Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Do You Dream of Me? ❯ Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

 

Second-to-last filler chapter! Then on to the Bakurae!

 

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Okay, this looks like a good card, Yugi thought even if he wasn't sure if Yami could hear him. It was a level five fire, that would make a strong dragon.

 

Five minutes of drawing and discarding later, Yugi gathered himself and announced, “Okay! I've collected two dragons!” He threw the two sets of three cards down on the table. “Summon dragons!”

 

The next turn, Imori flung his down as well. “I've also got two dragons! Summon dragons!”

 

The mists from the pot swirled around them.

 

“Ha! I have two water dragons, level 3 and 4! Your dragons are fire and metal! Bad move!”

 

Oh no! My dragon is level five, but it's a Huo Long-its element is fire! It can't win against water! And my other one's a Jin Long-a metal dragon! It makes the enemy water dragons even more powerful!

 

“Dragon Battle! Jiao long fu! Flood attack!” Imori cried out.

 

It was over quickly. “Two Shui Longs-two water dragons! My flood attack washed Yugi's dragons away!”

 

I… I lost… He'd gotten so used to winning all the time. But this was a fair game, and he had no experience up against someone who had studied hard to beat him. It was inevitable, really.

 

But no, he couldn't lose. Yami! He couldn't fail him!

 

Imori laughed victoriously. “You know what's next, Yugi! Penalty game! You have to give the dragons your soul!” One of Imori's dragons attacked Yugi, pulling out an orb of light! “Yes! Yes! The dragons are sucked into the soul-eating jar along with Yugi's soul!”

 

Yugi's body lay collapsed on the table.

 

“I did it! I beat Yugi!” Imori reached across the table to take the Millennium Puzzle, only to have his hand knocked away. “What?” Yugi was getting up. Only… this didn't look like Yugi.

 

“Imori! This time I will stake my other soul!” The bonds holding Yami back had dissolved when Yugi was taken.

 

He was being allowed to fight for himself? Why on earth… Yugi had lost him. But he wasn't going to turn down this chance.

 

He couldn't let Yugi's bright soul be devoured! But he had to win fast. He could feel everything grow colder, darker. He could feel the pull of the Puzzle, only faint now.

 

He could resist it for now, but he didn't know how long he could last out.

 

He had to focus on the game, no matter how much his soul was crying out for his light, his love…

 

Imori cursed inwardly. I was just about to become the new Guardian of Darkness, but I awakened the other Yugi! “I can't become the Guardian of Darkness unless I defeat you, the `back' Yugi. Okay! One more game!”

 

Everything was soon ready. “But… will I get my soul back even if I win?”

 

“Heh heh, are you worried? The soul of your front self is still sealed in the soul-eating jar but there's nothing to worry about. This jar takes three months to digest one soul. If by some extraordinary fluke you actually manage to win the next game, you'll get your spare soul back good as new.”

 

Spare? He thinks Yugi is a spare? Yami's eyes narrowed. Yugi was in so much danger because of this one. Like Kaiba, this one had tried to come between them.

 

“Game Start!” Imori cried. “Draw six cards from the pile!”

 

Soon, Imori was gloating. The discard pile had gotten big, and he'd kept track of what the other Yugi had discarded, so he knew what he was collecting. Level five metal and level four earth.

 

Imori's water dragon would beat the metal, and his wood would beat earth. This Yugi was doomed as well.

 

He would become the new Guardian of Darkness, and wherever he was his Grandfather would be proud of him.

 

Yami discarded a card.

 

Imori snatched it up. It was the last one he needed. “It's dangerous to discard high level cards near the end of the game!” He laid down his cards. A `Wood 5' and a `Water 5.'

 

Yami made a sound of displeasure. Because he summoned his dragons first, they get stronger with each turn it takes me to complete my set. He drew.

 

Yes! Yugi's soul must be influencing the dragons, that they were willing to aid him! “All right! My second set is done!”

 

“Summon dragons!” They both called.

 

“I've summoned a level five water dragon and a level five wood dragon! A Shui Long and a Mu Long!” Imori grinned.

 

“I've summoned a level four earth dragon and a level five metal dragon! A Tu Long and a Jin Long!”

 

“Dragon Battle! Jiao long fu!”

 

Imori laughed. “Yuig, I can't believe you were stupid enough to summon another metal dragon! Did you forget that in our last battle my water dragon drowned your metal dragon in an instant!” He ordered it to attack!

 

“You can't get me with the same trick twice, Imori! Earth dragon! Ground shatter!”

 

“Wha…”

 

“The earth dragon raises the ground and dams the flood attack to protect the metal dragon! Earth gives power to metal and metal is protected by earth! As long as the earth dragon is there, your water dragon's attacks won't work!” Like he was supposed to protect Yugi… Yugi had a quick mind, but he had been too worried by their separation to see the strategies of this game.

 

Yami had to keep Yugi's absence from distracting him. He had to get him back!

 

“Then my next move—“ Imori grinned.

 

“The wood dragon is getting bigger!” Imori revealed the water dragon was powering it up and ordered it to attack the earth dragon. The wood dragon's shoots rooted themselves in the earth dragon and sucked the power out of it.

 

Stopping it from preventing the water dragon from getting to the metal dragon!

