Mind crush

Title: Mind
crush. 1/?

Author: Akuchan

Rating: NC17

Pairing (s):
SxJ, Priest Seto x Jounouchi; mentions of others

Beta: Daisey

Spoilers:
Mentions of things throughout the series

Disclaimer: I
never have and never will own Yugioh, nor do I make any money from this story
either.

Summary:style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial'> Jou manages to defeat Yami who, in a fit of anger, hits him
with a mind-crush and refuses to undo its effects. This leaves Seto as the only
one who can help him, but in order to do it, Seto has to acknowledge the
memories of his ancient past that have now fully returned and that he's
refusing to accept as real.

Author’s note: Plot bunny adopted from Storms, Memory acceptance bunny.  Though I have veered somewhat from the original concept, it was that wonderful bunny that spawned this story.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Jounouchi knew Yugi was bluffinglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>. Helang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> wasn’t quite sure ~how~ he knewlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> but it was almost as if a voice was screaming in his head,
“the face down card is nothing. It’s
a bluff;
the Red Eyes will win on its own… don’t worry about strengthening his attack
points, strike now”. He had had
inspiration out of the blue before;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> the support of his friends combined with the heart of the
cards had guided him through many difficult challenges, yes, but ~never~ had it
come in the guise of voices.  He didn’t
question the voice, or where it came from, though he should have; his friends
weren’t there to support him.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  This was just a friendly game with cardslang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>: lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>no duel decks, no holographic monsters,
and no life or death situations.  Just a
friendly game of cards…  lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“I play my Red Eyes in attack
mode.  Red eyes attack!” He waited for
the trap card that would save his friend to be turned over… and waited…style="mso-spacerun: yes">  The realization that helang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> hadlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> actually beatstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>enstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> his unbeatable friend took a few moments to sink in.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “I wonstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>! Hstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>oly shit; I beat you Yuglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>!style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> I can’t believe it.”  
The honey-eyed teen was in shock; he’d never beat his best friend Yugi,
ever.  Not at duel monsters, not at
~any~ game if the truth were to be told. 
The shock gave way to boastful euphoria and the teen was soon dancing a
conga of one around the dining room table, chanting, “I beat Yu_gi ye_ah, I
beat Ya_mi, ye_ah”.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi’s good-natured laughing at his
friend’s antics died abruptly.  “You
cheated.” 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“What?”  The accusation stopped the blond dead in his tracks.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You cheated, Jounouchi.” He repeated.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Whatstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> you can’t be serious, Yugi?  Yugi?”  He looked closely
at his friend, not believing what he
was hearing.  Nostyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> this was ~not~ Yugistyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> the subtle difference in height, the crimson tinged eyes
and the overall arrogance alerted him to the presence of the spirit.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You’ve got nerves of steel Jounouchi,
but you were waiting to strike.  You
thought my face down card was a trap and you didn’t think that you had enough
to beat me that turn. I ~know~ you wouldn’t have attacked then unless
you knew for sure that I was bluffing. 
You couldn’t have known without being told.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“By who?” Jounouchi asked
incredulously.  “There’s no one here but
the two of us… well three of us.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Yugi, ~you~style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>don’t really think I cheatedstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> do you?”  Soulful
brown eyes stared into the depths of his best friend’s amethyst eyes hoping to
get a read on what ~his~ thoughts were, not the Pharaoh’s opinion.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No Jounouchi, I know you didn’t
cheat.”  The body before him had morphed
back to its original state before control was wrested away from him once again.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You’re wrong Aibou, he did
cheat.”  He spoke out loud so Jounouchi
could hear him.  Turning his attention
to the blond he asked, “He helped youlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> didn’t he?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“He who?”  Bewildered, Jounouchi looked around the room searching for
whomever the Pharaoh was talking about,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>thinking that the spirit had finally flipped his lid.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>He nodded toward a glass case set atop
the credenza in which laid the Millennium rod. 
“~He~ helped you; I could feel the energy
coming from it.  He told you my card was
a bluff, didn’t he?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Ah, well… maybe.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  So maybe the voice he heard wasn’t his
imagination, but that wasn’t cheating, was it? 
Why would the spirit in the rod help him?  The Millennium rod was supposed to be in Kaiba’s possession;
after all, he was the chosen keeper
of it.  The best that he could
understand it, Kaiba wasn’t exactly the reincarnated soul of the ancient
priest, any more than Yugi was the Pharaoh, but each was connected through
their respective millennium items. 
Kaiba was the destined keeper of the rod, the one who could harness all
of its powers… if only he would accept
his role as guardian of the Millennium item. 
“Why would the spirit of the rod help me?”  He wondered out loud.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You admit you cheated then?”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Irrational anger blazed from crimson
eyes.  “No Aiboustyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> I will not calm down; he cheated to winlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>” the spirit snapped,
obviously in response to something Yugi had said.  “Jounouchi, I am severely
disappointed; in all the time that I
have known you, I would never have
thought you would have to resort to someone else spying on your opponents hand
to win.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Anger and bewilderment at the pharaoh’s
accusation spurred the blonde’s tongue into action before his brain could
censor it.  “I didn’t cheatlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> if the spirit helped me it’s no different than what you and
Yugi do all the time.  You can’t tell me
that you don’t help when he’s dueling, or that he doesn’t give you ideas when
you’re in control.  So if the priest
helping me is cheating, then you cheat all the time, Pharaoh.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  In the midst of his tirade, he poked
‘Yugi’s’ chest to emphasize his point. 
He realized the mistake of apparently attacking the host body and
pissing off the deranged spirit even more, just a second too late.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>The sennen eye materialized on the
forehead of the Pharaoh.   Recognizing
how dangerous and out of hand the situation was fast becominglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Jounouchi offered a hasty apology to his best friend.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “That’s not good enoughlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Jounouchi.  You are
sorry for hitting Yugi, but you do not apologize for cheating…”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“I didn’t cheat.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Terrified or not, it was impossible for
Jounouchi to stay quiet while his integrity was under attack.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“But you ~did~style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>cheat Jounouchi, and you ~know~style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>how I despise a man who cannot win by his own devices or who
cannot lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>admit to it when caught
red-handed.”   The pharaoh closed his
eyes lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>and focused all of his energy on the
blond.  The room resonated with the
tinkling sounds from glassware as they rattled and the windows as they shook
from the energy radiating from the angry spirit. Swirling dark shadows spun
around him and the spirit’s third eye began pulse.  Jounouchi’s “I didn’t cheat” died on his lips when golden rays of
light shot out from the eye, ensnaring the blond and rendering him immobile.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“The punishment for your deceptionlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Jounouchi: style="mso-spacerun: yes"> feel the wrath of your own Red Eyes against
you.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Jounouchi gazed around the room as if
seeing it for the first time. style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>He then turned around as if sensing
something behind him. Slowly he moved forward and then, without warning,
dropped to his knees and leaned down to look at something. lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> Suddenly his eyes widened in terror at the unseen vision and he
began to back away from whatever he had been looking at.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  His scream was bloodcurdling as he dove to
the left and began to roll this way and that, his
arms protecting his head. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>                      
*******************************************************

