WookieeBeta

It was a dark and stormy night. Howling winds whipped the sea's surface into white-capped waves and tossed them carelessly onto the shore, where they pounded mercilessly against age-old stone. A lone bird struggled against the storm.
Miles below the surface, a giant submarine building swayed ever so gently. A tiny camera swiveled to stare out of a neaby porthole; the water was darker than usual, clouded with swirling filth and sediment. The mini-computer within the camera recorded the weather and sent the data on to the central terminal. A quiet beep was the only acknowledgement.
"Ra-damned storm," Marik cursed. Having lived on a boat for several months just recently, he knew what the almost unnoticeable vibrations under his feet meant. He also knew that this was the one time he couldn't blow anything up - if he breached the outer hull, the giant ship would have to surface, and in a storm of this magnitude that was out of the question. And he couldn't exactly take over the world if he died here, could he?
"Stupid stupid Ra-damned storm..."
The other minds contained within the structure were blissfully unaware of the storm. Or, rather, this particular one.
"Why in hell did he have to lose during the Ice Ages?!" Jou raged. "It's fricking freezing!"
Yuugi shivered violently, hugging himself to conserve at least some warmth. "It's not as bad as it could be, Jou," he said. "At least Kaiba won, and Mokuba's back where he should be. Right, guys?" He tossed a glance over at the Kaiba brothers, but the elder was busy wrapping his trenchcoat around the younger, so he recieved no reply. Biting his lip to keep back a sigh, he plowed onward through the rising snow.
"We've got to get to shelter," Shizuka said a long while later. Her voice was weak. "I'm...going numb..."
Honda, still trapped as a robo-monkey, jumped from her shoulder onto Jou's and scrambled up onto the blonde's head. "There's something big not too far away. We can try for that," he reported. It took another hour and a half of forcing their way through knee-high snow (considerably higher for poor Yuugi) to make it there; 'there' turned out to be the lee-side of the overturned truck.
"Never thought I'd see this again," Jou sighed. He ran a hand over the icy steel.
"Never thought I'd want to," Otogi retorted, scowling. He'd been tossed from the back, thanks to Jou's wonderful driving skills. "My back still hurts, thanks to you."
Yuugi collapsed against the truck, thanking every deity he could think of for the relative warmth it provided. Anzu followed suit. He leaned his head against her shoulder for a moment, wanting nothing more than to fall into the deep blackness of sleep, but then his eyes snapped back open.
"You're shivering!"
"And y-y-you're n-not?" she chattered, gesturing at his own quaking form.
He gave an embarassed grin, but peeled off his school jacket. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "Take this."
"But what about you?" she asked incredulously. He shrugged, and she took the offered jacket hesitantly. "Thanks, Yuugi," she murmured.
"You're welcome..."

Blackness. Blissfully warm. No monsters, no Big Five, no dueling, no cold, no fear, no danger...just warmth, and softness, and comfort.
"Yuugi! Yuugi, get up!" a familiar voice snapped.
Yuugi groaned in protest, but didn't move; he was so warm...
"Move over, Kaiba - you and Mokuba get going! I'll get Yuug and follow ya, okay?" Jou? Why...why was Jou being nice to Kaiba? Something must be wrong! Suddenly worried, Yuugi clawed his way towards consciousness, but he was suddenly tired...so tired...
"Come on, Yuug, we gotta go," Jou said, kneeling down by his sleeping friend and shaking his shoulders. "Come on, buddy, wake up...you can't sleep any more, the Big Five are coming, we gotta go! Come on, Yuugi, wake up!" Yuugi moaned and curled up into a tight ball; Jou's anxiety increased considerably. The little guy never took this long to wake up. "Yuug? Yuug, you okay, man? Look, we haven't got time for this - I'm just gonna carry ya, all right?" No answer; no surpise there. The blonde stooped and wrapped his arms around his freezing companion, lifting him into the air and heading off at a lumbering run.
He's light, he realized suddenly. Too light... "You gotta start eating more, buddy," he commented aloud.
Behind them, four imposing silhouettes (and one not so imposing penguin) followed relentlessly.
The heat of Jou's torso on Yuugi's bare arms was a blazing inferno; he whimpered softly and tried to wiggle away, but Jou grasped him more tightly. Slowly, so slowly, his own skin began to warm, and the agony faded.
"Jouno," he murmured eventually, "Jou, put me down, I can walk."
"You sure?" Jou asked concernedly. "You don't look so good..."
Yuugi shook his head. "I'm fine, Jou, really I am...just put me down, all right?" The blonde hesitated, but he carefully set Yuugi's feet down in the snow and helped him stand straight.
"Come on, we gotta move," he urged. The two took off at a dead run.
"What's going on?" Yuugi panted a moment later.
"It's the Big Five again. Now that Kaiba's put Noa out of the picture, they found a way to escape from whatever virtual prison he put 'em in and are after us again. And I think," he added with a glance over his shoulder, "they're gaining."
The only thing heard for some time was the sound of their feet crunching the snow.

Icy blue eyes peered out from behind a heavy steel door and glared through the thickly falling snow. A strong fist slammed against the wall.
"Where in the seven hells are they?!" Kaiba raged. "Even if the chihuahua was carrying Mouto, they should be here by now..."
Huddled against the far wall, Mokuba heard his older brother's outburst and stood. "Seto? What's the matter?"
Kaiba frowned. He didn't want to worry his brother, but then again he was a smart kid. He'd just figure it out on his own anyway. "It's the mutt," he finally said. "We weren't that far ahead of him and Mouto when we left. They should have caught up to us long ago."
"Yeah..." It was the black-haired boy's turn to frown. "I hope they're okay."
Kaiba ruffled his brother's hair. "They'll turn up. They always do." Mokuba grinned, and the two walked back over to where the rest of the group was huddled.
Otogi lounged against the side of the hangar, eyeing something in the middle of the large rooms. "Hey, Kaiba," he said as the young CEO drew closer.
Kaiba raised an eyebrow at him.
"You think you can drive that thing?"
"What thing?"
Otogi pointed at the helicopter. Kaiba ran an appraising eye over the frame before hopping into the pilot's seat and resting his hands on the controls. He gave a small smirk.
"Of course I can. It's the same model as mine."
"Well, that's good."
"Any particular reason you wanted to know?"
"Because," Otogi said, suddenly grabbing Anzu and Shizuka's arms and propelling them toward the chopper, "we need to get out of here!" Kaiba's eyes snapped upwards to the window; in the uncomfortably near distance loomed the Big Five's deck masters. He cursed.
"Mokuba, get up here!" he snapped. The younger Kaiba vaulted up next to his brother, already reaching for the copilot's headset.
Honda blanched. "Mokuba's helping drive?"
"He's licensed. You're not. End of story," Kaiba snapped. "We're skimping on the pre-flight, Mokuba; just get her started."
"Right." Their hands flew back and forth over the console, Kaiba occasionally reaching over to move a lever Mokuba couldn't quite reach. As strange as it looked, it was obvious they both knew exactly what they were doing. A moment later, the motor roared to life, and the chopper ripped through the roof of the hangar.
"Er, Kaiba?" Anzu asked hesitantly. "Any particular reason we're heading straight for the Big Five?"
"Never played chicken, Anzu?" Mokuba retorted.
Kaiba snarled. "Left on eight. Two. Three. Four..."
Shizuka and Anzu clung to each other for dear life as the big-bellied helicopter bucked wildly. Honda's metal head met the ceiling with a nasty crack, and Otogi was thrown against the wall; then the flight path steadied again, and in the front both Kaibas were laughing.
"I told you watching Pearl Harbor was a good idea!" Mokuba sniggered.
Kaiba grinned. "But that was in planes. This is completely different."
The four passengers sweatdropped. Kaiba...was laughing? Smiling? Joking, even?
"This is so seriously screwed up," Anzu muttered. Behind them, the virtual businessmen-slash-deck masters regrouped, but the chopper was already pulling away.

The chopper was quiet; Kaiba and Mokuba were relaxed, simply enjoying the freedom of flight, and Otogi, Honda, and Anzu were all asleep. Shizuka was staring absently out the window.
Kaiba tossed a glance back in her direction, and a small frown crossed his face. Poor girl. But he had to admit, she was holding up extremely well. The first thing she'd seen after her operation was her brother being pulled into the depths of Domino Harbor by a large anchor; then she'd been thrown into the virtual world, left on her own, and no sooner had she found Otogi and Honda than was Honda defeated in a duel, and as a result tossed out of his own body. Now she was riding in a helicopter copiloted by a ten-year-old, wondering where her big brother was...if he was even alive. Yes, she was holding up extremely well.
"Seto," she said suddenly in a strangled voice.
The CEO jumped; only Mokuba ever called him that. "Yes? What is it?"
She pointed out the window, down at the shockingly white snowfall. "I think that's Jou and Yuugi down there!"
"It is," Mokuba said tersely after a quick glance.
Kaiba shook his head. "We can't stop. If we do, the Big Five will catch up, and then we're all done for."
"But Seto - !"
"No buts, Mokuba," Kaiba snapped. "We - we can't. It's out of the question." His voice was ragged, edged in something Mokuba couldn't quite identify. He shot a glance at his older brother.
"Well, that's just too bad then, because we're going in!" he decided. He knocked Seto's hands away from the console and spun the chopper around, heading back to the almost-invisible duelists.
"Yaaaaaaah!"
"What? What's going on?"
"Kaiba, where are we going?!"
"Mokuba!!"
The black-haired kid tossed an unsure grin at the furious brunette. "Sorry, Seto...but I can't just leave them there! We've got to try!"
Kaiba's glare intensified for a moment, but then he sighed. "Fine. I'll take her in; you and Otogi help them in, and then we're taking back off. Got it?"
"You bet!"
The glittering snowbanks loomed closer.

"Jou!" Yuugi exclaimed, pointing upwards. "Jou, look!"
"Wha...? Aw, man! Come on, Yuug, we gotta get out of here!" He grabbed the shorter duelist's arm and began dragging him in the opposite direction.
"No, wait, Jou - that's Kaiba driving the helicopter!" He felt like doing a jig. They were saved! But wait...Kaiba didn't look happy. He kept glancing backwards and frowning at something. Yuugi shaded his eyes with a hand and searched the skyline. He cursed.
"What is it?"
"It's the Big Five," Yuugi growled. "They're too close - Kaiba'll never be able to get back off the ground! We've got to do something, Jou!" They started jumping up and down, waving and shouting for Kaiba to turn around, but the CEO steadfastly ignored them. The chopper slowed and stabilized.
WHAM!
Even from so far away, Yuugi could hear the screaming. Something very big and very heavy had hit the side of the helicopter, knocking it out of control; now it was plummeting towards the ground. Then suddenly the wild spin changed subtly; the blades kicked back into gear, and the chopper settled professionally into the snow. The door swung open.
"Come on!" Mokuba yelled. "We've gotta move! Come on, let's go!"
The two duelists took off at a dead run. Jou soon outpaced his shorter friend; he hesitated in the open door and glanced over his shoulder.
"Yuugi! Yuugi, look out!" he screamed. The shorter duelist spun around, and his eyes widened in fear: Jinzo, Psycho Shocker was standing just behind him, a ball of deadly energy already forming in his hands.
Thinking quickly, Yuugi pulled a random card out of his deck and held it in front of him, calling on dormant Shadow Powers to bring the monster to life. Big Shield Gardina shimmered into being just in time to take the brunt of the hit. Even so, the force of the blow sent him tumbling head over heels and forced the air from his lungs.
Jounouchi started back out of the chopper, but an iron hand on his arm pulled him up short.
"No," Mokuba shouted. "No, Jouno! Let him go! We have to leave!"
"But Yuugi - !"
"Get in!"
"Yuugi!"
Bleary-eyed, Yuugi tottered to unsteady feet. "Just go, Jounouchi! Go with Shizuka!" He pulled another card from his deck, and the puzzle glowed.
||Let me help,|| Yami said.
||No. It's too cold for you, you'd freeze to death - this is my battle.||
||But aibou - ||
||I said no, all right?!|| Even mentally, his voice was breaking; the sound of the helicopter taking off behind him sounded more like burning bridges than anything else he'd ever heard. Sure, he'd faced death before, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it.
"Well, well," Jinzo gloated. "Look who's decided to stay and play. I guess I'm going to get a new body after all."
"In your dreams," Yuugi snarled.
The deck master didn't reply. Instead, he collected another sphere of energy between his palms and sent it flying at Yuugi; still winded, the young duelist couldn't move swiftly enough to dodge it.
||No! Yuugi!|| The puzzle flashed for a brief instant, and Yuugi felt himself thrown roughly into his soul room as the spirit took over.
||What? Yami! No, don't - !||
||Yuugi...I'm sorry...|| He felt the spirit separate from him, and as his eyes refocused he could just make out the ghostly form, limp on the ground.
Gentle violet eyes narrowed and glinted in sudden rage. "Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl," Yuugi growled, pulling two cards from the top of his deck. "Annihilate him!" The mages leapt forward to attack; Dark Magician Girl brought her staff down on Jinzo's head, but the armored mage spun at the last second, sending a blast of black magic to intercept an attack rushing towards Yuugi. The young duelist dropped to his knees as the two attacks collided overhead and cancelled each other out. He drew another card and tried to summon it, but no luck; having two monsters in action was already too much of a strain on his limited powers, he couldn't support a third.
By now the other members of the Big Five had caught up and entered the fray. Dark Magician Girl fell first, destroyed by an attack from Deep Sea Monster; the other mage just managed to save his master from another direct attack by throwing himself in its path. Still standing protectively over his unconscious dark's form, Yuugi brandished his Millennium Puzzle as a weapon, swinging it at the end of its chain like a mace; Nightmare Penguin learned the hard way just how sharp its edges were. But the gundam wasn't bothered by the cold metal, and it wrapped its iron fingers around the young duelist's neck. Yuugi kicked and writhed until he could struggle no more; he fell limp, and the gundam tossed him easily through the air to land crumpled several yards away.
"Jou," he whispered, and then everything went black.

The blades spun in a never-ending pattern, and Kaiba leaned his head against the back of the seat for a moment. Might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts, he thought darkly. The fact that there was peace at all bothered him; it meant they weren't being pursued. And that meant that the Big Five were busy elsewhere.
There was a muffled thud as Jou banged his head against the window again.
"Cut it out, mutt," the pilot snapped through gritted teeth.
Thud.
Kaiba growled. "Katsuya..."
Thud.
"Jou, please stop," Shizuka pleaded. "You're going to hurt yourself."
The blonde seemed to collapse into himself. "It's all I deserve," he muttered under his breath.
Blue eyes snapped open. "God damn it, Jounouchi, stop beating yourself up over it!" Kaiba snapped. "That's in the past - there's nothing anyone can do. It's not your fault. He made the decision to stay, not you. He chose to sacrifice himself; don't waste his life by giving yourself a concussion now, dammit! We don't have time - I don't have time - to deal with your emotions!"
"What in hell would you know about it?" the blonde snapped back.
There was a stony silence during which Mokuba took the opportunity to steal a glance at his older brother. He jumped; Seto was actually holding back tears.
"Nii-sama...?" he asked softly.
The brunette's face was suddenly emotionless, all feelings hidden behind an impenetrable mask. "Just know this, chihuahua," he said stonily. "The next time you do that, I will personally throw you out of this chopper."
The blonde looked like he was about to retort, but Shizuka put her hand on his shoulder and he kept his mouth shut. There was no point arguing, anyway. Kaiba was right on one account: There was nothing he could do about it now. He sighed, and turned his head so Shizuka couldn't see the single tear coursing its way down his face.

"Seto," Mokuba said softly, gently nudging his brother. "Seto, wake up. They're back."
The young CEO snapped awake, mentally berating himself for falling asleep in the first place. "Where are they?"
Mokuba jerked his head backwards and said, "They're behind us. I just now saw them; I don't know how long they've been there. Everyone else is asleep."
"All for the better. That means I don't have to deal with the mutt's comments."
"I thought you'd say that," Mokuba said, smiling sadly. "But what are we going to do, Seto? We've only got another hour's worth of fuel left - less, if we have to dodge them. And we're helpless on the ground."
The older Kaiba wracked his mind for a solution. "The helicopter!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Damn it all! Why didn't I think of that earlier? Mutt!"
"Huh? Wha?" Jou blinked, trying to figure out who was talking.
"Good morning. Look under the seat and tell me if there's a laptop or something under there."
The blonde blinked again, this time in confusion, but looked anyway. "Yeah, there is. Why?"
Kaiba smirked. "Those idiots. If I can get maybe fifteen minutes with that computer and this chopper, I can hack into their system code and create an exit portal. Hold on; I'm going to try to lose them."
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?!"
Kaiba pointed through the windshield. "You see that snowstorm over there?"
"You've got to be kidding me..."

"Seto, we can't keep this up much longer!" Mokuba shouted. "We're almost out of fuel!"
"I know," was the terse reply. "I'm going to bank left and bring us out of the storm. Unless I've gotten turned around, we should come out right next to a mountain; the six of you are all going to jump out as soon as we get close enough, all right?"
"But what about you? I'm not leaving without you!"
Kaiba spared a moment for a quick glare at his younger brother. "Oh, yes you will. As soon as you jump, I'm turning this scrap heap around and giving those bastards something to worry about. I'll open two portals from in here; one for you, one for me. We'll meet back up in the real world. If anything goes wrong, use the radio in my collar to contact KaibaCorp.; my secretary will help you, or she'll find herself out on the streets."
"But Seto - !"
"Left on three...two...one!"
There was a collective "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" from the back of the helicopter; the sky cleared as they broke through the edge of the blizzard, and sure enough there was the mountainside looming dark and immovable before them. The CEO's keen eyes picked out a relatively flat spot instantly, and then they were there, the door was open, and Kaiba was shouting orders. The five passengers in the back tumbled out one after another and landed in the snow.
"Now you, Mokuba," Kaiba yelled. "Go on!"
"Seto, I can't - "
"Damn it, Mokuba, just do it!"
"But Seto - !" There were tears streaming down the young boy's face, and Kaiba wasn't too far from that himself. He pulled his younger brother into a tight, quick embrace.
"I love you, Mokuba," he whispered. "Now go. I'll see you soon, I promise."
"I love you too, Seto," Mokuba whispered back. Then he wiped his face with his sleeve and leapt wildly from the chopper, landing gracefully on his feet. Seto tore his eyes away and forced himself to focus on the task at hand.
If you screw this up now, he's dead, he reminded himself. He spun the chopper on its tail and headed straight towards where the Big Five were just coming out of the giant storm, simultaneously reaching backwards and catching the laptop as it skidded across the seat.
"Come on, come on, come on..." The computer seemed to take an agonizingly long time to boot up, but as soon as the screen appeared he started typing furiously. Minutes ticked by.
His eyes flicked up to the controls for an instant as the fuel gauge started flashing red. "Damnit! Too soon, too soon... Come on, you stupid machine!" Lines of code flashed by, and finally the screen came to rest on a single highlighted section. Kaiba smirked and went back to typing. It was easy; they were using a code he'd written years ago.
The red light flashed again, and the engine sputtered.
WHAM!
"Poor suckers," Kaiba muttered. He snapped the laptop closed and put his hands back on the controls. He had one last thing to do before he jumped through the portal waiting just beyond the still-open door.

