Chapter 3-New Wave - Cry of the Dying
Yugi tackled the door of his home, falling through as it crashed open against his force, he moaned as he landed harshly on the floor, Tristan then walked inside, looking around as the girls then turned to him, noticing Yugi upon the floor. The three approached the pair, wondering where the other half was, Joey's grunt could be heard from outside.

"You're back a little late, aren't you?" Tea asked.

"A little diversion" Tristan chuckled nervously. "We...er, decided to stick around".

"Something's wrong" Yugi corrected sorrowfully.

Joey limped in the room, Yami dragged over his back, his legs held by Joey's arms, his own arms draped limply over Joey's shoulders, his head rested face-down against one of them.

"Joey" Tea called.

"We got a problem, something weird is going on" Joey mumbled.

Yugi then led Joey to the sofa, the blonde sat on it before Yugi slowly eased Yami from Joey's back, laying upon the sofa and turning from him, Yugi sat by Yami's legs, it was clear that leaving him alone couldn't be a possibility.

"I better get home" Tristan called. "Tell me how Yami does".

The brunette replied to the calls of goodbye as he left the building, it was obvious that he had not experienced one of the strange dreams that the others had endured. The attention then returned to the centre of the room, silence fell about; Yugi then pushed himself away from the comfort of the sofa before going off, searching for a blanket for Yami. Tea then shuffled her foot slightly, what more was there to say?

"Tea" Joey muttered. "Do you know what's going on?"

"You mean...the dream?" she guessed.

Vicky and Destiny were both clueless, neither had experienced a dream lately, at least, not one that could be related to the incident Joey and Tea were referring to.

"You had it too?!" Joey gasped. "What happened?"

"Well, Yami just appeared before me, then he just stared saying something about time running out, or running short. He then just vanished when I went to touch him" Tea explained.

"Sounds a little like mine, at least, more than Yugi's did I mean" Joey mumbled.

"You and Yugi had a dream like that too?" Tea gasped.

"Yeah, none of us know what they mean though" Joey reported. "Tristan's getting some weirdo idea that Yami's a vampire or werewolf or some bull crap like that".

Yugi then walked in, holding a pale cream blanket, he watched Joey and Tea as he approached the sofa, when he reached it, he took his eyes away from them as he dropped the blanket over most of Yami's body, tucking it around him, the conversations that had taken place on the bikes ran through his head. Unlike the journey there, Yugi now rode on the back of Tristan's bike, Joey held Yami's close, sitting behind the unconscious Pharaoh, his arms Yami's fortress from falling behind.

Flashback...

"Maybe he's a vampire or something, or a werewolf and the light going away is just his way of powering down before transforming and feasting on us" Tristan called.

"Tristan, I think we'd know if Yami was a werewolf, he's lived in me for 4 years and nothing weird happened. He's 100 percent human" Yugi snapped.

"And Tristan, vampires come out at night, the sun hurts them, not the other way around!" Joey growled.

"Well something's not right and those are the only explanations I can think of" Tristan shouted.

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me!" Joey spat.

Back to the Present...

"You guys fought over whether the idea of Yami was a vampire was logical?!" Tea groaned.

"It's not logical!" Joey shouted.

"I know that, but that was what an argument about?!" Tea protested.

Yugi continued to stare up at the pair as he knelt by Yami's side, unnoticed by the taller pair, he just sighed before turning his head to Yami, who remained still, his panting eased slightly, he was almost breathing normally now, Yugi placed his hand on Yami's forehead, he felt slightly warm, Yugi frowned upon the discovery. He then turned to the others, it was clear that arguing was not going to help, not now. He sighed, the pair then halted, noticing his saddened face staring depressively at the floor not too far from his feet, they glanced at each other silently, both realizing that it was hard for him to keep up with everything, the others remained still, feeling unable to add themselves into the debate. Tea then left Joey's side, falling down on the sofa beside Yugi, Joey watched the pair, the Pharaoh having faded from the attention.

"Sorry Yuge" Joey sighed.

"Yeah" Tea added. "We didn't mean that as an argument. Tristan hasn't had the dreams".

