Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Vacation Blues ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Authoresses ramblings...er, notes: ::falls to knees:: Please, please forgive me for taking so long to update anything. I have had no Internet access for nigh on er...(tries to count on fingers), sheesh, it's been so long that I can't remember the last time I did have access!!



Anyway. On another note, I re-wrote this chapter about four, going on five times...and that doesn't include the whole 'draft' stage of things. I'm not completely happy with it the way it stands, so expect some re-writing sometime in the distant...er, near future.



Thank you to everyone who took the time to review. I love you guys! ::cries happily:: I'm so glad that you people weren't disappointed by it's being a yaoi fic. Truly, truly grateful for the feedback as well.



[More rambling: Well, I decided to relieve a little frustration by attempting to write again. I'm counting the past few months among the worst of my life. Another reason for why I have been unable to update.



My two year old son had a fit one morning in bed. He was convulsing, shaking and jerking uncontrollably. I don't think I can describe the fear I felt when I held him in my arms and he stopped breathing. I was shouting, screaming, pleading with him to just breathe dammit...just breathe. The fit lasted over 40-45 minutes, during which time he stopped breathing another two times. He had to spend the night in the hospital, tests were done, and the doctors don't know what caused it.



So...as you can tell, writing well, just about anything, has been put to the back burner. Joshua, my son is back to normal now, although I don't let him out of the same room I'm in, and until things are sorted properly my writing/updates will be sporadic at best.



That said, I won't be stopping, since this is the best way I have to relax at all.]



Fic Notes: Yes I'm messing with the timeline...and the places...and the events. So what? It's called creative license. The boys, (Harry, Draco, Ron etc) are all fifteen and in fifth year. OotP has never, and will never occur. ::holds up banner 'Sirius 4ever':: Yes the boys are gay in this fic, no I don't intend to write any sex scenes. Violence yes, sex, no. Sorry to disappoint. Limey bits may occasionally pop up but NOTHING GRAPHIC. Got it? Heh...lucky you. *waggles brows*



Right, I have no idea where the Ministry Headquarters are located, and I don't want to waste writing time looking, (which is a moot point since I haven't got Internet access to use for research) so regarding any mistakes like that, if you have the correct information could you email me? (My partner is willing to access my email at his workplace and print them up. You probably won't get a reply for a while though.) I'll give you full credit for pointing me on the straight path. *snicker* (Yeah....when I manage to update! *snerk*)



Er...about some of the terms used. Yes I'm British, yes I'm guilty of actually using most of them, and yes, I am so glad I can use things like 'ducks', 'dearie' and 'luv' in a fic naturally. ::breathes out deep sigh of relief::



Japanese - English



Sou sa - I see



Hai - Yes



Teme - Bastard



Now, without further ado...the fic!



*WARNING* This chapter contains some Yugi-torture. There is also YAOI (otherwise known as SLASH) as well as some control issues. Nothing too extreme, but still very unpleasant for Yugi. Plenty of angst and emotional/physical/mental trauma. Everything works out in the end, but just be prepared for some bits that aren't all sunshine and roses. 'Kay?



--->>>*<<<---



Chapter Three



--->>>*<<<---



Arthur stood up shakily, brushing the moss off his knees in an automatic gesture which Abrams mirrored. Davis just seemed dumbstruck.



"Do. . .do you think it's safe?"



Arthur and Abrams exchanged identical wary glances before answering Davis. "Well. . .I don't believe he's in any shape to hurt us."



Arthur took a few steps forward before shrugging off his slightly singed black robe and wrapping it gently around the small youth's bare form. He nodded to Davis to carry the other, even smaller boy and stood back. It was then that he noticed the strange elf's disappearance.



"Where do you suppose she is?"



There was no need to elaborate as to whom she was.



Opening his mouth to ask a question, Abrams froze mid-breath when a sudden screech filled the air. A massive great black dragon swept into the clearing, landing in the exact same spot it took off from. Dorothy was sitting on his back, which thankfully passenger bare. Two dozen Aurors on broomsticks dove into the clearing, wands out and ready. They stopped abruptly at the scene in the center of the large, formerly green, area.



"What in Merlin's name happened here?" A tall man, obviously in the prime of his life stepped forward, walking confidently up to Arthur. He had a full head of brown hair, only a few strands of grey along his temples showing his age. Hard brown eyes, so dark they bordered on black took in the scene, his mind storing everything for later.



"Well?" He raised a brow.



The three surviving Aurors looked down at their burdens.



"Well..."



There was a small groan and Abrams glanced down at Landers who was groggily coming to.



"We'll talk later." The large man decided, waving to the others to relieve the battle-worn Aurors' burdens. Four fresh Aurors stepped forward. Two lifting Landers onto a floating stretcher, the other two each taking one of the boys. "Headquarters first I believe." The man said.