"Stupid stupid Ra-damned storm..."
THUD. THUD THUD THUD.
"Owwwww! Otogi, get your dicey butt off of me!"
"Honda, you're - you're not a monkey anymore!"
The brunette blinked. "Hey...you're right! Woohoo! I'm me again!" He leapt up off the floor and did a quick celebratory dance.
Shizuka frowned. "Hey, guys...where're Mokuba and my brother?"
THUD.
"Nooooo! Setoooooo!"
"...never mind. Mokuba, what's wrong?"
"What in the seven hells?!"
Mokuba sniffled, trying valiantly to bring his voice back under control as he climbed to unsteady feet. "Seto... Nii-sama...he - "
THUD.
"Stupid fucking Moneybags!" Jou yelled, slamming his fist into the ground. "What the hell were you thinking?!"
" - the helicopter," Mokuba finished. "He...blew it up...and I don't think he got out... Setoooo!" He fell back to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself and shaking. The ground around him was darkening with his tears.
"Shhh...shhh, Mokuba, it's okay," Jou said, giving the raven-haired boy a tight hug. "Everything's gonna be okay, I promise."
"Jounouchi..."
Anzu and Otogi stared at the pair blankly, still trying to accept this new tragedy. Shizuka was weeping, too, whispering, "Seto-kun...Yuugi-tachi..."
Marik finally managed to connect the random bits of sentences into a logical sequence. "So, the Pharaoh and his high Priest are dead, then," he smirked. He turned and started walking towards the blimp. "Best keep your eyes open, Rishid."
Jou stood suddenly, leaving a sniffling Mokuba still huddled on the ground. "You keep your vile hands off him, d'you hear?!" he shouted.
Marik raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? Is the little chihuahua going to bark at me if I don't?"
"Why you..." Jou growled. "You of all people have no right to call me that!" He jumped forward and attacked the Egyptian dark empty-handed.
Marik whipped his Rod from its customary belt-loop and smacked it against the side of Jou's head, sending the poor blonde stumbling away. Jou fell to one knee and winced as a thin trickle of blood coursed down the side of his face.
"Idiot mortal. You know you can't win against me." He unsheathed the blade at the end of the Millennium Rod and stalked toward Jou, deadly intent flashing in his eyes.
Mokuba scrambled up and ran to stand in front of Jounouchi. "You leave him alone, creep!"
Marik growled. This little rat was getting in his way. He grabbed Mokuba by the neck and lifted him single-handedly off the ground, grinning insanely as the boy struggled against his grip. Jou growled and tried to stand, but his knees quaked and gave out under him; he fell back to the concrete floor and moaned.
"A single one of you moves, and I strangle Mokuba," the Egyptian spirit snarled. There was a moment of absolute silence. Then...
"Keep your grimy hands off my brother," Kaiba whispered. Marik jumped; no one was quite sure if it was from surprise, or from the sudden introduction of Kaiba's fingers to a vulnerable pressure point. The Egyptian gave a quiet exclamation of pain and released his death grip on Mokuba. Kaiba's fist met Marik's jaw, and the bronze-skinned dark slumped to the floor unconscious.
"Seto!" Mokuba leaped blindly into his brother's arms, clinging to his neck and letting loose the flood of tears he'd been choking back.
"I think it's high time we get out of this place," the elder Kaiba said.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Three weeks passed. Kaiba won the Battle City competition by default, as each of the other competititors were either disqualified or forced to forfeit (Bakura, Isis, Rishid, and Mai lost their duels and were therefore disqualified; Marik was placed in a mental institution; Jounouchi was diagnosed with a concussion and had to forfeit; Yuugi hadn't made an appearance since the virtual world). Jounouchi had recovered from his injury, and Ryou had used the power of the Millennium Ring to release Malik and Mai from the Shadow Realm and restore his own yami to his proper Item.
Life was slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy.
"You know I could whoop your butt in a fair duel, Moneybags!" Jou yelled across the courtyard. The CEO kept his back turned. "What, you scared? Scared of facing a little ol' puppy like me? Wimp!"
"Put a sock in it, Katsuya," Kaiba yelled back. "I've got work to do. I'll take you out for a walk later, how does that sound?"
Ah, yes. Semblance being the key word. Kaiba's near-disappearance had brought Mokuba and Jou together, and as a result the blonde and the brunette had been forced to learn to tolerate each other. Kaiba had even agreed to pay for Jou's hospital bills, seeing as how the blonde certainly couldn't pay for them himself, and his father couldn't either.
"Only if you feed me first!"
"Burger World at three-thirty?"
"You're paying!" Business transactions concluded for the day, Jou turned back to his lunch and his open algebra book. "I hate logarithms..."

Absently picking up his own sandwich, Kaiba flipped open his laptop and settled in for half an hour of uninterrupted work. No one would bother him during the lunch period; they knew better. But today he wasn't quite as pressed for time as usual. His new Board of Directors was reasonably competent; so far they'd only had to turn to him once or twice, and even then they'd carried out his instructions thoroughly instead of forcing him to do it all himself. As a result, he was actually managing to keep more or less ahead of schedule, and therefore had the luxury of spending an entire half-hour on his own personal project.
A few clicks later, he'd pulled up a map of the world's underwater currents and overlaid it with a previously charted map. There were a few noticeable variations: One just off the coast of Taiwan, but that was a government project (he would know, he was indirectly funding a good portion of it), another just west of Great Britain that had been stationary for several years, and a third off the south coast of the United States. Hmm...interesting... That wasn't there yesterday. And the disturbance off of Nova Scotia is gone.
He pulled up another chart, this one of the topography of the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico. Over three thousand meters deep in some places - plenty of room for Noa's underwater base, he reflected. It didn't draw more than 500 meters, although it could withstand much greater pressures. But the disturbance in the north-west sector... More typing, more maps. There. Alaminos Canyon. Not too far off the coast of South Texas. The canyon had already been extensively studied; there would be no activity there for several years at least. It was perfect.
Too perfect.
Kaiba frowned. He'd managed to track the base down, yes, but that still left one question: If he'd defeated Noa and destroyed the Big Five permanently (which he assumed was true, given that he hadn't heard anything from or about them in weeks, and they were not the type to stay quiet long), then who precisely was moving the base? And with such precision? It just didn't make sense.
But it didn't matter. He would destroy the base and its internal computer system regardless.
He smirked.

"Seeya later, Honda," Jou said.
The brunette grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Hey, where're you going? I thought you were coming to the arcade with me and Otogi."
"So did I," Jou replied. "But Mokuba wanted me to come over for a while. Se - Kaiba's going out of town today, and the poor little guy didn't want to be alone all evening."
"But doesn't he usually go with his brother?"
Jou nodded. "Usually, yes. But this time Moneybags said no, since he doesn't know how long he's gonna be gone and he doesn't want Mokuba ta miss any more school."
"Well, I suppose that makes sense..."
"Yeah. I'll see if Mokuba wants to come hang out at the arcade, okay?"
"Sounds good - see you 'round!" The two separated, the brunette heading for the front exit while the blonde made his way to his locker to grab his books. Ever since he and Kaiba had more or less gotten over their differences, the CEO had been giving him a bit of a hand with schoolwork; his grades had improved considerably, and he wasn't about to let them fall again just because his unofficial tutor was halfway across the world. He could figure natural logs out on his own...right?
If not, he could always ask Mokuba.

"Hey guys!" Mokuba chirped, bouncing into the arcade with his eternal hyperness. "What's up?"
"Otogi's score," Honda groaned. "He's absolutely destroying me! Not to mention wasting all of my money..."
The black-haired chibi grinned. "Here, let me try!" Honda stepped aside, and the young Kaiba took over the controls. In all of seventy seconds he'd quadrupled his score and wiped out Otogi's character, not to mention beaten the previous top score.
Honda just shook his head. I shoulda known.
"So, who'd you beat?" Jou asked, leaning over. "Other than...ah." The first set of initials on the screen was, of course, Mokuba's, but each of the sets below it was the same: YYM. Yuugi Mouto, or possibly Yuugi no Yami Mouto. Half-forgotten guilt rose again in his throat, and he turned away.
"Oh, Jouno...I'm sorry," Mokuba murmured. If only he'd remembered... Of course the top scores on this machine would be his. It had been his favorite for years. Mokuba mentally cursed himself for forgetting something so obvious.
"It's all right," the blonde replied, ruffling the short kid's hair. "It's not your fault." It's not your fault. He made the decision to stay, not you. He chose to sacrifice himself; don't waste his life...! Jou shook his head, trying to forget Kaiba's words from so long ago. How long now? Was it really only three weeks? It felt like ages.
"Hey, wait a second," Mokuba said, frowning as he peered at the screen. "Someone else must be using his initials, Jouno."
It was Jou's turn to frown. "Why? What gives you that idea?"
"Look at the dates on the side. These scores are from yesterday!"

"A short, spiky-haired kid, you said?" the teenaged cashier parroted. "Yeah, he was in here yesterday. Didn't stay long; played a few games on that machine over there and then left. Only reason I noticed him was because of his hair."
Jou tensed. "What precisely about his hair?"
"Well, it was all spiky and shit, and had three colors - pardon my French, kid," he added, glancing at Mokuba.
The latter's eyes were wide. "Jou...that's him!"
"Who, 'him'?" The cashier frowned. "Hey, you guys aren't stalking this guy, are you?"
"No...he's a friend of ours who's been avoiding us recently," Otogi replied when he realized Mokuba and Jou were too busy muttering to each other to answer. "Has he been here any other time?"
The cashier shook his head. "I don't know. I only started here last week, and yesterday was the first day I was out here."
"Well, thanks anyway, dude," Otogi said. Then, to Jou and Mokuba, "Look, guys, don't get your hopes up. He's pretty famous. Couldn't it just be that he's got some wacky fan who stole his hairstyle? I mean, I've had that happen to me before, and I'm nowhere near as well-known as he is; besides, the scores aren't that good. If it really was him, even Mokuba wouldn't have been able to beat them."
Jou sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right." Then he glanced at his watch. "Ah, sheik! It's nine-thirty! Mokuba, I'd better get you home - your brother will kill me if he knew I kept you out late on a school night." Mokuba's eyes widened in agreement, and the two tore out of the arcade and down the street.
"...Kaiba'd be happy to kill him just on a general basis, but that's a whole 'nother set of stories," Otogi couldn't help but comment. Honda punched him upside the head.
"Owwww..."

Planting his elbows on the desk and folding his hands in front of him, the white-haired man leaned forward and frowned slightly. The charts on the wall behind him identified him as an oceanographer specializing in the Gulf of Mexico; however, the lack of certificates and awards suggested that he was a freelancer rather than a government employee.
"Could you please explain to me again why precisely you want me to take you down to Alaminos, Mister Kaiba?" the grizzled man said.
The young CEO took a deep breath before beginning. He spoke English fluently, but the man's peculiarly Texan accent made him slightly difficult to understand; also, his own Japanese accent made it hard for the partially-deaf American to understand what he said. "I am researching for a new game I'm designing," he said as clearly as possible. "I am basing part of the game on this canyon; I'd like to see it first-hand, in order to make the game as realistic as possible."
The old man (Kaiba vaguely remembered his name as Smith) raised an eyebrow. "A game? Why precisely do you want to make a game about this canyon?"
"My company creates virtual reality games," Kaiba explained. "This will be our first solely educational game. We will base each section one one specific location roughly representative of each zone. Our computer randomly selected this canyon out of a list of possible locations."
Smith leaned back in his chair, seeming to accept this. "I'm sorry if I'm being rude," he said. "It's just that there have been some strange things going on in that area in the last few days, and I can't help but be a little suspicious."
It was Kaiba's turn to frown. "Strange things? What kind of strange things?"
"Oh, nothing most people would notice," Smith replied dismissively. "The fish have all deserted that area; it's like they've been spooked off. I've seen it happen before, when someone tried to plant a rig over the canyon."
Kaiba eyed the man uneasily for a moment before turning back to business. "When will you be able to take me out?"
"Ah...how does the day after tomorrow sound? If you stay here in Galveston, I can pick you up in the morning and drive you down to the company marina. We can be at the canyon by two in the afternoon."
Kaiba nodded in acknowledgement. "I would appreciate it greatly. What time should I expect you?"
"We'll have to get out of here pretty early if we want to have enough daylight at the canyon - how does three in the morning sound? I know it's obscene, but - "
"Three sounds excellent. I will expect you then. I'm in the single-room flat at Bishop's Bungalow - you know the location, I presume?"
Smith nodded. "I used to live near there. Three AM, day after tomorrow."
"Perfect. Have a good day, Mr. Smith."
"And you, Mister Kaiba." They shook hands, and the Japanese teen left.
Behind him, Smith shut the door and sat on the edge of his desk. "Man, they sure do turn 'em out young over there these days."

"What're your plans for the weekend, Jou?" Anzu asked, glancing up from her book just long enough to ask the question.
"Mmmmph vrrrng grrgh vrrhe fughorugho vhifhg mhhrghhrvuh."
The aspiring dancer sweatdropped. "Uh...chew, and then answer," she suggested.
Jounouchi swallowed his huge bite of hamburger and tried again. "I'm going to see Sugoroku with Mokuba," he repeated.
"You're not serious!" his friend blanched. "Jounouchi, you can't just go see him out of the blue and start talking about Yuu - I mean..."
The blonde glowered at her in a remarkably good impression of Kaiba. "I have to know, Anzu. I just have to. If it was him, I have to find out why he's been avoiding us, and if it wasn't then at least I can offer 'Jiisan some support."
"You do what you want, I suppose," Anzu sighed. "I just don't think this is a good idea..."
"Just go back to reading your book, Anzu," the blonde replied.
The day passed slowly. Psychology and Language Arts were painfully boring; with Yuugi missing and Kaiba absent, algebra was even worse than usual. At long last the final bell rang, and Jou was out the door like a shot. It was a half-hour walk to the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba surprised his "surrogate brother" (as he'd taken to calling Jou in the elder Kaiba's absence) by opening the door himself and nearly forcing a plate of cookies down the blonde's throat as they left. They lasted all of one block. The raven-haired Kaiba's hyperness seemed to wear off as they approached the Kame Game Shop; Jou's anxiety level was sky-high and still rising.
"Well, nothing for it but to go for it, I s'pose," he said with forced cheerfulness. "You want to do the honors?" Mokuba shook his head, suddenly shy, so Jou knocked on the door himself. It opened almost immediately.
"Welcome to Kame Game Sh - oh, Jounouchi! And Mokuba! What are you two doing here?" The elderly Mouto's tone was light, but the blonde could see the slump in his frame that hadn't been there before.
"We came to see how you were doing," Jou said quickly, stepping inside. "I...I take it Yuugi hasn't turned up?"
Sugoroku shook his head with a sigh. "No. You would have been the first to know, I promise."
"...ah..." Jou's face fell; he'd been hoping against hope that his friend really had managed to escape somehow, and to hear anything to the contrary was almost heartbreaking.
Mokuba felt the tension in the air, and it made him uncomfortable. So he dug into his arsenal of 'atmosphere-breakers' and pulled out his usual weapons: Hyperness and The Kiddy Eyes. "Hey, Jouno," he said, tugging on Jou's sleeve. "Jouno?"
"Yeah? What is it, pipsqueak?"
"Since we're here...can I get some new cards? Seto almost never lets me come!" The cuteness factor jumped one notch, then another.
"Well..."
And another.
"Oh, come on," Sugoroku laughed. "I'll put it on your brother's tab, all right?"
"Cool!" Mokuba chirped, grinning. Score for the Eyes!

Kaiba opened the door almost before the American knocked. "Good morning," he said in greeting.
Smith jumped. "Oh! Good morning," he replied quickly. "You ready?"
"One moment." Kaiba stepped back inside just long enough to close his laptop and slip it into his briefcase; it was all the luggage he had, and there was no way he was leaving his briefcase behind for even a moment. "Now I am."
"Great! I'm parked just down the street." The white-haired man gestured to an unobtrusive pickup idling on the corner. Kaiba eyed it warily for a moment, automatically thinking of all the ways an assassin could secrete a remote-operated bomb in the front seat alone, before shaking himself and realizing he was in one of the few places he was decently safe. Not only had KaibaCorp.'s technology not been introduced in America yet, he knew from past experience that Galveston was notoriously slow to adjust to new systems. Mostly because a lot of the newer technology was extremely vulnerable to the salty air, and thus almost everything had to be reengineered to be corrosion-resistant. And it was highly unlikely that any of his usual enemies would have followed him halfway around the globe to a desert island.
He opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat, crossing his long legs and resting his feet on his briefcase. "About how long is the drive?" he asked.
Smith thought for a moment. "About four and a half hours, unless traffic's really bad - if so, five. Plenty of time to sleep, if you want to."
Kaiba shook his head slightly. "Will it bother you if I work on my laptop?"
"Not at all."
Wordlessly, Kaiba keyed his security code into the hidden panel on the side of the briefcase, then entered a completely different code into the two more mundane locks on the top; the top clicked open, and he pulled his laptop back out and flipped it open. It was still on. He entered yet another different password and accessed the KaibaCorp. mainframe.
"What're you working on?" Smith asked, glancing at the screen. Kaiba hesitated for a moment, but decided the man was just curious; after all, the screen was in an odd mix of English, Japanese, and computer code, and even the least inquisitive of people would have to wonder a bit.
"It's a new prototype design for another game system," the CEO explained. "I've already built the first version and run it through my initial testing sequence; this is the third version so far. The final product should be released in three months, along with a new series of games - the one I'm researching for included."
Smith whistled. "How many people are working with you on this?"
"One, if you count my beta-tester."
Smith blanched. "You're doing all this yourself?"
"As soon as the product and first game are finished, I'll turn my code over to my Board of Directors. They'll complete the project while I start on the next one."
"And how long ago did you start this?"
"Last Monday," Kaiba smirked. He had to admit, it was amusing to see the American so impressed. Here in this "greatest of countries" it apparently took a year or two to release a new game, and three to five for a new system. For a long time, it hadn't been so different in Japan; then he'd taken over KaibaCorp. and everything had changed. His company was still the fastest and most efficient, but the smaller companies were slowly beginning to catch up.
The hours passed slowly. Smith was obviously tired, but he was hiding it well, and as the sun began to rise he seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. Kaiba, of course, was wide awake; he had time to upload a fully revised set of plans to the central computer, e-mail his Board the new projected release date, and program almost half of a new game designed chiefly for Mokuba. Like several of the kid's other games, it would never be released to the public; they served threefold as gifts, an enjoyable way for Kaiba to sharpen his programming skills, and a chance to test out new innovations on a willing subject.
He'd just finished creating one of the key fight sequences when Smith interrupted his work, announcing that they were almost there. The CEO quickly shut down his computer and stowed it back in its usual home in his briefcase. He smirked; soon, he would defeat Noa totally and completely, finishing what he had started back in the virtual world.