She gasped, Vicky and Destiny then watched as Tea covered her mouth, she already that before she had said it, it was too late, Destiny was certain to know, maybe experience one of those dreams herself. Neither moved, both were silent, Tea sighed, the confession had said itself.

"You mean you've had them too Tea?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah" Tea sighed.

"All three of us have" Joey added. "Destiny, you guys had any dreams?"

"Nothing, not yet at least" Destiny replied. "Although I have been experiencing what I think is some sort of sense from your dreams. The distress. The uncertainty".

Yugi became unnerved by the news that whatever this was happening was affecting the others, he sighed and turned to Yami, who seemed to have shifted slightly, maybe he was returning.

"I'm sure we'll get something tonight" Vicky added.

Yugi then turned to Tea and Joey before him, silence reigned once again. This wasn't right. This wasn't supposed to be happening. The day was meant to be one of the greatest of their lives, but like always, when a precious day comes along, something tears the happiness apart. Yugi's mind flashes back to the day Yami had regained his memories, he had been so thrilled, then Ishizu spoke of the task that awaited him, the final duel. Yugi was heartbroken then as he was now, Yami was gaining an identity, but every time something that helps happening, something also follows that hinders Yami's attempts at being himself. Yugi closed his eyes, cold tears brushed his eyelashes. He felt warm comforting hands fall softly on his shoulders, he opened his eyes and turned to their owner: Tea was the one.

"Yugi" she sobbed.

Her eyes also sparkled with the tears that were brimming, the same sorrow, the same heartbreak, the feeling that he shared-his heart being torn apart like a piece of flimsy paper, so easily destroyed-it was there with her, she was in the same position. Yugi turned to Joey, his eyes remained dry, his emotions suppressed as the stereotypical male's would be, Yugi understood Joey's intentions, even if there was no-one around to see, he had had to suppress his feelings his entire life, since losing Serenity, since his father was a drunk, since ever. Yugi turned to Yami while Tea's hands rested on his shoulder, he brushed a few loose blonde hairs away from Yami's forehead, the taller twin groaned, beginning to stir.

"Yami" Yugi gasped.

Yami's eyelids began to slide open, Yugi gasped with relief as Yami's crimson eyes slowly focused and looked up at him, his protective lids halting at halfway.

"What?" Yami exhaled.

"Yami, you alright? You scared us back there?" Joey asked panicky.

Yugi glanced at Joey, his theory was right, although he hadn't shown it, he had been frightened the entire time, he had been so protective of Yami and snappy towards Tristan since the ridiculous suggestion. Yugi smiled before turning back to Yami, he had to be the focus of the young one's attention now, now he could get some answers.

"What happened? Where are we? Last I remember we were back out in the city" Yami asked.

"We're back home, you collapsed outside the convention centre. As for what happened, we were hoping you could tell us" Yugi replied.

"Yeah, you were really weak afterwards, you weren't just tired" Joey added.

"I can't remember anything" Yami groaned.

He placed his left hand against his head before pushing his back away from the sofa, sitting upright, Yugi and Joey backed off and rejoined the girls just feet away.

"Yami, I need to ask you something, but I don't want to hurt you" Yugi mumbled.

"A question can hurt someone?" Joey laughed.

"Yeah, if they're as dumb as you, it hurts when they think of the answer" Tea growled.

"Hey" Joey shouted.

"Guys" Yugi snapped.

Both above him halted and glanced at him, remembering the pact they had made only moments before, they three turned back to Yami who watched them; Vicky and Destiny still standing behind him.

"Yami, have you had any weird dreams?" Yugi asked.

"What? No, I don't believe I have. What do you ask?" Yami asked back.

"It's just, that dream this morning...someone attacked here" Yugi sighed.

Tea and Joey watched Yugi before them as he explained, they hadn't heard what the others had encountered in their darkened slumber.

"Someone came and took Grandpa and attacked you" Yugi continued. "I went to check on you, but then you turned on me, something dark took over you. There was something you wanted to tell me, but it stopped you, I'm just worried".