 

Imori laughed. “It took the flood straight on! The metal dragon is dead, and now, Yugi, you are to—Huh?”

 

The metal dragon burst through the flood waters. “Feh… Still there. The metal dragon is still alive.” Imori rapidly figured out it was because his water dragon had given power to the wood dragon. But it was still working, the metal body was rusting.

 

“Metal dragon!” Yami called to it. “Give me the last of your power!”

 

“What? Impossible! It used its axe wings to take flight!”

 

“Go! Do it, metal dragon!”

 

The metal dragon sliced the wood dragon in two. Imori called another flood attack, but it was too late.

 

The metal dragon gave his live to save his comrade. Just like you… No! I will get you back, Yugi! “And now the earth dragon is back!”

 

“No, never.. G-Go! Water dragon!” Imori cried out. “Flood attack!”

 

“Ground shatter!”

 

The water dragon sank into the cracks. “No!” Imori pleaded.

 

Yami smiled. The earth element dams the flow of water and absorbs the negative energy.

 

I lost everything! Imori stood there openmouthed. How could he have failed? He was a master at this game. I'm not worthy to be the Guardian of Darkness…

 

“Imori! Here's your penalty game!” Yami pointed at him. “Normally I try to come up with something original, but now it's your turn to feed your soul to twenty-five ravenous dragons!”

 

An orb floated out of Imori and was sucked in by the jar.

 

A second later, a bright orb floated out. “Aha! The jar can only hold one soul at a time.” Yugi? Thank goodness I got you back!

 

Yami cradled Yugi's soul as it reentered his body.

 

When Yugi's soul room reappeared he flung himself into it. Yugi!

 

Yami! Yugi smiled and hugged him. I'm so glad you're all right!

 

I'm all right. What about you? Did those dragons harm you?

 

Yugi shook his head. Some of them protected me. I'm so sorry!

 

I'm the one who failed you. I should have been able to help you! And he wouldn't have come after you if it weren't for me and the Puzzle! Yami nuzzled his neck. Do you still… you don't have to keep me. I will understand.

 

I love you! Of course I'm keeping you! Why do you think I put my soul on the line? I'd do it again! Only better this time. I'm so sorry, I'll practice more, study more games!

 

Magic was no help here, it was a fair game. Yami looked out Yugi's eyes at Imori and sighed. He is a child and didn't think of the consequences.

 

Yugi nodded. I'm really angry at him! He tried to take you away, like Kaiba! But he's not warped like Kaiba… I don't want his soul to be eaten either, Yami!

 

I don't know what we can do, save find another person to play the cards with. Yami scooped up the jar and tied it again.

 

Can't it be the next shadow game? So we can save him? Yugi asked hopefully.

 

We could go and look for a criminal tomorrow night, Yami assured him.

 

Let's do that. Yugi was relieved. But why not tonight?

 

Yami hugged him.

 

Yugi's eyes widened. You're so weak!

 

It took magic to summon the dragons, and without you here the Puzzle tried to… I'm amazed it didn't take me back right away.

 

Well, the Puzzle was still complete, right? Maybe it's the completeness that counts and not me being there.

 

I don't want to find out. Yami squeezed him. It was so cold and I missed you so much. I had to focus on the game, that kept me sane. Otherwise… He squeezed his eyes closed. He wouldn't cry, that would make Yugi feel bad.

 

Yugi kissed his face and rubbed his back. I'm so sorry, Yami. I guess I'm still the same weak person after all. I failed you when you needed me. If he couldn't even beat Imori, how on earth was he supposed to fight the Puzzle? Or do whatever the Puzzle needed them for?

 

What if the Puzzle decided he was too weak and decided to take Yami back and wait for the next person to solve the Puzzle right now? He hugged Yami tighter.

 

You didn't fail me! If I hadn't seen you play I wouldn't have known what to do either. It really helped to see a game, Yugi. Yami nuzzled him. You did brilliantly for your first time playing. Even I almost made a fatal mistake. It's not your fault. Everyone loses sometimes. It's not a fair game if both don't have a fair chance of winning. He had the skill. You had the spirit, but a young spirit.

 

I'm still a kid. Maybe I should be in middle school. Yugi sighed. I'll do better next time, I swear it, Yami.

 

I'm sure you will. You've done better before. Yami kissed him on the forehead. Don't let this get to you. Everyone loses sometimes, even me, I'm sure.

 

You, lose? Yugi laughed. No way.

 

I'm sure I must have, when I was a child, at least. Just starting out learning games… and you are still a child, still learning. Everyone learns all their lives, Yugi. This was just something you hadn't learned yet. I don't think less of you for it. Though if he had still been calling him Master his faith would have been shattered. He'd wanted to believe so much back then he'd loved an ideal and not the real Yugi.

 

Yugi had been perceptive to see that. It hadn't been fair to Yugi.

 

Thank you, Yami. Yugi took a deep breath and regained control of his body. He moved a little, just to make sure everything still worked. It had been strange to be bodiless.

 

We had better go, Yami reminded him.

 

You're right. Yugi took the Dragon Cards game with him. As he walked out the door, he looked back at Imori.

 

He didn't know what to feel. Hate, anger, regret… Imori had made him fail Yami.

 

Still… “We'll get you back,” he whispered quietly and shut the door.

 

He would play this game again, and win.