Chapter Text
Chapter 57
"Yami," I murmured as I watched him struggle against the whirlwind. I felt not only his pain but Yugi's beside me. "You need to defeat the darkness you saw when you played the Seal of Orichalcos?" I did not have the heart to tell him I had sensed it before this entire adventure. That was why I was initially afraid of him. But he had grown so much since then, learned a lot more beyond what the culture he grew up in was able to teach him.
"Yes," said Yami, his voice slightly weak from the effort to resist the darkness. "When I played that card, I unlocked the evil in my heart! Ever since then, I've been fighting the anger within me. And now, it's destroying me."
"But you stopped it..." Yugi said tentatively. "Didn't you?"
"Not quite," I muttered. He had become more focused and determined, but the darkness would still be there. It would always be there like it was for every person. He just had to learn how to not let it control him.
"No, Yugi!" said Yami. "Listen. Facing you in that duel was the first step, but there's a long way to go."
"He's right," I said. "I can still feel it."
Yugi cast me a worried look. "But he can overcome it, right?"
I nodded. "Of course. Everyone has good and evil inside them. What is important is which side a person chooses to listen to. Ah!" I cried out the same time Yami screamed, and I doubled over in pain.
"Samia!" Yugi cried. He reached out for me, but I moved away from his grasp.
"I'm not the one who needs you."
"Right." A determined look crossed Yugi's face, and he turned to Yami. "Pharaoh! Be strong! Focus on the good inside you! Think of your friends!"
Of course, Yami said mentally. As long as I'm filled with the light of friendship, Dartz can't win.
"Yes, your friends make you strong!" I said. "Love makes you better - both giving and receiving it. Focus on what they mean to you and what you mean to them. Here, I'll show you." I held my hand out to Yugi, and he smiled before taking it. Then I focused on my deep feelings for Yami. To that, I added Yugi's emotions, and then I managed to conjure up the feelings from all his other friends. I sent this all to Yami, hoping to give him strength and courage. I did not let up until I felt the darkness waning and the strength inside Yami surging.
"Thanks to my friends, I have enough light to banish the darkness!" he said at last. "So, with the power of everyone in my heart, I shall seal you away! Be gone!"
My face immediately brightened, and I felt hope blooming in my chest. Victory was just within reach. "That's it! You can do this!"
Dartz still felt just as confident. I flinched when lightning flashed and the sky grew dark. Everything suddenly appeared much more ominous. I resumed my efforts to give positive emotions to Yami. Dartz smirked wickedly. "Great Leviathan," he said, "vanquish the pharaoh's spirit for all eternity!"
"No! You're stronger than this, Yami! Good always triumphs over evil!"
"This looks bad," Yugi said, glancing at the sky nervously. He took a step closer to Yami and called out to him. "Get out while you still can!"
"You must trust me!" Yami shouted in return.
"I trust you!" I said.
"Thank you." Yami stood tall as the Great Leviathan roared swooped towards him, the whirlwind rising. Then I felt the strong pulse of his magic. I nearly let out a gasp, but I caught myself just in time. I closed my eyes, and I could feel magic thrumming through me. I focused on my bond with Yami, trying to give him more power to succeed. I felt everything building until, suddenly... it stopped.
When I opened my eyes, I saw the whirlwind had lifted from Yami and engulfed the Great Leviathan instead. I felt the beast's magic wane as it shrunk into the whirlwind and then disappeared in a speck of light. I let out a breath of relief, my shoulders drooping. Finally, the evil had been defeated.
"No! " Dartz cried in horror before collapsing to the ground.
"You did it," Yugi said excitedly. His eyes widened when Yami swayed on his feet. "Oh!" He ran over to him and caught him to steady him. "Hey! Are you all right?"
Yami smiled weakly at him, managing to stand upright. "I'm fine. The Great Leviathan is gone."
"Yeah. Thanks, pal. It's over now." Yugi gave his friend a quick hug before pulling away.
Thank the gods for that, Bakura said inside my head.
I'm glad you're alright, too, I said.
"And how are you, Samia?" Yami asked, turning to me.
I gave him a tired smile before approaching him for a hug as well. "I'm fine, thanks." The warmth of his arms enveloping me felt so good that I held on for a second too long.
"Huh?" Yugi said, breaking me out of my trance. I noticed him looking at the figure on the ground. "But what about Dartz?"
"He's alive," I murmured. "I can sense it." Suddenly, I felt a surge of magic, but it was positive this time. Light appeared in front of Dartz, and then Ironheart, Chris, and Sky appeared.
"Look," said Yugi. "It's Ironheart! And Chris!"
"They're helping him." I watched the two help Dartz to his feet. He was now conscious, and the evil presence I sensed from him earlier was gone.
"Father..." Chris said with tears in her eyes.
"Chris, it's you," Dartz said in astonishment.
