To Lose the Light

D’Ceandre: Here we go again.

Hime: Isn’t that a song?

D’Ceandre: No that’s ‘here you come again’.

Hime: I knew that. I was just testing you.

D’Ceandre: Right…

Hey, more reviews

Kat1123: I wanted to have one of them know, and Marik just won by random choice. *Shrugs*

RD: Well, that seems a bit extreme, but thanks for the encouragement.

Muffin: Trust me, sleep is overrated. I should know.

Oh, and if anyone should want it, my Yahoo ID is Khat_empress_of_the_universe, and I’m usually on.

******

Yami sat at Sugoroku’s kitchen table, staring mournfully into the cup of hot chocolate that sat in front of him. Yugi had loved hot chocolate. Well, really, he had loved anything chocolate. It made him hyper, though.

Fresh tears traced the lines previously made down his cheeks, at the thought. He couldn’t do this again. This time there were no clues to where his hikari could be.

“Hey, don’t worry. We’ll find him.” Jounouchi stated firmly. Yami tried to smile through his tears.

“Thanks Jou.” He said.

“You can’t give up, Yami.” Anzu encouraged.

“Hey, maybe Kaiba can help.” Honda suggested. Yami frowned. He always seemed to end up needing Kaiba’s help. It was disgraceful. But for Yugi, he would try anything. He nodded his agreement, and Anzu left to make the phone call. She returned a few minutes later.

“I got a hold of Mokuba. He said we can come over any time.”

Yami swirled the liquid in the cup, deciding that if… no, when, think positively, he got Yugi back, he would treat him to all the chocolate he could hold, and damn the consequences.

“Well, we might as well go now. Who knows what’s happening to poor Yug while we daddle.” Jounouchi said. Yami stood and drained the cup.

Yes, poor Yugi, he thought. Who was unlucky enough to get him as a protector. So far, he certainly wasn’t doing a very good job.

******

Yugi sat under the trees at the edge of the beach, just staring out across the water. He didn’t even blink when Ryou waved a hand in front of his face. He turned to Malik with a shrug.

“I certainly hope there’s nothing dangerous around here. He’d just sit there and let it eat him without even noticing.” Malik said with a snort.

“Well, that depends on what you consider to be dangerous, Sweetheart.” A tall redhead, dressed in a silver and blue bikini, with a flowered sarong tied round her hips, stood a few feet away. There were a few others behind her, but Ryou didn’t notice them. A flush slowly crept onto his cheeks.

“See, everyone on Spirit Island knows I’m dangerous, but I don’t think I’d eat him.” The girl had a slight Scottish accent. Her eyes were a soft green, but there was nothing gentle about them, any more then there was about the rest of her.

“Umm, Hi.” Ryou said, grinning foolishly. Malik took a glance at him and snorted, then returned his gaze to the girl. Like them, she was somewhat transparent.

“And who might you be?” He demanded.

“I am Aila. And you?”

“I’m Ryou. That’s Malik, and Yugi.” Ryou said, having overcome his infatuation, for the moment at least. Then Aila smiled at him, and he was lost again.

“THE Yugi, as in Duelist Extraordinaire?”

“The same.” Malik answered cautiously. The girl seemed shocked.

“I’ve heard so much about him.” She paused to look him over. “He doesn’t seem so impressive now. What’s wrong with him?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Well, you can tell it on our way to camp. Deo is probably out searching for new recruits as well.”

“And why should we trust you?”

“We have to trust someone, Malik. We can’t just stay here.” Ryou replied. Malik didn’t like it, but he was right. They had no food or water, and Yugi was in no condition to be traipsing about without a sure destination in mind. He glanced back at the Pharaoh’s hikari. Yugi had his arms wrapped around his knees, and was rocking back and forth, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“All right.” He went to pull Yugi to his feet. The boy jumped at the touch, then stared up at Malik, blinking. He stood with a nod and Malik led him over to the group. Ryou thought for a moment that he was feeling better, but Yugi just stood still when Malik stopped, staring at the ground.

Aila frowned at him a moment, then reached out and slapped him. All three of the newcomers stared at her in surprise.

“Snap out of it. I don’t know what your problem is, but we have no room for people who are just going to sit around and feel sorry for themselves. Some Champion Duelist.” She turned with a snort. Yugi actually showed some life, eyes narrowing in anger, then he sighed.

“You’re right. Yami wouldn’t be sitting around in a daze. He’d be out trying to find a way back.”

“Why exactly are we here, anyway? Sagira said she wanted revenge on the Pharaoh, but she wasn’t very specific.”

“Apparently, she wants to take over the body of some girl who she says wronged her in a past life. That’s why she’s been gathering powerful souls. The only problem is, she’s not sure where the girl’s reincarnation is yet. So she keeps searching, and along the way she has to gather new souls as the older ones fade away. These bracelets,” She gestured at her one wrist,” only slow down the dissipating. I think the longest lasting spirit was here five years.”

She seemed about to say more when a strange birdcall rang out. It was somewhat like a dove’s cry, but not quite. Aila looked up, then made a gesture. Immediately the group hurried into the shelter of the jungle. A tall Negro called to them.

“Hurry up, Deo’s coming.” He grabbed Yugi’s arm, pulling him after him. Ryou and Malik exchanged glances and followed.

******

“Kaiba!” Yami growled, glaring at the brunette. “If you’re not going to help, just say so.” The group stood in Kaiba’s living room. Kaiba crossed his arms and smirked at the irate Pharaoh.

“I’ll help. If I didn’t, Mokuba would have a fit. He seems to like you, for some odd reason.” He led the way to another room, where a large computer stood.

“It would help if we knew who was behind this.” Kaiba commented. “I’ll crosscheck the news reports.” The computer worked silently for a moment, then showed the results. There had been a number of unexplained comas in the last ten year, most of them in the countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.

“This kidnapper must be somewhere around there, then. Maybe one of the islands.” Kaiba said. He picked up a nearby phone.

“I’ll call in a few favours and have a search started for anything unusual. I can’t guarantee any results, though.”

“I’ll take any chance.” Yami said, wearing his usual scowl. Then he sighed, and the viciousness faded. “Thank you, Kaiba.”

Kaiba only snorted, busy on the phone, but as the others turned to leave, his expression softened, to one of concern. He wouldn’t admit it, but he had actually become used to having Yami and his little terror around. A few times lately, he had even thought of them as friends.

A voice said hello in English on the other end of the line. Kaiba turned his attention back to the phone call.

“Hi, Peter. Listen, I need a favour…”

******

D’Ceandre: And we have Kaiba, for the arrogance factor.

Hime: I like Kaiba.

D’Ceandre: *Hums innocently.* Well, birds of a feather.

Hime: Hey!

See ya next time.