To Lose the Light

D’Ceandre: Back again. Aren’t you happy?

Trouble: Should they be?

Demi: I’m happy.

Hime: Hush, Halfling.

Demi: Sorry, Hime.

Okay, a reply to my reviews.

First, I’m glad everyone’s enjoying this. I was a little sceptical of the idea at first, but it’s working out well.

Kat1132: The secret to frequent updates is simple. A complete lack of any kind of a life. Actually, most of my stories don’t come out near this quick. Muses are working overtime, I guess.

Hime: Not that we’re getting paid any more for it.

*Lady D’Ceandre gives her a can of tuna. Demi promptly decides to join her, but is quickly dissuaded.*

(Insert Disclaimer and key here)

******

“Aibou? Time to get up.” Yami stood in Yugi’s soul room, trying to awaken his partner. Yugi only rolled over and mumbled something incoherently. Yami sighed. It was nearly impossible to wake Yugi up if he didn’t want to be. His Grandfather was probably ecstatic that he didn’t have to do it anymore.

“Aibou. We have to meet Mako at the docks, remember?” He gave Yugi’s shoulder a shake. Yugi lashed out, slapping the hand away, then cuddled deeper under the blankets.

“Go way.” He said clearly, still sleeping. Yami gave up. The good thing about sharing one body was that he didn’t have to worry about Yugi getting up, he thought as he slipped into control. He went to the bathroom, then returned to frown at the closet.

Yugi’s taste in clothes was rather… odd, Yami thought, not for the first time. His fondness for tight dark clothes and buckles was a little frightening when one considered that he was supposed to be the lighter half. Yami himself preferred looser, lighter clothes, the type of clothes he had worn back in Egypt. But it kept his Aibou happy, and it was such a small matter.

The final outfit consisted of a black t-shirt tucked into black jeans, with a wide leather belt. There was the usual bondage collar, along with a pair of wristbands and buckled armlets. The armlets actually had snaps hidden under the buckles, so it was far easier to put them on then it appeared.

He attached his deck box onto the belt, and put his deck inside, then picked up a bag Yugi had left on a chair, wondering what was in it. He hadn’t been paying a whole lot of attention. Yugi had just pulled it out of a closet, took a peek inside, then had sat it on the chair, telling Yami to remind him to bring it along today. Yami left the house and headed toward the docks, making sure he said goodbye to Sugoroku on his way out.

******

Jounouchi was the first to notice Yami’s approach.

“Hey, Yu-Yami, buddy. What’s up?” The others turned to look. Honda, Anzu and Mako stood with Jounouchi in a small group, talking, while Ryou and Malik stood together off to the side. Ryou took one look at Yami, flushed, then wouldn’t meet his gaze. None of the others mentioned the fact that it was Yami in control. They were used to Yugi’s sleeping habits.

:I thought they weren’t coming.: Yami looked beside him, to find Yugi standing there, rubbing at sleepy eyes.

:Bakura’s got something planned.: Yami decided, as Mako led the group to his new boat, Seastar.

:Well, we’ll deal with it. Can I take over now?:

:No, it’s too dangerous.:

:I doubt he’d try anything in the middle of the day with everyone around.: Yugi pointed out, annoyed.

:It only takes a second. I wouldn’t be able to switch with you fast enough:

Yugi sighed and rolled his eyes, but decided not to press the point. He wandered off to frown at the minnows swimming around the dock. Yami watched him with a faint smile, wondering what he had done that had made the gods feel he was worthy of being Yugi’s protector. True, when he had first been awakened, he had thought his hikari a little, no, a lot, childish, but he had since realised that most of Yugi’s innocence was a stubborn refusal to acknowledge the harshness of the world. Yami was sure he wasn’t helping, with his attempts to protect Yugi from said troubles, but… He was just so cute as an innocent.

“Come on, Yami. We’re leaving now.” Jounouchi called.

:Little One, time to go.: Yami called as he pulled himself up. Yugi simply jumped the space, letting the puzzle pull him close. Of course, no one except Yami could see him, so his remarkable leap went unnoticed.

“Cast off.” Mako called. A man standing on the docks released the ropes that held the boat close, and Mako let it drift away from the dock before he started the engine and headed out to the open waters.

******

“Jou, stop that.” Anzu demanded as Jounouchi tried to balance on the railing. He lost his balance and fell into the waters below. Fortunately, Mako had turned the engine off, letting the boat drift.

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea.” Honda commented. Anzu pulled her shirt and shorts off, revealing a bright pink bikini.

“Just watch out for sharks.” Mako warned.

:Yami, you brought the bag, didn’t you?:

:Yes, Aibou. What is it?:

:My bathing suit.: He answered sweetly. Yami frowned at him, knowing Yugi had backed him into a corner. Yugi loved swimming; Yami didn’t know the first thing about staying afloat in the water.

:Yami, Bakura and Marik are Egyptian too. They probably can’t swim any better then you can.:

:All right. But if there’s any sign of trouble…: Yami reluctantly turned control over to Yugi, who quickly changed in the boat’s bathroom, and joined the others. Ryou and Bakura had also brought swimsuits, and they were soon all in the water, except for Mako, who had to keep an eye on the boat. Nobody saw the strange urn that floated along just above the water until it was amongst them. The lid lifted off the urn, and a light shot out, bending to focus on Yugi. He gasped, then suddenly his body went limp. A moment later it changed, and Yami struggled to stay afloat.