"And Fudge?" Arthur questioned. "Won't he be suspicious if we come in looking like this?" He waved a hand at their robes, grass stains, rips, tears and the odd singed spot making it clear what he meant.



The man snorted. "As if he'd recognise the results of a mission." He shook his head, a lick of dark brown hair falling over his forehead.



Arthur shrugged. "You never know..." He trailed off with a frown.



"Believe me, he still thinks you go into the muggle world to search for long forgotten wizarding artifacts."



"Still?" Arthur narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. "Very well, Headquarters would probably be best then. Thanks Adrian."



Adrian shrugged it off. "So, what's with the muggles?"



"Dorothy didn't tell you?"



"She didn't really have time, and we weren't really about to question her in the air, especially since that dragon wouldn't let us fly close."



"I see." Arthur looked around warily before turning his back on the busy scene behind him. He took a step closer to the larger Auror. "They're not muggles." He whispered quietly.



"What? Impossible. Are you sure?"



Arthur nodded emphatically. "You see that...er...mess, behind us?" Arthur motioned at the blackened, bloody earth.



"Yes." His eyes took on a stony scowl.



"Now see that kid there, the slightly longer one wrapped in my cloak?"



"Yes?" Adrian was getting slightly impatient.



"He did that."



"What!" The brown-haired Auror hissed.



"Shhh! Do you want everyone's attention?"



"How in Merlin's name did that...boy, manage that?" Adrian ground out, his eyes flicking over to glare at the two unconscious youths.



"I don't know." Arthur admitted.



"Are they a danger? Is it going to be safe to bring them in with us?" Adrian pressed.



Arthur nodded firmly. "I don't believe they're going to be a danger to us. That one especially," he pointed to the taller youth who was being checked over by a battle-seasoned medi-witch, "seemed to hate the Death-Eaters."



"Fine. They come with us. But I expect you to vouch for them. Merlin only knows how little we need more internal strife within the Ministry."



"Very well."



"Um...Mr Waring sir?"



Adrian turned at the hesitant voice. "Yes?"



"Are you and Mr Weasley ready to leave? We have the others ready to go."



Adrian raised a brow at Arthur. "Ready?"



"Yes."



--->>>*<& lt;<---



Ministry Headquarters,



London Wizarding Central,



May 23th, Thursday, 1998.



8:17 am.



The steady hubbub of background noise eventually eased the youth from unconsciousness into a much more natural sleep. It was the strange scattered bits of sentences which clued Yugi into the fact that he was not where he usually was when he woke up.



"...witch...told her..."



"Yes, but....wand wasn't..."



Yugi blinked to clear the sleep from his eyes when a face suddenly popped up in his field of vision. A startled squeak emerged before Yugi flushed bright red in embarrassment. The woman in front of him smiled.



"Hello ducks, you feeling okay?"



Yugi nodded blankly.



"Good, good. I'm Altha Nelwin," she said with a cheery smile, "I've been a medi-witch for near on sixty years, so don't hesitate to ask if you don't understand anything or if you're hurting. Okay?"



"Um..yeah, er yes." Yugi stuttered, feeling disoriented.



Altha peered at Yugi for a moment, clearly in two minds about something. Seemingly making up her mind, the medi-witch sat herself down on the side of Yugi's bed.



"Are you really a muggle?" She asked curiously.



"A...what?"



"Oh dear. You are, aren't you." She tutted a moment before bestowing a very pitying look on the boy. "How in Merlin's name do you muggles survive?" Altha shuddered slightly.



Yugi frowned. He didn't understand what the lady had said, but he certainly didn't like being pitied. "What's a muggle?" He asked, his voice lightly sharper than he'd intended.



"Why, a muggle is a non-magical person dearie."



"Then I'm not a muggle." Yugi said, crossing his arms defiantly above the white sheets. "I have magic. I can cast spells and I can summon. Not to mention a whole load of other stuff."



"So you are a wizard then?" Altha asked brightly.



"No."



"But you're not a muggle?"



"No."



"But..."



"Look...Miss Newin--"



"Nelwin." She corrected automatically.



"Fine, Miss Nelwin."



"Actually, it's Mrs. I've been happily married for over forty years."



Biting back a very rude word, Yugi took a deep breath before continuing. "Mrs Nelwin, I have had a very bad night. I have no idea where I am," He held up a hand to forestall any interruptions, "I would like to know where Yami, my friend, is and lastly where on Earth my Dragon is." Yugi paused to rub his forehead. "I have no idea what a muggle is, nor do I have any interest in finding out right now. I would however appreciate it if you could let me know what happened last night, or if you could at least point me to someone who was there."



