tell me anything?" Jou asked curiously. "Not like he's known to be chatty."

"You are lovers aren't you? If you love him and want to free him you will find a way to get the name. Jounouchi it's the only way to free him without killing him." Atemu's voice was the perfect mix of urgency and reassurance. Jou was genuinely impressed with the spirit's acting ability and he was as gullible as he'd been as a teen Jou would have believed the ancient pharaoh absolutely.

"Are you sure there is no other way? I really don't want to bring someone else into this mess." The spirit of the puzzle wasn't the only one who could act. Jou was rather proud of the doubt and hope in his voice. He was even prouder of the fact that he hadn't climbed out of the well and knocked the living hell out of the traitors.

"It's the only way Jou." There was absolute finality in Atemu's voice.

"If you're sure." The blond let his own voice reflect his compliance to the asshole's will. Not even the flicker of an eyelash gave away his disgust and rage. "I'll see what I can do to fix this."

Yugi finally spoke up. "Jounouchi, can you leave the well? I want to show you my rooms and I really want to hug you."

"Ah, I don't want to leave Seto when he's like this. I'll cart him down into the well and let him float around a while. You can sit by the well and we'll talk okay?" No way in hell was he letting that creature lead him off into the depths of where the hell ever, leaving Seto alone. Plus, he didn't want Yugi, or whatever he'd become, to touch him. Just the thought of it sent chills down the blond's spine.

Yugi hesitated for a moment, shooting his lover a questioning glance. The once-pharaoh nodded. "Stay and visit Aibou. I have to go deal with other issues." He looked up at the blond crouched on the altar. "Thank you. Enjoy your visit. Yugi has wanted to see you for a very long time."

"Not sticking around?" Jou half-joked. That didn't make any sense. Wasn't Atemu going to try to manipulate him, ensure his control? Embellish the story? Didn't the spirit want to reinforce their so-called bonds?

"I have matters of state to deal with. They wait for no one." Atemu offered him a small rueful smile and turned to walk away. The creature wearing Yugi's face sank down on a bench hurriedly put in place by Seth. "Come down then. Tell me everything. How is your business? How is Honda? Otogi? Just tell me everything."

Jou filed away 'Yugi's' knowledge for later and glanced over at the sprawled brunet. Blue gleamed up at him with something like mischief. He knew just by the look on the other man's face that Seto wasn't going to help him maneuver their bodies into the well. The jerk was going to make him do all the work. Well, his love wasn't the only one who could be a jerk. A quick check with that place that knew everything, and Jou grabbed Seto and threw them both over the edge of the altar.

To the brunet's credit, he didn't show any of the shock or instinctive fear that most people would have to find themselves suddenly falling. Instead he just watched Jou with calm, patient eyes as swirling waves of gold, blue and green surrounded them, pulling them deep in what felt like a welcoming embrace.

Heart lit with warmth and tenderness at the pure trust his lover showed, Jou clutched Seto close and whispered "I love you too." It must have been what was needed because the long arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. When the hug loosened slightly Jou squeezed again. "In a few minutes float your way to me and take my hand. I'll try to look like you asked."

Seto didn't respond except to go limp in Jou's arms. The blond slowly released his own hold and forged his way towards the edge of the well. As he moved he sent questions out towards the all knowing place. There were no direct answers, but there was a feeling of caution as well as a kind of limited approval, like his Ka was concerned and didn't really want him to do it, but didn't really want to interfere either. It was as if the Ka's knew there was a potential for something bad happening, but not a high enough risk or bad enough outcome to be truly worried. Jou got the impression his Ka was more interested in playing with Seto's glowing blue energy and the strange green 'whatever' than in what Jou and Seto were doing with Yugi.

Amethyst eyes watched at him curiously as Jou gripped onto the edge of the fountain. "That fountain really changes doesn't it." The smaller man gestured. "From here it only looks to be a metre deep, yet the way you move in it, it seems as deep and vast as the ocean."

"Yeah, it's amazing. I don't think there's an end to it." Jou said quietly. "But it has to be giant, because it holds mine and Seto's souls."

"What's it like? To be in there with your and Seto's souls?" There was an odd intensity behind the words. It was obvious it wasn't just an idle question.

"Warm, light, loving, accepting. I can't really explain it. It's buoyant like water, but it isn't wet. I float, can even swim, or I could try to walk but there isn’t really any floor to walk on. It's kinda different. It's also familiar, comfortable, something I know as well as I know anything. It's me. I know it's me, but it's like there is another part of me that even though I know it, I've never looked at it." The blond shrugged slightly to show his confusion. "That's right though. I think it is." Jou glanced over his shoulder at the limp body a distance away. "Seto's here and that's incredible. I mean, I'm used to me but I'm not used to Seto. He is incredibly different, but familiar too. Like... Like I can feel every part of him, not just with my eyes, but with everything I have, his scent, his taste, everything. I'm immersed in him, and he's the same with me. I can't explain it better, except maybe to say that parts of us are merged."

"Sounds beautiful." Yugi's voice was wistful. "You two are together now aren't you? Boyfriends? Lovers? That's what you said."