Yami stared at Yugi, he hadn't expected something like that to come from Yugi's mouth. He had been attacked and then turned on Yugi?

"Yeah and there's something about a dark glowing orb because that's what you showed me" Joey added. "Your body was disappearing until I touched it, then you vanished".

Yami's eyes widened, a dark orb, a dark force, his body evaporating. Could he have been losing the body he had gained only months before? Was he being sealed into the Puzzle again?

"In my one you just said that time was running out before you turned away, I went to touch you but when my hand fell on your shoulder, you dissolved into sand" Tea reluctantly explained.

"I think you might be leaving us. Or something dark is going to take over you" Yugi cried. "Yami, you have to tell us if anything feels strange within you. I don't want you to get hurt, I don't want to lose you".

Yami nodded silently, his face drained of colour from the chilling encounters with this darker version of him he had heard of, he lost his voice, he couldn't think of anything to say. Just the images of what the others had send flashing through his mind, he swallowed the lump that had built within his throat before sighing, Yugi watched him carefully.

"Yugi, I hope none of that happens" Yami whispered. "But if all three of you had just similar dreams, maybe I am going to disappear".

Yugi narrowed his eyes as the cold tears formed at the bottoms of his eyes that he had wished to keep hidden.

"Yami" he muttered.

"Hey, Yuge, we better head off, we'll check up on you guys tomorrow" Joey sighed.

"Yeah, we don't want to leave you like this, but Joey's right, it's for the best right now" Tea added.

"Tea, you want me to give ya a ride home?" Joey asked.

"OK. Good luck Yugi" Tea replied.

"See ya" Joey added.

"Bye guys" Yugi called half-heartedly.

As the door closed, he sighed, after stating what Yami had just said, the last thing he had expected and hoped for was for them to leave. He turned back to Yami, the Pharaoh before him laying pale and scared, Yugi hadn't seen him like this before, he felt this was an entirely new side to the Pharaoh, brought out purely because of the repeated experiences that he, Joey and Tea had had.

"Yami, no matter what happens, even if you do turn on us, I want you to know, we understand it's not your fault and we'll do everything we can to help you" Yugi whispered.

"Thank you Yugi" Yami replied. "I'll do everything I can to prevent anything from happening".

Yugi smiled gently and rubbed Yami's forehead, the Pharaoh was still warm, Vicky entered the kitchen, already doing what Yugi had hoped he'd be able to do. She quickly returned with a bowl of cool water and a cloth already floating inside, Yugi smiled as she set down the bowl close by, he dipped his head into the water, a tingling sensation from the coldness, he pulled the cloth out.

"Yami, it's getting late, you should rest yourself" Yugi insisted as he twisted the cloth, draining it of as much excess water as he could.

The Shadow Realm all around, this was what they meant, this was the nightmare of the subconscious. Yami looked around, he shivered in the cold, he rubbed his arms with his hands, almost hugging himself for warmth.

"Yugi?" he called, his voice echoing several times as it faded into nothing.

The air around was cold, the entire area was cold, not a spark of light around, Yami looked around anxiously, not a spark of life either. He couldn't panic, he refused to let himself panic, there had to be someone around, this was the Shadow Realm, there was always a lost soul wandering around. Yami's fingers pulled at the skin on his arms, his nails digging at it, about to pierce it and let blood run loose. Dead was what everything was, no signs of life, no signs of torture, no signs of anything, he was lost and alone.

"Yugi?" he tried again, the same result following. "Joey? Tea? Where are you all?"

A light appeared, Yami turned to it as it reflected onto his face, he stared at it as it began to grow and grow, a small triangular shaped light that began to spread, someone was entering the dark world form the world of the living now out of the Pharaoh's reach. A person, a human, someone with humanity coursing through his veins and sanity with a hold over him.

"Yugi" Yami gasped.

The light around the silhouette fade, proving Yami right, it was Yugi. He glanced at Yami with a terrified look, had this Yugi come from one of his nightmares? Was this the real Yugi and had they met in their shared subconscious? Yami stepped towards him, his hand began to float before him as he reached out to the little one.

