November 3rd: - 2361 Words
Harry had no idea where they were.
When he’d grabbed Yugi’s arm he’d been dragged along with the unconscious heir and overconfident red Dark Magician to, Harry was guessing, some strange castle in the Monster World, where their hands had been shackled behind their back with strange cuffs with runes engraved in them that glowed an odd, sickly green colour, and had all their ‘focuses’ confiscated (which apparently included their wands, decks and Yugi’s Puzzle) before the pair of them had been thrown into a cell and, apparently, forgotten.
Not that Yugi had woken up yet. The combination of the blast from the red Dark Magician and the blow to his head had knocked Yugi out so cold that even trying to wake him up via the link wasn’t working.
But then that wasn’t the only link that wasn’t working properly. For a while he hadn’t been able to sense Atem, then the Pharaoh’s darkness had reappeared, concerning Harry until he realised that Atem hadn’t walked right into the ruins of the castle above them and straight into Medan’s hands, which was about the time that Harry had also realised that he couldn’t reach the Pharaoh over the mind link, meaning that wherever Atem was, he was too far away to contact.
And trying to reach Wolf was almost impossible. The Gold Winged Wolf, who he had had to order to stay back during the fighting at the shop, in case he was destroyed, not that Harry knew what would have happened to the Winged Beast had that happened, was within range but while they’d been able to get thoughts out over the link to each other, when he’d tried to summon Wolf to his side like he had in the human world, he’d failed and earned himself a headache for the trouble.
Wolf had wanted to come and get them out himself, but Harry had managed to talk him out of that idea. He didn’t know how things worked in the Monster World but he knew enough about different monsters and their attack points and abilities to know that if Wolf had tried to break the pair of them out, the Gold Winged Wolf would have been defeated and captured or destroyed, a risk Harry wasn’t willing to take.
Instead he’d sent Wolf for help, certain that some of the other Duel Monsters they knew would be willing to give his partner monster a hand.
“Get in there!”
Before Harry could react, the door had been opened, a blonde, blue skinned elf woman had been shoved inside the cell and the door had slammed closed behind her.
“Let me go!” She wheeled around and grabbed a hold of the bars.
“We’ll let you out once you’ve healed the Pharaoh.” One of the fiends Harry could spot through the barred window in the door sniggered, gesturing towards Yugi, making Harry wonder if Medan was under the mistaken impression that he’d grabbed Atem rather than Yugi.
The elf turned slowly, giving Harry a proper look at her, causing it to register in his mind that she was, in fact, a Mystical Elf, who saw who was in the cell with her, blanched slightly and darted past Harry to kneel by the heir’s side, chanting quickly, concern obvious.
“You were in Yugi’s deck.” Harry said, moving to the elf’s side and kneeling carefully, well aware that with his hands bound behind his back it would be all to easy to fall flat on his face.
The Mystical Elf nodded slightly, still chanting, a white light surrounding her as she continued, nodding at Harry slightly as she put one hand on Yugi’s forehead and one over Yugi’s heart and the light drained from her to the hikari.
Harry felt Yugi’s mind stir and he let out a relieved sigh.
“Quickly, before he comes round.” The Elf said, looking over her shoulder and acting like she was still treating Yugi, “What is going on? What are you two doing here?”
Harry explained quickly, keeping his eyes on the guards as he did so, aware that they were watching carefully in case they tried something. “…and that’s why we’re here.” Harry finished up, “But…”
Yugi shifted, subconsciously trying to free his arms even before he was consciously aware they were shackled.
“I don’t have much time.” The Mystical Elf said as Yugi’s eyes opened and he looked at them blearily, “Medan’s been studying the magic of the Reaper of the Cards. As long as you’re human, you won’t be affected, but the pair of you’ll have to try and make sure you keep a hold on who you are. If you lose yourself, you could transform into your Ka Beast and become a Duel Monster, permanently.”
Harry, sensing that Yugi was trying to pull himself together enough to pay attention, reassured his partner that he’d fill him in later as the Mystical Elf helped him sit up.