White. Endless, eternal, infinite white; like the Shadow Realm, but pure and clean, not dark.
Well, mostly clean. Marik grinned manically, eyes flitting from bloodstain to bloodstain. He'd never seriously hurt himself, no; too hard to rule the world when he was hurt. But that didn't mean he didn't cut himself sometimes. Anything to end the white.
Too much.
Even his clothes were white, he realized with disgust. Thin, and airy, like what pretty-pretty hikari had worn in Egypt, but white.
He hated white.
White was Thief-King. White skin, white hair, white hikari, white lies (and black, but what was black? The inverse of white, that was all), white Thief-King.
How he longed for the pretty purple shadows.
They were such fun to play in, the shadows...not like mortal shadows. They weren't just shade cast by a solid object; they were living clouds, solid substances with voices of their own, magical beings that loved toying with minds just as much as Marik himself. Pharaoh-baka and Thief-King lived in their Items, yes yes, but Marik had never lived in the Rod. He was attached to it; he followed it relentlessly; he had never lived inside it. He was not a long-dead spirit. The Shadow Realm had been his shelter - his home - for as long as he could remember.
There was no white there. The Realm did not like white. It was too light of a color; too unnatural.
No white.
No Thief-King.
No Pharaoh-baka.
But...no pretty-pretty hikari, either. And that made it wrong, didn't it? He existed for his pretty-pretty. Sure, he wanted the God Cards; sure, he wanted the Items; sure, he wanted to destroy the world. But that was just so that his pretty-pretty would be happy. Because pretty-pretty loved destruction. And what better to destroy than everything?
All for his pretty-pretty.
All for the hikari.
All for the light...
All for the white.
He loved white.

"So...what did Sugoroku say?" Anzu asked. She was sitting in Jou's living room, half-heartedly watching the blonde and Otogi play some racing game she'd never heard of.
Jou shook his head distractedly. "No sign of him. He hasn't turned up at all. I guess you were right, Dicey-boy."
"See? You should listen to me once in a while. Especially when I say things like...eat my dust!" The light on the screen changed to green, and both trucks roared to life, tearing down the twisting road like there was no tomorrow.
Anzu rolled her eyes. "Guys are hopeless."
"Hey!" Honda protested from the other end of the couch. "I resent that remark!"
"I said guys, not monkeys."
Jou cackled. "Oooooh, score for Anzu," he said.
"That was low," Otogi added with a grin. Honda just glowered at a random speck of dust floating in the air.
"So, I still don't get what the attraction to this game is," the lone girl commented a few moments later after Otogi's truck flipped over, effectively ending the race. "I mean, it's nothing compared to the newer games, and yet you three treat it like some sort of religious artifact."
All three boys turned to gape at her. "Are you - " Honda started -
" - insulting - " Jou added -
" - Monster Truck Madness?!"
"...eep..." Anzu sweatdropped. "Er...no? I just...don't understand your obsession, that's all."
"Well then!" Jou said, standing and gesturing for her to take his spot on the floor. "Otogi, you and Honda do the honors of introducing our poor sheltered friend here to the greatest race in history, and I'll go find some chips - deal?"
"Deal!"
"But I don't - !" It was useless; already the two boys were forcing her into the well-worn spot on the carpet and handing her the controls. She sighed and just went with it.
When Jou came back in, she had a somewhat manic look on her face and was glaring intently at the screen, eyes flicking back and forth from the map in the upper left-hand corner to the actual road. There was another truck just in front of her, and the detour just ahead; her eyes glinted and she swerved off the road, heading for the broken bridge.
"No, Anzu, you don't go there! What are you doing?" Honda shouted.
"Wait," Otogi interrupted, holding his brunette friend back. "I want to see what she does."
Anzu spared a moment to toss them a grin before turning her full attention back to the screen. There was the end of the bridge, just coming onscreen; on the right, she could see the pre-programmed truck dutifully following the detour. They were still neck-and-neck at the moment. The gap was closer now, and closing at a frightening rate. A little more...just a little more...now! She kicked the joystick violently left, and was rewarded with a smooth jump from the corner of the bridge to the bottom of the dirt heap. A few pieces of heavy machinery later, she was powering up a glassy slope and back onto the road, her opponent left far behind.
"Bwaha! Beat that, ya bugger!" she exclaimed as she passed through the final checkpoint.
"Go, Anzu!" Honda cheered.
Otogi raised her arm in the victory pose. "And the winner is...Mazaki Anzu!"
The newly-hooked gamer grinned. "Okay, I take it back - I get what the attraction is now." Honda and Otogi high-fived.
"...but I still say you guys are hopeless!" She ducked quickly, and the two pillows sailed harmlessly over her head.
Jou chose that moment to step back into the room, and both pillows caught him squarely in the face. The throwers and the intended target all burst into laughter, but quieted down almost instantly when they saw the blonde's face.
"What is it, Jou?" Otogi asked, jumping to his feet.
"I just talked to Mokuba on the phone," Jou said quietly. "The institution just called him a few minutes ago... Marik's escaped."

Everything was so peaceful here under the surface, Kaiba mused. No chaos, no interruptions, no frantic phone calls from an incompetent Board of Directors; just calm, and quiet, and solitude. He could understand why Noa had chosen to build his base away from land. A person could get so much more done here.
And did, obviously. He'd been surprised when he first laid eyes on Smith's private sub. It was a small affair, only meant for three or four people maximum, and crammed to bursting with research equipment, but there was nothing without a purpose, nothing extraneous. All of the equipment was well-worn, but everything was top-of-the-line and kept in excellent condition.
Smith, too, had turned out to be something of a surprise. His insecurity, so glaringly obvious on solid ground, had disappeared the instant he touched the controls; here under the waves, he was assured, confident, in control. This is a man I could work with, Kaiba decided.
Right now he was piloting the tiny sub out of the marina with one hand and speaking into the radio held in the other. His face was stern.
"What do you mean, we have to cancel?" he raged. "I promised my client I'd take him out today, and I won't have the chance again for another four weeks - no, it can't wait until then! Why are you so emphatic, anyway?"
The radio crackled, but Kaiba couldn't make out what was being said. Still, he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had to get out there today... He was busy for the next three months with producing and marketing the new line, he wouldn't have time to deal with this. It had to be done now, while his Board hadn't yet figured out that they could shift all their work onto his shoulders and recieve nary a complaint. While he still had time.
"So what if there's a storm?" Smith retorted. "I've been out there in a hurricane before - a little tropical storm isn't going to bother me. Besides, we'll be down far enough that it won't matter." More crackling. "Yeah, I'll ask - hold on a sec. Hey, Mister Kaiba," he said, turning to face the teen.
"Yes?"
"We've got a little bit of a problem. There's a tropical storm out in the Gulf, right where we're going. Now, I don't think it's an issue - I've been watching it for a while, and I don't think it's gonna grow anytime soon - but my buddy onshore says he just recieved a new report that predicts it's gonna get really nasty out there. Do you want to go out anyway, or head back in and wait for a few more weeks?"
Kaiba hesitated. He had to get this done...but then again, he didn't want to put anyone's life or equipment on the line, and if the storm was as bad as Smith's "buddy" made it out to be... "Give me a moment," he decided. He brought his laptop out of his briefcase (Smith had allowed him to bring it in) and flipped it open, accessing the KaibaCorp. satellites. He wanted a bird's-eye view of this storm.
"You probably won't get reception from in here," Smith warned him.
Kaiba smirked. "Oh, I will. This particular laptop is more powerful than any three of your government's computers combined, I'm sure of it. Here's the storm, by the way." He spun the laptop around and handed it to Smith, who whistled.
"I've never seen such a clear satellite image! Well, it's your call, Mister Kaiba."
"We'll do it," the CEO decided. Worst come to worst, we can break into the base itself - I've cracked through Noa's security once, I can do it again.
"You heard that, bud? My client said we're go."
More crackling. This time Kaiba could faintly make out the words "your funeral."
"Well, then," Smith said with a tight grin, clipping the radio back onto its reciever, "let's get moving!"

Jounouchi shifted uncomfortably. He hated hospitals; he hated institutions even more. Too much white. The dead silence was unnerving.
"Hey, Malik?" he whispered quietly.
He jumped when the disembodied voice spoke in his ear. "Yeah, Katsuya?"
"You feel your yami anywhere around here?"
There was a long moment of hesitation before Malik replied, "...yeah. I do. But it's not...I don't know, not him exactly. And it's faint, like he's not been here in a while."
"Well, you're real helpful," Jou hissed sarcastically.
There was a distinct cold sensation to his right. "Forgive me if I'm not exactly pleased about tracking down the spirit that killed my father and tried to kill me," Malik snapped back.
Jou snarled. "Take a good long moment and think about precisely who you're talking to, and then say that again, bud."
A sigh. "I'm sorry, Jou. I'm just...afraid."
"Never thought I'd hear you say that. It's okay, Malik - Namu. We'll find him, and then Ryou and Bakura will help you send him back to the Shadow Realm. I haveta shut up now, all the doctors are looking at me funny. You let me know when you sense anything new, all right?"
"Sure."
It was strange, the Brooklyn blonde reflected, how quickly they'd all managed to adapt. First to the fact that magic really did exist, and that several of their friends and neighbors were able to wield it; then to the fact that two of these same friends had alternate personalities that just happened to be their Ancient Egyptian incarnates; then to the idea that yet another magic-bearer was trying to kill them; now to the fact that several of the people that had once tried to destroy them needed their help to survive. Malik, who had used his Millennium Rod to force Jou to nearly wipe out his own best friend, was now almost hiding behind him in spirit form. Things had certainly changed.
"Katsuya," the Egyptian hissed suddenly. His voice was tinged almost imperceptibly with fear. "Katsuya, he's here...I can feel him... He's using the Rod on someone in this room."
"But I thought you had the Rod!" the other blonde snapped back.
"I gave it to my sister for safekeeping, since I couldn't use it - but that doesn't matter. If he wants it badly enough, he can activate it without being anywhere near it." There was a definite note of terror now. "Jouno... He knows I'm here... Jouno? Jou, what's wrong?"
Jounouchi smiled suddenly, a malicious grin working its way across his face. "Why, nothing's wrong now, pretty-pretty."

The sub rocked gently, buffetted by the subtle back-and-forth currents that meant the surface was a raging tempest. Smith was pointing through the port side of the front viewing window.
"That's the leading edge of the canyon," he explained. "I'm going to spin us around and approach it dead-on; we'll drop down into the canyon without the interference of the waves. I'm afraid you won't get any good overhead views today, but I can't trust the water up there. Too violent."
"That's fine," Kaiba replied. "I can get the overhead view from my satellites, anyway. It's the inside of the canyon I want to see."
Smith grinned. "In that case, then..."
The CEO found himself eerily reminded of Mokuba, or perhaps the elder Mouto. The old oceanographer faced every new challenge with a manic leer, and he hadn't once mentioned any regrets about coming out. Kaiba couldn't help but wonder if the man wasn't a thrillseeker.
But those thoughts were swept aside as they descended into the calmness of the canyon. The water was dark, as the sunlight from above was dimmed by the storm and filtered out through the salt sediment, but not that dark, and the lights on the sub's exterior played over a stunning variety of marine flora. For the first time in a long while, Kaiba was stunned into speechlessness.
"Welcome to Alaminos," Smith said with a smile.
"It's...much more than I would have expected at this depth," the Japanese teen managed after a moment. "More alive, that is."
Smith nodded. "That's what most people say when they first see it. And it is, really, or at least much more so than most of the other canyons in the Gulf. No one's really quite sure why. And remember, you're not seeing everything. Between the storm and most of the fish being spooked off anyway, you're missing the vast majority of the local fauna. Usually I can't see ten yards for the schools of fish that like to sit down here."
Kaiba's elation disappeared as he was suddenly reminded of his purpose here. "What's it like farther down?"
"Want me to tell you, or just show you?"
"Show me, please."
There was a moment of silence as the sub dropped lower into the canyon. Kaiba peered intently out of the viewing ports on either side, half watching for any telltale flash of metal and half taking a simple kind of delight in the array of living things just outside the steel structure.
"We're almost to the bottom now," Smith announced a moment later. "I won't drop her any farther down, unless you want a few samples - if I do, we'll start kicking up dirt, and then you won't be able to see a thing."
"This is fine," Kaiba assured him. Smith spun the sub in a slow circle, giving him a good long look at the canyon wall and at the surrounding area.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" the oceanographer said softly. "This is the whole reason I chose this career, you know. You'll never see something like this up above. And you'll never have this kind of freedom."
"Ever tried flying?" the CEO replied absently. Then his eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. "Wait a moment...what's that?" he asked, pointing.
"What's what?"
"There, farther down the canyon. I thought I saw something flash."
Smith looked suddenly ecstatic. "Great! I'd bet anything you saw a school of fish. Let's go check it out, eh?" The sub twisted back to face forward, and then her owner's careful hands urged her onward into the darkness. The probing lights reflected off of something in the distance.
"That's strange," Smith frowned. "They're not moving. I've never seen a school just sit there before." There was a long silence as he gave the sub a little more speed, hoping to scare the fish into moving. Finally they were close enough to make out the reflecting object in considerably more detail. Smith inhaled sharply.
The CEO's fingers dug into his seat's thin covering. "I don't think that's a school of fish," he commented wryly.
Ahead of them loomed the giant dome of Noa's base.

Malik froze in place, paralyzed with terror. He was utterly vulnerable. The Rod was thousands of miles away, and the only person who knew where he was and was in any position to help him was being mind-controlled by the person who was trying to kill him - or, rather, steal his body. Not that it mattered; it amounted to the same thing. The Shadow Realm would destroy him just as easily as a knife to the throat, and more painfully to boot. Worse yet, he didn't even know precisely where the dark spirit was. Which meant he couldn't call for help without putting his new friends' lives in grave danger.
"Mou hitori no boku," he murmured softly. "Please...Mariku...please stop this..."
"Stop what, pretty-pretty?" Malik repressed a shudder; it was Jou's face, and Jou's voice, but those were his dark half's eyes staring quizically at him. He suddenly understood why Yuugi had been so determined to free his friends from the control of the Rod, even at the cost of his own life. It was a terrible thing to see.
"Stop hurting people," the lighter half pleaded. "I don't want you to hurt anyone anymore."
Another confused look; this time, tinged with hurt. "Pretty-pretty doesn't like the suffering?"
"No," Malik replied, tears springing to his eyes. "No, I don't. I just want you to come back to Egypt, with me. Can you do that?"
"Back? To Egypt?" Jou's face frowned. "But...darkness does not want to go back. Pretty-pretty likes it here, does he not? Doesn't pretty-pretty like it here?" The frowning lips twitched for an instant, and suddenly it was a furious Jounouchi staring out through the amber eyes.
"Malik, get your spirit butt out of here!" he snapped quickly. "He's - he's stronger than you were - I can't hold him off very long - go, go warn Ryou and Bakura! Go on, get out of here!" Sweat was running down his face in rivulets, and the Egyptian could see the occasional flash of pain that meant his dark was trying to regain control.
"But Jouno - "
"Just go, Namu!"
It was the unexpected use of his assumed name that spurred the Egyptian into action. "Just hold out for a while longer, Jou!" he shouted over his shoulder as he sped through the nearest wall.
Behind him, Jou gave tiny exclamation of pain and sank to his knees, holding his head in his hands. The doctors were all bombarding him with questions, asking him what was wrong; the other visitors in the room were staring blankly in shock. Had they really seen that pretty blonde boy running through the wall, shouting? Or was that just their imagination?

"Ryou!" Malik shouted wildly, barging through the albino reincarnation's apartment wall. "Ryou, Tomb Robber, anyone, help - what in Khemet?!"
Ryou struggled to speak, but the gag muffled his words beyond comprehension. His face was pale and streaked with tears. Beyond his bound form, Malik could see the dismembered remains of the Millennium Ring.
"Well well," an all-too-familiar voice sneered. "A little late to join the party, aren't you?"
The Egyptian snarled. "You're supposed to be dead. How did you get here?"
"Oh, I'm not your little friend," the short figure replied. "He's long gone. Though, I'm not sure we've ever met... Did your worthless companions ever happen to mention the Big Five to you, perhaps?"
"What the hell have you done with Mouto?!" Malik raged. Damn damn damn damn damn! This was not in the plan! For the moment, there was nothing he could do but stall until either he came up with a plan or someone else happened to stumble in, preferrably with a cell phone. Stupid stupid spirit form...couldn't carry anything physical. So, no cell phone, and no Rod. Not even a damned motorcycle.
The spiky-haired duelist sneered again. "Done with him? I've done nothing with him. Now, my lawyer friend here says he may have killed him, but no one's quite sure... Not that it should matter to you. After all, we've done you a favor by removing your enemy, right...Malik?"
Their words struck a more glancing blow than they could have known. After the duel between Jounouchi and Yuugi, the Egyptian teen had vowed that he would not kill any of the duelist's little fan club; no one with a bond of friendship that strong deserved to die. Nor would he banish them to the shadows. Break them, possibly; steal their Items, certainly; kill them, no. And yet, when the Tomb Robber's light had released him from the Shadow Realm and informed him that the Pharaoh was dead, his first response was to inquire after the puzzle and the God Cards.
And then in his much-weakened state, he had been forced to rely on the Pharaoh's followers for aid; with time he had become quite attached to them. He'd even apologized to the mutt, for Ra's sake.
"Keep your honeyed words to yourself, murderer," he snapped. Wait a moment... Even if it is Yuugi's body, the soul - or souls - inhabiting it are neither yami nor hikari! he realized. Which means they shouldn't be able to see me... He took a few careful steps to the side, being extremely careful not to make any noise, but the cold violet eyes followed his every move.
"I wouldn't suggest trying to run," not-Yuugi said smugly. "We were fortunate in our choice of bodies. Physically it may be weak, but it certainly has some interesting powers...such as the ability to see and inflict damage upon spirits such as yourself..."
Well, shimatta.