"Dad, you're back!"
"At long last," said Ironheart. He looked over at Yami with a smile. "And you have the great pharaoh to thank. He drove out the evil force that controlled you."
"So, he was a victim just like those he controlled," I said thoughtfully. "I guess there really is hope for everyone."
Don't get any funny ideas, Bakura practically growled, and I smiled to myself.
"I knew it," Yami said to Dartz. "Deep down, you're a noble ruler, Dartz."
"And a great father!" Chris added brightly. "I've missed you so much, dad."
I smiled softly at the family. It warmed my heart to see them together like this. "I'm glad it all worked out."
Chris beamed at me. "Me too! Thanks for your part, Samia."
"You are welcome."
"Your work here is now complete," said Ironheart. "You may go in peace."
I felt magic once more, and I turned around to see a portal appear. "Oh, wow!"
"Great things await you. So, return now to your world by stepping through that portal."
"But what about you?" said Yugi. "Are you guys gonna be okay?
Ironheart smiled. "Yes, for the first time in centuries."
"I bet they'll be just fine," I said.
"All right, Yugi, Samia," said Yami. "Let's go back home." He put his arms around both Yugi and me and guided us forward.
Just as we were stepping through the portal, I heard Chris speak once more. "Hey, dad. We should go, too. After all this time, we have a lot of catching up to do."
"This is it," I said softly.
Onward, said Bakura. Back to our reality.
As soon as we stepped through the portal, everything went black.
"Huh? Oh!"
I woke up to the sound of Yugi's voice. I groaned as I sat up. I blinked open my eyes and saw the ocean before me. "What is this?"
"We're on some sort of beach," Yugi said.
Are both of you alright? Yami asked, appearing before us in spirit form.
"I'm fine."
"Me, too," I said, standing up.
"Any idea where we are?"
It seems we've washed up on shore, said Yami. But I wonder how. Someone must have guided us here.
Yugi looked around. "Hmm..."
I touched the Millennium Ring to bake sure it was still. Are you good? I asked Bakura.
Just peachy, Bakura mumbled.
"How's your friend?" Yugi asked with a slight smile, nodding at the Ring.
I looked at him in surprise. "As good as he usually is."
"He saved you. Back in the duel."
That seemed like ages ago now, but it probably hasn't even been a day. I had not had a chance to reflect on Bakura shielding me in the duel. "Yeah, he did."
Yugi smiled softly at me. "He really cares about you, doesn't he?" I heard Bakura scoff at that.
I smiled back at him, feeling warm inside. "Yeah, he does."
Just be careful, Yami warned. You still can't completely trust him.
"I know," I said.
I looked up when an aurora appeared in the sky above us. Then some Duel Monsters appeared. "Hey, look!" said Yugi. "It's Dark Magician Girl! And she's brought with her the Legendary Knights."
Dark Magician Girl floated down to us, a warm smile on her face. "We are forever in your debt," she said. "Not only have you rescued your own world, but you've saved the creatures of our world as well. Thanks to your fearlessness, the Dominion of the Beasts can once again flourish just as it did so many years ago. And by breaking the evil spell that imprisoned the Legendary Knights, they can continue to protect our land."
"I'm just glad we could help."
"Thank you to all three of you!" said Timaeus. "You fought bravely."
"Farewell!" said Hermos. "You three will never be forgotten."
"For as long as we reign," added Critius.
"Well, we couldn't have done it without you!" said Yami. "In the face of ultimate darkness, your courageousness sparked a light so incredibly strong it will burn for all eternity."
The Knights nodded at each other and then flew off into the aurora. Dark Magician Girl smiled at us again. "Thank you! We shall meet again! The time may come that we need each other again. If so, you know where I'll be. Right there in your deck!" She turned and flew after the Knights.
"Well, I guess you guys did it," I said once the monsters were gone.
"We did it," said Yugi.
I gave him a soft smile. "Okay. We did it. I'm glad their world is safe."
"Me too." A whirling noise caught our attention. Yugi looked up at the sky with a gasp. "Pharaoh, Samia! Over there! They made it out!"
I looked up to see a Kaiba Corp helicopter flying towards us, and all of our friends were peaking out of the windows. "Wow!"
You're right, said Yami.
The helicopter landed on the island near us, and I shielded my eyes from the flying sand with my arm. Once the noise stopped, I saw our friends running towards us.
"Yugi!" Tea said happily. "Samia! Ha ha ha! I knew we'd find you."
"Hey, guys!" said Tristan.
Joey nearly knocked Yugi over as he hugged him. "I'm never letting this spiky head of yours out of my sight!"
"I'm glad you're all alright," I said with a small smile.
"Same here," said Tea. She glanced at Yugi once Joey finally let him go. "Is it really all over?" I felt relief mixed with a hint of worry coming from her.
