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I Know You're Out There Somewhere	By : Firewing Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3536 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 37
- 38
- 39
Chapter 38: Dance with the Devil in the Pale Moonlight

Disclaimer: I haven�t done this in a while, so here it goes�.Although the story concept and the addition/alterations of certain character names are mine this is no way intended as an infraction upon the rights of those who actually own Yugioh and is done purely for fun at the demented whim of the authoress and not for monetary gain.
Oh, BTW, sorry for the long delay in getting this update to you. Thanks for your patience. It�s rather a complicated chapter and I hope you�ll find it worth the wait.

��..

Joey sat perfectly still, his eyes roaming over the chaotic, purplish-black environment. Shadow Realm. Just great. Well, at least I know what happened to Ryou... if I can just get us out of here before Seto kills Bakura, we'll be set.

Ill-advisedly, Jou leapt to his feet, only to be forced back to the 'ground' by the overwhelming vertigo that washed over him. He had yet to realize that the 'ground' and the �sky� were just as chaotic as everything else; he might as well have been blind for all the good his sight was doing him. What he needed was someone who knew how this place worked, but neither his father nor Yami were available to him just then.
The solution came to him suddenly, and Jou pulled his duelling deck from his back pocket, victoriously thrusting a card into the dead space over his head. �I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon!� Jou called out into the nothingness.
Unfortunately for him, nothing was exactly what happened, and Joey grimaced in disappointment. It was worth a try.

The sound of wings beating above him reached Jou's ears then, and he dove for cover, envisioning a swarm of bats worthy of being considered the eleventh plague of Egypt descending on him. He only dared to look up once he was sure that things had settled back to their former level of chaos, and semi-terrified amber met puzzled ruby.
Joey gave his dragon a sheepish grin before rising to pat the black snout. �Hi, old friend. I guess you kind of surprised me, which is pretty dumb. After all, I was the one that summoned you.�
Red Eyes snorted in agreement, causing Jou to frown good-naturedly. "Hey, you don't have to agree!"
The dragon nuzzled his hand apologetically, and Jou stroked its powerful neck. "Okay, you're forgiven," he chuckled before becoming serious once again. "You wouldn�t happen to know where to find my mother or Ryou, would you?� His dragon's presence had a calming effect on him, and Jou smiled at the thought that this obviously independent beast belonged to him. Just like another dragon, only his eyes are blue. �I�m really glad you�re here, Red Eyes.�
Red Eyes lowered its head, and confusion was plainly etched on Jou's handsome features in the moment before understanding dawned on him. "You want me to get on?" he asked incredulously, hoping that he was way off base. Though he trusted the Duel Monster with his life, a dragon wasn't exactly a Harley-Davidson. I've never even been on a horse, unless you count the merry-go-round...

His companion's snort contained a touch of irritation, and Jou sighed as he gingerly climbed onto the dragon's back, trying unsuccessfully to get a decent grip on the powerful, armour-plated neck and shoulders. "Alright, already. It's not like I do this every day, you know?" Once he was as settled as he could get, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to speak before he lost his nerve. "Okay, ready."
It wasn�t long before the constant, steady rhythm of Red Eyes� powerful wings soothed Joey�s fears, and he relaxed, enjoying the experience. How many people, after all, could claim to have ridden a dragon?
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Joey became aware that the Shadow Realm was not the barren wilderness he had believed it to be at first glance. The landscape was vague, but the odd hill and valley passed beneath them. Formless, unidentifiable creatures moved over the plains, and Jou shuddered, clinging to his beloved Duel Monster�s neck even more tightly.
It seemed only moments later that the great dragon began its descent, landing gently near a pyramid emblazoned with the all-too familiar symbol of the Sennen Eye. Jou slid off of the dragon�s back, hugging Red Eyes around the neck. �Thank you. You�ve always been there when I needed you, and I never had a chance to tell you how much I appreciate it.�
�Oh, that�s simply precious!� called a feminine voice, soon lapsing into a fit of innocent giggles.
Joey didn't recognize the newcomer right away; Red Eyes still occupied most of his limited attention span. �Dark Magician Girl?� he ventured at length.
The deceptively cutesy duel monster giggled again as she curtseyed, �At your service," she confirmed. "Lady Pegasus calls me Gina, and so may you, if you prefer that.�
�Lady Pegasus?" Joey hardly dared to believe that finding his mother would be so easy. "Where is she? Could you take me to her?�
�Certainly,� replied Gina, and before Jou had even caught his breath, she had extended her staff. The next thing he knew, he was blinking back too-bright sunshine while birds sung in the trees.
�I have got to be dreaming�� He mumbled under his breath as he followed Gina through his mother's sanctuary.