Altha sighed loudly. "Fine, if that's what you want." She stood up, heading for the door. "Anything else dear?"



Yugi looked down, thinking for a moment. "Um...some clothes would be nice," he said with a light blush, only just realising he was dressed in what appeared to be a standard hospital gown. The slight draft across his back raising a slight blush on his face.



The medi-witch grinned before disappearing out of the open door. "I'll be back before you know it." she said with a wink.



Yugi groaned.



It was a very boring fifteen minute wait until the door opened and the red-haired man, Arthur, walked in. He seemed tired, as if he hadn't slept yet. A tall man walked in beside him. He had dark-ish oak brown hair with a faint scattering of grey on the sides above his ears and piercing brown eyes.



Arthur pulled another chair up to the one beside the bed and sat down, the other man studying Yugi intently before sitting down in the chair closest to him.



He stuck out his hand to Yugi. "Adrian Waring. Pleased to meet you." the man, Mr Waring said, his tone dark and foreboding. Arthur nudged him in the ribs and Mr Waring scowled slightly before offering Yugi a faint half-smile which looked more like a grimace.



"Um...pleased to meet you too. I'm Mutou Yugi." Yugi offered with a timid smile.



"Mr Yugi..."



"Anou...um, actually, Mutou is my family name. Just call me Yugi, please." Yugi gave Arthur a much warmer smile, his large violet eyes alight with good humor.



"Ah. I take it you're not from 'round here then?" Arthur asked.



"Nuh-uh. Yami and I are from Japan. We're...were on holiday."



Waring coughed politely and Arthur blinked. "Er, right. Um, Yugi, Adrian needs to ask you some questions." he said, returning to his professional mode.



Yugi's eyes narrowed a fraction, a new wariness entering them. "I see."



Adrian's sharp gaze caught the tension in Yugi's frame, although Arthur seemed to miss it.



"Would I be able to have Yami with me when you ask the questions?" Yugi continued.



Arthur met Adrian's glance. "Um, well..." Arthur shrugged. "That's kinda what we want to ask you about."



"Your...friend..." Adrian began, the decided emphasis on the word 'friend' showing Yugi that he believed them to be family rather than just friends, "is safe. However, due to some concerns voiced by my colleagues I'm afraid you won't be able to see him until we can determine that he's no threat to us."



Yugi's jaw clenched. Arthur seemed to finally pick up on the tension filling the room, suddenly clearing his throat and looking askance at Adrian. His friend was staring intently at the boy in the bed.



"Sou sa...So this is how you treat people who help you? Yami and I risked our lives to save your people." Violet darkened to indigo and hardened to stone. "What kind of person are you?"



"Be it as it may, the fact of the matter still stands. Your friend decimated over a dozen fully trained Death Eaters. The carnage was spread across thirty feet. Even the grass has died."



"What..." Yugi asked flatly, "are you talking about."



Arthur looked decidedly uncomfortable. He glanced between his friend and the boy before coming to a decision.



"Your fri -- er, I mean, Yami," he said, foregoing Adrian's constant use of the word 'friend', "cast a spell I've never heard of or seen before. He, the enemy, they, um..." he raised his shoulders helplessly, "There aren't any words for it. It was carnage."



"Ri~ght." Yugi said, "and he had so many other options left to him." he said sarcastically.



"I don't think you're taking this seriously, young man. What your friend did was horrific. Arthur?" Adrian motioned to the redhead male who handed over a small ball filled with a silvery liquid. Arthur handed it over a bit reluctantly.



"This is a derivative of a pensieve. A sort of spell which records memory." He held it up, beside Yugi's forehead, ignoring the glare sent his way from the boy. "May I?"



Yugi glanced towards Arthur who looked miserable, but not guilty. The spell in the ball was probably safe enough then. "Fine." he said. "Do it." His tone conveying his utter lack of trust.



Adrian muttered some words in that strange language again, sort of like English, but not. A greyish silver mist seeped out of the small globe, filing Yugi's eyes and ears. There was a bright white flash, and Yugi found himself back in the clearing he'd been in the night before. As the events unfolded Yugi watched with a knot of fear and worry in his belly.



"Oh Kami..." Yugi breathed as he saw himself fall and Yami's response. He bit back a cry as he saw the black flames envelop his love, seemingly burning him. His hands clenched unconsciously in the bedsheets, although he was no longer aware of them, and his lip started to bleed from his bite.



Then it happened.



Tears came to Yugi's eyes as he witnessed Yami's complete transformation. He recognised the look on his other's face. It wasn't pain, but rapture. He found himself holding his breath as Yami stared chanting, understanding only a few of the words. It was no spell Yami had ever shown him, which meant it was not something suitable for a pure Light being to know.