"What the hell is that?" Smith exclaimed.
Kaiba eyed the base somewhat apprehensively. "It's a mobile underwater computer system, with a single section able to support human life," he said.
Smith shot him a suspicious glance. "How do you know?"
"I've been in it before."
"Okaaay... Er, which part are you talking about, exactly?"
Kaiba pointed to the dome. "The main section, on top. The rest is just a protective shell containing one of the world's most powerful computers." He turned slightly to look Smith directly in the eye. "And you're going to get me in there."
The American blanched. "I'm what?! Oh, no no no. No way in hell am I gonna tangle with that thing. Matter of fact, we're turning around right now and reporting this to the police." He reached for the radio and pulled it off the hook, only to realize that the wire was disconnected.
Kaiba held it up and twiddled it between his fingers. "If you get me into that thing, and then back out, I'll replace the wire and quadruple your pay. If you refuse, I'll kill you and do it myself. It's your decision."
Smith glowered at him for a long moment.
"I don't make idle threats," Kaiba said flatly. "Or idle promises. You have ten seconds to decide."
"Fine. I'll do it," Smith said after a moment's hesitation. "But only on one condition."
The CEO raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"I want to know exactly who you are and what you're up to."
Kaiba couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?!"
"I'm the CEO of Japan's biggest, most powerful company," Kaiba said. "I think I've mentioned before that I create virtual reality games. That base there contains the greatest, most advanced, and by far the most dangerous virtual reality world in existance; I can name two people who have died there that I knew well, and several more that were my employees. To make a long story short, I'm here to destroy the thing."
The oceanographer was staring at him open-mouthed. "...oooookaaaaaaay...forget I asked. You said you wanted in? If this thing's so advanced, then won't it have a security system?"
"Highly unlikely," Kaiba replied, shaking his head. "I wiped out most of the defences when I blasted out with my blimp."
"Blimp?" Smith shook his head. "Never mind, don't tell me. I don't want to know."
"No," Kaiba replied icily, "you don't." He retrieved his laptop one more time and flipped it open. "And no, there isn't any security. You should be able to use your sample-retrieval claw to pry the doors open; they should open easily, and if there is any damage KaibaCorp. will reimburse you."
"I guess you're the boss," Smith sighed. He moved the sub forward and positioned it so that he could grip the very edge of the dome cover with the claw. True to Kaiba's prediction, the doors slid open easily, and the sub slipped inside.
Now comes the hard part, Kaiba told himself. He would have to open the submarine's hatch, swim outside without flooding it, find a way to destroy the base without killing himself in the process (all the while treading water, since the chamber would no doubt be flooded), and make it back into Smith's sub and away before all hell broke loose.
"I really hope you have a plan, Mister Kaiba," Smith said as the sub settled on the steel floor. "Because I sure don't."
"I'm working on it," the CEO responded tersely. Then, "What the?!"
The water was draining from the chamber, leaving the sub resting in only an inch-or-so-deep puddle. He winced and shielded his eyes as all of the lights in the chamber suddenly flickered on simultaneously.
Smith was looking decidedly more nervous now. "I don't suppose this is a good thing?" he asked.
"Hardly. Move over," Kaiba replied. Long slim fingers deftly manipulated the black wire back into its rightful place in the radio set, and he twisted the dial to a familiar frequency. The voice that crackled through the reciever was speaking Japanese.
"...please step outside of your vehicle, and I promise you will not be harmed. I repeat, if the intruder will please step outside of the vehicle, you will not be harmed. Can you hear me? Please step outside of your vehicle..."
Kaiba blinked a few times in surprise.
"What is he saying?" Smith demanded.
"He...wants us to get out of the sub," Kaiba replied once he had regained control of his vocal chords. "I...I think I should go first..." Smith nodded, and unlocked the hatch. By this point he was willing to do anything the younger man said; after all, at least the kid had a clue as to what was going on.
Kaiba hesitated as the too-familiar stun lasers swivelled around to aim point-blank at his torso. Then he growled.
"Don't you dare shoot me, Mouto."

White-coated doctors were trying valiantly to hold the blonde's limbs down as he thrashed and writhed; trying, but not succeeding. He'd already broken the nose of one and knocked a few teeth out of another.
"We need a tranquilizer!" a tall woman shouted over the general melee.
There was a moment of frantic movement before someone shouted back, "What kind?"
"Any kind, as long as it's strong!" a different doctor replied. "And hurry, damn it!"
"Everyone shut up so we can hear what he's saying," the first doctor snapped. "Are you idiots listening? Shut up!" The room was suddenly much quieter, and the blonde's shouts were much more pronounced.
"Nooo! Get out of my head, you Egyptian bastard - I don't care if you want to follow your pretty-pretty! No! Get out of my head! ... Stupid stupid mortal, thinking you can defeat me that easily! ... I said, get...out...of...my...head!!"
The doctor with the broken nose raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah. He's a strange one, all right. Delerium and almost definitely MPD, at the very least."
"We'll diagnose him later," the woman doctor said. "Go open a room. We're going to hold him here until he calms down."
The bloodied man shook his head. "No can do. We're out of rooms."
From where he was preparing the tranquilizer, the Asian doctor asked, "What about Ishtar's room? I don't think we're going to find him anytime in the next few hours - it's not a permanent solution, but it'll do for now."
The woman doctor gave a relieved sigh. "Akira, you're a lifesaver," she said. "We'll put him in there for now - look out!" The blonde, who had been relatively quiet for a few moments, had started jerking again, and his fist narrowly missed her colleague's jaw.
"Tranquilizer coming through!" One of the smaller doctors ducked out of the circle, leaving room for Akira to slip in and plunge the needle into the blonde boy's arm. Within seconds his screaming stopped, and then he fell deathly still.
For a moment there was no sound but that of the doctors' panting.
"All right," the woman said wearily. "Let's get him into Ishtar's room."
Unbeknownst to the many doctors, the mental battle still roared on. ||Damn you, Marik, get out of my mind!||
||Want - to - find - the - pretty-pretty!||
||He has a name, you know!||
There was a moment of silence. Jounouchi could almost hear the dark spirit blink in surprise. ||Name?||
||You're an idiot, Malik, you really are. Did you know that? Now, get OUT!|| With a sudden burst of energy, the Brooklyn blonde managed to force the Egyptian spirit completely out of his head and back into his own brain. Then, exhausted, he fell into a deep not-entirely-drug-induced sleep.
Standing unnoticed in the back of the visitor's area, a deeply tanned man in a doctor's lab coat with spiky blonde hair murmured, "What name?"

There was a long silence as Kaiba clambered out of the sub and landed gracefully on the steel floor. Slowly, the stun lasers lowered back to their normal resting positions.
"Ah, Mister Kaiba?" Smith said, poking his head out of the hatch. "They're talking on the radio again. I still can't understand it."
Kaiba glared up at the ceiling, where he knew there had to be at least a few video cameras. "Speak English, Mouto," he snapped. "Or better yet, use the speakers Noa used instead of the radio. I can't hear you out here."
He heard the radio crackling; Smith said, "He says he can't figure out how to do it. He says you're the first person who's found this place; he's never bothered with the real-world technology before. Do you understand any of that?"
Kaiba chose to ignore the American's question, instead saying, "Then bother with it now, Mouto. You've got a lot of explaining to do."
Smith ducked back down into the sub for a moment, but then, satisfied that the radio was silent for good, climbed back out to stand next to the much taller teen.
"So...care to tell me what's going on here?" he asked lightly.
Kaiba glared again at the unseen video cameras. "Not particularly, considering I don't exactly understand it myself. But it appears that one of those people I said died here, didn't."
"...forget I asked."
"I'm running out of patience, Mouto," Kaiba snapped.
"...en! Gomen, gomen nasai, Kaiba-san..." The voice was excited, nearly crying, but still speaking Japanese. Smith raised an eyebrow.
"English," Kaiba growled.
"Oh...sorry," Yuugi's voice came again, this time in halting English. "My English is...not so good. I haven't - er - speaked it in a long time."
"Then here's your chance to practice. I want to know exactly what happened, from the time we left you and Jounouchi by the truck."
There was a moment of hesitation. "I have...better idea. I can run the virtual reality program and speak to you face-to-face. It...cross-speaks...approaches each person in their native language."
Kaiba frowned. "I thought you said we were the first. How can you know that, if there's no one but you to test it on?"
"Mou hitori no boku doesn't speak Nihon-go or English."
"Are you sure you can handle the program? Because I swear if you get me trapped in it, I'll blow this base to smithereens with you still inside."
"The program is...less difficult than this," Yuugi reassured him. "One moment."
Smith was looking jittery. "Could you please, please, please explain what's going on?" he asked.
"My friend - that voice is my friend - is going to transport us into the virtual world I told you about so that we can speak face-to-face and all understand each other. Apparently the program can address each player in his native language."
"But I thought you said the world is dangerous!"
"It was. But if what I think happened happened, then we have nothing to fear. Now be quiet."
Both men watched with more than a little apprehension as the portal opened in the floor in front of them; Smith, because he still had no idea what was going on, and Kaiba because he had very bad memories of this particular kind of portal.
"It is not dangerous," a new, slightly deeper voice said. "You have my - our - word on it."
"You'd damn well better be right, Pharaoh," Kaiba said, stepping forward, "or I'm going to make your afterlife hell." He jumped into the gaping hole.
"Kaiba!" Yuugi exclaimed, giving the CEO a tight hug as he climbed back to his feet. Then he backed away, face burning in embarrassment, and mumbled, "Sorry...it's just...I've been really lonely here."
Kaiba's stern expression softened. "It's all right, Mouto - Yuugi. I don't blame you."
"Yaaaah!" Smith stumbled as he landed, and picked himself up off the ground with a conspicuous lack of grace. He eyed Yuugi's small form a little uneasily. "Who're you?"
"I'm Mouto Yuugi," the spiky-haired duelist said in introduction, bowing. "I'm sorry if I frightened you earlier..."
But Smith's eyes were smiling. "Ah, don't worry about it, little guy. I figure, as long as Mister Kaiba here isn't worried, I shouldn't be. I'm Smith, by the way." He extended a hand, and Yuugi shook it tentatively.
"I'm still waiting for that explanation," Kaiba said, but less coldly this time.
Yuugi took a deep breath before launching into the story of how Jou had carried him away from the truck, and how they had gotten turned around and ended up walking in circles until the helicopter had shown up. "And from there, you pretty much know what happened," he said. "You landed, Jou got in, I got attacked, and you took off; after that, there's not much to say. I managed to summon a few monsters and hold the Big Five off for a while, but my luck ran out; they knocked me unconscious, locked me into the game, stole my body and escaped into the real world, I suppose." He shrugged. "And that's it."
"And you've been here, alone, ever since?"
"Other than Yami, yes," Yuugi replied quietly. His eyes were shimmering.
Kaiba bit his lip in uncertainty, a rare thing for him. Then he knelt and pulled the shorter duelist into an embrace. "It's going to be okay, Yuugi, I promise. Everything's going to be okay."
Yuugi sniffed into his shoulder and tightened his grip on the CEO's waist. "That's what Yami keeps telling me...but I just don't see it, Seto," he murmured. Tears were streaming uncontrollably down his face, but his voice was calm, controlled, even. "I just can't see how you or anyone else can do anything. The Big Five have probably already disappeared to some third-world country; they'll never show their faces again, I'm sure of it. And even if they do, what can we do about it? Noa was the only one who knew how to transfer minds to and from bodies, and he's long dead..."
"I'll figure it out," Kaiba promised. "If Gozaburo could do it, I can do it. Just don't worry anymore, all right?"
"Yeah...thanks, Kaiba," Yuugi said, smiling weakly. He stepped away from the CEO and hugged his shoulders.
Smith cocked his head. "Hey, Mister Kaiba, Yuugi...do you hear something?"
Yuugi frowned and nodded slightly. "Yeah...Yami, what is it?"
A fourth figure shimmered into existance behind Yuugi, one hand on the smaller form's shoulder. "Yes. It's your cell phone, Kaiba. I can't redirect it here; you'll have to return to the real world to answer it."
"I'll go open the portal, and see if I can't clean up the signal for you," Yuugi offered. "Reception down here is horrible, but I may be able to do something..." He faded suddenly, leaving Kaiba and the Pharaoh with a very confused Smith.
"It's...good to see you again, Kaiba," Yami said after a short moment.
"And you, Pharaoh," the CEO replied. "You seem to be holding up much better than your lighter half."
The former ruler gave a wry smile. "You forget, I was imprisoned in the puzzle for three thousand years, completely alone. Four weeks in a computer system with my hikari at my side and an entire game system to explore and defeat..." He shrugged. "I'm afraid it's been something of a vacation for me."
He looks rather pale and thin for it to have been a vacation, Kaiba couldn't help but think. Noa was unaffected by the time, and so was Yuugi; it's stress, not a lack of nourishment, that's wearing on him. The Pharaoh isn't quite as jaded as he'd like to believe.
Smith jumped slightly when a solid oak door suddenly appeared in front of them. Mentally slapping down the not-so-unreasonable fear that jumped up in his throat at the sight (after all, he'd nearly lost his brother to one of these doors), the CEO grasped the handle and flung it open, stepping through calmly. The transition was unbelievably smooth; the only thing that told him he was back in his own body was the sudden sound of his phone ringing. He vaulted back into the sub, unlocked his briefcase again, and picked up the phone on its sixth ring.
"Kaiba speaking," he said tersely.
"Nii-sama!"
Kaiba stiffened. "Mokuba? Mokuba, what's wrong? What's going on?" His brother's voice was panicky, high and shrill and quick, and he sounded like he was trying not to cry.
"Everything, Seto, everything's wrong," the boy sobbed. "Marik escaped from the institution, and the Big Five have Yuugi's body and are holding Ryou hostage, and I think they killed Bakura and maybe Malik too, and Anzu and Honda and Otogi are all being mind-controlled again, and you're not here and I can't find Jouno anywhere and Seto I'm just so scared!" Scared was an understatement; he was obviously terrified.
"Okay, Mokuba, take a deep breath," Kaiba said. "Just calm down. I can't do anything unless I know exactly what's going on, so you're going to have to tell me. Okay? Deep breath, and just don't worry...just don't worry, okay? Mokuba? Mokuba, you there?"
"I'm here," he whispered weakly. "Okay, Seto, I'm calm now...what do you want to know?"
"First, I want to know exactly where you are."
"I'm - I'm in your office," came the answer. "I'm sitting behind your desk, using your phone."
"Okay. Good. That's good, Mokuba, that's very good. Where are the Big Five?"
There was a moment of hesitation. "They're in Yuugi's body somewhere," he said. "I think they're still at Ryou's apartment, but I'm not sure..."
"All right. What about Marik?"
"No one knows...no one knows, Seto, that's what scares me..."
The elder Kaiba took a deep steadying breath and advised Mokuba to do the same. This was bad. This was very, very bad. Carefully, he talked his brother through giving him the rest of the details; yes, this was very, very, very bad. The only people that could possibly help at the moment were Jounouchi and possibly Sugoroku, and the former was missing in action.
"Okay, Mokuba, here's what I want you to do," Kaiba explained. "Pick up the phone on the other side of my desk and call the Kame Game Shop."
"I...I don't remember the number," Mokuba said shakily. He sounded like he was going to panic again. "God, Seto, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry..."
"Shhh, that's okay...it's okay, Mokuba. I can find out for you. Just give me a minute." He held the cell phone against his ear with one hand and clambered back out of the sub, one more time. "Mouto," he said into the stillness. "Mouto, I need your help. I need to know your phone number."
"What? Why?" Yuugi asked, obviously confused.
"Just tell me what it is," he snapped. There was half an instant of silence, and then the unseen duelist rattled off a string of numbers.
"S-Seto?"
"Yeah, Mokuba?"
"Is that...is that really Yuugi you're talking to?"
"Yes, Mokuba, it is."
"Where are you, Seto?"
"I'm inside Noa's underwater building right now," he said.
Mokuba let out a little screech. "Are you all right?! How did you get there? What are you doing? Are you okay?"
"Calm down! Calm down, everything's fine, I promise - I'm a lot safer than you are right now. I just want you to calm down, okay?"
He could hear his younger brother breathing on the other end of the line. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm calm. What's the number?"
Seto gave him the number, and told him to ask for Sugoroku.
"Okay...it's - it's ringing, the phone's ringing," Mokuba said. "What should I say?"
"You're going to tell him that you need him to come pick you up from my office because I had to take the car on a sudden trip, and that you need a place to stay tonight, okay? He'll say yes."
"...okay..."
"And when you get in his car, you're going to explain everything to him the way you just explained it to me, and he'll take you somewhere safe."
"Okay..."
Kaiba gave a small sigh of relief. Finally, both of them were calming down a bit. "Hey, Mokuba?"
"Yeah?"
"You know I love you, right?"
"Yeah...I love you too, Seto. Oh! Sugoroku-san? I - I need a ride from my brother's office, can you pick me up...? He had to - had to leave, and he took the car... Yes, thank you! Thank you!" There was a moment of silence, and then Mokuba said, "Nii-sama?"
"What is it, Mokuba?"
"Should I hang up?"
"No, Mokuba. I want you to stay on the phone until Sugoroku gets there. And then I want you to take the spare cell phone from my desk drawer and keep it with you. Okay?"
"Spare cell phone...got it," the raven-haired youth reported. Kaiba heard the sound of a drawer closing.
"Good. Now turn it on."
"On...right. Seto...I'm still scared..."
"Just keep talking to me, Mokuba. Pretend I'm sitting right next to you. Just keep talking to me."
"Okay...just keep talking...okay... Jouno took me to the Game Shop a few days ago and let me buy some new cards. I know you don't like me to go there - you're not mad at me, are you? God, Seto, I'm so sorry, don't be mad - "
"I'm not mad at you, Mokuba," the brunette reassured him. Heavens, no, I'm not mad - I just wish I was with you, instead of halfway across the world trapped in a giant submarine with no hope of reaching you in time to do anything... "What cards did you get?"
"Nothing - nothing good," was the reply. "A few magic cards, and a new trap card called - Seto!" His voice dropped to a barely audible whisper.
All of Seto's nerves suddenly went on the alert, triggered by the terror in his brother's voice. "What? What's going on, Mokuba?"
"There - there's someone at the door... I think it's Sugoroku..."
A silent sigh of relief. "Then go with him," Kaiba said.
"But, Seto... I can't... I think there's someone at the window, I can hear them moving around, Seto I'm scared...!"
"It's okay, it's okay, shhhh," the elder brother said in as soothing a voice as he could muster. His skin was crawling; his gut was twisting in on itself; he wracked his mind for solutions. "From where you're sitting, can anyone at the window see you?"
"N-no," was the unsteady answer. "Unless they saw me getting the other phone, I don't think they know I'm here..."
"Okay. That's good. That's good. Now...er..."
"Seto?"
"Yes?"
"You don't know what to do, do you?"
Kaiba sighed. "No, Mokuba, I don't."
"You're scared..."
"Yes, I am. I'm terrified. But I don't want you to hang up, Mokuba, do you understand? No matter what happens, I don't want you to hang up."
"...okay..."
"All right. Which end of my desk are you at? The one with the coffee cup, or the one with the lamp?"
"Coffee cup."
"Even better. Unless my secretary moved it, there should be a big potted plant not too far away. Is it there?"
"...yeah. Yeah, it is."
"I want you to crawl behind it."
"But Seto, the phone - !"
"I want you to hang up, crawl behind the plant, and call me on the cell phone. I'm going to walk you out of my office and into the hallway, away from windows. Okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, okay. I'll...call you right back."
"Okay. You do that."
"I love you, nii-sama..."
"I love you too, Mokuba." The tall brunette couldn't help but wince when he heard the line go dead. He leaned back against Smith's sub and allowed himself to sink weakly to the floor, not caring who saw him.