"Yeah. We've been getting together for quite a while. That's why I came that first time." Jou stretched the truth. "I wanted to see him with you, make sure you guys were really over. Of course I didn't know what you guys were doing to him." A frown etched his brow and Katsuya allowed a hint of his anger show through. "What the fuck Yugi? You don't use friends like this. You would have died before doing something like this to anyone."

The smaller man nodded slightly. "I did die." The amethyst eyes became pensive. "Dying changes things, as does losing in a penalty game. Things that were core become distant sealed away. The effort to release them takes more energy than you can imagine. Sometimes just a word can take years to break through the seal." Yugi's eyes darkened to almost black. "Being soulless makes a person colder than you can ever imagine, Jounouchi-kun." A flicker of agony shone darkly in Yugi's gaze for a moment. "Do not judge what you don't understand. You've never bet and lost your soul. The warmth you find so familiar is lost to me forever and can never return. I do what I can, what I must, just like you." The pained gaze flickered to Seto's form in the well. "Just like he does."

"Yeah, well, you chose to bet." Jou squashed down the sympathy he felt. This empty, pathetic creature could not be his friend. "And you chose to continue to use Seto. You can stop any time. Is it worth the pain? Is it worth hurting someone who only wanted to love you?"

For a moment Yugi's expression became tortured, then it cleared as if there had never been any mental conflict. "Jounouchi-kun tell me about your business, about our friends. I so want to hear what's been happening." The smaller man demanded cheerfully, as if just returning from a long vacation. It was obvious Yugi wasn't going to address his abuse of Seto.

For a moment the ex-cop considered pressing for answers, but a tingling burn in his chest stopped him cold, reminding him that there was something else he had to do, something he was forgetting. With a mental shrug, Jou started to talk about their friends, keeping the information neutral and hopefully harmless. When he'd exhausted that topic and answered Yugi's questions, Katsuya started talking about his business, just a broad outline, and where he wanted it to go. The blond carefully kept all information about Shizuka and Mai to himself. He was protective of his sister, and he had a hunch Yugi and Atemu were using Mai. He wasn't going to give them the openings to cause damage to either of them. It was probably old fashioned, but he wanted to protect the women.

He had just finished describing their last case, minus all mention of magical crap, when he felt Seto brush his leg. Still wary of what might happen if Seto's 'divine spark' lit up inside the well, Jou tried to use his talent without Seto's help, to build the images in his mind, merging what he'd seen on the recording with what he knew of Yugi and Atemu, and what he believed them capable of. At first there was nothing but shadows and darkness that played the events like the recordings he had watched, but as he focused more, the images began to blur and shift, one image overlaying another, twisting them out of shape and forming a strange, macabre pattern obscured by misty shadows. Trying his absolute best, he could not bring the images clear.

A sharp tug on his leg brought him out of his introspection. Yugi was staring at him with wide, blank eyes and Seto, hidden from Yugi's view by the wall of the well was reaching up to him impatiently. "Ah sorry I spaced out there Yugi." Jou mumbled. "Just thinking."

The blank look faded and the darkness from earlier flickered in the amethyst depths. "I'll bet you're thirsty, maybe hungry too." The smaller man turned to where Mahado and Karim stood watching from across the room. "Mahado bring drink please. Karim bring food. I'm sure my guest would like some of those fruit-topped cookies."

The two servants-cum-bodyguards hesitated long enough to exchange a glance before bowing and hurrying out of the room. Yugi's blankly cheerful face became a battleground of agony and strain and his eyes darkened again to almost black as he whispered hoarsely "Please, do it now. I can't..."

Jou heard him, but didn't understand what he meant. In that instant Jou reached down just as Seto's hand reached up. The focus was instant and the shadows cleared; an image, brilliant and true formed, then the world dissolved around them, consumed by a flash of silvery white power shot with flames of green, blue, and gold.

Jou woke slowly, aware of cold concrete under him and a warm, soft weight against his side. Golden eyes fluttered open slowly to focus on the still form next to him. "Ah fuck." He mumbled as he scooted back, running into another warm body. Not sure what he'd see, he turned and found Seto sprawled out, lashes fluttering. "Hey..." Jou leaned over and shook him slightly. "You in there Kaiba?"

Dazed blue eyes flickered open and focused on him blankly for a moment before comprehension dawned. "What the hell did you do?" The brunet sat up and looked around. The portal, the altar, everything was gone. They were back in the old museum laying in the dry fountain. Seto's confusion was plain for a moment, then his expression changed, becoming a mix of humor and sympathy as he saw the small form that had been cuddled against Jou. "Kisara was just getting her hair back too. Now she's bald again." A flicker of movement, and Seth hopped down from the fountain wall to nudge the other cat. She stirred and after a moment began to mewl plaintively.

"I didn't do anything but try to look, just like you said." Jou protested.

"Katsuya I saw you. Your energy changed, became more intense as it flowed from your hand - it wrapped around my hand and wouldn't let me release you when the burn started. It looked like a damn snake binding our hands and wrists together." Seto didn't buy his protest for a moment. Jou had to have done it. For it to be anything else opened possibilities that could only end badly for both of them. There were too many unknown factors and the power displayed was incredible if Jou wasn't the one controlling it. "If that wasn't enough, while I was caught fucking snakes shot out of your arm. What the hell did you do?"

