Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Do You Dream of Me? ❯ Almost ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-gi-oh, Mai and Joey would be engaged after Battle City. And no fighting in the @#$% Doom Arc!

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Jou, Honda and Anzu had decided to go with Yugi to get ice cream and play the card game Magic and Wizards after school. Yugi had told them to wait for him because there was something he needed to get, but it had been a while and they were beginning to wonder where he was.

"I hope he hasn't bailed on us." Honda said, swinging his book bag.

"Honda!" Anzu said, putting her hands on her hips, "Yugi would never leave without telling us! Anyway, we're at the only exit to the school! He must still be inside looking for whatever it was."

"Yeah, man." Jou said, looking worried. "Maybe a teacher grabbed him, or…" He trailed off.

Honda and Anzu looked at each other. Just then, Yugi came running up.

"Guys!" He shouted excitedly.

"Hey Yugi. Where've you been, man?" Jou asked.

"It's so cool! Ya…" Yugi looked around. Although it was half an hour after school had let out, the place was still busy. People were coming in for club meetings. "Um… let's go get that ice cream and go to my place like we planned, and then I'll tell you, okay?"

"Okay." They looked at each other. Was something up with Yami?

The ice cream place was busy, and it seemed Yugi didn't want people to overhear whatever it was he wanted to tell them. He inhaled his ice cream, almost beating Jou, although to be fair Jou had gotten a much bigger sundae.

Normally when they went somewhere as a group, they had to wait up for him: he was shorter, so he walked slower. Now, he was practically running, so Jou had to laughingly call for him to wait up.

Jou, who was normally the leader, trailed behind, not wanting to walk too fast on a full stomach. And then he stopped. A figure walked out of the alleyway.

Jou balled up his fists. "Hirutani…"

"Katsuya. Long time no see."

"It's Jounouchi-san to you. And why are you here? This isn't your part of town."

By now, the rest of them had noticed that Jou wasn't following them. They walked back to where he was.

Honda's eyes widened when he recognized the guy Jou was talking to. `Hirutani…'

"Jou?" Yugi tugged on Jou's jacket. "Who is this?"

"None of your business, porcupine-head." Hirutani growled.

Yugi stepped back, shocked. He could feel Yami growling. `This person is not nice!'

"What do you want, jerk?" Jou looked… dangerous. Like he was ready to punch the guy's lights out if the guy moved an inch.

"I want you to join up again, be my second-in-command."

"No way in hell, Hirutani." Jou flashed him a look of contempt. "I got out and I'm staying out, and if you had an ounce of sense you'd do the same."

Hirutani laughed. "You're just like you used to be. Tell you what. Join up, and I won't have your little friends here put in the hospital."

Jou laughed, and after a second, Honda joined him. Anzu looked at Yugi, and then glanced away. Yugi was trying very hard not to giggle.

Hirutani blinked. "What's so funny? You don't think I'll do it? You know I mean what I say. What, you think you can take me?"

Jou laughed again. "I know you never go anywhere without backup, you coward." He yelled, "Come out, come out wherever you are!" A couple thugs came out of the alley.

Hirutani laughed. "Three on two, not good odds."

"Three on three." Jou looked to his side. Yami was standing next to him looking as relaxed as if he was at the beach. "And Mazaki-sama," he nodded to Anzu, "isn't as helpless as you would think. Or shall we make it one on three?"

Hirutani took a step back, and then shook himself. Wha… the kid had looked like a pushover! He had practically been skipping, for crying out loud! Now… he looked like he didn't know the meaning of fear. Or actually, that he knew the definition of fear was "Something that happens to people stupid enough to tick me off." The kid was practically smirking! But he didn't look like a kid anymore… "What do you mean?"

"You wish to acquire Jounouchi-sama's services as a member of a `gang,' correct?"

"Yeah… what's it to you?" Hirutani said defensively.

"And you threaten him with danger to his current `gang'?"

"That's about the size of it. He joins up or I have my guys kick your asses."

"What about if we kick your asses?"

"Huh?"

"If we demonstrate that we can handle any threat, you will leave us alone or suffer the consequences."

Hirutani laughed, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness. "How you going to defend yourselves? I got six guys under me."