Smith frowned. "That's Mister Kaiba's cell phone again," he said. "He's been talking for an awfully long time...what do you think is going on?"
Yami frowned too. "I...do not know. I will ask." His eyes took on a far-away look.
||Aibou?||
||Aah! Oh, it's you, Yami...what's up?||
||Who is Kaiba talking to? What's going on?||
There was a mental sigh. ||I'm not really sure,|| the light admitted. ||I know he's talking to Mokuba, and he looks really worried, but...he hasn't told me why yet. His phone just rang again.||
||Yes, Sumisu-san heard it.||
||Hey, Yami?||
||Yes?||
||Can you...keep Smith in the virtual world a while longer...? Kaiba doesn't look so good, I don't think he would want anyone to see him right now.||
||What do you mean?"
||He's crying, Yami.||
The former Pharaoh blinked. Even as a High Priest, he'd never known Kaiba to cry. That was...disturbing.
||Ah. I will try.||
"So?" Smith asked when he saw the other teenager shake himself. "What's the story?"
"I still don't know," Yami replied, shaking his head. "Kaiba is talking on the phone again. I think it would be better all around if you and I were to remain here in the virtual world until he finishes."
The oceanographer hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Since I don't really see that I have much of a choice, I might as well. What do you people do around here for fun?"
Floating randomly through cyberspace, Yuugi performed what was now his mental-electronic equivalent of a frown. He could see through the video cameras that Kaiba was still slumped against the side of the tiny submarine, murmuring into his cell phone. He'd turned the microphones off a while ago, thinking to give Kaiba some privacy, but now he was deeply considering turning them back on. Nothing that could break through Kaiba's tough shell that easily could bode any good. No, he decided. No, he would leave them off for another three minutes. Then, if Kaiba was still on the phone, he would turn them on.
Which left him three minutes of lonely obsessive worrying. Joy. Not, of course, that he'd done much else for the last four weeks. If he'd still had a body, he would have been crying; then again, if he'd still had a body he wouldn't be in this situation...
His only comfort was that Yami had been imprisoned with him, and even that wasn't so comforting. He felt terrible for dragging the poor spirit into this. It had been his decision to stay rather than run for the helicopter, not Yami's; the spirit didn't deserve to be trapped like this. He'd already borne more than his fair share of misery. It just wasn't fair.
With machine-like precision, he keyed the microphones just as the fourth minute began. Kaiba hadn't moved.
"...still someone at the door? Okay. Okay. Then you're going to have to use the other door, the bathroom door. You know where that is, right? Good, good. Okay. Go back to where you started...right, by the coffee cup." A moment of silence. "You're there? Great. That's good. Now, go to the other end of the desk. You should be right across from the restroom door now." Another pause; Mokuba was obviously speaking.
"Okay...okay, that's okay. He shouldn't be able to see you through the curtains on that side of the window. Just crawl over into the bathroom, and you'll be okay. Yes, I promise."
Another pause, more lengthy this time.
Kaiba's face paled slightly. "He saw you? Okay, that's okay. Just keep going. He can't get to you - Mokuba?!"
Yuugi could hear the frantic screaming through the phone. "He saw me! It's Marik, Seto, it's Marik, he's coming in through the window! Let me go, let me go, let me go...Seeeetooooooooooooooooo!!"
Kaiba was on his feet, white-faced and shaking. "Mokuba! Mokuba, don't give up - Mokuba!!" Then suddenly he closed his eyes as if in pain, and he fell to his knees, closing the cell phone with a quiet snap. "Oh, God, Mokuba...I'm sorry..."

The air was deathly still, rank with the peculiar smell of magic. Nothing in the apartment moved. Weak sunlight filtered through the window and played off what was left of the Millennium Ring; on the far side of the room, a half-conscious Malik groaned.
Stupid...rotten...egotistical...beaurocratic...bastards... The curses shifted smoothly into fluent Arabic and continued in that strain for some time; when those were exhausted the weakened Egyptian turned to Japanese. Ten minutes later he was completely out of insults...what was he to do but start making up his own?
"Still not dead?" not-Yuugi said. To his credit, his voice contained only a mild hint of surprise. "My, my, a stubborn one...what fun."
"Keep your paws to yourself," Malik hissed. He struggled to his knees, glaring at the Big Five all the while. The frozen violet eyes met his unblinkingly.
Not-Yuugi smirked. "Oh, but I am. I haven't touched you yet, have I? It's not my fault the Shadow Realm likes to play with mere mortals such as yourself before it kills them."
"Yeah, well," the blonde panted, "it's never tangled with me before. Let's see how it likes this!" He threw out a hand towards the abomination, holding his akward position expectantly; nothing happened. "Eh heh heh..." No Rod, no magic, you idiot!
Another smirk. "You might want to save your strength," he said. "I think there's someone coming who would very much like to speak with you..."
Malik froze. That leer combined with the splinters of ice creeping up his spine could only mean one thing.
"How would you know?" he spat. Come on, come on - think!
The Big Five crossed their arms and leaned back triumphantly. The Kaiba-like pose looked odd on Yuugi's tiny frame, but at the same time it was unnerving how right it seemed. "Oh, I know, all right. This body has many talents."
There was a moment of silence.
"...you have no idea how wrong that sounded."
The cold smirk dropped for an instant, replaced by first bewilderment and then outrage. "That was not what I meant!"
Oh, yeah - go, gutter comments! Now, just to keep him distracted a while longer... "Wasn't it? Then what did you mean? Because that's certainly what it sounded like."
Not-Yuugi spat. "I don't have to explain myself to a mortal like you."
"One, that's the oldest line in the book. Two, you're beginning to sound freakishly like my yami."
The violet eyes danced with icy mirth. "That happens when he's the only person I speak with for a month. He has a very interesting personality - is it true he's your anger embodied?"
"And what if he is?" Malik snarled. This was bad. Marik scheming alongside the Big Five... One thing was sure: Nothing good could come of this.
Not-Yuugi gave a mock-impressed whistle. "My congratulations on creating such a fine creature."
"You haven't seen anything yet." Oh, this must be an interesting picture - me on my knees baring my teeth at a kid half my height. Not including the hair. I'm just glad Bakura isn't catching this on camera...I'd never live it down.
"But that's beside the point. If I'm not very much mistaken, that's your darker half coming up the stairs now - it sounds as though he's bringing another guest with him... What a fun party this is turning out to be. Isn't it, Ryou?"
Bound and gagged on the far side of the room, the white-haired British boy could do nothing but glare, so he did. He could be scarier than his dark when he felt like it.
"...me go! Let me go, you big bully!" There was a sickening thud, and then the sound of a body being tossed against the wall. The door to Ryou's apartment swung open.
Not-Yuugi chose that moment to make his move. Distracted by the sudden appearance of his more-than-half-crazed yami, Malik couldn't defend himself against the shadows' attack; he choked as half-seen fingers entwined themselves around his throat and tore at his face.
"If only I had a bowl of popcorn," not-Yuugi said mournfully.
Still standing in the doorway, Marik bristled. "Release him."
The Big Five gave the spirit an innocent look. "What? I'm not doing anything!"
"Release the pretty-pretty!!" Any shred of sanity the blonde may have still had was long gone; his hair stood on end as raw power coursed through his fingertips. The Big Five "eep"ed.
Malik's vision was going black; he didn't see his dark pull the Millennium Rod from his belt loop, or the brilliant flash of light as he banished the businessmen to the Shadow Realm; all he heard was the crash of glass as Yuugi's body flew through the window.

Gone. He was gone. Dead, most likely; at the very least, locked in the Shadow Realm for all eternity. It didn't matter. Mokuba was gone.
Silent tears cascaded from blue eyes, and brown bangs fell around his face, a swinging barrier between him and the rest of the world. Would that he could just stay like this, unmoving, and never have to face reality again; would that he could just live in his memories.
Gone.
Faintly, he could feel himself falling; he didn't care. He didn't notice the water disappearing from around his knees, he didn't notice the way he landed heavily on his side in ankle-deep grass. All he knew was that Mokuba was gone. Nothing else mattered. KaibaCorp. could go to hell; Yuugi could have his title as Duel Monsters champion; that dice-eared upstart could take over his production department and turn it to making dice. He didn't care. Everything was over.
"Kaiba? Kaiba, what's wrong?"
The voice was soft, quiet; like Mokuba's. Kaiba's breath caught in his throat. He clutched his cell phone to his chest, curling around it like a lifeline; the last thing he had, his only surviving link to his brother.
"Kaiba, please, tell me what's wrong...please, Kaiba, you have to tell me! I can't help you if you don't tell me..." He felt Yuugi putting his small hands on the taller teen's shoulders and squeezing them gently, as if to reassure him.
I can't do anything unless I know exactly what's going on, so you're going to have to tell me. Okay?
"He's - he's gone," Kaiba whispered brokenly. "Mokuba's gone..."
There was a sharp intake of air; the CEO didn't know if it was Yuugi or the Pharaoh pulling him to his feet, but it didn't matter. They could go to hell, as long as it brought his brother back.
"Kaiba." Most definitely Yami; no way was Yuugi that demanding. "Kaiba, listen to me."
The brunette turned and stumbled a few steps away. No good; the Pharaoh was in control of the virtual world. He ended up right where he had started.
"Kaiba, you have to listen to me."
No matter what happens, I don't want you to hang up.
"...leave me alone, Pharaoh."
A moment of silence. Kaiba almost breathed a sigh of relief; maybe they'd all taken the hint and left.
Crack.
"What in the seven hells was that for?!" Kaiba shouted, holding a hand to his reddening cheek.
Yami glowered at him. "I'll slap you again, if you don't come to your senses," he said. "Now that I've got your attention, tell me what's going on!"
It was rapidly turning into a glaring contest; so far, Yami was winning. That may or may not have been because Kaiba kept having to blink away tears. There was no way he was going to cry in front of his rival...but Mokuba was gone. So what did it matter, what Yami thought?
It didn't.
"Nothing that concerns you," the CEO finally snapped. "Now get out of my way." He shoved his way past the former ruler and stalked off, wanting nothing more than to crawl into some deserted corner of the game and die. He'd failed to protect his brother; he deserved nothing more.
It's all I deserve.
So this is how the chihuahua felt, Kaiba thought dimly. At least he had a helicopter window to bang his head against.
"Kaiba...Kaiba, please."
He hesitated for an instant, foot hanging in midair.
"Please. Tell me what's wrong. I can't change it, but...please, Seto, just tell me what's wrong," Yuugi begged.
...and you'll be okay. Yes, I promise.
Kaiba sighed, and turned around. "Malik escaped from the institution and is braincontrolling Otogi, and Anzu, and Honda. The Big Five are in your body holding Ryou hostage. They've killed Bakura, and maybe Marik. Mokuba...I think Mokuba may be dead." His voice broke, and he turned away slightly.
"Oh, God, Seto..." Yuugi stood stock-still for a moment, then walked forward and placed his arms tentatively around Kaiba's waist. "God, Seto, I'm so sorry..."
The brunette fell back to his knees, leaning into his one-time-rival's shoulder and shaking. He didn't say anything; he didn't have to.
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Then finally Kaiba stood, eyes lost and empty, expressionless.
"I...I have to go back."
Yuugi gave him a startled look. "Go back where? To Domino?"
"Yes."
"But - but why? Why do you have to go?"
Kaiba whirled on him. "I have to find my br - Mokuba's body. And save your worthless friends. It's what he would want."
"Well, in that case, then," Yuugi said with a weak smile, "I'm going with you."
It was Kaiba's turn to be startled. "How, exactly?"
"We have two choices. Either you can download my and Yami's minds into your laptop and catch the first jet back to Domino...or we can all go in this thing. Noa designed it to move extremely quickly, in case anyone ever stumbled across it on accident - we can be there in four hours or less."
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "You seem uncertain."
"Well..." Yuugi sighed. "We can get there in four hours, but it will wreak havoc with the machinery." He shrugged. "If we go now, this base may fall apart. If we wait, everything will be over by the time we get there. It's...it's your call, Kaiba."
There was a moment of stunned silence. Smith was the first to speak.
"You do realize what you're saying, kid? If he says go, and this thing breaks down..."
Yuugi turned and met the oceanographer's eyes. "Yes. I know exactly what I'm suggesting. That's why it's Kaiba's call. I'm already downloading Yami into Kaiba's laptop; if anything happens, the three of you will already be in your sub ready to escape."
"And the Pharaoh agreed to this plan?"
"Not really," Yuugi said with a tight smile. "He's smart, but he can't move as quickly in this computer world as I can. He's still screaming at me."
Kaiba frowned. "I can't ask you to do this, Yuugi."
The shorter duelist shook his head. "You don't have to. I'm offering. If there's anything I can do - anything at all - to help my friends, I'll do it...you should know that by now."
Leave my friends alone!
It's my decision, Jouno.
I will protect everyone from harm...
Just go, Jounouchi! Go with Shizuka!
"Yeah, I guess I should," Kaiba said with a wry grin. "But...are you absolutely sure about this, Yuugi? I - I don't want to put anyone else in danger on my account."
"Feh," Smith snorted; the former rivals ignored him.
Yuugi gave a sad smile. "No. I'm not. I don't want to die any more than you do, Kaiba - Seto. But that doesn't mean that I won't. Just give the word, Seto, and I'll do it."
Kaiba hesitated. He couldn't ask Yuugi to do this, he just couldn't. But then...he couldn't leave the chihuahua and the rest of Yuugi's friends to fend for themselves, either. Those incompetents would all allow themselves to be destroyed before they lifted a finger in self-defense, especially if the Big Five pulled their usual tricks and pulled innocent bystanders into the fray. Which left him with no choice.
"Then get me out of this game, Mouto, because we're going to Japan."