"Yami..." Yugi sobbed, unaware of the looks being given him from the two men in the room. Adrian had already watched the events, so he had a pretty good idea of where in the memory Yugi was. Arthur stared at the floor.



"My fault..." Yugi murmured. If I had been stronger, Yami would never have had to resort to pure Shadow Magic. Oh Yami. Please, please be alright. Please.



The memory ended soon after that, and the mist receded back inside the innocuous clear silver ball.



Yugi was already getting out of the bed, pulling the white sheet off the top cover to wrap around his chest, the ends trailing across the floor like a bridal train. "I have to see him." Yugi said frantically, pulling on every ounce of his strength to find the other half of his soul. Something blocked him. Only a faint feeling remained, somewhere to his right. But nothing clearer.



"You can see him when you've answered our questions." Adrian stood, staring intimidatingly down at the tiny youth before him, almost the size of a child compared to his own great height.



Eyes wide with panic, Yugi grasped the sheet and shook his head. "No...no...I have to go."



"Not until I have my answers!" Adrian roared. Arthur looked taken aback.



"It can't hurt...surely?" Arthur pressed, not liking the look of fright on the boy's face, a boy no older than his youngest son from the looks of things.



"I have to find him. You don't understand." Yugi fell to his knees on the floor, searching inside himself for the power he knew was buried there.



"You are staying here." Adrian snarled. "Arthur. Find the medi-witch, and send in two Havers and Winton."



"Adrian?"



"Now Arthur. I am still your superior."



Arthur stood his ground, shaking his head. "I can't do that. The boy is obviously frightened and ill. He saved my life last night, Adrian. I can't leave him."



"Arthur. You don't want to do this." Adrian growled warningly.



Arthur squared his chest, staring unflinchingly to meet Adrian's cold stare. "I cannot do anything else. My conscience will not rest if I do not stand up. You may be my friend Adrian, but you are going too far."



"HAVERS! WINTON!" Adrian suddenly bellowed. Two dark-haired Aurors came to the doorway, stepping inside the room and shutting the door behind them.



"Sir." Came two identical replies.



"Kindly escort Mr Weasley here back to his department. And keep him there." Adrian instructed.



Two nods. "Sir." They took an arm each and disappeared with a pop of displaced air.



"Right." Adrian said, staring at he unresponsive boy still on the floor. "This ends here. I will not have anyone hurt by someone who is obviously a dark wizard."



Yugi didn't respond.



"Are you even listening to me?" Adrian leant down, picking Yugi up, grasping his shoulders with an iron grip. Blank violet met brown as Yugi's head lolled to one side. Shaking the small boy like a rag doll, Adrian allowed his anger full rein. "I want to know what you are! Answer me!" He threw Yugi back to the floor in disgust, leaving him in a sprawled tangle of limbs.



Whipping out his wand, Adrian shot out a series of spells. The door was promptly locked and barred, a barrier spell activated on top of them. A barrier placed across the two high windows cut off every avenue of escape. A quick spell to prevent anyone hearing anything then one to repel visitors and Adrian was done.



His attention turned back to the boy on the floor.



--->>>*<<<---



Dark...



Cold...



Yu gi...where...where are you?



Help me...



Beloved light...help me...please...



--->>>*<<<---



Warmth...light...joy...



Y ami...answer me...



Please...My heart, my love...where are you...?



--->>>*<<<---
< br>

Adrian scanned the room for something to use. There were six beds lined up across one side of the wall, two cabinets at the far end on the right and a small treating area just to the left of him, including a square table and four chairs, all wood.



Yanking Yugi up by the sheet wrapped around his chest, Adrian dropped him forcefully down on one of the wooden chairs, muttering a binding spell aimed at Yugi's chest. The tri-coloured spikes pointed at the floor as Yugi's head rolled back at rest on the wooden edge behind his neck. His eyes still outwardly blank.



Becoming an Auror meant long arduous physical training, along with equally demanding mental work. Because of this, it wasn't hard for Adrian Waring to rifle the cupboards and put together a dangerous combination of potions and herbs designed to elicit a response to his questioning. And, if it was painful...well...he'd given the boy enough chances to answer.



Holding Yugi's head still, Adrian poured the mixture down Yugi's throat, closing his mouth and rubbing his throat to play on his body's natural response, which was to swallow. It took a few minutes to work, starting with small shudders and working up to five minutes of full out convulsions as the boy's body reacted and absorbed the potion cocktail.



--->>>*<<<---



Yugi was searching. He'd gone so far deep inside himself that he'd literally become his soul. His physical body no longer mattered, all that did was finding his beautiful love.



There! His mind screamed. Yugi darted after the feeling, finding a golden thread laced with the silver-white of his energy. It only took a thought to move, and Yugi felt himself being pulled towards the gold light.