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi had managed to wrestle control
away from the spirit and was trying his best to calm his friend.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Every time he got close to Jounouchi the
blond would scream and cower away from him. 
Yami was laughing manically in his head.  Through his gales of laughter he managed to say that every time
Yugi approached the blond, he was seeing it as his red eyes attacking him.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You have to stop this now.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Yugi demanded out loud.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He was angrier at the spirit than he had
ever been, and he just ~had~ to vocalize his
displeasure.  “Yamilang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> you bring him back right nowstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> he did not cheat and even if he did, he does not deserve
what you are doing to him.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Nostyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Aibou, I will not release
him.  Seto helped him winlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> andlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> Seto can get him outlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> If only he could get out of
his prison. style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Bstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>ut he’s stuck there,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> so I guess Jounouchi is as well.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Yami, what are you talking about?style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Kaiba isn’t even herelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> how could he help Jounouchi cheat?”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Yugi was sure style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>that style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>the spirit had completely lost his mind.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Not Kaiba, Aibou.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Setostyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> ~Priest~ Seto
helped Jounouchi.  Don’t tell me you haven’t
noticed that whenever Jounouchi comes within ten feet of the Millennium Rodlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> it comes alive…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> that you can’t feel the yearning emanating from the priest
inside.  And don’t you find it odd, that
Jounouchi seems unusually drawn to it ever since Marik controlled his mind with
it?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“I ~have~ noticed it, but what does
~that~ have to do with anything?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>The pharaoh snorted, “lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Estyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>verything Aibou, everything.  For his own sake, if Kaiba ever decides to
admit to what he is and release the power locked inside, Jounouchi better not
be anywhere near; he’ll probably find
himself at the mercy of a very amorous spirit.”  He chuckled rather grimly, “style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Astyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>nd I doubt that
Kaiba will have the strength to fight the priest’s 3,000 year old lust for his
lost love.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“You mean Jounouchi and the priest… in
the past… they were lovers?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“I don’t know for sure Aiboulang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> I can’t remember. 
But, from the connection
between the two now, I would have to say yes.” 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Because Yugi’s attention was no longer
on Jounouchi, the blond had stopped screaming and thrashing about and was
curled up into a little ball against the credenza, staring warily at
Yugi.  Catching a glimpse of his best friend in such a pitiful situation
broke his heart and he pleaded once more with the spirit. "Just let him go
Yami."  