~*~*~*~
Pegasus jerked awake, the knowledge that something was terribly wrong pulsing in his breast. As always, he sought out Croquet, and he was rather surprised to discover that his guardian gargoyle wasn�t already at his bedside, staring down at him with a piercing yet comforting stony expression, as he usually did when Max awakened from the throes of a nightmare.
This time, though, Christopher was asleep in his own bed. Unwilling to wake up his bodyguard-turned-lover, Pegasus slipped from his bed to the window as silently as a ninja preparing to complete an assassination attempt. A thunderstorm had begun to brew outside, and he decided that was what must have awoken him; even without the Eye, his un-augmented sixth sense had always alerted him to drastic changes in the weather. Not surprisingly, Joseph had inherited a touch of his especially strong talents. Though his son was content to consider himself unusually blessed by Lady Luck, Pegasus knew better. After all, Max�s own father had also been undeniably 'lucky'; at least, right up until he and his wife had been killed by a storm engulfing their little yacht during a weekend vacation.
A sense of forlorn loneliness swept over him, then, and he sighed, wrapping his arms around himself in a vain attempt to stave off the spiritual chill. On the other side of the window, rain slid down the glass like sympathetic tears, and Max followed their descent with one tapered, elegant finger. In his heart, he knew that Cecelia was running out of time: he could feel the bond that had always existed between them weakening, and that sense of impending loss alone was enough to force him out of his melancholy state.

I will bring you back, Cecelia. If I must destroy every monster in the Shadow Realm with my bare hands to do so, I shall bring you back. He inhaled, a deep, shuddering motion, and took up a resolute stance before the window. On my tarnished, battered soul, this I swear.

~*~*~*~
Beneath the sands of faraway Egypt, Shadi stood in an ancient chamber lined with stone tablets that rose like teeth in a perfect circular mouth. Each one was engraved with a hieroglyphic spell, and, through his trance, he was dimly aware that each spell required the sacrifice of a pure, untainted soul to be activated.
The Millennium Scales had chosen which twelve souls would be offered in order to open the gates of the dark dimension, and Destiny herself had chosen the thirteenth. The final sacrifice would prevent the gates from ever being closed again, in the process breaking the spell that had kept Shadi himself bound to a bitter existence for five thousand years.
The thirteenth soul was that of the Chosen One, he who had solved the Millennium Puzzle. The irony of the situation brought a smile to Shadi's lips as he considered it: The Pharaoh will at long last fulfill his destiny and ascend his throne once more, but not as a mortal or a disembodied spirit. Instead, he will be the demon sovereign of Shadows, and all will fall before him in despair as the Ennead's dark gods rise to power, and we with them.

With that thought on his mind, Shadi swept from the chamber. He felt something approaching regret at the knowledge that he would not be present to see the Pharaoh�s destiny unfold, yet there would be satisfaction enough in watching Pharaoh Atem�s soul occupy the purged vessel of his self-appointed charge. The guilt will overwhelm him, Shadi knew, and even as he struggles with that, I shall transfer my curse to him, so that he may live with his self-revulsion until the world crumbles around him.