<<Beloved...>>


< br> Yugi felt a weak pulse of energy. The gold light was encased inside a black lattice-type cage, thin tendrils trying to escape through the gaps. He sent an answering pulse.



<Yami? Love?>



<<Yugi? Oh please...Yugi...bright heart...>>



<What is this place Yami? Why can't I see you?>



There were a few moments of silence. Silver-white light enveloped the black cage, trying to merge with the trapped golden light.



<<I...I...don't know. I healed you...didn't I? After the battle?>> There was thinly disguised fear in Yami's mental voice.



Yugi sent a wave of reassurance to the other light. <Yes...you healed me.> He paused, before coming to a decision. <I saw what happened. With the black fire. I saw you merge.>



<<How? That's...but...you were unconscious.>>



<One of the men we saved last night showed me his memory. I'm impressed Love, not upset. I just...>



A sensation of relief and wry understanding filtered through to Yugi.



<<Worry?>>



< i><Yeah.>



<<I want to touch you.>> Yami's 'voice' sounded strained. The gold light pulsed, once, twice, each time it pressed against the black cage a blue electric-style light arced across the holes, forcing the gold back inside. <<I need to hold you.>>



<Hold on. I'm going to try and get you out.>>



<<Be careful. I am not losing you now.>>



Yugi smiled, or at least it felt as though he did. <<You're not losing me any time soon, my heart.>>



<<Forever?>>
< br>

<Forever.>



A fierce surge of fear warring with hope flashed across to Yugi. <<Do it.>>



Yugi nodded mentally, pulling in all of the loose sliver-white threads which were the essence of his soul. He bound them, wove them together tightly until they were absorbed into one great bright mass. He wrapped himself around the black cage and squeezed.



<Still okay?>



<<Y-yes. Just...just hurry.>> Pain bled through the words, bolstering Yugi's resolve. He fought against the electrifying barrier that Yami was sealed in. Yugi pushed only to be repelled, forcing his entire reserve of strength against Yami's cage.



A small crack appeared.



<<Yugi! Focus here!>>



<Hai!> Yugi aimed at the crack then...stopped.



<<Yugi? Bright heart? Love?>>



<Y-yami...Something...something' s wrong. I can't move.>



The gold light writhed, suddenly whipping against it's confines. <<Yugi. Listen to me. Can you tell me what you feel?>>



<C-cold. Hurts. Like...like m-my stomach is being t-turned inside out.> A sudden realisation hit him. <Yami! I'm being forced back into my body. I...I can't fight it. Yami! Help me!>



<<Sssh. Calm down.>> Yami projected a wave of calm reassurance towards his light half. <<Just go with it. I'm going to try and finish what you started.>>



<But...> There was a gasp, and Yugi felt it echo through his physical body. A sudden flood of nausea overwhelmed him as he was yanked back into his body and his connection to his yami severed. Yugi's head burned, and his muscles were trembling. Convulsions gripped him, and Yugi had no control as he rode the crash and crest of the agonising seizure. His head was held in place by two warm hands, large hands and a deep voice chuckled lowly.



"Glad to have you finally back, Mr Mutou." Adrian Waring smirked.



--->>>*<<<---


< br> "What? That's not possible!"



"I'm sorry Madame. But the youth we sedated and bespelled for his own safety and ours is breaking through the enchantments." The man, possibly in his late twenties, shrugged helplessly, wide blue eyes worried and unsure.



"Can you block his magic?"



The man shook his head. "No. He's not actually using any magic. I don't know what he is doing, but it's like nothing I've ever seen. The sheer intensity of the power...it's...it's not magic, but it's definitely something."



"I see."



"Ma'am?"



The woman turned to him, a long white braid gently swinging. Her face was smooth except for the crow's feet at the corners of her pale brown eyes. With her high-necked white top and long black skirt, she looked like she had just stepped out of a Victorian portrait.



Her lips quirked into a wry smile. "Yes, Jason?"



"I heard rumors, about last night." He looked up at her from his seat overlooking the spell panel which kept track of the strange youth. "Are they true? You were there, weren't you?"



"Yes. I was there." The woman also known as Dorothy Isaac answered. "And yes, most of the rumors are true."



Jason bit his lip nervously, bringing a warmer smile to Dorothy's face. He reminded her so much of her own son just then.



"Are we going to be safe?"



Dorothy sighed. "I really couldn't say. I've never come across anyone quite like those two boys. Who can say what will happen now."



"Then..."



"I wouldn't worry, Jason. From the little I saw of them last night, I suspect they are not evil, or Dark. Even if there was some sort of fiery battle after I left. I saw the remains of a circle of blackened earth, but I doubt even I know enough to be able to say."



"Yes ma'am."



"Keep me posted."