"Yup," Yugi said with confidence. "We're safe now."
"Everything is as it should be," I added.
"Hey, Yugi!" Mokuba shouted from the door of the helicopter, waving at him.
"Let's hit the high road, folks!" Joey said, running towards the helicopter. "I'm sure there's someone else trying to take over the world back home!"
"I hope we get to rest first," I muttered as the rest of us started to follow.
"You know, the scary thing is, he's probably right," Tristan commented to Tea.
"Huh?" Yugi said, pausing on the beach.
Tea looked back at him. "Yugi, is something wrong?"
"I'll be right there, Tea."
"Me too," I said. I spotted Yami standing with a pensive look and thought he might have something to say, so I jogged back to Yugi. I stopped beside him and glanced at Yami. "Is something wrong?" His emotions were a bit hard to decipher at the moment.
I'm fine, Yami said, staring out at the sea. Just give me a minute.
"Oh, alright." I watched Yugi walk a few meters away, a thoughtful look on his face. I instantly followed him. "What about you? Something on your mind?"
Yugi hesitated before nodding. "Yes, actually. I was just thinking... We may have stopped Dartz, but the pharaoh's not done yet. Now he has to pick up where he left off before all this craziness started 'cause the biggest adventure of all is still ahead. And it won't be over until the pharaoh unlocks the secrets of his past. He needs to learn who he really is and why he was sent back here. Maybe then his spirit will finally be able to rest."
I felt a wave of sadness at the thought of being at rest. Then I felt guilty for feeling that way. I should want him to be at peace, right? But that meant he would have to leave... "I guess so."
Yugi frowned as he looked at me. "What's wrong, Samia?"
I could not shake off the lingering sadness, so I decide to be honest. "I just... I don't want to see him go."
Yugi gave me a sympathetic look. "I don't want to see him go either, but if that's what's best for him, then we've got to let him."
"But what if it's not? What if he wants to stay?"
Yugi tilted his head to the side. "If destiny allows it... then that would be wonderful."
A small smile curled around my lips. "Yeah, I agree."
"Well, no matter what happens, one thing's for sure... whatever he finds out there... and whatever he needs to face... he won't have to do it alone."
I nodded. "Right. We will be there to help him."
Sorry to keep you waiting, Yami said as he walked up to us.
"No problem," said Yugi. "Are you ready to go?"
Yes. Just after I say something to you two.
I looked at him curiously. His emotions were calm, but I did feel a hint of gratitude. "Was is it?"
Thank you for all of your help these past few days...for helping me find myself. I don't know what I'd do without you both.
Yugi smiled. "No problem. That's what friends are for."
Yami nodded. Indeed. I know I will be just fine as long as I have friends like you two. He paused before glancing at me. And thank you for showing me that it's alright to recognize the darkness inside you and that it's never too late to choose the light. I'll keep that in mind... in regards to myself and others.
I smiled warmly at him, glad he finally understood the truth. "You're welcome. I'll always remind you if you ever forget." The happiness I felt from him warmed my heart.
"Me too," said Yugi. "Now, let's go home. We all deserve some rest."
"Yes, home." Although, if Yami was there, anywhere felt like home to me.
We did not return home. The decision was quite reasonable, actually. We were all too tired to book flights and head back to Japan right away. Instead, we spent the night with Professor Hawkins in his trailer. I slept for a long time, as did everyone else. By the time I got up and made myself ready for the day, it was near noon.
"Samia," Yami said in relief once I left the bathroom, "there you are."
I stared at him, surprised that he was in charge instead of Yugi. The danger was over, and that usually meant he receded into the Millennium Puzzle. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine. Do you mind coming with me?"
He was uncharacteristically nervous, which made me even more confused. I glanced down to see he was holding a... picnic basket? What was going on? "Sure."
Yami smiled in relief. "Come on." I followed him outside to the meadow, and we began to walk alongside the lake.
"So, where is Yugi?"
"He agreed to give us some privacy. I would like to talk to you alone." Yami's gaze flickered to the Millennium Ring around my neck.
Fine, I'm leaving, Bakura said as soon as I turned my attention on him. I felt his presence fade into the Ring.
"Alright, we're alone," I said.
Yami nodded. "Good." He continued to walk until we reached a large clearing, and then he headed for a large oak tree. He pulled a blanket out of the basket and set it in the grass. Then he sat down on the edge of the blanket and motioned for me to do the same.
Feeling bewildered, I sat across from him. "So, are we really having a picnic?"
"Yes." I felt a hint of anxiety from our bond. "Is that alright?"
I gave him a reassuring smile. "It's more than alright. It sounds like a lovely idea. It's just not something I expected you to want to do."
Yami smiled weakly in return. "It was Rebecca's idea. She wanted to go on a picnic with Yugi, but Yugi suggested I take you on one instead. He wants us to spend more time together when we aren't trying to save the world."