“Mystical Elf?” Yugi asked, confusion reigning.
“Kayson, my Prince.” The Elf nodded, “My name is Kayson.”
Yugi nodded, pulling on the shackles and wincing when the cuffs cut into his wrists.
“Don’t, my Prince.” Kayson advised, “Those cuffs are meant for effect monsters. I don’t know what they’d do to Duellists, but they stop effect monsters from using their powers.”
“That might explain why I can’t summon Wolf.” Harry nodded in understanding as the door opened and the two fiends that had been guarding the door, a pair of Abaki, entered the room.
Yugi put himself between them and the two huge red fiends and their giant spiky clubs, having already worked out that if Medan wanted him awake enough to kidnap a Mystical Elf to heal him, he wouldn’t be best pleased if Yugi was injured by the guards.
“Get out the way, Pharaoh.” One of them snorted, threatening him with its club.
“It’s alright, my Prince.” Kayson said, putting her hand on his shoulder and stepping past him before he could attempt anything, giving him a brief smile, “I’ll be ok.”
“But…” Yugi still looked worried. He didn’t like to think of anyone getting hurt, especially someone who had been a friend.
“I can’t be killed.” Kayson reassured him, smiling at him even as she moved towards the fiends, “Even if I’m defeated, I’ll just resummon.”
“Resummon?” Yugi asked.
“Like when you used to Monster Reborn a creature.” She explained, “It doesn’t hurt. Just rest for a while, you were pretty beat up. I’ll worry about me.”
“Kayson…” Harry spoke up, causing the Mystical Elf to pause and look at him, “Thanks.”
The elf nodded and exited the cell, the two Abaki following and shutting the door behind them. Both Yugi and Harry winced as they heard the heavy bolt slide back into place.
Harry felt Yugi draw on his own magic, only to wince when Yugi did as pain passed across the link. “So… that didn’t work.” Harry commented, as Yugi sat down next to him.
“No.” Yugi sighed, leaning back against the wall. “This could be interesting.”
“You have a weird definition of interesting.” Harry chuckled.
Yugi just smiled back, still feeling a little dizzy but easily able to imagine that he’d been much worse off before Kayson had helped him.
“Here’s a question.” Harry continued, wishing there was more light in the cell, instead of just the torch light that filtered in through the window in the door and a tiny, barred window that was so far above their heads that even if they stood on each other’s shoulders, they wouldn’t be able to reach it. “Did you ever get around to learning how to pick locks?”
Yugi looked embarrassed, remembering a time, years ago, when Yugi had mentioned he’d been thinking about learning, if only to give him an escape route if someone tried a stunt like Marik had pulled.
“I’ll take that as a no.” Harry snorted, sensing Yugi’s self-recrimination.
“Mokuba knows, Joey too, but I never got round to it. There was almost always something going on.”
Harry nodded understandingly. He could sympathise. Even when there wasn’t something going on that involved Voldemort, there was something going on with their friends or in the school that required their attention, even if it was as simple as homework.
“Guess we’ll have to find another way out.” Harry sighed, thinking, catching Yugi’s train of thoughts before Yugi could hide them from his partner. “No, Yugi. That’s not an option. Don’t even think about trying it.”
Yugi gained a stubborn look for a moment, then sighed, “What if it’s the only way?”
“Don’t you dare.” Harry could be as stubborn as his link partners if he wanted to, it was a point that had been tested many times over the last couple of weeks, when the memories had been too strong for either of his link partners and they had been temporarily lost in them. “We have no clue what Medan wants and I don’t care what he threatens, you’re not to give him anything. You’re especially not allowed to help him.”
“Harry…”
“No.” With that settled, though he had a feeling that he would have to have that conversation with the heir again later, Harry turned to look at the door, “So, those thugs, what are they?”
“Abaki,” Yugi filled him in, “Level four, fire fiend effect monsters with seventeen hundred attack points. I wouldn’t like to fight one without my wand or the Puzzle.”