Marik's chest rose and fell with each breath he took; the wildness in his eyes slowly died down, and his hair began to droop as much as it ever did.
"Pretty-pretty..."
Malik moaned slightly, but otherwise didn't move. His breathing was quick and shallow.
"My pretty-pretty... Why does the light hate me...? The light should not hate, it makes him like the dark - and the light should not be like the dark, no no..." The conscious Egyptian ran his fingers through the other's hair and twisted the blonde strands around his finger. "No, not like the dark."
Leaning wearily against the doorframe, Mokuba watched the scene through bleary eyes. He was sure Marik hadn't meant to throw him against the wall so forcefully, but that didn't change the fact that it hurt. Not, of course, that the raven-haired boy blamed him; he would have panicked too, if it had been his other half being tortured by the Big Five. Marik had been growing more and more anxious from three blocks away, and by the time they reached Ryou's apartment had been bodily carrying the short-legged boy; thus the shouts.
"Is...is he okay?" Mokuba asked, stumbling over and sitting down next to Marik.
The Egyptian sighed. "The dark does not know... The shadows have weakened him, Dark Child. The shadows hurt the light much more than the dark; the dark does not know..."
"Well, I don't know much about spirits, but at least he's breathing," Mokuba said. "I just wish we'd gotten here sooner. Poor Bakura..." He sniffled a bit, but then his head jerked up suddenly and he rushed headlong across the room.
"What? Where is Dark Child going?" Marik's voice was frightened, like a little child who didn't want to be left alone.
"I forgot about Ryou!" Mokuba explained breathlessly, dropping to the floor next to the tightly bound light-haired hikari. "Ryou, are you all right? Did they hurt you?" He pulled out the gag first, so the poor teenager could speak.
Ryou coughed for a few minutes. "No...no, they didn't do anything to me," he finally managed. "I...I was too valuable as a host body...but they - they k - killed Bakura-chan..." He coughed again, now with tears streaming down his face. Mokuba finished untying the knots around his hands and ankles and pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's going to be okay," Mokuba murmured. "It's going to be okay... Seto will fix everything... He found Yuugi, they'll fix everything... Everything's going to be okay, he promised. He promised, Ryou, he promised...!"
"Well, if Kaiba-san promised," Ryou answered with a weak smile. "Go back and...help Malik. I think he's coming around." He picked up the pieces of the Millennium Ring and caressed them lovingly; Mokuba bit his lip for a moment in hesitation before crawling back over to the two Egyptians.
Malik was still unsconcious, but his fingers were twitching occasionally as if he was trying to grasp something. Marik stroked his hikari's hand; bronze fingers tightened around darker bronze, and a tiny smile flitted across Malik's face for an instant.
"Dark Child," Marik murmured after a moment. "Dark Child, what is pretty-pretty's name?"
"He's called Malik," Mokuba replied softly.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Stupid alarm," Yuugi muttered. It had been going off consistently for almost an hour now, warning him that the engines were overheated and that the hull integrity was being breached. The latter fact he knew anyway; the rising water in the main compartment proved that quite readily.
||Yuugi, what were you thinking?!|| Yami raged. ||You could be killed!||
The digital duelist sighed. ||Yes, Yami, I could. But if you and Kaiba-san and Sumisu-san survive, and you save our friends, then it's well worth it. There's no other way. Now please, either be quiet or help me plot the last bit of our course - I've got to keep these engines running as long as possible, and I can't do that if I'm busy arguing with you.||
||But Yuugi - ||
||Look at it this way, Yami. If you help me, there's a better chance that I'll survive. Kaiba's computer has wireless internet access; use it to hack into the computer mainframe and pull out the information you need. I have to concentrate on the engine right now.||
||...Yuugi...aibou...||
Yuugi gave another quiet sigh. ||Please, Yami. I need your help. I can't do this without you.||
||Then why did you agree to it in the first place?!|| The former ruler's mental voice was taut with grief; Yuugi had to force down a wave of heartrending guilt.
||Please, Yami, don't make me explain it... Just help me. Okay?||
||...all right. Give me a moment.||
||Thanks, Yami.||
Thrummm...thrummm...thrummm... The propellers were vibrating, wearing down their shafts as they spun at terrible velocities. There was no way they could last another hour.
||Hey, Yami?||
||Yes, aibou?|| The spirit's voice was quiet now, all emotion held behind a wall of resigned determination.
||I have to know the fastest way to reach the Nankai trough. Can you find that for me?||
||Yes, aibou.|| A series of images flashed through his head, one after another; he flipped through them rapidly, both his biological and mechanical minds working in tandem to chart the shortest route. They would be cutting it very close. Coming up from the south, they could just pass Nagoya; nothing farther. At best, Kaiba and Yami and Sumisu-san would have to cross over the western edge of the Nankai trough in the sub. The engines wouldn't be able to take the strain of moving the base forward and upwards at the same time.
That gave him fifty-five more minutes of human contact before everything ended.
The sudden re-introduction of large amounts of water to the inside of the structure, he knew, would short out almost all of the electronics. Already he could feel minor systems going off-line with just a foot or so of water sloshing about. And when the central controls collapsed, the generators would be left unregulated; the base would explode in ten minutes or less. It was inevitable.
But it didn't really matter. He'd known from the instant he'd been kicked out of his own body that he would never make it back. He'd been resigned to the idea for weeks. He just wished he'd been able to do more before it happened.
Fifty minutes ticked by agonizingly slowly. If it's this bad for me, he couldn't help thinking, I don't want to know how Kaiba feels.
THWANG. THWANG.
"Mouto? Mouto, what's going on?" Kaiba had opened the tiny sub's hatch and poked his head out, looking around for the source of the noise.
"It's the outer support structures," was the grim answer. "They weren't meant to withstand this kind of speed for this long. You'd better get back inside; I don't know how long the dome will last." Kaiba nodded and slipped back inside. A moment later his voice crackled over the radio, but quietly, as though he didn't want Sumisu-san to overhear.
"Mouto, you can still back out of this. Smith can take us the rest of the way - it can't be that far."
"No, Kaiba," Yuugi replied. "Please, don't tempt me. I'm taking you as far as I can - it's faster this way."
He couldn't decide if the next noise was a sigh or just static. "I'll put this plainly, Mouto. I don't want you to destroy yourself."
"Will you and Yami stop it?! I don't like it any more than you do, but there's no better way! If you have another idea, I'm all ears," he snapped.
"That cinches it. I'm downloading you onto my laptop."
"What?! Kaiba, no, don't, you can't, I'm still - " But it was no use. Even over the radio he could hear the tiny click-click-click that meant the CEO was carrying out his word; the guy was too stubborn for his own good. Hurriedly, he increased the base's speed and changed the course slightly. This path was more risky, but if the engines held out long enough it would bring them closer to Domino - the downside was, if the engines cut out too soon they would ram straight into the side of the trough. One could only hope.
Even as these thoughts were running through his head, Yuugi was still cursing at the top of his digital lungs.
"Kaiba, you arrogant bastard, you can't do this, you'll kill yourse - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
He could feel parts of his mind being torn recklessly from the computer mainframe, ripped away like an old band-aid - it was agony. The Winged Dragon of Ra's attack was nothing compared to this. If he'd still been in a physical form, he would have fainted; as it was, the electronic pulses that simulated synapses faltered and died, and he knew no more.

Emerald-green eyes blinked and cleared.
"Ahh...major headache," Otogi moaned, rubbing his temples. "What happened...where am I...?"
"I...don't know," Anzu answered uncertainly. She, too, had a roaring headache, but she'd been mind-controlled before; she shook it off easily. "But I think the real question is, why did Marik release us? Something must have happened to him!"
Honda snarled. "He deserves it, the bastard." Anzu glowered at him for a moment, but then her glare faltered, and she shrugged.
"Yeah...you're probably right. But that just brings us back to Otogi's question. I don't recognize this place."
The game creator looked around, but to no avail; even now that his muddled thoughts had cleared he still had no idea where they were. Honda, however, was slightly more familiar with the Domino streets.
"We're behind the institution," he said in surprise. "In the alley between it and the next hospital building. But...why? What have we been doing?"
"Mrrgh vhhhg ghhrmvh!"
"Aaah! Wha - Mouto-san? What are you doing here?" Anzu bent down and pulled out the gag while Otogi fumbled with the cords that bound his hands.
"What were you three thinking?!" the elderly shopkeeper raged once he was free. "Tying me up like that and dragging me all across town! You almost gave me a heart attack - I've never been more shocked in my life!"
The aspiring dancer's face burned. "Oh, Mouto-san, I'm so sorry! Really, I am... I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you we were all being mind-controlled, would you...?"
"...yes, I would," Sugoroku smiled, face softening. "I've spent enough time with my grandson to believe in that kind of thing. But that still doesn't explain why..."
Otogi shrugged. "If we knew that, we wouldn't be in this situation, now would we?"
"I vote we go inside and call Ryou," Honda said. "He and Bakura understand Marik better than we do, they might be able to make some sense of this." The other three nodded in agreement, and they all trooped around to the front of the building and walked inside.
"...whoa. What happened here?"
"It looks like a bomb went off or something..."
"Excuse me? Can I help you?" It was an Asian man in a doctor's coat; his nametag read Dr. Akira.
"Er, yeah," Anzu said. "Can we borrow your phone? We got lost, and need to call for a ride..."
Akira nodded. "Most certainly. Please, follow me - the only phones are in the offices, I'm afraid." He turned and walked into a back hallway, leaving the three teens and one old man to follow nervously.
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Honda murmured.
"It's someone screaming," Otogi said. He glanced around; this place gave him the creeps. "Freaky."
"Well, it is an institution, Anzu pointed out. "I'm just surprised it isn't louder. I guess the rooms are farther away from the front than the offices."
There was a long silence, during which the four listened to the screams more attentively.
"Let me out of here! I'm not insane! You don't understand, I have to help my friend, he's in trouble - please, you've just gotta let me out of here!" There was a faint sound of something slamming against a wall, and then silence.
Anzu's eyes were wide. "Is it just me, or does that sound like - "
"Jounouchi," Sugoroku finished. "Akira! Akira-san, wait - do you have a new patient here, perhaps? A tall blonde? Speaks with an accent?"
"Why, yes, we do. We just admitted him today - why?" the doctor asked, mildly surprised. The four exchanged glances.

The interior of the sub was quiet. The Texan oceanographer was leaning over the controls, double- and triple-checking everything; Kaiba was leaning weakly against the porthole and trying not to let himself be overwhelmed with grief. Only that morning he'd been creating a new program for his brother's birthday; now that brother was dead, and the program (along with nearly everything else on the laptop) had been deleted to make room for two minds that he'd already thought were gone for good.
He'd have given anything to turn back time.
"Mister Kaiba," Smith said uneasily. "Mister Kaiba, I think maybe you'd better have a look out the window." Slowly, the young CEO raised his gaze and glanced through the thick glass. A river of seawater was pouring through a rent in the dome.
"That's our cue to leave," he said tiredly. "You can either wait until the dome fills and go through the hole, or just go straight through the dome...it doesn't matter."
Smith frowned. "We'll wait. I don't want to bang my baby up any more than she already is."
Silence reigned.
Kaiba felt his eyelids drooping; he forced them up again, but it was as though gravity was exerting all its force on those two pieces of skin alone. The quiet gurgle of water rushing around the sub faded into nothingness as he fell into a mercifully dreamless sleep.
The American glanced over at the teenager half an hour later, thinking to tell him that they were outside of the base and headed for shore, but stopped when he saw the CEO peacefully dozing. He gave a small smile.
"Poor guy..."
Blue eyes suddenly snapped open, flicking first out the window before coming to rest on the American's face. "Did you feel that?"
Smith frowned. "Feel what?"
"I'm not sure. A rumbling, as though something were - " His words were cut off by a brilliant flash of light; the sub flipped end over end, sending the two men crashing into the wall repeatedly. Behind them, tiny pieces of what had once been Noa's underwater base spiralled away into the darkness.
Kaiba groaned. His side was consumed by a blazing agony. He knew without a doubt that at least two ribs were shattered, possibly more.
"You all right?" the American asked, picking himself up gingerly and crawling over to where the CEO was curled on the floor.
Kaiba gritted his teeth. "I'm fine."
"What are you doing?"
The brunette was using the seat behind him to lever himself upright, ignoring the pain it caused. He ignored Smith as well. It took a moment for his fumbling fingers to enter the security code on the side of his briefcase; after that, everything went smoothly. A minute later Yuugi-tachi's minds were completely uploaded to the KaibaCorp. mainframe.
"Okay...then don't tell me."
The younger man winced as he set the laptop back into the briefcase and slid it into a relatively secure position under the seat. Holding back a groan, he explained that he'd moved the duo to a different computer system; if something happened, then at least they weren't trapped in the laptop.
Smith's brow furrowed. "Something like what?"
"The sub sinks."
"She won't," the American said with an easy grin. He ran a hand over the controls. "My baby's indestructible. I've had her for...too long..." His voice trailed off, and he stared at his fingers in horror. They were wet. "How'd you know?" he breathed.
Wordlessly, Kaiba pointed at a tiny stream of water hissing through the upper corner of the front viewscreen. The movement sent another spasm of agony shuddering through his side.
Smith moaned in fear. "We're going to die in here...die, Mister Kaiba, die! Do you hear me?!"
"Yes. I know."
"And you're not concerned about this?!"
"Not particularly."
Smith's face darkened in fury. "Damn you, Kaiba!" he raged. "What right do you have to play with peoples' lives like this?! I agreed to a simple trip down to the canyon, not a romp halfway across the world! I never signed on for giant underwater bases and virtual reality worlds. I'm not dying because of you, Mister Kaiba - you got us into this situation, now you can damn well get us out!"
The brunette in question turned a cool stare on his companion. "Do you think I haven't already done everything within my power? There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
"What about your cell phone? Call for help!"
Grimacing, the CEO silently pulled the phone out of his pocket; it was smashed beyond repair. It had been between his ribs and whatever he'd hit.
The American was silent for a moment. "Then your laptop," he said more quietly. "Is there any way you can contact someone through that?"
"I have. We're too far out, too far down; it's extremely unlikely that anyone will reach us before the pressure breaks the glass."
"Is there really nothing else you can do?"
Kaiba sighed. "No. I would not lie about that."
"I...shouldn't have snapped at you," Smith said, massaging his temples. "It's just that...there's nothing I can do, either. The explosion cut through the fuel line. We've only got another five, maybe ten minutes of movement before the engines cut out, according to the gauges."
Blue eyes widened. "They're still functional? Then use them, you idiot!"
"It won't be enough to make a difference. You can't swim that far with your side like that."
"I can't, but you can," Kaiba snapped. "I'm not taking responsibility for your death if you don't make any efforts to prevent it. Now, take this scrap heap to the surface, or I'll do it myself."
"I'm telling you, it's useless - " His words were cut off when the CEO struggled to his feet and limped, bent nearly double with one arm around his waist, to the controls. A moment later the familiar thrum of the engines made the floor vibrate.
"...you don't kid around, do you."
"No," Kaiba replied icily, "I don't."

The apartment was quiet; Ryou was curled in the corner, still toying with what was left of the Ring, and Malik hadn't yet awakened. Neither Mokuba nor Marik made any move to wake him.
"Hey, Ryou?" the raven-haired boy asked softly. "Ryou, do you mind if I get a drink?" The teen didn't answer; shrugging, Mokuba disappeared into the kitchenette. He returned a moment later with two glasses and handed one to Marik.
"What?" the Egyptian frowned. "Why does the Dark Child bring me water...? The dark did not ask for it."
"You know, most people just say thank you," the boy said lightly. He grinned; then the light went out of his eyes, and a cloud passed over his young features. "Hey, Marik."
"Yes, Dark Child?"
Mokuba hesitated. "Why...why did you come get me from Seto's office? Why did you knock out Mouto-san at the door? And why did you mind-control our friends?"
The Egyptian seemed to flinch. "Is the Dark Child angry?" he asked timidly.
"No, not angry...just confused. You were acting so mean, like you were going to hurt me or something..." He blinked away tears. He saw me! It's Marik, Seto, it's Marik, he's coming in through the window!
Marik ran his finger around the rim of his glass a few times, wiping away the condensation. He seemed to be thinking.
"...Marik?"
"The ichi-go," he sighed. "The ichi-go were going to steal Dark Child's body, like they stole Pharaoh-sama's... Dark Child was the only one who came to talk to the darkness, in the white place. The dark...the dark couldn't let them take Dark Child away. So he used the Dark Child's friends to find the Dark Child... The darkness didn't know it was Pharaoh-father-father, he thought it was the ichi-go...Pharaoh-father-father and the ichi-go look the same."
"The 'ichi-go'?"
"The one-five - the body stealers, the bad men, the - " Marik shook his head, unable to find the words he wanted.
"The Big Five? Seto's Board of Directors? Is that who you're talking about, Marik?"
"Yes! Yes, the one-five, the ichi-go!"
Mokuba's eyes were wide. "How did you find out what they were planning?"
"The darkness said...said that if ichi-go would bring him the Millenium Rod and help him leave the white place, he would give them the Dragon, and the Pharaoh's servants..."
Mokuba tried not to roll his eyes. "I'm going to teach you some names, I really am," he said. "Who's this dragon?"
Now Marik really did flinch; more like, he scooted rather perceptibly away from his young companion. He mumbled something under his breath.
"What?"
"...the blue-eyes master...Dark Child's brother," he repeated, only slightly louder.
Usually cheerful eyes were suddenly blazing. "You told them you'd give them nii-sama's body if they got you out?!" Mokuba screeched. Even as short as he was, he still managed to tower over the Egyptian yami; of course, that may have been because said spirit was actively cowering.
Marik held up his hands in defense and shook his head wildly, protesting, "The darkness changed his mind! The darkness will not harm Dragon, no no, not if Dark Child doesn't wish it - he swears, he swears, the darkness swears..." His light violet eyes were wide and frightened, like a toddler whose parent has disappeared in the grocery store. "Besides, ichi-go is gone. The dark has no reason to hurt the Dragon."
"I guess you're right," Mokuba said hesitantly, sitting back down. "But promise that you won't hurt Seto? Please?"
Marik gave an uncertain smile. "The darkness promises."

The sudden silence, though expected, still sent a shiver up Kaiba's spine.
"Well, I guess that's it for the engines then," Smith said. "We're swimming from here."
"I hate swimming," Kaiba muttered under his breath. Not that it mattered, anyway. He wouldn't be leaving leaving the sub any time soon; a few crushed ribs had made sure of that. He wasn't sure he wanted to, anyway. There was just no point in returning to Domino City if his brother was dead.
He took a long slow breath, forcing down the lump in his throat. All it served to do was send him into a coughing fit. He wiped his hand on his pants; it left a dark red streak.
The American was standing under the hatch, already spinning the lock to open it. He paused and glanced at the CEO. "You coming?"
Kaiba only hesitated for the barest of instants. "No."
"What?! Why not?"
"I'll do nothing but slow you down if I go. On the other hand, if I stay here I may be able to reach someone on my laptop."
Smith's eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then shook his head helplessly. "If you refuse, I suppose I can't force you to," he sighed. "You're stubborn, Mister Kaiba, I'll give you that much."
The CEO in question forced a wry smile. "You're learning."
"Then this is goodbye."
"Yes. It is."
The oceanographer bit his lip, obviously stalling for time. "We could try the radio again, see if anyone is within range...?"
But the younger man shook his head. "No good, you know that. It's - " he coughed again; more blood " - dead." He flicked said radio on for emphasis and spun the dial; nothing came through but static. He assumed the explosion had ripped off the external antennae.
He was shaken out of his thoughts by the sudden appearance of his companion's hand in front of his face. He blinked.
"Then, may your god watch over you."
"And you," he replied, shaking Smith's hand. It was strong, well-calloused, but shaking. "Now go. Every moment you delay..."
He didn't finish his sentence; he didn't have to. Smith nodded silently and turned back to open the hatch. But somehow his fingers slipped, and rather than swinging outward like it was designed to do the solid metal sheet exploded downwards, driven into the Texan's legs by the water pressure.
"Sumisu-san!" Kaiba shouted, slipping back into Japanese. The other man groaned and said something; Kaiba couldn't hear him, thanks to the rushing water. "Smith, hold on - hold on, man!" Biting back a groan of his own, the CEO launched himself across the tiny sub and braced himself over top of the oceanographer. The water pounded into his back, making his side explode in unbearable pain; as soon as Smith had managed to drag himself off to the side, Kaiba's knees gave out and he fell face-forward into the rising water. A surprisingly strong arm caught his hair and pulled him upwards.
"Well, now what the hell are we supposed to do?" Smith shouted. "Damn hatch broke my legs, and at the rate this thing is filling up - " he spat out a mouthful of seawater " - you'll never have time to do anything."
Kaiba tossed a trademark glare at the hatch before turning to face his companion; then he spun and looked more closely at the rushing water. It was strangely light - they were near the surface!
"Take a deep breath," he yelled back. "I'm going to block the water long enough for you to get out - you can float to the surface, it's not far."
But the American shook his head. "No way, Mister Kaiba! If we're getting out, we're getting out together."
Texans were strangely resistant to the Death Glare, it seemed.
"Kaiba, it will never work - I can't swim with my legs like they are!"
"You won't have to. Just fill your lungs, and you'll float up." Half holding the oceanographer out of the water with one arm, he wiped a trickle of salty liquid from the corner of his mouth with the other. He knew from the unique metallic taste that it wasn't seawater.
"Then why the hell don't you come?!"
"I will," Kaiba lied. "I'll be right behind you - just go!" Without giving the older man time to react, Kaiba dragged him over to the still-rushing water (there were only about six inches of air left, and that was rapidly disappearing) and forced his head through the hatch.
There was a moment of frantic activity, and then the limply twitching legs disappeared; he was alone. Kaiba squeezed his eyes closed against the seawater and allowed himself to sink to the floor of the sub. He was shaking; whether it was from the icy water, the exhaustion he felt in every fiber of his being, or the all-encompassing pain that ravaged his side he wasn't quite sure.
I'm sorry, Mokuba.
A slow trickle of silver bubbles trickled from the sub as she fell through the waters of Japan.