"And maybe he wanted to get out of going on a 'date' with Rebecca." I did believe Yugi genuinely wanted Yami and me to hang out, though. He was very supportive of us, and the thought warmed my heart.
Yami chuckled softly. "Yes, exactly." He motioned towards the picnic basket. "Well, shall we?"
I suddenly realized I was very hungry. "Yes, let's eat!"
So, we spent the next hour enjoying a picnic of tuna sandwiches, salads, and brownies. The food was quite good, and the company was even better. Yami's nervousness quickly faded as we got into a conversation about anything and everything. The topics were light, but it was a nice change of pace. I could almost forget that he was an ancient spirit destined to save the world. At the moment, he was just another teenager like me.
Once we finished out lunch, Yami's nervousness returned. I tried digging deeper into his emotions, but they were a swirling mess. He cleared his throat before speaking to me. "So, Samia, there is something important I would like to talk to you about."
I looked at him curiously. "What is it?"
"It's just that I..." He hesitated. "I would like to admit..." He suddenly frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
I flushed lightly when I realized I was staring at him in wonder. "Sorry. I've just never seen you like this. It's a bit bizarre. You're usually so confident. You just got done literally saving the world, and now you're stumbling over your words."
"Well, saving the world is simple compared to this." Yami motioned between us.
"And what is this? Friendship?"
"No. I think I've got friendship down now. This is..." Yami paused, and a look of frustration crossed his face. "You're the empath. Can't you figure out what I'm feeling?"
I shook my head. "It's not always that simple. Your surface emotions are too strong, and you're hiding your deeper emotions from me. You have to let me in." I took a deep breath and crawled across the blanket until I was sitting next to him under the tree. Then I placed my hand on his chest right over his heart. The contact made my own heart race. "Take a deep breath to calm yourself, and then let me in."
"Alright." Yami closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, the sea of his emotions calmed, allowing me to feel what was underneath. There was something warm and bright. A strong feeling of protectiveness and... love. I probed deeper until I was certain there was something undeniably romantic about it.
I withdrew my hand and looked up at him, swallowing hard. "Yami..." My voice came out barely above a whisper. "You... have feelings for me? Like I do for you?"
Yami nodded, his expression solemn. "Yes, I do."
I felt hope rising in my chest, but I was still skeptical. "But when I confessed to you that one time, you said you were leaving, and-"
"I know what I said, and I think I was looking at it the wrong way." A serious look crossed his face. "I almost lost you today. Lost everyone. That really put things into perspective. It now seems silly to worry that we will eventually be separated. You could have very well died before I left. That's how it always is, isn't it? A couple could get married one day and be parted the next through no fault of their own. Would either of them regret the time they spent together. I think not. Why should it be any different with us just because we know ahead of time we must part?"
A small smile formed on my face. It sounded like he was saying he wanted to give this a shot. "I agree. I completely agree. It will be devastating when you leave whether or not we are a couple right now. I would prefer to enjoy the time we have together and make a lot of memories. Then I would have no regrets."
"Neither would I." Yami took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips so he could gently kiss my fingers, the tender action causing my heart to flutter. "So, shall we do this? Shall we take advantage of any time we have in between saving the world to belong to each other?"
A large grin spread across my face. "Yes. Definitely yes. As long as Yugi is okay with it."
He chuckled lightly. "Trust me, he'll be thrilled."
"I do have one question, though."
"What is it?"
I took a deep breath before speaking what was on my mind. "We're assuming that, once you finish your mission, you will have to leave... but what if that's wrong? What if there's a way for you to stay? And I don't mean by continuing to share Yugi's body. What if there's a way for you to come back for real? If you would be willing to stay, I could ask Marik if he knows of any possibilities..."
A look of shock crossed Yami's face as if the idea had never occurred to him. Then he smiled gently at me. "I would certainly not be opposed to the idea. If I must either leave or stay, I will do what is required of me. If I get a choice, however... That would be a big decision to make, and I don't know if I can make it until my memories are returned."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes sense. But it's possible?"
His smile widened. "It's more than possible. There is a good chance I would stay. So, go ahead and talk to Marik, and then let him worry about it. For now, let us enjoy our time together." He placed a hand on my cheek, and I all but melted in his touch.
I was sure I had a giddy expression on my face as I smiled back at him. "Yeah, alright. Let's focus on being together. I'm all yours."
"And I'm yours." Then Yami leaned in and kissed me. I felt a jolt at the contact, but I quickly recovered. I placed my hand on his chest and leaned into him, kissing him back. I felt a flood of hope and joy filling me. I may not have been able to predict the future, but in this moment, everything felt perfect. When he pulled back his eyes were the softest I had ever seen them. "I love you, Samia."
I responded without hesitation. "And I love you."
Yami grinned before kissing me again.