“Can you sense the Puzzle?” Harry asked, hoping it was nearby, after all a lot of the villains they’d fought before had been stupid enough to keep their magical weapons, the things Medan had called their ‘focuses’ close to their prisoners.
Yugi paused and closed his eyes. Harry could feel him seeking out the links that his magic had made, tugging on them one by one, making Harry squirm uncomfortably when Yugi tugged on their link. “The Puzzle’s close.” Yugi answered, opening his eyes, “If I’m right, it’s with Medan. Our wands are closer.”
Harry scowled, even as that made sense. If the red Dark Magician was seeking power, the Puzzle’s strength would have made an unwelcome addition to the mage’s power.
“So, the question is if we can’t use our magic thanks to these.” Harry shifted his wrists to the right, so Yugi could see his cuffs, “How are we getting out of here?”
“I have an idea.” Yugi said, moving over to the door and speaking quietly. “I want to speak with your leader.”
“Yuge!” Harry hissed, wondering what Yugi was up to.
The two fiends looked confused as Yugi ignored Harry. “Huh?” The first one finally asked intelligently.
“Medan, the red Dark Magician. I want to talk to him.” Yugi repeated himself, sending reassurance down the link, along with his plan. “Could you take me to him?”
The pair of Abaki looked confused, and then one of them nodded, reaching for the bolt on the door.
The other one slapped his partner around the head. “We can’t let them out.”
“Why not?” The first one asked as Harry got the gist of Yugi’s plan and already making adaption’s to it in case something went wrong.
“Because they’re prisoners and they might run away.” The second replied as if it was obvious, which, to be fair it was, but Yugi had been hoping that they were as stupid as they looked, after all it was rare that he came up against grunts with brains.
“What if I promise not to run away?” Yugi asked, “Would you take us to see him then?”
The pair considered it. “We could bring the boss to you.” One of them said finally.
Yugi’s quick mind was already adjusting the plan and Harry was having trouble keeping up with it, “Alright.” Yugi nodded, “Bring him here, I want to know what he thinks he’s playing at.”
`Yugi Mutou, don’t you dare play Atem! Not here!` Harry scolded, as one of the Abaki stormed off down the corridor. `Or don’t you remember what Keyson said?`
“I do.” Yugi replied, taking a deep breath as he did so, “But I have a feeling that we’re going to need every tool in our arsenal to get out of here.”
`Just be careful.` Harry scowled at him, disliking Yugi’s scheme but going along with it for now, `You get too lost in the memories and I will pull you back. You think Atem’s going to be pissed now, it’s nothing to how he’s going to be if we lose you because you couldn’t prevent yourself from getting lost and turning into a Duel Monster.`
Yugi didn’t refute it, knowing it to be true. “I’ll need you to help me then. I can’t afford to turn into a Duel Monster, I have too many promises to keep.”
`I’ll do you a deal.` Harry chuckled over the link, amused that Yugi was as easy to manipulate when it came to Atem as Atem was when it came to Yugi. `I’ll keep your head on straight, as long as you keep mine on straight.`
“Deal.” Yugi agreed, about to say something else when the Abaki came back with someone who was most defiantly not Medan. Instead it was a tall man with long red hair in a black cloak.
“You’re a Vanity’s Fiend, aren’t you?” Yugi asked, backing away from the door as the fiend approached the door.
“That’s right.” He nodded, smirking at the pair, “I hear you want to see Medan.”
“That’s correct.” Yugi nodded, putting on an air of self confidence.
The fiend looked far too amused. “Well, I’m afraid he’s too busy to talk to you lot right now and I’m afraid,” The fiend reached into the box next to the door and took out their wands and decks, waving them at the pair, “That he’s asked me to bring these to him. Guess you won’t be getting your hands on them that easily.”
With that the higher level fiend left and Yugi sank back against the wall, Harry sitting down next to him.
There was silence for several moments, then one of the Abaki spoke up.