Five pairs of feet pounded the pavement, accompanied by five sets of lungs gasping for air.
"Can't we...take a quick...break?" Otogi panted.
Jou shook his head. "No! We have to...find Malik!" But he, too, was tired, and only a block later he tripped and landed heavily on his side.
"I'll take that as an omen," the game creator deadpanned as he collapsed onto a nearby bench. Jou picked himself up off the sidewalk, but didn't complain; he was a sprinter, not a marathon runner.
Sugoroku, surprisingly, was the least out-of-breath of the group. His speech was only slightly halting. "You four youngsters run on to Bakura's apartment. I'll go back to the shop and call the institution, and arrange Jounouchi's real release." He grinned slightly; the blonde had gone slightly nuts when he heard that Marik had used the Rod on his friends, and the doctors had been all too happy to let him leave unmolested. They had already sent three of their colleagues to the emergency room with broken noses and jaws. However, they'd made Sugoroku promise to call them back and finalize the release so that it could be officially documented.
"We'll call you from Ryou's with news," Anzu promised. The elderly man nodded and jogged off down the street; the teens panted a moment more, then tore off again. It didn't take much longer to reach the apartment.
Honda slowed and pointed upwards. "Hey, isn't that one on the corner his place?" he asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"The window's smashed - it looks like something smashed through it."
Jounouchi stopped suddenly, eyes wide. "Not something," he whispered. "Someone."
There, sprawled on the sidewalk and covered with shattered glass, limbs twisted at impossible angles, was Yuugi.
"Oh, my God..."

||What the - ?! Where am I?||
||I believe we are in the KaibaCorporation computer,|| Yami replied. ||Kaiba must have changed his mind about leaving us in the laptop.||
Yuugi frowned. That didn't make sense - the laptop was perfectly safe, right? ||But why? What happened?||
||If I knew that, I would have told you already.||
||I'm sorry,|| Yuugi sighed. ||I shouldn't yell at you... It's just that I'm so sick of being shuffled around from place to place, with no say in any of it. I feel like I haven't made my own decisions in years.||
The former Pharaoh flinched. He knew the reincarnation hadn't meant that to include him, but it was true; the poor boy had been forced into innumerable situations against his will ever since he'd solved the Puzzle. There were times when Yami wished he'd never been released. As much as he enjoyed even the limited freedoms allowed him, he wasn't sure it was worth the price of Yuugi's constant unhappiness and worry. Rather, he knew it wasn't.
||Yami? Yami, you still there?||
||I'm here.||
There was a moment of silence. ||So...what exactly are we supposed to do now?||
||Nothing. Until Kaiba learns how to transfer your mind back to your body, we are trapped.||
||Wait a minute - my mind? What about you, Yami?||
If he'd been in physical or even spirit form, Yami would have turned his head away; as it was Yuugi had no way of knowing he was crying anyway. ||I will not be returning with you,|| he said softly.
||What?! Yami, what are you - ||
||It is time for you to have your own life back, Yuugi. I have already had my chance; now that Marik is no longer trying to take over the world and Kaiba and I have...ah...settled our differences, there is no reason for me to inhabit this earth. Besides, my presence has caused more harm than good.||
||This is because of what I said, isn't it?|| Yuugi asked sadly. ||Yami, I know I may get annoyed sometimes, and I know that I've gotten mad at you a lot lately, but that doesn't mean I want you to leave! I...don't leave me alone here, Yami,|| he begged.
||It is not your fault, mou hitori no boku,|| the former ruler reassured him. ||I have been meaning to say this for...for some weeks now. Yuugi, it is not right that you should have to give up part of your life on my account. Fate decrees - my heart decrees - that I must leave.||
Yuugi was sobbing. ||But not now, Yami, please not now! I can't handle this on my own, it's too dark and empty here, please don't leave me...!||
||Hush. I will not leave yet. But when Kaiba removes us from this computer database, I will not accompany you back into the real world; and when you are back in your rightful body, you will smash the Puzzle and thus free yourself. Do you understand, Yuugi? As much as it hurts, this is the right thing for you - rather, for me - to do.||
||I...I understand.||

I'm sorry, Mokuba. I shouldn't have left. I should never have left you, I should have been there; I've failed.
I've failed you.
And I've failed your friends, the Pharaoh's followers... I said I was going to save them. I promised Yuugi I would save them. I failed him, too.
The only thing I did right was leaving you behind.
I'm so sorry, Mokuba, I'm so sorry...
Brown bangs floated in front of his eyes, swaying gently. His body was already numb. He wasn't sure, but he thought he was crying; here in the water there was no way to tell.
The water. It was so quiet, so peaceful. Everything he had ever wanted.
...well, no. It was not Mokuba, not Mokuba's dark eyes sparkling with laughter, not his impossibly long hair flying behind him as he ran to greet his older brother.
But that was good. Because if this was Mokuba, then Mokuba would be cold and wet, and drowning. So it was good.
...wait, no. Mokuba was already gone. Marik had killed him. He'd heard it; he'd heard the screaming, the fighting, the crying, the sound of a head hitting the wall and the shriek of fear and pain and then the silence, the sudden silence that had left him cold and tired and terribly alone.
But if he was alone...where had that hand come from? It was there, in front of his face, gesturing. Gesturing for what? Something. Something. He didn't know. He didn't care. Slowly, so slowly, he lifted a finger and poked at the hand; it lunged for his wrist. He giggled. Cold water splashed into his lungs and made his chest hurt; he giggled some more.
The hand reached down and clamped in an iron grip around his wrist, yanking him upwards. The blue-eyed teen whimpered in pain and tried to curl into a ball.
I don't want to go. Don't make me go.
No matter what happens, I don't want you to hang up.
Don't make me go. Please don't make me go.
You have to go.
But I don't want to.
I want you to, nii-sama. Can you do it? For me?
For you? ...I don't know, Mokuba...I like it here...
Please, nii-sama?
But I'm so tired. I just want to rest.
You can rest later. But now, you have to swim.
Swim?
Yes, nii-sama. You have to swim. Don't you remember? You're racing Yuugi. You have to swim, you have to win the race.
Race?
Yes, the race, you have to win the race. You have to swim, so you can win the race.
I'm so tired, though...for you, you said? Well...okay.
Thank you, nii-sama! Now just keep swimming! That's it, just a little farther...a little farther...
Mokuba...I'm cold, I hurt, I don't think I can win... Can't Yuugi win? Just this once? I promise I'll never lose again, just let me rest...just this once...
No, nii-sama. No. Look, Yuugi's beating you! You can't let him win, big brother! You have to keep swimming!
Keep...swimming...? Yeah...beat Yuugi...win the duel... But this isn't a duel, Mokuba.
I know that. It's a race.
Race...?
I made it a race. If you can beat me and Yuugi to the surface, you win!
Beat...Yuugi...? Okay...yeah, okay, I can do that...just a little farther...
The hand that had been pulling him upwards was still clenched tightly around his wrist, but now it was a dead weight pulling him down; he didn't notice. He had to win the race. Mokuba wanted him to win.
Just a few more feet, nii-sama. Then you'll win.
But...I don't want to win, Mokuba. I want to go back down there. It's quiet down there.
No, nii-sama. No. You have to win. You have to win.
Well...if you say so...
Just a few more feet, nii-sama. Just keep swimming. For me, remember. You're doing this for me.
Okay, Mokuba. For you.
His head broke the surface in a cascade of water droplets; he hacked and coughed until he thought his lungs would explode. The water he expelled was tinted with more than a little blood.
I won, Mokuba.

"He's not answering," Mokuba said worriedly. "Something's wrong, Marik. Nii-sama always answers his phone when I call."
The dark spirit frowned. "The Dragon is in trouble, Dark Child?"
"I hope not... Seto, it's Mokuba. I hope you're okay, because you're not answering your phone - I just wanted to call you and tell you not to worry. Marik is nice now, and he got rid of the Big Five and saved Malik and Ryou. Please be okay, nii-sama - I love you." The raven-haired boy set the phone down with a click and a sigh.
Marik was watching him with shining eyes. "Dark Child trusts the dark now?" he asked hopefully. "Dark Child doesn't hate the dark?"
"Nope," Mokuba answered cheerfully. "If you were still evil, you would have hurt me and Malik and Seto, but instead you got rid of the Big Five - the ichi-go. So we're friends now." He grinned up at the spirit, who gave him a tentative smile in return.
"Dark Child and the dark...friends... The dark likes this," he said slowly. Then, louder, "Friends."
Mokuba grinned.
"...someone turn down the Ra-damned lights," Malik groaned, sitting up and shading his eyes. His gaze fell on Marik for an instant; he jumped to his feet and stumbled backwards, panicking. "Mokuba! Mokuba, get away from him, he's dangerous!"
Marik gazed at his lighter half sadly, still sitting motionless on the floor. A single tear leaked from the corner of his eye.
"No he's not," Mokuba said, standing. "He's not evil anymore, Malik. He's on our side now. Can't you trust him? He saved you, Malik! He saved you and Ryou both!"
"It's true," the white-haired teen said softly when the Egyptian still looked skeptical. "He...he saved you from the Big Five... Mokuba's telling the truth..." His voice faded away, and he returned to rocking back and forth silently, staring at the shattered Ring.
Malik hesitated an instant longer before letting his shoulders slump. "Then I guess...I guess I should apologize, Mariku."
The dark climbed gracefully to his feet and moved to stand in front of his hikari. He smiled. "Don't apologize...Malik." He pressed the Millennium Rod into the hikari's hand, and then he was gone; Malik (now back in his rightful physical form) blinked.
"Eh...what was that about?"

"Be okay, be okay, be okay," Jou prayed, falling to his knees at his friend's side and checking for a pulse. "Yes! He's alive! Anzu, go up to Ryou's apartment and call an ambulance - Honda, you and Otogi go with her in case Marik's there. I'll stay with him."
The three exchanged quick glances before turning and running wordlessly to the front of the apartment building, leaving the blonde alone. His shoulders slumped the instant they were gone.
"God, Yuugi...don't do this to me," he begged. "I already lost you once, don't make me go through that again... I don't know if it's really you in there, or the Big Five, but whatever you do just don't die, damn it! We'll - we'll figure something out, bring you back somehow, just don't die..." He was sobbing openly now, golden eyes drowning in tears.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The blonde leaped to his feet, eyes flicking wildly from shadow to shadow, all senses on panic-alert. He knew that voice. "Mokuba!" he yelled. "Mokuba!"
But his shouts were greeted only with silence. The blonde started towards the door, but something held him back; he couldn't just leave Yuugi alone... Even if he was unconscious, it wasn't right. Mokuba was a smart kid, he could take care of himself...
...right?
Lowering himself wearily to the ground by his friend's unmoving form, Jou sighed and buried his face in his hands.
"You'd know what to do if you were here, Yuugi," he couldn't help but murmur. "Why...why did it have to be you, of all people...? You never deserved any of this...you've never done anything wrong, why did fate choose you? Why not me, or Honda, or Otogi, or even Anzu...? Someone, anyone but you..."
Yuugi made no answer.
A few moments later, his three friends returned, a familiar raven-haired boy in tow.
"Mokuba! Are you all right, pipsqueak? I heard you shouting, you scared the holy bejeezus out of me - "
Mokuba gave an embarassed grin. "Heh, sorry, Jouno... I forgot that Marik wasn't still mind-controlling them. I'm sorry I scared you, I shouldn't have screamed like that."
The blonde frowned suddenly. "Wait...what do you mean, forgot they weren't being mind-controlled? What did Marik make them do? And why are you here, instead of at home where you're safe? Where's that lousy brother of yours?" He stopped when he saw Mokuba's eyes go misty. "Hey, kid, what's wrong? If it's that thing about your big bro, I didn't mean it - you all right, pipsqueak?"
"It - it's nothing," Mokuba sniffled. "H - How's Yuugi doing...?"
"As well as can be expected, I suppose," Jou sighed. "C'mere, shrimp. I think you and I both need a hug right now." The raven-haired boy climbed gratefully into Jou's lap and promptly threw his arms around the blonde's neck.
"Well, this was...unexpected," Honda muttered to Otogi. "I didn't know they were that close."
"I think it's just been a really long day for them both... I don't know, I wouldn't mind a hug myself." The game creator's eyes sparkled with a mischevious light, only slightly dulled by the concern for his friend.
Honda gave him a wary look. "You didn't mean that like I think you meant that, did you...?"
Otogi smirked. "That depends on how you think I meant it, now doesn't it?"
"Hey...you're shaking," Jounouchi accused. "What's wrong, Mokuba? C'mon, tell me. I'm your surrogate bro', you can tell me."
Mokuba buried his face in Jounouchi's shoulder for a moment, trying valiantly not to cry; it wasn't working so well. "It - it's nii-sama," he whimpered after a moment. "I'm worried about him... I've been trying to call him, but he won't answer, he always answers, Jouno, always... And I'm still scared..."
"Shhhhhh, it's okay," Jou soothed. "Kaiba's too stubborn not to be okay. He'll show up just in time to glare at everyone, call me a puppy, and take you home for dinner."
"Promise?" Mokuba asked hopefully.
The blonde gave a lopsided grin. "I promise." And if he doesn't, I am sooooo gonna whoop his rich ass.

"Promise?" Mokuba couldn't help but ask. Hearing Jou talk was almost as good as his brother...not quite, but a lot better than trying to convince himself. The puppy had the same kind of voice as nii-sama.
...Not, of course, that he would ever say that to either of them. Jouno would take it as an insult, and nii-sama would get mad at Jouno for trying to take over his role as big brother. But still, he could think it, right?
"I promise," Jouno replied with a grin. Mokuba smiled back and snuggled into the blonde's chest. He was just considering going to sleep when he heard the sirens coming.
"Hey, Jouno?"
"Yeah, pipsqueak?"
"Yuugi's going to be okay, right?"
There was a moment of hesitation, but then Jou said, "Of course he is. He's almost as stubborn as your brother. He'll be fine."
"That's good...that way nii-sama can put his mind back..." He was speaking in a low mumble, but apparently the puppy had canine hearing; his back stiffened.
"What'd you say?"
"N - nothing!" Mokuba squeaked.
Jou caught his face in his hand and made the boy's dark eyes meet his own. His voice was hoarse.
"Mokuba. What. Did. You. Say."
It was the younger boy's turn to hesitate. "...I said that was good, because if he's okay then nii-sama can put his mind back," he repeated quietly.
"And how is Kaiba going to do this?"
"...he found Yuugi today..."
"Where?!"
Mokuba's voice was getting progressively smaller. He knew Jou wasn't mad at him, but that didn't mean he wasn't a little scared. "...in Noa's base..."
Sparks flashed in Jou's eyes. "Why, that...that egotistical little bastard," he hissed. "What in the seven hells was he thinking, disappearing halfway across the world like that?!"
Mokuba cringed and whimpered softly; hearing Jou speak so angrily about his brother was almost as bad as if Jou was talking to him.
The blonde seemed to realize this, because he hugged the boy tighter and apologized. "I'm sorry, Mokuba... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you... I was just...worried, I guess, and it made me angry. Don't cry, Mokuba, don't cry, I'm not mad at you, really I'm not..."
"I know," Mokuba sniffled. Then, quietly, almost inaudibly, he added, "...I want my nii-sama..."
Jou rocked back and forth gently, cradling the younger boy to his chest. "I know, Mokuba. I know."
By the time the ambulance arrived, Mokuba had drifted off to sleep; Jounouchi had to climb to his feet without waking him, and held him even as he gave the EMTs the information they asked for.
"Any allergies?"
"Not that I know of - and I don't think he reacts badly to any medication, either."
"What about recent injuries, anything of note?"
"No, not really."
"Are you family?"
"No, I'm a close friend; his grandfather lives about ten blocks away."
"Has he been informed?"
"Eh..."
"Yes," Anzu said, stepping forward. "Yes, we had Malik call, since he was staying behind anyway. He said he would meet us at the hospital instead of wasting time coming here first."
"That's fine," the paramedic said, nodding. "Okay, we can take one person in the ambulance, but the rest of you will have to get to the hospital another way."
Jounouchi opened his mouth to volunteer, then closed it again; he desperately wanted to stay with his friend, but at the same time he couldn't bear to give up Mokuba.
"I'll go with him," Honda said. Jou tossed him a thankful glance; next to himself, Honda was Yuugi's best friend, and unlike Anzu he could stomach the hospital setting.
"We'll get there as soon as we can," Jou called as Honda followed their unconscious friend into the ambulance. The brunette nodded, and then the doors swung shut and he was gone.
Jou hugged Mokuba a little tighter and whispered, "Please, Yuugi, please be okay..."