In his hatred, he felt nothing akin to remorse for what he planned to do.
~*~*~*~
Not even the technological sanctuary into which Seto had transformed his library was enough to shut out the thunder, and as the last muted rolls of sound dissipated, he stretched self-indulgently, staving off the return of the silence with the crackling of his spine. Though it still required a bit of fine-tuning, his latest project was complete, and a warm feeling that the perfectionist in him recognized as satisfaction spread through his body. Wait until Jou hears. The image of his lover�s grin was almost enough to send Seto barrelling through the halls to find the dragon-pup, but he forced himself to walk down to the kitchen and calmly brew himself a cup of coffee before doing anything else. It wouldn�t do to find Jou and pass out from exhaustion immediately thereafter.
His eyes strayed from the coffee machine to the window just as a brilliant flash of lightning lit up the drenched sand outside. In that brief instant, Seto saw a shape lying beside the mound that had once been their bonfire, and though he was unable to make out any details, his mind conjured images of unruly blond hair and deathly pale skin that set his heart to pounding wildly. Forgetting the still-running coffeemaker, Seto ran out into the downpour. The odds of it being his Jou out there were slim to none, but in his heart, he knew the truth before the first raindrops spattered against his face.
�Jou! Wake up! Can you hear me?� Seto shouted as he slid to knees beside the cold, limp form of his lover, pressing two fingers frantically against the side of Jou�s neck. A weak, fluttery pulse beat against the digits, and Seto pulled Jou into his arms, staggering to his feet even as he attempted to shield Joey�s already-sodden body from the storm�s fury.
Another forked lightning bolt split the sky as he trudged through the downpour, the weight of his fears far greater than the weight of the burden in his arms. The thought of losing Jou forever nearly paralysed the self-proclaimed Ice King, but he forced it from his mind. All that was important now was Jou, and getting him to safety.
Rain had made the stairs treacherous, and though Seto slipped more than once, his hold on Jou never slackened. The door refused to open at first, but a few curse words and failed attempts later, Seto was fighting his way through the narrow entrance, back into the warm, dry house.
Carrying Jou into the family room proved far less difficult than getting him into the house had been, and it was only after Seto laid his lover down on the conversation pit's sofa that his mind slowed down enough to remember that he should check Jou over for treatable wounds. As anticipated, though, he found nothing.

Bakura. His mind whispered the name like a fevered wind, and Seto clutched the sofa's armrest in order to prevent himself from charging upstairs and murdering Ryou's body that very second. His love for Jou was quickly metamorphosing into an all-consuming hatred toward those at fault for his lover�s present condition. He doubted even his legendary self-control would be enough to stop him if it continued to grow.
~*~*~*~
While Seto was fighting his own private war, Pegasus decided that he had better investigate the racket downstairs. He had had a bad feeling since the sun had disappeared below the western horizon, and by the time he found Seto and Joseph, the existing sense of impending disaster coupled with guilt threatened to overtake him. �Kaiba, build a fire," he ordered, keeping his voice perfectly modulated despite the fact that, inside, he was nearly frantic with worry. "We need to get him warm and dry.�
Mechanically, Seto retrieved a generous amount of kindling from the firewood box near the fireplace and wordlessly went to work, too devastated to argue about being given orders in his own house. Seconds later, a match was struck, and the kindling began to smoulder satisfactorily as Pegasus attempted to ascertain just what was wrong with Jou.
Conveniently enough, Tristan stumbled in then, carrying a blanket and a pillow. He had waited until he was sure that Bakura was asleep before retreating to the leather sectional in the family room; there was no way was he sleeping in the same room with that� thief.
�Holy shit!� he exclaimed when he saw Jou, and Seto growled.
Pegasus had managed to get Joseph�s wet T-shirt off, and was working on replacing it with his own pyjama top. �Tristan, good. May I have that blanket, and if you would, I could use a few dry towels." He barely glanced up at the tall boy, and Tristan saw red. These two had been playing tug-of-war with Jou since they had come into his life, and now he was hurt, or worse.
Impotently, he thumped Pegasus over the head with his pillow. �Get away from him!� he snarled before turning on Seto, �What did you do to him this time, Kaiba?�
Without waiting for an answer, he pulled off his own pajama pants, leaving himself clad only in boxers and a T-shirt, before deftly stripping Jou of his soaked jeans and redressing the blond in the pajama pants. That done, he cocooned Joey in the blanket, cradling him protectively while Joey�s father and lover watched helplessly.
By the time Tristan calmed down, Pegasus had made a complete recovery from being harmlessly assaulted by the pillow. �Tristan, I believe that Bakura may have banished Joseph�s soul to the Shadow Realm," the silver-haired gentleman said quietly.
�Oh.� All of Tristan�s anger evaporated at once, leaving him strangely empty. �Then it�s my fault; I left him on the beach alone with Bakura.�

How like Christopher he is in his willingness to accept blame for his friends' misfortunes, even when they are outside his control. Having been inside his protector's mind, he knew firsthand how devastating such feelings could be. �It�s no one�s fault, Taylor-boy,� he offered in a vain attempt to assuage the teenager's guilt.
Seto, meanwhile, was stoking the fire with a poker, his own wet clothes forgotten as a blue-white fire grew in his mind. Viewing his actions from the vantage point of an outside observer, he eased the poker out of the flames and stood, facing Pegasus. �This is all your fault,� he accused in a darkened monotone. �You stopped us from getting Bakura out of this house last night. Now, your careless stupidity has inflicted the same fate upon your son that befell your wife." Not a single quiver passed through Seto's hand as he brandished his red-hot weapon. "Look at him, Pegasus. Look at him, and know as you go into the darkness that his pain will be forever on your head!"
Tristan struggled to shift Joey's body back onto the couch in time to stop Seto, but knew the futility of his effort before it began. Clutching Jou to his chest, he clenched his eyes shut; bad enough that the atrocity would happen without having to see it.
The sound of Croquet's gun was louder than the thunder to the heightened senses of the living room's occupants, and Seto dropped the poker, turning automatically to face Croquet. Vaguely, he realized that he had been shot, but as no sensory information was making it to the higher levels of his brain, he wasn�t even certain where the bullet had penetrated his body.
Though Croquet lowered his weapon as Seto dropped to his knees slowly, he maintained a defensive posture as he cleared the distance between himself and his master, checking Pegasus over for injuries. The memory of the poker, an inch from his lover's remaining eye, made him nauseous, and he rolled the makeshift weapon away vehemently, as though it might attempt to finish the job under its own power.
Tristan gave up on being gentle with Jou then, dumping his limp body to the floor while he watched the red stain bloom on Seto�s tan slacks, running down from his calf to his ankle. By then, everyone else had come running into the family room, their expressions ranging from frightened to bewildered.
�Big brother!� Mokuba cried out, kneeling beside Seto as the elder Kaiba slumped to the floor completely, barely retaining consciousness against the shock that threatened to overwhelm his conscious mind.
�Christopher Croquet! You shot our host!� Pegasus roared, his remaining eye brimming with gratitude despite his words. "What appalling manners!"
�It�s a flesh wound. He�ll live,� Croquet said dryly, fighting the urge to throw his arms around Max in relief. Such a display would only earn him another lecture, this one about propriety and corrupting young minds.
�You shot my brother! You shot my brother!� Mokuba screamed suddenly, launching himself at Croquet and pounding his fists into the man�s chest. Croquet bore the punches as though they were no more than feathery taps as he tried to decide whether he should tell the younger Kaiba that his brother had been seconds away from striking another human being blind. At least the boy's injury will heal.