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>"No Aiboulang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Seto helped him cheat, Seto can get him out.  I
won't say so again."  The link connecting them slammed shut as the
spirit retreated to his soul room.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Exasperatedstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Yugi mumbled something about spoiled, unreasonable
spirits and how, when he figured out how
to do it, he was going to kick Yami’s ass. 
He leaned down to try to comfort Jounouchi andstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> as he did so, terror returned to his friend’s eyes.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Jounouchi screamed and rolled away from
Yugi. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>At that very moment a faint golden light
flowed from the Millennium rod and embraced Jounouchistyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> who stopped screaming and focused his gaze on something
above Yugi’s head.  Suddenly he raised
his arms to hug whatever he was looking atstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>and, as he nuzzled into it,
the tension that had marred his face miraculously disappeared.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  After a few moments of cuddling he loosened
his embrace, crawled under the credenza, curled up into a little ball, and fell
asleep. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi bent down and tried to brush his
hand across the sleeping boy’s forehead, but was unable to penetrate the field
of light protecting his friend.  He
tried a second time to no avail.  On the
third attempt the light glowed a little brighterstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> burning his hand. 
Yugi jumped back, his injured hand clutched to his chest.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “Ouchstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>! Wstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>hat’d you do that for?” 
He yelled at the Millennium Rod,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> since that was where the light protecting his friend
originated.  As he stood to go into the
kitchen to run his hand under cold waterstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> he glanced quickly over his shoulder to make surelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> thatlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> his friend was going to be all right
unattended.  style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Jounouchi style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>was sleeping peacefully, the golden glow of the Millennium
Rod acting as a blanket as well as a protective shield. Knowing lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>that lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>he could offer no comfort, and lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>finally realizing with a
heavy heart that it was he lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>that lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>the rod was protecting his friend from,
Yugi left to tend to his own injuries. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yami chose that moment to poke his head
out from his soul room.  “So I see Seto
is protecting Jounouchi. I warned youlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Aibou, that he sees you as an
attacking Red Eyes.  There is nothing
~you~ can do to help him; only Seto can help him
now.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>As he held his hand under the icy
water, Yugi gritted his teeth and counted to ten.  When counting did nothing to abate the fury, he let loose on Yami
like he never had before. “God damn it, fuck,
fuck, fuck.  Yami I’m not kiddinglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> stop this right now. 
It has gotten completely out of control and I can’t believe that you are
being such a spoiled brat about losing. 
We had nothing to back us up and the bluff failedlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> live with it and release Jounouchi now.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No Aibou, he cheated.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Yami was calm and unruffledlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> not at all affected by his lighter side’s tirade.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “He was going to wait a turnlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> andlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> build his defenses a bit more before
he attacked, I could tell.  But that
spirit was sneaking around looking at our handstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> and he told Jounouchi to attack when he did.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  By listening to Seto, Jounouchi cheated andlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> as such, he deserves what is
happening to him.” 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“He’s locked in the Millennium Rod, for
God’s sake; how in the hell can he
be sneaking around the room looking at our cards?”  Yugi fired back. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Aibou, since he is now closer to
Kaiba, he is becoming stronger.  As long
as Kaiba is near, Seto is aware of things that are happening in a close
proximity to the Millennium Rod.  And
yes Aibou, physically Kaiba is a few miles away across town, but spiritually
that distance is miniscule.  Kaiba’s
resistance to accepting all that he is, is the only thing that keeps the spirit
locked in the rod, and his power limited.” 
The link connecting the two slammed down as Yami again retreated to his
soul room.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Damn it.”  Yugi yelled in frustration and kicked the cupboard as he felt the
spirit close their link once again.  His
hand had stop hurting so he turned off the water, dried his hand and returned
to the dining room.  He lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>then lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>sat at the table a good distance away
from Jounouchi and thought about what to do. 
Obviously he had to get Kaiba involvedstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> Yami had made his position clear, and he wasn’t going to
help.  Yugi was deeply troubled by his
attitude but couldn’t take the time to worry about Yami’s unusual behavior at
the moment.  He rose from the seat lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>that lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>he had just sat down in and went back