--->>>*<<<---


< br> "This is ridiculous!" Arthur Weasley was fuming. The two Specials Aurors who had taken back to his office on the other side of the building had quickly shot up two barrier spells, keeping all three of them trapped. Every time he so much as twitched he had two wands pointed at him.



"You two can't possibly think that Adrian is in the right. He's going to interrogate that poor boy!"



One of them shrugged, facing Arthur blandly. "Mr Waring is very dedicated, but he'd never cross the line."



Arthur narrowed his eyes. "And who draws that line?"



--->>>*<<<---



"I was just a green recruit when Grindelwald was defeated. That was fifty years ago. Now with He-who-must-not-be-named trying to take his place, the Wizarding world has become a shallow reflection of what it once was." Adrian smiled warmly down at Yugi, whose face was held in the palms of his hands. The seizures had finally ceased, leaving the hospital gown and sheet damp with sweat. The smile sent chills down Yugi's spine.



"Now, you would probably have denied all knowledge of the Dark Lord. But I know better. You and that other one are both tainted. You are too perfect to be human." He leaned in close enough for Yugi to feel his breath, hot and heavy on his cheek. "I want to know what you are. The medi-witch kindly allowed me to examine the clothes they removed from you when they treated you, and there was no trace of a wand. There were no lingering signs of magic and no indications that you were anything other than a muggle."



Adrian paused to tap his chin thoughtfully. "So I thought about it. How in Merlin's name could two boys turn the tide of battle? How could your friend, who looks like an almost exact duplicate of you be so vicious, so cruel, so utterly remorseless?"



Yugi tried to swallow, tried desperately to get his mouth to work. Every muscle in his body was aching and unresponding. His arms, head and legs felt like lead weights. He hated this feeling of helplessness, almost as much as he needed to find out what had happened to Yami. Thoughts of his personal safety were ignored, since there wasn't anything he could do. He'd used up all his energy helping Yami, then his body had given out thanks to whatever Adrian Waring had done while he was unaware.



Adrian flipped a chair around it, straddling it and folding his arms over the back to stare at Yugi. "I checked, you know, to see if you could possibly be some sort of golem, or familiar, or even a magical creature. Do you want to know what I found out?"



He took Yugi's silence as an answer. "Nothing. Nothing! And for some reason, even though I have had the reports from the mission last night, the facts show me that you used no magic during the battle. No magic. Yet you kept all the wounded under a very odd crystal dome, which even the spells from the Death Eaters couldn't break or shatter."



A shiver ran down Yugi's spine, a tremor of foreboding.



"So..." Adrian continued, "...what makes you so special?" His hands came up to gently peel the sheet out of Yugi's grip. The muscles having long since locked in curled positions. His fingers were carefully opened and his arms laid to dangle on either side. Something held him up against the back of the wooden chair, but for the life of him, Yugi couldn't tell what it was.



"Since the spells were inconclusive, I decided maybe a physical test would be more appropriate."



Yugi's eyes widened in horror and realisation of what Adrian had planned as the green and white hospital gown was slowly untied from the nape of his neck and peeled away. The tall Auror left it pooled in Yugi's lap, barely protecting his modesty. A dull red flush spread across the exposed white skin of his neck, down over the smooth and unmarred flesh of his chest and over the slight curve of his abdomen.



"Perfect." Adrian breathed. "Like a beautiful doll." His hand cupped Yugi's chin, raising his face to meet Adrian's rapt gaze. Violet eyes pleaded soundlessly with him for mercy. Trailing his hand over the gentle curves of Yugi's face, with it's creamy white skin highlighted by a delicate flush, Adrian sighed softly. His fingers explored the silky softness of his hair, running over the trembling muscles in his neck and chest before the man turned his attentions back to Yugi's face, tracing a finger along Yugi's slightly parted lips.



Yugi shuddered, tears coming unbidden to his eyes. He was by no means lacking intelligence, and the look in the man's eyes was not one he'd ever wish to see, unless it was Yami. It wasn't just lust. That he could deal with. He'd had to learn early on just what people thought of him when he reached puberty. All of a sudden he had become fair game, and even with Yami to take over and discourage people, things still got out of hand.



Yugi knew how he appeared to others, with his unbelievably large eyes that were a shade of indigo and violet that put gems to shame. His body, which he used to hate, had grown a few inches, only enough so that he still was the size of a twelve or fourteen year old, but still, it was perfectly proportioned. He was slim, delicate and, since completely bonding with Yami, had stopped aging. Forever frozen as a flawless human doll.



Lust was something Yugi could deal with, if not partially understand, but the other emotion...the fanatical gleam in Adrian Waring's eyes combined with the frightening lack of morals he was showing made Yugi a hell of a lot worse than uncomfortable.