"Ah. So we would have to demonstrate the ability to handle odds of greater than two on one. By, let's say, defeating three with one?"

"Huh?" Hirutani was lost at sea.

Yami sighed. "Let me rephrase. I will fight you and your allies here, now. If I win, you promise to leave Jounouchi-sama alone. Agreed?"

"Jounouchi-sama? Hey, Katsuya, I thought you said you were going to get out of gangs, not start your own." Hirutani laughed.

Yami's eyes narrowed. "Jounouchi-sama is not my `boss'. However, he is an ally of the one who is, and so I give him due respect. Well? Do you three accept my challenge, or do you prove yourselves cowards?"

Hirutani's flunkies looked at him. Hirutani smiled. "Agreed. Let's take it in this alley."

"Accepted." Yami turned. "Jounouchi-sama, Honda-sama, Mazaki-sama," he said, bowing, "Please wait one moment." He followed Hirutani into the alley, around a corner.

He came into a clearing and stopped. He put his hands on his hips, cocked his head to the side, and sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

He sensed his Master's worried question accompanied by a tug on his sleeve and sent reassurance. -Don't worry, my Master. This shall be easy.-

Six!

--Easy.-- He chuckled.

"Still laughing, punk? Well, this isn't all! Turn `em on, boys!" Hirutani and his gang took out… black `plastic' rectangles?

"See these? These are 200,000 volt stun guns, punk. We're going to fry your brains out."

"Weapons weren't part of the deal."

"So?"

"So if you get them, I get them. And we agreed on odds of three against one. So I get an ally."

"Don't even think of running back to Katsuya."

"Jounouchi-sama is one I would be proud to fight beside, but he is not the one I was considering summoning." Yami reached into his pocket and pulled out his Master's deck. The one he would most like to summon, his magician ally, was not in Master's deck, although according to Master's memories he resided in Motou-sama's deck. But fighting lightening with lightening was attractive…

"What the hell are you playing with cards for?! Never mind." Hirutani signaled to the rest. "Let's get him, guy…" What the hell was with the… smoke, it had to be smoke.

And that was a guy in a costume, that's it, who had jumped down off a building under cover of the smoke, that's it! Because it couldn't be a huge demon that had lightening crackling between his clawed hands…

Yami bowed to the Skull Demon he had summoned. "Thank you for your aid."

The Demon bowed in return as Yami dismissed him.

Yami checked the fallen enemies. He nodded. As he had requested, they would be unconscious for a significant time, but otherwise were unharmed. And his Master approved!

Two victories in one day, with a significant expenditure of magic in each. He hadn't touched the reserves he had been building up for emergencies, and still his Master had been awake enough to cheer him on, and respond to his actions!

He frowned. If he burned up all his reserves, he would be able to give his Master the conversation he wanted, but only for a limited time, and if danger struck… the problem with not taking permanent care of enemies was that one was in danger of them not heeding the warning and attacking again. He did not want to render himself incapable of defending his Master, but if his Master wished… he sent the query.

Yugi was excited at the prospect of finally talking to his wonderful guardian, but he also sensed Yami's fear of something happening to his beloved Master. He sleepily patted Yami on the head and let him know he was willing to wait. Yami purred.

Just then, Jou and the others ran into the open space between buildings the combat had taken place in. They skidded to a halt, eyes wide, at the sight of the six unconscious gang members.

"Whoa." Jou said. Hirutani was no pushover. He'd barely waited two minutes before rushing in when he heard a buzzing noise and then a thunderclap, and they were down and, "Are they okay?"

"Merely unconscious." Yami bowed. "Hopefully I put enough of a scare into them that they will not try anything, but don't worry, I have protective spells on all of you. Should they try anything and you are not able to handle it yourselves, you will have my assistance."

"Thanks, man." Jou said. He and Hirutani were about equal fighting, but if Hirutani jumped him with backup… and Honda was good, but not on their level. And Anzu…

Yami shook his head. "Thank my Master, not me. I did it on his behalf."

"Did he tell you to put spells on us, or was it your own idea?" Anzu asked.