to the kitchen to get the phone. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Standing in the doorway where he could
keep an eye on Jounouchi, he dialed the Kaiba mansion first.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  A butler answered the telephonelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>and, upon his inquiry to speak to Kaiba, Yugi was told that
Kaiba Sama was home, but had left strict instructions not to be disturbed by
anyone.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Wellstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> can you at least tell him that it is lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Mutoulang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> Yugi and I need his help with an
emergency?”  He asked.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He was told to wait for a moment while lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>the butler lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>spoke to his boss.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  A few minutes later the man returned with
his regrets “Kaiba Sama was very sorry
but he was extremely busy at the moment and could not take his call.lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>”style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi was sure that Kaiba had not been
so polite, and asked to speak to Mokuba.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“I’m sorrystyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,” the butler replied, “lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>but the young master is not at home at
the moment.”  He hung up before Yugi
could make any further requests.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi’s frustration was reaching a
fevered pitch and he drummed his fingers against the doorframe.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “What to do, what to dolang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>” Yugi said out loud to no one in particular.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  ‘Well if Kaiba won’t help, maybe Bakura
can.’  He thought to himselflang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>.style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>  Istyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>mmediately, he
dialed his friend’s number.  There was
no answer; of course there was no
answer…lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> it was Saturday nightlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>.style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> The spirit had probably
taken over Ryou’s body and gone out
clubbing. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>He came to the conclusion that he would
just have to show up on Kaiba’s doorstep with Jounouchi and the Millennium rod
and force him to help.  That posed a
problem though; he couldn’t get close enough to the blond to carry himlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>-style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> not that he could carry Jounouchi even if he couldlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>get close.  He’d have
to enlist some help. style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Istyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>mmediately, he
began to dial Otogi’s house.  He knew lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>that lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Otogi and Honda had planned to spend a
quiet evening at home by themselves.  As
the telephone rang, Yugi hoped that they
weren’t in the middle of something.  The
phone was picked up the second ring, and he took that as a good sign.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Yeahstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>” a breathless Honda
said.  ‘Well maybe not’ Yugi thought to
himself.  “This better be important.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Honda, it’s me Yugilang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> can you two get over here right awaylang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>?style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> I need your help with Jounouchi.”  Now that he finally had someone to lean on, he let loose the
panic he had been holding at bay.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Hey buddy, what’s wrong… mmm Togi,
stop… sorry Yug, go ahead.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi blushed and apologized to Honda
for interrupting them.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“It’s not a problem, Yug.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Now what’s wrong?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>In a flood, the events of the evening
poured out.  Yugi explained to Honda how
he needed to get Jounouchi to Kaiba’s but couldn’t do it on his ownlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> as well as the
reasons why.  He ended his torrent with,
“can you two come over with Otogi’s car?”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Yeahstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> sure bud; we’ll be right there.
“  Honda said before he hung up.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Yugi paced the dining room while
waiting for Honda and Otogi to arrive. 
He stopped in front of the Millennium Rod and started talking to it,
hoping that the spirit inside could hear him and would listen to him.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  “I have some friends coming over to help
take Jounouchi to Kaiba. I hope you let them near
him;
they won’t hurt him I promise.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  I just hope he can see them as friendlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>sstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> and not foes.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He sighed deeply andstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> if it weren’t for the fact that he was connected to a
spirit through the Millennium puzzle, he would have questioned his sanity lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>in lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>talking to an inanimate object as if it
could understand him… style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>estyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>ven more so when he took comfort in the fact that the
Millennium rod glowed in response to what he was saying.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