Adrian stepped back for a moment, allowing Yugi to pull himself together mentally. "'Tempus'." The time lit up in the air beside his wand. 09:46 am. His smile grew. "Right on time." He whispered as Yugi suddenly gasped.



Where only moments before Yugi had found himself so drained he couldn't move his head, now a rush of adrenaline and energy suddenly swept through him, firing his veins with liquid heat. Yugi forced himself to lift his head. It was an effort, but the feeling of relief at being able to control himself again was worth it.



Until he saw the gleeful smirk on Adrian's face.



"While you were semi-conscious....gone...unaware...etc...I took the liberty of drugging you. My own recipe, although I must admit, this is the first time I've ever tried it. The first stage is the worst. Twelve minutes of seizures as your body absorbs and reacts to the more dangerous components. Alone they would cause fatigue, nausea, dizziness, disorientation leading to loss of muscle control, which you're probably glad didn't happen, eh?"



Adrian chuckled, although he didn't take his eyes of the boy before him. "Count yourself lucky you weren't aware for the first five minutes. You've had the nausea, the dizziness and disorientation, but you're also only going to feel weak, thanks to the seizures."



"There will also be a delay of blood to the brain, making it difficult for you to think, amongst other stuff. But that bit's over now." Adrian sat back on the stool, his eyes lit up as though he'd been given every present on every Christmas on one morning.



"Now though, you should be starting Stage-2. Random bursts of energy, hot and cold flushes, occasional muscle spasms as the blood starts flowing and constricted breathing." Adrian cocked his head to one side. "Don't worry, this bit only lasts for eight minutes, approximately. It's the third stage you want to look forward to."



Barely aware, Yugi tried to focus on the droning of Adrian's voice. His chest felt like it was in a vice, slowly being compacted from the inside and out.



Adrian leant forward, his nose almost touching Yugi's. "Stage-3," he whispered, mock secretly, "Is what I'm waiting for. You will be awake and aware, but you will feel compelled to answer every question as fully as you can. Well, every question I decide to ask you. You are only going to have to do so under some very harsh conditions though." he imparted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.



"An unfortunate side effect of Stage-3 is your nerves. Because of the previous two stages, your body isn't going to be able to cope very well with the demands placed on it. Your nerves are going to become ultra-sensitive. A soft touch will be ecstasy, a harsh one will be agony. Co-operate and you won't have to worry, be difficult..." he shrugged, "well. I think you'll want to leave that one undiscovered."



Everything tingled. Yugi bit his lip to prevent himself from gasping.



"So, are you going to co-operate?"



Yugi pulled his strength together enough to raise his eyes. He glared furiously at the brunette before him. "Teme. Bastard."



Adrian's eyes slitted. Stalking away from Yugi's bound form, he stopped at the table, sweeping the papers and quills, along with a few glass jars and bottles. They shattered on the floor in a spray of crystalline rain, coming to settle nestled amongst the heavier sheafs of parchment.



With a spell growled out, and his wand aimed at Yugi's chest, Adrian muttered the counter-spell to the binding spell keeping Yugi upright.



A cool draft of air drifted across Yugi's chest just as he found himself falling forward. With nothing to hold him in place, his weakened muscles just weren't up to the task of holding him upright.



Adrian caught him with one hand around Yugi's tiny waist, the hospital gown following the sheet to slide to the floor. The tall auror half flung, half dropped Yugi onto the table.



Everything hurt. From the moment his body touched the table, Yugi found himself suppressing a cry of pain. A sharp intake of breath escaped, and the world went alarmingly white for an instant. Had the table been a bed of needles, it probably would have hurt less. The first thing Yugi swore was to make sure that this man didn't win.



Nothing made sense. Yugi knew for a fact that he was guilty of nothing, although from the fanatical gleam he'd seen in the man's eyes, he didn't think he would be believed. There was no arguing with someone who thought they were right, and Adrian Waring reminded him uncomfortably of the people that had been sent after him and his friends during Battle City.



"'Mobilicorpus'." Adrian said, directing Yugi's limbs into position.



Screwing his eyes shut tight, Yugi tried to lose himself again. Serves me right for wanting to help people. He sighed inwardly. No. That's not fair. Those people last night...we couldn't have let them die.



...But I'm not about to give up to a madman!



--->>>*<<<---



<<Yugi?! Yugi! Bright heart! Please....answer me!>> Yami pushed against his cage desperately, trying to contact his light. When there was no answer he turned his attention towards the tiny hairline crack in the black lattice shield keeping him restrained. Somehow the barrier, which reminded him a bit of the 'Nightmare Cage', albeit without the spikes, and rather more tightly woven, was keeping him apart not only from Yugi, but the shadows of his realm. Without their power, the once Pharaoh had to resort to his own magic, his own power.