"I told you, nothing." Jou lifted his arm and examined it. The bandages Shizuka had applied were gone and the scratches from Mai had changed. Instead of looking hours old, they looked fresh and raw with ragged edges. Blood was welling slowly, dripping down his arm from what was obviously bone-deep wounds. "Seto I didn't do anything but..." He gestured to the injuries. "Are the ones on my neck like that?"

Seto examined his neck and without asking lifted his shirt out of the way to check the ones on his chest. "No. They're fine. They don't even look like the same wounds."

"Not to sound gross, but shouldn't they be bleeding more?" The blond asked morbidly, as he watched his blood well up and drip to the ground. "And shouldn't they hurt?"

"No major vessels." The brunet grunted as he examined the wounds closer. "And besides, look at them, they’re healing faster than any injury I've ever seen - even on time-lapsed television."

It was true, Jou could see the flesh knitting together so fast that even just a few seconds later and the wounds didn't look more than superficial. "Seto I don't know what's going on." The panic shaking his voice was plain as day. He was entitled to panic. Snakes shooting out of his body and now wounds healing faster than was possible even on television was scary as hell, even for a tough guy like Katsuya.

"We have to have a talk to some people. I will introduce you to my patron, Wadjet, and we will meet with your sister." Seto started planning immediately. "Let's get going." He stood and climbed out of the well, still ticking off things on their to-do list.

Jou choked back a small gasp. "Seto we have a problem we have to solve before we do any of that."

Seto gave him a look of inquiry over his shoulder. "What's that?"

"I'm not seeing your clothes and you're naked as the day you were born." Jou explained, fighting back a chuckle. Only his love could be so lost in plans and theories and miss the fact that he was completely nude.

Seto blinked down at his bare body, then glanced around, baffled. "Hmmm wonder where they went."

"Dunno. But there are other exhibits stored here. I think I saw an Aviators of the Twentieth Century' display. You can wear one of the pilot uniforms." Jou was kidding. He expected Kisara and Seth to disappear any second and reappear with Seto's clothes. Although a quick glance at the cats showed them sitting together, both wearing 'royal cat' expressions. Huh, maybe not from those two then.

Seto must have recognized their inability or unwillingness to help right away because the brunet didn't even glance at them. He just turned from the exit to go deeper into the building. "I know where that is. You're right, an aviator's uniform should work." The naked CEO walked away briskly, his bare feet slapping on the floor.

After another look at the slightly charred, oddly still and somewhat gobsmacked kitties, Jou hurried after his tall brunet lover. Maybe he'd get a chance to get in a few comments about the 'mile high' club. He had a feeling they both could use a laugh.

****

In a place between realms, fashioned of shadows and magic, what was once Moutou Yugi picked himself up off the ground and slowly began to brush non-existent dust from his clothes. Atemu closely followed by Karim and Mahado ran into the room. "What happened Aibou?"

"I do not know. One moment we were talking, I had offered Jounouchi-kun refreshment, and suddenly there was a flash and they and the portal were gone." The smaller man explained expressionlessly.

"Indeed. A flash Aibou? Did you do anything to cause it?" A hard hand lifted his chin to bring their gazes together. Red met amethyst in hard demand.

"I did nothing you did not suggest." His words hadn't been suggestions, but it hardly mattered what they were called. They both knew the truth.

"I have felt the restlessness within you. I've felt you testing the seals. I will remind you that you lost and are subject to the forfeit. To attempt to renege on that is to invite severe punishment."

"I understand Atemu. I would do nothing to earn such. You give me all I can ask for, and more." Yugi smiled warmly up at his lover. "I truly don't know what happened. Perhaps Seto did something, or maybe one of their Ka. If Jounouchi's Ka is aware of his physical circumstance, perhaps it acted to protect its ba."

Atemu released his lover's chin and turned away, pacing to the altar. "That is possible. I will consult someone who will know. Return to your chambers Aibou. You will be weak this next moon phase. The portal did not exist long enough to give you the strength you need."

Yugi didn't feel any weaker, but he also didn't argue. "Thank you for your concern, beloved. I will see you later." He bowed slightly, and walked quietly from the room, conscious of the crimson gaze that followed and weighed his every step.

When the smaller man was gone Atemu rounded on his servants. "What happened in here?"

"We were fetching refreshments and were not present." Karim said softly. "It burned us even through the walls."

"I'm aware, as I was affected as well. Both of you go to my chambers and await me there. I will discipline you before going to Yugi. You will not need your raiment." Atemu ignored the way they paled and swallowed. When they left he turned to the altar, looking for a clue. He found nothing out of the ordinary, no damage or burning. With a shrug he turned to go to his chambers. He would discipline his slaves, then go to Yugi.

He didn't notice the two additional stone loops around the base of the altar, nor did he see two pairs of reptilian eyes, open as he left, glowing green in the darkness that descended in the room.

****

Here ends Lost and Found Episode 17 - Growth. Stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel.

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