Within ten minutes Honda and Otogi had shown uplang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>; together lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>they had managed to get Jounouchilang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> who was cradling the Millennium rod in his arms, into the backseat of Otogi’s car.  The problem arose when Yugi climbed into the backseat beside Jou. 

                       ***************************************************************

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>A voice was calling to him, pulling him away from the blissful sleep he was in.  “Katebet, wake uplang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>.lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> It’s time to wake uplang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> you have to leave here now.” 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he gazed around at his surroundings.  He was lying on the hard ground of what appeared to be a cave.  Surprisingly he was quite warm, and his body felt as if it had been resting on the finest of mattresses instead of the cold stone floor of a cave.  He was confused lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>as to lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>where he was and how he style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>had gotlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>tenlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> there.  Slowly lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>the lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>events played back in his mindlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>; he recalledlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> how the Red eyes black dragon had attacked himlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>, and howlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> it was the blue eyes that had intervened and saved him from being incinerated by the ferocious beast.  Not just one Blue Eyes but all three of Seto’s dragons had been there.  They had arrived just as the Red Eyeslang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>’lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> attacks had increased in ferocity and Jounouchi was sure he was about to be burnt to a crisp.  Two of them had gone on the offensive against the lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Rlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>ed Eyes, and third had placed itself as a protective barrier between Jounouchi and the attacking dragon.  The same voice that had just told him to wake uplang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>had then spoken to him, as if carried on the wind.  lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>It had lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>told Jounouchi style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black'>to go with the dragons… that they would take him somewhere safe and protect him.  Without hesitation he had climbed onto the back of the one that was serving as a shield, nuzzllang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>inglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> his face into its neck while the beast carried him away from the fighting dragons.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>They had flownstyle='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black'> across the barren plain to the lonely mountain, the Red Eyes always in pursuitlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>.lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> Constantly it attemptlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>edlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> to get a clear shot at Jounouchilang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> only to be foiled by one of the two other dragons. lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Upon reaching the mountain, tlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>he one that was carrying him set him down on a ledgelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> in front of a cavelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> halfway up and motioned for Jounouchi to go in.  lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Then tlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>he voicestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> spoke to him again, lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>tellinglang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> him to go in and sleep and not to worry; the dragons would keep him safe.  He was surprised to find that he had done just thatlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>:lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> curled up against the wall of the cave andlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> despite the absolute terror he felt with the Red Eyes just outsidelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> fallen asleep.  