"Yugi" he whispered.

"Stay back" Yugi cried in a panicky voice.

Yami froze, surprised by Yugi's cry, he stared at Yugi, perplexed as Yugi held a hand before his face, watching Yami as he turned his head and watched through the gaps between his fingers, pale, shaky, terrified.

"Yugi?" Yami tried again.

He stepped forward, Yugi didn't move back, he was rooted to the stop like he had been cornered, he whimpered as Yami's hand slowly drew closer.

"No" he protested, closing his eyes to visually escaped the apparent danger before him.

"Yugi, what's happened? What are you doing? It's me" Yami whispered.

Yugi didn't open his eyes, Yami remained still for a moment, trying to give Yugi a chance to answer, nothing left the closed mouth, Yugi seemed to be biting his bottom lip. Yami watched him sorrowfully, wishing he could help, but Yugi would simply retreat, he stepped forward again raising his hand to Yugi slowly. Yugi cried out, throwing the left hand that shielded his face, slapping Yami around the face, scratching his face with his nails, Yami cried out as they dug into his cheek as they swiftly passed him. He stumbled before tripping, landing on the ground harshly before looking up at Yugi, baffled by the movement, Yugi had done it out of self-defence but Yami was left clueless about why Yugi would need to defend himself against him of all people. Three cuts ran along his cheek where Yugi's nails had sliced the skin, a drop of blood sliding from one. Yami gazed up at Yugi as the little one towered over him, panting, almost snarling, glaring down at Yami filled with anger at the Pharaoh's defiance.

"Why didn't you listen to me, Yami?" he spat, a deep growling voice much unlike his real one blanketed his original voice.

"What do you mean?" Yami asked, fearful of the next events and how many scenarios were running through his mind.

"If you had listened to me, this could have been averted. But you didn't listen, I kept away for a reason and you wouldn't listen to what I said no matter how much I shouted" Yugi growled.

Yami stared up with wide eyes as Yugi glared down at him, eyes almost blank from the very darkness Yugi had claimed possessed Yami himself when he had launched an attack against him.

"Yugi, no!" Yami cried.

A ripping sound and an arm made of black shadows emerged from close by Yugi's head, diving past him and grabbing Yami around the neck. Yami cried out in surprise and groaned as he tried to pry the hand off with one of his own, the other holding him up form falling to the ground and succumbing to the darkness.

"Yugi...no, please" he pleaded, his voice strained from the pressure, more of an injured cry as he rasped for breath,

"You ignored me Yami" Yugi hissed. "I can't save you anymore".

Yami stared up, his eyelids feeling heavy, dark circles forming under his eyes as he stared up tiredly, the darkness consuming his consciousness, getting inside of him, picking at him to succumb, to surrender, to become its victim and slave.

"You paid no attention after everything we've been through, you think you would have learned that after you sacrificed me to the Orichalcos, left me as an offering without trying to protect me" Yugi growled. "Give in, the darkness will get you, feed on you, your soul will be torn and you'll be left a mere corpse, a puppet for the shadows to consume and control. Face it Yami, your time in the light is up and you're destined to the Shadow Realm like you originally were. Like your name dictates".

Yami stared up weakly as the vision before him began to blur, blur and float about, he felt himself falling, slowly, painlessly, Yugi's dark voice still running through his head, echoing like the very silent responses for his cries to the real Yugi.

"They're coming Yami. They're going to take you" Yugi's voice echoed. "You or me, they don't mind".

Yami's head hit the ground and he laid there, his senses fading as he finally succumbed to what he preferred to the torture: unconsciousness.

Eyes snapping open, a gasp of breath, he shot up, sweating from the horrifying nightmare, Yami looked down at his hands that laid against his legs now. He stared wide-eyed, realizing it was only a dream, but it had felt so real, he understood the true extent of the nightmares, the fears, his hands gripped his hair as he stared senselessly, fear controlling him as his mind's slow recovery began.

"It's not after me, it's after Yugi" he panted. "No, it's after us both. Is it?"