||He memorized all of the duelists' decks?! That's cheating!||
Yami chuckled. ||If you can find the rule that says that, Yuugi, he may listen...but I doubt it. Besides, that's in the past.||
||Yeah, but still - he cheated! I can't believe Kaiba would do that!||
||Can't you?||
Yuugi was going to reply that no, he couldn't, but the memory of a certain rooftop duel made him rethink his words. ||All right, so maybe I can believe it,|| he admitted. Anyone who is willing to make his opponent choose between his life or his family's could easily memorize a deck or two. ||But still, it's unfair. That means I was at disadvantage going in.||
||You still won,|| the darker spirit pointed out. ||And don't forget, he held his own against Isis without knowing a single one of her cards, and he defeated Noa easily enough. He's a worthy opponent even if he does...ah...increase his chances of winning.||
||You always were one to defend your enemies, weren't you?||
Even without being able to see him, the young duelist knew Yami was raising an eyebrow. ||And what exactly do you mean by that?||
||Oh, nothing...nothing at all,|| was the too-innocent reply.
||To steal Jounouchi's words: If this was a fair fight, you know I'd be winning.||
||Ah, but it is a fair fight.||
||No it isn't. I am unwilling to sink to the depth of the petty insults you have already reached.||
||Ooooooooh, that was cold, Yami. That was real cold.|| There was a long silence; the former ruler was quite obviously smirking. Yuugi skimmed his mind for another comeback. ||Oh, well,|| he said with a theatrical sigh, ||at least I'm not the one who thought the pound was a religious shrine and - ||
||Yuugi!||
||What? It's true. You - ||
||Not that,|| Yami interrupted again. ||Go read the newest article in the Domino City paper. It's...it's something I think you should see.||
There was a long silence as the lighter of the two read the first paragraph; when he spoke again, his voice was quiet.
||Oh. That's...that's not a good thing.||
But the other spirit was considerably more excited. ||No, it's not. It's terrible. But think for a moment, Yuugi, think about it. You - your body, that is - is in the hospital, attached to Ra only knows how many computers. We are in the KaibaCorp mainframe, with essentially unlimited access. Think about that.||
||What exactly are you suggesting, Yami?|| The teenager's voice was skeptical; he wasn't sure he liked where this was going.
The spirit was quiet for a second. ||This is your chance to return to your body, mou hitori no boku. I can hack the hospital's systems and lead you through; it will be difficult, but I think between the hospital's technology and what Shadow Powers I have left we can do it.||
||But I don't want to go back,|| Yuugi whispered. ||Not unless you're coming too.||
||Yuugi...|| Yami sighed. He had to do this now; there was no guarantee that Kaiba would ever find the technology that his step-father had used, and his own powers had been waning ever since he'd entered the virtual world. He wasn't sure that if he waited they would ever have this chance again. ||Yuugi, you have to go. If for no other reason than that you must tell someone where Kaiba is, what happened.||
||I'm not leaving you,|| the other responded stubbornly.
||You have to.||
||No.||
The Pharaoh took what would have been a deep breath, had he been alive. He'd never done this before, and it was humiliating beyond all possible humiliations. Worse than praying to the strays in the pound. And that was very embarrassing.
||Yuugi...Yuugi, please. I - I beg you. Do this as a favor to me.||
||I don't want you to go,|| Yuugi sobbed. ||I thought...I thought you'd always be there, always be with me... I don't want to be alone again, Yami, don't make me go!||
||You'll never be alone, mou hitori no boku. Your friends will always be behind you.||
||I don't want them behind me, Yami. I want you, at my side.||
||It's not possible. I am weakening, Yuugi. This...this separation from the Puzzle has affected me greatly. If I said that I could not return with you even if I wanted to, would it make you feel better?||
||No...||
||Then I will not say it. But it is true. You must go, Yuugi,|| he urged. ||We cannot know if Kaiba will ever return - we cannot know even if he still lives. You must tell the others.||
Yuugi sniffled a bit. ||Yami...||
||Just go, Yuugi. I will guide you.|| He felt the teen drawing slowly away, moving through the hundreds of thousands of connections that stretched between them and the hospital; a moment later he called back and said he was ready. The Pharaoh called up as much power as he could and then released it suddenly into the younger duelist.
||Yami, don't make me do this!|| Yuugi's voice was panicked. ||Don't make me leave you!||
||Go,|| he replied. ||Just go! And...|| His voice cracked; he paused a moment before continuing. ||Do not forget me...||
||Don't make me go,|| Yuugi sniffed.
||I'm sorry.|| There was a brief flash of pain as the last few ounces of Shadow Power were drained from his spirit, and a wave of heartrending sorrow, and then he was gone.
||Farewell, my light.||

"...stable with some minor internal bleeding and one leg, one arm, and a rib broken," the nurse said. "Plus a few sprains, but those will heal quickly."
Jounouchi winced. He didn't want to be the one to tell 'Jii-san just how beat up poor Yuugi was...the nurse didn't even know about the fact that his mind was currently - ah - missing in action.
"However, there's nothing particularly life-threatening; a few days here, and then he should be cleared to go home."
"Well, that's good news," Anzu sighed. "The only good news we've had all day, maybe, but good news nonetheless."
From where he was sitting across the room, Jou heard her comment and frowned. Neither he nor Mokuba had told them about Kaiba's discovery. He felt terrible about keeping it a secret, but...he would feel worse if he got their hopes up, and then something happened and it didn't work. No, it was better this way.
He shivered as the door opened and let in a blast of cool air. It was Sugoroku.
"Where's my grandson?" the old man said, making a beeline for the blonde. "Is he okay? How bad is it? What happened?"
Jou pointed to the nurse and said, "You'll have to ask her. I didn't hear what she said."
Oh, yeah, he thought as he watched the poor nurse repeat everything, definitely not something I'd want to do.
"Do you know what happened?" the elderly man asked wearily, dropping into a seat next to the blonde.
Jou shook his head. "No. Malik might, though - when I call him, I'll ask." Mokuba, curled up asleep in his lap, murmured something; Jou shifted him slightly and he fell silent again.
"He's had a long day."
"Yes...what's going on over there?" He gestured to where a cluster of doctors and nurses were disappearing into the hallway, shouting fragmented sentences and instructions over each others' heads.
"That's my grandson's room," Sugoroku breathed. He jumped to his feet. "You stay here, Jou - "
But the blonde was already standing, Mokuba still dozing in his arms. "Come on!"
"No visitors," the doctor nearest the door snapped when they tried to enter. "You'll have to stay in the waiting room for a moment."
"That's my grandson!"
"What's happening, what's going on?" Jou demanded. Mokuba opened his eyes blearily and disentangled himself from the blonde's grasp. "Oh," he said, looking down. "You're up."
"Where are we - Yuugi! What's happening, Jou? Why are all these doctors here?"
"I don't know, kid."
"It's nothing," a nurse with red hair assured them; she was busy recapping and discarding a handful of syringes another nurse had prepared. "Some of his equipment went wild, but he's fine. We're just going to move him to a different room so that it doesn't happen again."
The trio let out a simultaneous sigh of relief. "Thanks, miss," Jou said. But his skin was still crawling. There was something familiar about this, something in the air that made his shoulders tense. He winced as the sun flashed off something in the corner.
"Not a problem - oh! You'd better stand back, it's happening again."
"We've got abnormal brain waves here, people!" a different doctor shouted. "He's going into crisis!"
Jou glared at the red-headed nurse; she blinked in surprise and gave a helpless shrug before diving into the fray.
"Come on, Yuug, don't give up now," Jou murmured. He'd seen enough American shows to recognize what the flat line on the monitor meant. "Please, little buddy...don't give up now..."
There was a long silence. "We've lost him."
Mokuba hid his face in Jou's shirt, and Sugoroku stumbled backwards a few steps. "No...no, it can't be right," the old man said. "He was fine a moment ago! He can't be dead, he can't be, it's not true, you're lying - "
The red-head came back over and took him by the wrist, gently leading him out of the room. The rest of the doctors filed out as well. Jou and Mokuba, still motionless in the corner, were ignored.
Something beeped, and one of the med techs jumped. "What the hell?!"
"What is it?" Jou demanded.
"It's - it's back! Blood pressure rising, blood pressure normal, heart rate normal, breathing normal - I can't believe it!" He ran into the hallway, shouting for a Doctor Meridia to come quickly, there was a new development in case seventy-one.
"Yuugi?" the blonde breathed.
The injured teen groaned and tried to sit up; his eyes flared wide for an instant before he slumped back against the pillows.
Now it was Mokuba's turn to shout. "Yuugi!"
"Mokuba?!" This time he made it all the way to his feet before crumpling to the floor with a tiny moan. "But...Mokuba, you're...Kaiba said..." His voice disappeared into a shuddering sob, and Jou knelt by his side.
"Yuugi, it's okay," the blonde said soothingly. "Everything's going to be okay. Come on, let's get you back into the bed."
The shorter duelist shook his head, still crying. "No...no, it's not okay... Yami's gone, and I think Kaiba's dead, and Marik tried to kill Mokuba and everything's just wrong, Jou, it's all wrong!"
"Seto?" the raven-haired boy breathed. "Nii-sama? Yuugi, what happened to my big brother?!"
"He...he was in the submarine with Sumisu-san," Yuugi replied. He struggled to one knee and raised his head slightly; his eyes were dull, swimming in tears, grief-stricken and lost, but at the same time clear and caring. "The base exploded... I don't know what happened, Mokuba. I don't know where your brother is."
Sniffling slightly, the youngest of the three nodded. "Okay..."
"Oh, Mokuba, I'm so sorry...I should have stayed, I should never have left the sub, it's all my fault Mokuba, please forgive me - !"
"It's okay, Yuugi," he replied. "It's okay. Jouno's right. Nii-sama is too stubborn to let anything happen to him. So don't be sad, okay?"
Yuugi's gaze faltered, and he seemed to fade; only the blonde teen's quick reactions prevented him from falling back to the floor.
"Come on, buddy, don't give up on us," Jou said. "We're gonna find him. Everything's gonna be okay." He lifted the half-conscious duelist back into the bed and straightened him out as much as possible, then turned to Mokuba. "Look, kid...I hate to force this on ya, but you're going to have to be in charge of looking for your brother. I've only seen Yuug even half this broken up once before, and then he swore off dueling; I don't know what he'd do if he was left alone."
"I understand," Mokuba said evenly. He wiped away a tear and squared his tiny shoulders.
Jou bit his lip. "I'm really sorry, Mokuba...you know I wish I could come with you, but I can't leave Yuugi right now."
"No, it's okay, really it is," Mokuba said quickly. "I...I just wish I could stay, too. Look, here's my cell phone - I'll get the driver to bring another one, and I'll call you as soon as I find nii-sama, okay? Don't worry, Jou, I'll be fine. You stay with Yuugi."
The duelist in question raised himself on one elbow. "No. I'm coming with you."
"What?! Yuugi, you're hurt, you can't - "
"I can and I will," he snapped. "Damn it, Jou, I don't care anymore, all right?! Besides, I'm the only one who knows what happened, where he'll be."
Jou blinked. He'd never heard him curse before.
"But Yuugi," Mokuba protested, "Jouno's right, if you come you'll just be putting yourself in danger. Besides, I'm sure Yami can tell us - "
"Yami's gone," Yuugi spat. He glared at the two for a moment before falling limply back onto the bed and closing his eyes; there was a moment of silence. "Please, Mokuba. Let me come. I...I owe your brother my life. It's the least I can do."
The ten-year-old boy with an adult's eyes hesitated.
"Mokuba, please...I beg you."
"Well...all right. If the doctors say you can come."
Yuugi's mouth contorted into a remarkably good impression of Marik's grin; it sent shivers up Jounouchi's spine. "Screw the doctors. Help me up, Jou."
"Are you sure about this?" the blonde asked concernedly. "I mean, you are in the hospital - you probably shouldn't be walking around right now."
Mokuba rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk, Jou. Honda told me about your little stay in the institution."
Yuugi raised an eyebrow at him, and Jou blushed.
"But that was completely different! That was a mistake. And besides, they let me leave."
"Yeah. Because you threatened to steal the Ring and summon the Man-Eating Bug if they didn't."
"...he didn't leave anything out, did he."
"Nope. Help Yuugi - we're leaving." But as self-assured as Mokuba sounded, he couldn't help but toss a worried glance at Yuugi every few seconds.

"The Nankai trough? I don't know, mister Kaiba, that's an awfully long way out," the KaibaCorp helicopter pilot said doubtfully. "I mean, we can get there and back just fine, but even stripped down we can't stay long - maybe ten minutes at best. This chopper wasn't built for long-distance flights."
Yuugi had to hold back a shudder. Mister Kaiba... He was talking to Mokuba, of course, but that didn't change anything. It was strange to hear Kaiba's name used as if he were still there...still alive.
There was no question in Yuugi's mind that his one-time opponent was dead. How could he not be? He wouldn't have uploaded his and Yami's minds to a different computer if he thought there was any way they would survive otherwise; he was so confident that nothing he created could be destroyed. Besides, he'd pulled up the satellite images. He'd seen the explosion, seen the sheets of metal flying through the air.
There was no way anyone could have survived.
But then again, this was Kaiba,so...who knew?
"I don't care. Take out everything you can - locks, spare parts, anything but the medical kit - and get us in the air."
The pilot gave a defeated sigh. "And what about your friends, Mister Kaiba? Should I arrange for a ride to take them home?"
"No. They're coming with us."
"But mister Kaiba - !"
"Just do it, Akiyama."
"...yes, mister Kaiba."
Yuugi leaned thankfully on Jou's arm as the blonde led him to the chopper; his left leg and right arm hung limp, and a lance of pain ran up his spine every time he moved, but there was no way in the world he was sitting this out. Yami would have - had - suffered much worse for his sake.
Yami. He shook his head slightly, blinking furiously to clear the tears from his eyes. He wasn't going to think about that yet. Not until they'd found Kaiba. Then, only then when everything else was taken care of, would he allow himself to feel. Until then he had to follow Kaiba's example: Act first, hurt later.
The ride itself was excruciatingly painful. Every revolution of the rotors made him grit his teeth; Jou, half-supporting him, kept opening his mouth as if to say something but never did. For that Yuugi was thankful. He didn't think he could handle pity right now, even if it was from his best friend.
"How much longer, Akiyama?"
"Five minutes, mister Kaiba," the pilot replied. "But remember, we can only stay ten minutes maximum."
"I'll remember." Turning aside to Yuugi, he added, "We'll have to find him really fast. Do you - is there anything you know that could help us find him faster?"
The injured duelist frowned. "He should be...should be on the northern edge of the trough... I think the course was plotted for Nagoya."
"Turn north a bit," Mokuba yelled forward. "We'll start looking between the trough and Nagoya." Akiyama nodded; the chopper listed to the right as he made the necessary corrections. There was a long silence.
"Ten minutes, mister Kaiba."
Leaving his friend's side for the first time since the hospital, Jou joined Mokuba in staring intently out the window. Nothing but stunningly beautiful, undeniably deadly water in every direction.
The pilot's voice was terse. "Five minutes."
More searching; still no sign of their quarry.
"We have to turn around now, mister Kaiba."
"Five more minutes," Mokuba said, voice breaking. "Just five more minutes...and then we can go."
"Sir, we have to go now, the fuel - "
"Over there!" Yuugi cried, raising his arm and pointing. "Left side, just there - I can barely see him - " Without waiting for orders, the pilot spun the chopper around and made a beeline to the floating figure.
"This is going to be tricky," he said. "You there, the blonde - look under your seat, there should be a harness. Put it on. I'm going to lower you down so you can pick him up - then we've got to haul."
"You got it," Jou said, already scrambling for the harness. Yuugi could only watch as he threw the door open and took a deep breath, readying himself to jump -
"Nii-samaaaaaa!"

Black. Cold, empty, never-ending black.
So this is what it's like to die, Kaiba thought blandly. I didn't know it would be this...easy.
Floating effortlessly in the water, he shivered; he was sure that if he wasn't so numb he'd be screaming from the pain in his side. As it was he had lost all feeling ages ago. Ripples slapped against his ears, reminding him somehow of helicopter blades.
Great. I'm going to die thinking not about my brother, but about my helicopter. What a great "nii-sama" I make. No wonder he likes Jouno. At least the chihuahua acts like he cares.
"Nii-samaaaaaa!"
Kaiba cursed his own imagination. It wasn't enough that he kept hearing choppers; he didn't need hallucinations of Mokuba, too. That would just make this too -
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
- pain! It hurt it hurt it hurt it hurt it hurt oh God it hurt -
"Seto! Oh, Seto, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to land on you are you all right?!"
- that voice, that voice was so familiar, but God it hurt -
"Seto? Nii-sama? Come on, big brother, say something!"
But you're dead, Mokuba. Just wait a few more moments. Then I can tell you everything.
"...please, nii-sama, don't do this," the voice whispered. Short wiry arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and black hair fell into his mouth and made him cough weakly; if this was a hallucination, it was a damned accurate one.
But it had to be. Mokuba was dead.
It won't be much longer, I promise. Slowly, so slowly, the arms were fading away; the screaming agony in his chest and in his side was disappearing.
"Don't die, don't die, don't die..."
But...I'm coming to join you, Mokuba. Don't be sad. We'll be together again.
"Don't leave me alone like this...I don't want you to die, nii-sama, I don't want you to..."
But...I don't want to win, Mokuba. I want to go back down there. It's quiet down there.
No, nii-sama. No. You have to win. You have to win.
Well...if you say so...
There was a splash, and then he heard another voice. "How is he, pipsqueak?"
"I don't know, Jouno, I'm scared...he's not talking at all." The voice was nearly crying. "I don't know..."
Blue eyes cracked open slightly and met dark ones.
"Mokuba...? And puppy...?"
"You're all right!" they exclaimed as one.
"...I am now," he murmured, smiling. "Help me out of here. It's time to go home."

-----------------------------

[A/N] Heh, this is why online games are evil. The entire point of writing this thing was to get Kaiba into a helicopter...and then crash it ^_^ It actually came out a lot better than I'd hoped...I went in without a plot, so when everything just kind afell into place I was very happy. UPDATE: Okay, I redid the ending. I think this one's a bit better. At the very least, it wraps up a lot more loose ends. I'll try to edit this thing and divide it into sections for FFN by Thursday.

Random Quote:
Writers should be read, but neither seen nor heard.
- Daphne du Marier