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>Now the voice was nagging at him to get a move on… “Alright already, I’m up… sheesh.  What’s the hurry anyway?”  If he thought it strange to be talking to voices lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>that weren’tlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> in his head but invisible nonetheless,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>he showed no outward sign of it.  The whole situation was strangelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>; lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>he remembered being terribly frightened and disoriented when he lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>had lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>first found himself here.  He had had no idea who he was or why he was there or why the beast was attacking him.  He assumed his name was Katebet-- that ~was~lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>what the voice had called himlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>—lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>but he had no way of knowing for sure.  He no longer felt afraid thoughlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> the dragons would take care of him, and whomever that voice belonged to, he was looking out for him as well.  That voicelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> though heavily accentedstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>, seemed rather familiar, but he couldn’t place where he had heard it before. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>“It’s time to leave, Katebet.  There are two guides waiting outside for you to bring you lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>to lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>my palacestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>; go with them now.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>“Palace? lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Clang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>ool… yeahlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> okay.”  He stood up, stretched out his back and thenlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> with his hand against the cave’s wall, felt his way to the entrance.  Outside waiting for him were a horned, red-hued ogre and well defined, muscular black catlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>…lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> the two guides style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>that had been style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black'>mentioned to him: Lava Battle lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Glang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>uard and Panther Warrior.  The Red Eyes still hoverlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>edlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> in the backgroundstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> always ready to attacklang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> but all three Blue Eyes had him surrounded.  Jounouchi wondered briefly why they didn’t just take him out and voiced his question out loud.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>“The Red Eyes is yours Katebetlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> you would be heartbroken if we killed it.  Both of you are under a spelllang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>:lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> one that mastyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>de the two ofstyle='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black'> you forget everything that you are, and it lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>is that which lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>makes him want to kill you.”  The voice answered.  

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>“Oh,” Jounouchi saidlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> feeling very lost and all alone.  “But I lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>didn’tlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> forget everythingstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>; I know those dragons belong to Seto.”  He was giddy with that one remembered tidbit.  Almost immediately his shoulders slumped in defeat as he realized he didn’t know who Seto was.  “Who’s Seto?”  