�Joey! Oh, no! What happened?� Serenity shrieked, panic striking her with the force of an earthquake as she noticed her brother's prone form strewn across the floor. She ran to him, running her fingers over his cold, clammy skin until Tristan pulled her against his chest, letting her sob into his T-shirt.
"It looks like we jumped the gun thinking we'd gotten rid of the Ring," he said, ignoring the pain of Serenity's nails digging into his back.
Yami appeared at Yugi's side then, scowling angrily, and Yami Bakura grinned at the ancient pharaoh, deciding that his disguise was no longer necessary. He was so focused on Yami, however, that he didn�t see Tea coming until her fist connected solidly with his jaw, and ended up in a graceless heap on the floor as a result.
Unfortunately, that small action failed to sate Tea's anger, and she advanced on Yami instead. Being the brave, noble pharaoh that he was, the spirit of the Puzzle took a step back, placing Yugi between himself and their ticked-off girlfriend in the process.
�A lot of good it did sending him to the Shadow Realm, Yami!� she shouted before spinning on her heel and glaring down at Bakura. �Where's Ryou? What happened to Joey?� Her head snapped around, and her glare became focused on Croquet. "Why did you shoot Kaiba?�
�Since you�re so trigger happy, old man, why don�t you just take Bakura out?� Seto hissed at Croquet. He tried to rise, ignoring Mokuba's pleas for him to rest, and nearly bit clean through his tongue in the act of suppressing an agonized scream.
�No, Kaiba,� Yugi interjected, even as Croquet gladly trained his gun on Bakura. �We want Ryou back, so we can�t do anything to his body, and if Bakura's incapacitated, we won't be able to get Joey back." The diminutive boy sighed. �Besides, Bakura�s soul would only return to the Ring, and then we�d be worse off than we are now.�
Seto could have told his rival that Ryou�s body could be recreated in the same way that he planned to recreate Cecelia�s, but the last waves of pain kept him silent. In any case, that course of action would require too much explaining, and he didn�t feel much like getting into complicated discussions with a hole in his leg.
�Would somebody please help my brother?� Mokuba�s voice pierced the quiet blanket of pensiveness that had settled over the room, and with one last glance at his lover, Croquet got to his feet.
�I�ll go find a first-aid kit,� he murmured, ignoring Seto�s murderous glare as he re-holstered his gun and strode from the room.
~*~*~*~
The sudden appearance of Gina the Dark Magician Girl, along with her newest companion, startled Ryou out of the trance-like state into which he had lapsed since her departure. It took him a few moments to recognize Joey, but his melancholic aura dissipated as soon as he did. �Joey? I�m so glad to see you!� He gave his friend a warm hug, realizing only once they separated that the blond boy shouldn�t have been there at all. �What are you doing here, though?�
Joey gave his friend a lopsided grin, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair playfully. Now was not the time for horsing around. �Same way you did, I guess; one-way ticket on the Bakura Express.�
�Oh,� Ryou responded, and his shoulders slumped guiltily. �I�m so sorry, Joey. That yami of mine� First, he stole the Millennium Eye, then he sent me here so that I couldn�t interfere with his plans.� He paused, saddened by his admission. �I think Yugi is in a lot of danger; Bakura wants the Millennium Puzzle, and he�ll do anything to get it. Cecelia and Gina have been trying to help me at least get back to my soul room in the Ring, but I think Bakura has done something to block me out...� He trailed off, staring down at the ground beneath his feet. �If only I were stronger...�
�Hey, listen to me,� Joey said, tilting Ryou�s chin up until honey met chocolate. �Bakura is not your responsibility, and there is no reason for you to feel guilty because of what he�s done.� As he spoke, his memory flashed back to a similar conversation he�d had with his father just that morning, and he suddenly understood just what Pegasus had been getting at. It also reminded him that Ryou had been out of the loop for quite some time, and could probably use an update. �You should know... Cecelia is my biological mother.�
�I know. And that means�� Ryou hesitated, unsure whether he should be the one to break the next bit of news to Joey, in case the blond was not already aware of it.
�That Pegasus is my father?� Jou finished for him, and Ryou nodded with relief. Jou only smirked. �He�s not such a bad guy, really.� Craning his neck, he turned to look over his shoulder at Gina, who had disappeared inside the nearby pavilion upon their arrival. �Hey, do you know where my mother is?�
�Oh, of course, Joey. Forgive me; I should have known you would want to see her immediately,� Ryou apologized before leading him into the pavilion. As they walked, Ryou added, �She isn�t doing very well, Joey. Her soul itself seems to be� fading. I don�t know how to help her. I�m so useless.�
Gina's sweet soprano voice reached their ears as they entered. The Dark Magician Girl was sitting beside Cecelia, stroking her friend's long blonde tresses. After a moment, her voice began to fade, eventually stopping completely. �I've just cast a spell of protection over your mother, Joseph. Hopefully, it will buy her a little time.�
Joey nodded, spellbound by the sight of his mother's pitiable form as he knelt beside her. Translucent though she was, Jou knew that this was no dream, that she was really there, really dying. Tears pricked at his eyes; this was the mother he had always longed for. After waiting so long, he couldn�t lose her. Not when he had just found her.
Gina squeezed his shoulder, and Jou met her huge, sparkling eyes, �Thank you. Maybe I can help her, too.� Remembering the dream he had had the night before, he tilted Cecelia's head back, supporting her neck with his hand as he bent over her and covered her lips with his own. In a type of transfusion no medical journal had ever recorded, he breathed spiritual energy into her, and Cecelia gasped as her china-blue eyes fluttered open.
�H-how d-did you know to do that?� Ryou stammered, surprise overriding his ability to string together coherent sentences.
Joey scratched his head, grinning sheepishly, �I figured it out in a dream?� he offered with a shrug.
�Joseph?� Cecelia questioned, weak and uncertain. Stubbornly, she tried to push herself up onto her elbows, only to be eased back down by Gina.
"You must rest, Lady Pegasus," she whispered.
�Yeah, Mom, it�s me.� Joey smiled through bittersweet tears before hugging her as tightly as he dared.
Cecelia welcomed the embrace until she came to the same realization that Ryou had only a few minutes before, and made a feeble attempt to push her son away. �Oh, no! Joseph, you shouldn�t be here!�
�My yami did it,� Ryou sighed, and in an attempt to save Ryou from the scrutiny of the pavilion's other occupants, Jou began to explain the circumstances surrounding his arrival in the Shadow Realm himself.
~*~*~*~
Even as he ordered the sacrifices to begin, Shadi was already falling into the trance that would enable him to chant the ancient spells necessary to begin opening the gate. Outside of the circle of the stone tablets, those members of Shadi�s secret society not chosen as executioners chanted as well, their voices resounding in a powerful counter-rhythm to the invocations of their leader.
An ornate ceremonial blade slashed a mercifully quick and precise stroke through the throat of the first innocent, and Shadi felt the sensation of the blood splashing the carved stone as though the rock were his own flesh. Soon, he reminded his suddenly-impatient heart, the thought somehow evading the mental wall created by his trance. Soon, I shall be free, and the world will tremble.