...His soul.



He had once told Yugi how much he felt strengthened simply by his light's presence. But that wasn't because Yugi had more power than him...indeed, how could he? If Light and Dark ever became unbalanced it would be the beginning of chaos, and the end of them both.



No. This was because of his own sense of self-worth. Yugi was pure, as befitted a being of pure Light, but the light could be just as harsh as the darkness. Yami was Yugi's self-appointed protector. The medium through which Yugi could be sheltered. If he himself were to vanish or fade into oblivion, than the world would simply lose one more Dark deity. But were Yugi to perish, or his light be extinguished, then the entire world would lose a beacon of hope.



And yet, Yugi never complained. During all his battles, not only those among his enemies, but with those he counted as he friends. Personal trials, public trials...the many, many public trials, some of which were televised, (much to Yami's everlasting chagrin) and the frequent choices that Yugi had to make which would have made a man twice his size and power quake. Yugi had just kept smiling, kept his head up and encouraged them all.



Even Kaiba had not turned out to be immune. Not to mention his old nemesis, now known as Bakura, Ryou's Dark other. Thanks to Yugi and Ryou's efforts, the Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber had a wary, but lasting truce.



And all this had happened before Yugi had found out how to harness his own power.



So now Yami had to rely on only himself. And it was just as hard as he thought it would be.



In a way it was silly, because Yugi had always seen his Dark half as being the strongest of the two. Yami's ever-present confidence and fiery determination during each and every one of their battles bolstered the smallest of the duo.



Yami would die before losing that respect, that smile of warm acceptance that Yugi always shone on him. If within Yami's arms was Yugi's haven, then holding his little love was Yami's heaven.



Gritting his metaphorical teeth, (it felt like he had a body, but didn't. Kinda like when he was a spirit, only now he was a ball of squiggly light), Yami forced his power to merge completely until no strand of golden light was left, only one immense pulsing gold orb.



Then Yami pushed.



It was a bit like taking a deep breath, then forcing your lungs to expand again without expelling any air. Very hard, and increasingly painful. The barrier started to vibrate as it tried to contain Yami's soul and withstand the attack on it's cage.



<<...FOR YUGI!!>> Yami screamed as he threw his entire being against the black shield, his battle cry echoing loudly within his head as he pulsed and grew, pressed and fought violently against his bonds.



The cage barrier shattered, each black shard twinkling out of existence.



Yami gasped, and it echoed throughout his physical body. Suddenly he was flooded by the senses kept from him before. He could smell the cool air, feel a slight breeze caress his cheek. There were muffled shouts and panicked yells, shuffling footsteps and barked commands.



Crimson eyes snapped open.



--->>>*<<<---



Tbc...



--->>>*<<<---


Since it took me so long to update, I figured I'd go all out and do a long...loooong chapter. If you read the notes at the top, thank you, and I'm really sorry I couldn't update. My partner had to put the new stuff in for me at work, (his work) but he didn't want to update for me and maybe accidently erase or mess up my account. *sigh* Ah well. He deserves a medal for being so patient with me. My writing speed has less than quartered, since, in the past five weeks I've completely lost any useful vision in my right eye.



Everything is disjointed, double-layered, so typing is a damn pain. I can see two keyboards inter-layered, and I'm also missing the entire center of my vision, so you can imagine how long this has taken to type.



Please, please read and review. Each review is like iced water to someone dying of dehydration in the desert. Like Magic to a Magician, like air to a bird...like....



*Clunk!!* ::birdies fly around head::



:muffled voice:: Would you shut up. You're giving me a headache.



Shi-koi: ::rubbing head:: Nani?!



::sees Hisoka glaring:: Eeeep!



Hisoka: ::glares some more:: You're boring them. ::points to other OpenOffice document open:: You've done their chapter. I want mine done.



Shi-koi: ::attempts to glare back:: Humph. You're just miffed that I spent all my free time 'researching' for this chapter. ::drools at piccys of Yugi and Yami::



Hisoka: ::pulls out gun:: Write.



Shi-koi: ::sticking tongue out:: I know that's the same gun from the manga. The one you pulled on Tsuzuki. So...it's only a toy --



*BANG!!*



Shi-koi: ::blink:: Ano... ::stares at smoking crater by her feet:: I'll just get typing then.....



Hisoka: *smirking*



(::points up:: When Hisoka isn't shooting me, you can find him with the other Yami no Matsuei stuff. *hint hint* For those not on my website, *wink* go have a lookee at some YnM stuff. *deep sigh* so many beautiful bishies... ::cuddles Tsuzuki.....and Watari...and Tatsumi..and Hisoka.....and Muraki....and Oriya.....:: *snerk*)