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>“I am, Katebet, love, and you’re correctlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> those are my dragons.  Go with Lava Battlelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> Glang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>uard and Panther Warriorstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>; they will bring you to my palacelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'>and then we can fix this.”  The voice soothed and then added, “Katebet, Panther Warrior is holding a scepter that belongs to melang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>.lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> I want you carry it.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Jounouchi
walked up to the panther lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>and,
without ceremony,style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> grabbed the
Millennium rod out of his hands and then held it tight to his chest.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  The panther snarled and hissed at the
blonde’s rudeness;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> the only thing
stopping him from retaliating was the Battlestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'> Guard’s restraining hand on his shoulder. The blond was
totally oblivious to the panther’s reaction as his attention was focused on the
red eyes.  He was so focused in factlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>, that the Battle Guardlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> had
to nudge him to start their progression down the narrow path of the
mountain.  As style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>Jounouchi walked he kept his eyes on the ebony dragon
behind him, slowing their progression considerably.  It wasn’t fear that had him preoccupiedstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>; the blue eyes still acted as an impenetrable barrier
between him and the other dragon and,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>
since he had taken the scepter,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> he
felt the protective embrace of Seto increase in strength tenfold.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  What ~was~ consuming Jounouchi’s thoughts
was the question why.  Why, if what Seto
said was true style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>and the Red
Eyes was his dragon, would it want to kill him?  Who hated him so much that they would throw such an evil curse at
him? 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Who
did this to me, Seto?” 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“It
was that stupid pharaoh;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> he
never was a good loser.  Spoiled
brat.”  The spirit of the priest spat.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Pharaoh?style="mso-spacerun: yes">  What’s a pharaoh?”  Jounouchi questioned.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“He’s
a spoiled, arrogant … oh it’s not important, Katebetstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>; get in the car.” 
They had come to the bottom of the mountain to find a longlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>, dark blue,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>
vintage Cadillac El Dstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>orado
convertible with the top down waiting for them.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>Jounouchi
looked at the car and then gazed out across the uninhabitable landscapelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>. “How’s ~that~ going to cross ~there~?”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He pointed to the hard, drylang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>, cracked ground,lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>
riddled with razor edge sharp stones.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“It
will be all right Katebet;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> get
in the car.”  The priest urged.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Na
uh.style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> I want to fly
on the dragon again.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“That’s
not possible this time.lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Katebet, get in the car.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  It’s not safestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>. Hstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>e’ll blow it uplang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>,” Jounouchi said as he pointed to the Red Eyes.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“Katebet,
the Blue eyes haven’t let him near you yetstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>; they won’t now.  Get
in the car so we can fix this.”  The
priest snapped, his patience wearing thin.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No,
I don’t…”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>The
Lava Battle Gstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>uard said
something to Jounouchi in a lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>gibberish
that he could not understand.  He opened
the car door and pushed the blond into the back seat, closing the door on him
before he could protest.  Helang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'> then walked around the car and hopped into
the front seat passenger side while the Panther revved the engine.style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He was pulling away when Jounouchi started lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>to scream and cowered against the door in the
back seat. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“He
got past!style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> Where are theylang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>? Wstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>hy is he here?”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He swung the millennium rod out and clipped
the red eyes black dragon on his right shoulder.  He tried to bash it over the head but it dodged the downward
swing and rolled onto the floor.  The
panther slammed on the brakes and the Llang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>ava lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>Battle Glang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>uard
reached over the back seat and tried to grab the scepter out of Jounouchi’s
hand. 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He pulled the rod tight against his
chest.  Leaning against the car door
Jounouchi kicked out with both legs, hitting the style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>Battle Glang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>uard
under the chin and the dragon in the knee. 
“Stay away;style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> both of you
stay away.  Seto they’re not here to
help me…style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> they’re here
with him, and it’s a trap.”  lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>Jou blindly swung the rod out again but
missed hitting the dragon, as he had flown out of the car and was hovering just
beyond it.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>The lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>Panther and the Blang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>attle
Gstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>uard both tried
to reassure Jounouchi, lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>but
their unintelligible babble and jerky movements appeared aggressive, serving
only to make him more agitated.  He was
about to bolt out of the car when the priest finally spoke up. style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “It’s ok lovestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>; it’s not a trap. 
See?style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>The dragon is gone.”

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“But
he got past your dragons Seto;lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>
where’d they go?  He didn’t kill them,
did he?”  Jounouchi strangled back a
sob; the thought that those magnificent beasts style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>may have died protecting him sat heavlang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>ily on his soul.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>“No,
Katebet, they’re not dead…lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>seelang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>? He just slipped past them for a moment.”style="mso-spacerun: yes">  The three white dragons had reappeared and
again stood between him and the Red Eyes. 
Visibly relieved to see his protectors again, Jounouchi settled down and
waited for his guides to resume their journey to Seto’s palace.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>The
two monsters spoke amongst themselves a bit longer and then the lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Arial;color:black'>Battle Glang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>uard
got out of the car and the Plang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>anther
pulled away.  Jounouchi kneeled on the
backseat and watched the Red Eyes Blang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>lack
Dstyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black'>ragon get
smaller and smaller the further away they got. 
Only when the dragon was but a spec of dust on the horizon did Jounouchi
turn around and flop down in the car seat. 
He rode the rest of the way to Seto’s palacestyle='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:black'>, staring unseeingly out of the
window as the landscape passed by in a blur.

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'> 

lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>End Chapter 1