~*~*~*~
Despite the fact that the pain in his leg had hardly abated since his first failed attempt at moving, Seto managed to crawl close enough to touch his lover's unconscious body. Even with the fire, dry clothes, and the blanket, the blond�s skin was still unnaturally cold, and Seto began to rub languid circles into Joey's chest and face, hoping to restore some of the boy's warmth and, at the same time, alleviate his own feeling of impending doom. As he was doing this, Croquet returned with the first aid kit, setting the white box down on a nearby table and removing a roll of gauze and a tube of disinfectant.
�If you come one step closer to me, old man," Seto promised, "I�ll shove the shards of your broken nose into your brain, and enjoy every second.�
�Don't be so stubborn, big brother!" Mokuba said, his voice practically a whine. "You need medical attention!"
�Which I wouldn�t need if that toy soldier hadn�t shot me in the first place!� Seto snapped, the burning sting of the wound as he turned to regard his brother making him beyond irritable.
�Which he wouldn't have been forced to do if you hadn't tried to blind Pegasus!� Tristan returned, defending Croquet.
�Stop it; this isn�t helping anyone!� Tea pleaded, shouting to be heard over the testosterone-driven males.
�He's not touching me," Seto snarled, his defiance a poor mask for his childishness. "Anyone else, but not him."
Croquet nodded briskly, setting the medical supplies down as he turned to Tristan and shrugged, "Be my guest."
�Fine.� Tristan snatched the gauze and disinfectant from Croquet before kneeling beside Seto, glowering at the billionaire as he went. "Don't expect me to be gentle," he warned before roughly ripping Seto�s pant leg up the seam.
Seto hissed through his teeth as pain shot up his leg, but Tristan was too angry to be empathic. As he worked, Serenity returned to cradling Jou�s head in her lap, tears streaming down her face as shocked tremors shook her entire frame. She had lost both of her parents in such a short time, and her brother's seemingly lifeless state resembled her mother's coma far too closely for her to avoid projecting the outcome of the latter onto the former.
Though he noticed his girlfriend's strife, Tristan realized that he had to take care of Seto before he could spare the necessary time to comfort her. �Could you get something to help me clean this with?� he asked Tea, and she nodded wordlessly as she moved over to the nearby bar.
In the background once again, Croquet silently slipped off his robe and handed it to his bare-chested master. Clad as he was in only a wife beater and green pajama pants, the fact that Chris was more than a toy soldier in a suit was obvious, and those occupants of the room that were otherwise unoccupied tore their eyes away from Tristan and Seto to stare for a moment, surprised that they had never noticed the extent of Croquet's musculature, even beneath his slightly baggy suits. Oblivious to their eyes, Chris casually shifted the Glock back into his hand, and trained his own grey pools on Bakura.
Pegasus acknowledged the proffered item of clothing with a faint nod before donning the garment, revelling in the musky scent of his beloved Christopher as it enveloped his senses. Forcing himself back into reality, he tied the sash quickly and went to kneel by Serenity, whispering a few tender words in her ear as he cradled her gently.
"He will be alright," he told her. "Joseph is a survivor, and an especially strong one at that."
Serenity nodded against him, clinging to him tightly, but said nothing.
Tea returned with a couple of fingertip towels and an ice bucket filled with lukewarm water, both of which she brought over to Tristan, who in turn went to work cleaning Seto�s wound. He was relieved to see that the bullet had passed through the muscle of Seto�s calf cleanly; though it must have hurt like Hell, no permanent damage had been done, and he told his 'patient' as much.
This knowledge was no comfort to Seto, though, who could do nothing but grit his teeth against the pain while Mokuba watched in obvious agitation. It suddenly occurred to Seto that the entire process would be far less nerve-wracking for both of them if Mokuba had something he could do to help out, and with a great effort, he managed to marshal enough strength to speak. �Kuba, Jou still has some painkillers left from when his hands were burned. Do you think you could get them from his toiletries bag?�
�Sure thing, big brother.� Mokuba couldn�t possibly have been happier with the opportunity to do something useful, and dashed up the stairs so quickly that Seto feared he might trip and fall right back down them.
Across the room, Bakura was doing his best to drown out Yami's voice while he enjoyed the spectacle of pain and misery. �You will return Joey and Ryou�s souls to their bodies!� Yami shouted for what felt like the fiftieth time, and the former tomb robber's eyes narrowed as they shifted to glare at his spiky-haired inquisitor.
�Or what, Pharaoh?" he snorted. "You�ll turn me into a pillar of salt? You can�t do anything to me; you don�t remember how!"
"Care to test that theory?" The Eye of Horus flashed across Yami's forehead as he extended his hand. "I can have you in the Shadow Realm before you can blink."
"And we all know how that worked out last time, don't we?" Evidently amused, the albino thief threw his head back in a sinister, chilling laugh.
Mokuba returned then, carrying a small brown bottle and a glass of water for his brother. Seto downed two capsules as Tristan finished bandaging his leg, and turned to his semi-unwilling medic. "Thank you," he said sincerely, and Tristan nearly fainted from shock.
~*~*~*~
The underground chamber in which Shadi stood was covered with crimson bloodstains, the same substance tinting his pristine white robes pink in several places. Shadi did not mind the mess, however; thanks to the twelve innocents who had unwillingly given their lives and their souls this day, the ritual sacrifice was nearly complete, and it would soon be over.
Though Shadi was relieved, however, he found nothing to celebrate in his success. His own existence sickened him, cursed as he was with the charge of merging the realms of Shadow and Light. His only comfort lay in the knowledge that the cessation of his own life would be brought about by his victory.
Emotionlessly, Shadi stepped through the opened gates of the Shadow Realm and focused the energies of the Millennium items with which he had been entrusted upon the Puzzle. He had promised little Yugi that their paths would cross again, and it was time to make good on his word.
~*~*~*~
As the outdoor thunderstorm blew itself out, another storm was beginning to brew inside the beach house. Tristan had reclaimed Serenity from Pegasus as soon as he had finished with Seto, holding her close while he did his best to rein in his temper. Tea and Yugi were sitting side by side on one end of the conversation pit; Yami stood over them, grimly considering the implications of their present situation.
Mokuba had curled up against Jou�s chest, comforted by the reassuring rhythm of the blond�s steady heartbeat as his own body heat warmed Jou�s chilled flesh. He hid the tears he didn�t dare let the others see for fear of being treated like a small, weak child. Perhaps that disdain of vulnerability was a trait he shared with his older brother.
Seto, for his part, was torn between his grief over Jou and a rage so terrible that he felt physically sickened by it. If he hadn�t been incapacitated by Croquet, both Pegasus and Bakura would be dead for the parts they had played in his lover's misfortune, and Seto didn't know whether he should be grateful or not towards the older man for stopping him. For the time being, he settled for brooding.
Finally, Yami shattered the silence with a confident certainty that no one else in the room possessed. �Yami Bakura, I challenge you to a duel. If you win, you will get my soul, my power, and the Millennium Puzzle. However, if you lose, you will forfeit both the Millennium Ring and the Eye, and you will return Joey and Ryou's souls to their bodies.�
Bakura was startled; the pharaoh was playing right into his hands, but how had Yami known he was responsible for the theft of the Millennium Eye? He covered up his moment's uncertainty with a dark laugh. �I accept your challenge, Pharaoh. Shall we return to the beach? Seems only fitting that we should fight to reclaim your friend's soul in the spot where it was stolen.� Seto snarled, and Bakura snickered.
Tea turned to face Yami, taking his hand in hers. �You can�t take this risk, gambling with their lives, not to mention your own. Just think about what it would do to Yugi if you�if you�� She couldn�t bring herself to say lose; she barely dared think it. "Think what it would do to me," she finished, interlacing her fingers with his.