“Aibou!” He called, as the light retreated. It focused on Ryou, as Jounouchi rescued Yami, and repeated the process, Bakura appeared, fighting his own losing battle against the water. Then it targeted Malik. Marik, however, had learned to swim and had no trouble as Jounouchi and Honda lugged the two other Egyptians to the boat.

“What happened?” Mako asked. Anzu turned to look, but the strange urn had disappeared.

“He’s gone.” Yami groaned. “I tried… He’s gone.”

“Malik?” Marik looked surprised, but not overly worried, and Bakura looked happy.

“At last, no more sharing with that weakling.”

Yami glared at Bakura, and for a moment the sennen eye appeared on his forehead, but then it faded away.

“Aibou.” He said softly, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

******

Yugi groaned as he awoke, rubbing his head. He hadn’t felt like this since… Since the last time he had been beaten up, before he had solved the puzzle. For a moment, he stared into the darkness, trying to see something. He wasn’t used to such darkness; Yami always insisted on having a light of some type. The curtains on his windows hadn’t been closed since he had arrived, to allow the light from the streetlamp to shine in. And this wasn’t normal darkness. It felt like he was shut in a small room, that if he reached out… His hand brushed against something that moved, and he pulled back.

“Yami?” He called out into the darkness.

“He’s not here, Yugi.” Someone said.

“Ryou?” He asked.

“And Malik.” The boy answered.

“Bakura’s great plan failed.” Malik suddenly spoke up. “I warned Marik, but he ignored me like he always does.”

“The shade was targeting the Pharaoh.” Ryou continued. “Bakura didn’t know she was going to attack today.”

“She probably thought the yami were going to be in control, and planned to trap all three of them.”

“But why?” Yugi queried. Just then light surrounded them and Yugi covered his eyes with a groan.

“Well, let’s see what I caught.” A female voice said. The three were shaken about, then tumbled down a tube of some sort. Yugi felt sand shift underneath him as he landed. Blinking against the light, he looked around.

An Egyptian woman stood before them, dressed in an ancient-style outfit, complete with the accessories that marked her as royalty.

The woman stared at Yugi. “You’re not Atemu.”

“Who?” Yugi was even more confused then before.

“The Pharaoh.” She snapped, then stepped closer to Yugi. He stood, determined to face this new adversary. He was surprised when he realized she wasn’t all that much taller then he was. She had seemed bigger, somehow. “A look-alike?” She grabbed Yugi’s chin, moving his head to get a better view. Yugi jerked away.

“Reincarnation.” Ryou said. The woman turned her cold eyes on him.

“When I wish to hear your opinion, Boy, I will beat it out of you. Until such time, shut your mouth.” Bakura winced and fell silent.

“What do you want with Yami?” Yugi glared at the woman. “And where are we?” He was annoyed; one moment, he had been swimming happily, then he had been engulfed by a strange light, and now he was here.

“You are on Spirit Island, my home, and I wish for revenge. The Pharaoh cast me aside when I did not suit him, choosing a peasant over me. I am doomed to wander the Earth, until he releases me, but I am tired of waiting. I will have a new body, and you three will assist me. None of you are as strong as your…” She paused and glanced at Ryou. “Previous incarnations, but you are powerful enough.”

She lifted a hand before her. Yugi found his own hands rising, following the woman’s motion. Then his wrists began to glow, and silver wristbands appeared on them, tight and seamless. Yugi tugged on one. It didn’t move at all.

“It will not come off, and will not permit you to put even a single toe in the sea. And they keep your sprit intact, since you have no body.” Yugi looked down at himself, realizing he was somewhat transparent.

Ryou and Malik were given the same bands, and the same warnings, then the woman turned to walk away.

“Wait.” Yugi called. “What do we call you?”

“My name is Sagira.” She answered, then added. “You may call me Mistress.” Then she left the beach, fading away into the trees.

Yugi turned to look out at the sea, not sure what he was searching for.

“Yami.” He called softly, longing to hear the spirit’s voice, an ‘Aibou’ or ‘Little One’; even his name spoken in anger would have satisfied. But the world seemed unnaturally silent, as if he were the only living being left.

“Yugi? Don’t worry.” Yugi jumped, as Ryou put a hand on his shoulder. The silver band gleamed in the sunlight.
“They’ll find us.” Malik added. “Nothing can stop the Pharaoh when he’s determined to protect you.” They were right, Yugi thought, as he turned away, and allowed them to lead him toward the sheltering trees. Yami never let anything stand in his way, except for Yugi himself. But he still felt so alone.

******

D’Ceandre: Poor Yami and Yugi. I’m not a nice person.

Trouble: Nice is overrated.

D’Ceandre: Good point.

Lot of fun next time. Yami starts his hunt, and Yugi meets some new friends.

Oh, little inside joke. Sagira is, according to the name definition page I rely on, an Egyptian name meaning ‘Little One.’ This will come up again later.