Yami frowned. "He has not actually given me any commands as yet, save to tell him my name, which I was unfortunately unable to do." He sighed. "However, when I am able to stay awake without draining him or weakening my reserves to the point that I might not be able to handle an attack, which should be soon, I will do my best to fulfill his requests." He looked a little more cheerful at the prospect

"Still, thank you."

Yami cocked his head. "Why, Mazaki-sama?"

"You decided to protect us on your own. So thanks." Now if only she was sure that protective spells were the only ones he had put on them, but still… she didn't want to be all paranoid. He seemed really nice… "Wait a sec. Soon?"

"Oh no! Master wanted to tell you himself!" Yami looked very unhappy. "And I've stayed awake too long! Goodbye, Mazaki-sama, Jounouchi-sama, Honda-sama." He bowed rapidly. When he straightened up, the puzzle glowed, and Yugi stood before them.

"Isn't it great, guys?!" He said, hugging himself in his excitement. "That's what I wanted to tell you at school! Today, when Yami took over, I could see and understand everything that was going on! I couldn't really do in-depth thinking stuff, but I was so close to it! And Yami agrees! We're going to be able to talk soon, isn't it great!?" He twirled around, he was so excited.

They looked at him. His cheeks were flush with happiness and he was so hyper he was almost hyperventilating.

"Whoa there, Yugi. Calm down before you give yourself a heart attack." Jou held his hands out placatingly.

"Sorry." Yugi took a few deep breaths. Then he looked up, and he had the biggest smile they had ever seen on his face. "It's just so great! I'm going to have a friend! I mean, not that you guys aren't great friends, but I wished on the puzzle for a friend, and he's just so nice and he cares about me so much and he's so smart and and…"

"Whoa, buddy! Slow down!"

"Yeah!" Jou laughed. "You're just digging yourself in deeper, anyway."

"Uh… sorry. I really like you guys, it's just that… it was so horrible for him, and I… I just want him to be happy. And I want to thank him for protecting me and everything. And…" He scruffed his shoe on the ground. "He's sort of part of me, so he'll always be around… I just get so lonely sometimes. It's just me and Jii-chan, since my Mom is mostly not home, so…" He sighed. "Yeah. And I'm sure when you get to meet him for real, you'll be great friends too! Give him a chance, please? He knows you don't really trust him, which kinda made me mad, but he showed my why you might think that…"

Anzu stiffened. "Why would we think that?" Was there something bad about the spirit?

"Just that he's powerful, and you don't know him… but you'll get to know him, and then you'll like him!" Yugi was cheerful again. "Let's go to my place like we were planning. I want to show you the cool trick Yami can do!"

"What cool trick?" Honda asked as they walked along.

"He can summon the monsters for real! He summoned Kuriboh last night, it was so cute!" Yugi continued to babble happily about Magic and Wizards until everyone had to go home.

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Issues brought up:

No, this story is not going to be Y/Y/S. A. Yami wouldn't be able to handle Yugi loving another, and B. Seto deserves his own Yami. Seth/Seto eventually.

If you don't have the mental energy to think, you don't. At least in this story.

Mention of another energy source was made earlier. That will be used to form a body until Yami recovers sufficiently to do it on his own. But not for a while.

And Yami is going to have SERIOUS issues. The Master thing is a symptom/coping mechanism. Anyone notice the shifts between uber-serious and kitty-cat? It isn't just not being asleep or not!

Yami is very sweet to Yugi in the anime, when they DO interact.

It was the Shadow Realm, not Seto's imagination. However, just his spirit was there, not his real body.

HappyDragon: Yugi's light does `tranquilize' Yami. Yami had a problem telling the difference between reality and dream because he was mostly asleep anyway then, like normal. And the dream sensitivity… that will come up later. However, Yami does not dream in this. Dreams are a product of the brain, and Yami does not yet have a body. He sort of hijacked Yugi's dream accidently. That happening to Yami was as much Yugi's nightmare as Yami's. And yes, it is possible to affect the flow of time in a soulroom/the shadow realm, which came up last chapter, but it was not done on the occasion you mention.

Magic and Wizards is the card game name at the beginning of the manga. I don't know how it got changed to Duel Monsters, but I'm going to change it later to avoid confusion.