�Then I guess we�ll just have to win this duel, won't we?� Yugi said, forcing himself to adopt a cavalier facade for her benefit.

�What do you mean �we�, aibou?� Yami asked sternly.

�We need to rejoin; it takes too much of your focus and energy to separate from me like this." Yugi reminded his soul partner. "Besides, we�re a team. We�ll do this together, if we do it at all.�
�We�re all a team,� Tea said, leaping up suddenly. Yugi's words had awoken the energetic cheerleader in her, and she locked her insecurities deep down inside herself, where they wouldn't interfere with her ability to support Yami. �Remember when you dueled Bakura on Duelist Kingdom? We should all put a card in your deck, so it will be like we�re all duelling.�

Yami nodded thoughtfully before rejoining his light. He would have preferred to have kept Yugi out of this, but he also knew that his charge was already involved in this affair. One more thing to worry about...

The others all thought Tea had a great idea. Decks and duel discs were retrieved, and Seto�s intensely pained gaze pierced Yugi�s heart as he handed over one of his Blue Eyes White Dragons.
�For Jou,� the dragon master said simply, and Yugi nodded once.
�For Jou,� he agreed respectfully, knowing just how much that small gesture had cost Seto.
�How disgustingly saccharine,� Bakura sneered, taunting the injured brunet. �The mighty Kaiba, brought low by a mere puppy.�
Tristan grabbed him by the shoulders then, spinning him around to glare into his eyes. �If you had a body of your own, I�d break your face,� he spat as he herded him from the family room, pausing only to hand Yugi his card.
�Nice,� Yugi grinned as he looked at the Dark Blade in his hand. At least they aren't all Tribute monsters...

�Please save my brother,� Serenity asked meekly, extending her St. Joan card to Yugi. �I know you can't play it without the other cards, but maybe it'll bring you good luck anyway."
�Thanks, Serenity. I'm sure it will,� Yugi said, slipping the card into his fast-growing pile. Serenity nodded before following Tristan out, and as Yugi watched her slow, broken steps, his determination to save Joey tripled. She could not lose her brother, not now, and certainly not in this way.
Tea kissed his cheek, recognizing his worry. �I�ll take care of her, Yugi, and Joey will be back to keep Tristan in line before we know it.� Her words drew a smile from Yugi, which she returned twofold before handing him two cards. �Dancing Fairy is for you, Yugi, and The Forgiving Maiden is for Yami. Good luck, guys." Her contribution made, she stepped aside, clearing the way for Pegasus to approach the diminutive duellist.
�I am well aware that you and your spiritual ally may need little enough aid to rescue my son, Yugi-boy. You are quite an extraordinary duellist; the only one to have ever defeated me. Still, please accept my humble offering.� He smiled, and Yugi looked down at the cards Pegasus held in his hand: Relinquished and Black Illusion Ritual.
Tears glistened in Yugi's eyes as the man�s sincere faith in him and Pegasus' grief over Joey overwhelmed him. �Joey�s my best friend. I promise you, we'll get him back. Together." As he took the cards from the older man, he clasped Pegasus' hand, and Pegasus' smile grew broader.
�I know you will, Yugi-boy.� Pegasus turned to follow the others out to the beach, his faithful shadow at his heels. As Croquet passed Yugi, he slowed just long enough to slip something into the fan of cards that Yugi already held, and Yugi smiled as he recognized the Trap card, A Hero Emerges.
�Shall we?� he said, slipping the cards into his duelling deck as he gallantly offered Tea his arm. She giggled as she took it, and he escorted her out of the house.
Mokuba seemed to have gone to sleep snuggled up against Jou, so Seto left them there undisturbed. Determinedly, he hobbled out behind the others, wincing at the pain in his leg. He made it to an empty chair just as Yami and Bakura squared off on the beach, and watched as their Duel Disks shifted into the 'ready' position.

He'll be alright, he told himself. Yugi will win, and he'll save Jou, and we'll go back to the way things were. No matter how many times he repeated these mental justifications, however, they were powerless to quell the hyperactive butterflies in his stomach.
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