“Told you we shouldn’t let them out.”
When he’d grabbed Yugi’s arm he’d been dragged along with the unconscious heir and overconfident red Dark Magician to, Harry was guessing, some strange castle in the Monster World, where their hands had been shackled behind their back with strange cuffs with runes engraved in them that glowed an odd, sickly green colour, and had all their ‘focuses’ confiscated (which apparently included their wands, decks and Yugi’s Puzzle) before the pair of them had been thrown into a cell and, apparently, forgotten.
Not that Yugi had woken up yet. The combination of the blast from the red Dark Magician and the blow to his head had knocked Yugi out so cold that even trying to wake him up via the link wasn’t working.
But then that wasn’t the only link that wasn’t working properly. For a while he hadn’t been able to sense Atem, then the Pharaoh’s darkness had reappeared, concerning Harry until he realised that Atem hadn’t walked right into the ruins of the castle above them and straight into Medan’s hands, which was about the time that Harry had also realised that he couldn’t reach the Pharaoh over the mind link, meaning that wherever Atem was, he was too far away to contact.
And trying to reach Wolf was almost impossible. The Gold Winged Wolf, who he had had to order to stay back during the fighting at the shop, in case he was destroyed, not that Harry knew what would have happened to the Winged Beast had that happened, was within range but while they’d been able to get thoughts out over the link to each other, when he’d tried to summon Wolf to his side like he had in the human world, he’d failed and earned himself a headache for the trouble.
Wolf had wanted to come and get them out himself, but Harry had managed to talk him out of that idea. He didn’t know how things worked in the Monster World but he knew enough about different monsters and their attack points and abilities to know that if Wolf had tried to break the pair of them out, the Gold Winged Wolf would have been defeated and captured or destroyed, a risk Harry wasn’t willing to take.
Instead he’d sent Wolf for help, certain that some of the other Duel Monsters they knew would be willing to give his partner monster a hand.
“Get in there!”
Before Harry could react, the door had been opened, a blonde, blue skinned elf woman had been shoved inside the cell and the door had slammed closed behind her.
“Let me go!” She wheeled around and grabbed a hold of the bars.
“We’ll let you out once you’ve healed the Pharaoh.” One of the fiends Harry could spot through the barred window in the door sniggered, gesturing towards Yugi, making Harry wonder if Medan was under the mistaken impression that he’d grabbed Atem rather than Yugi.
The elf turned slowly, giving Harry a proper look at her, causing it to register in his mind that she was, in fact, a Mystical Elf, who saw who was in the cell with her, blanched slightly and darted past Harry to kneel by the heir’s side, chanting quickly, concern obvious.
“You were in Yugi’s deck.” Harry said, moving to the elf’s side and kneeling carefully, well aware that with his hands bound behind his back it would be all to easy to fall flat on his face.
The Mystical Elf nodded slightly, still chanting, a white light surrounding her as she continued, nodding at Harry slightly as she put one hand on Yugi’s forehead and one over Yugi’s heart and the light drained from her to the hikari.
Harry felt Yugi’s mind stir and he let out a relieved sigh.
“Quickly, before he comes round.” The Elf said, looking over her shoulder and acting like she was still treating Yugi, “What is going on? What are you two doing here?”
Harry explained quickly, keeping his eyes on the guards as he did so, aware that they were watching carefully in case they tried something. “…and that’s why we’re here.” Harry finished up, “But…”
Yugi shifted, subconsciously trying to free his arms even before he was consciously aware they were shackled.
“I don’t have much time.” The Mystical Elf said as Yugi’s eyes opened and he looked at them blearily, “Medan’s been studying the magic of the Reaper of the Cards. As long as you’re human, you won’t be affected, but the pair of you’ll have to try and make sure you keep a hold on who you are. If you lose yourself, you could transform into your Ka Beast and become a Duel Monster, permanently.”
Harry, sensing that Yugi was trying to pull himself together enough to pay attention, reassured his partner that he’d fill him in later as the Mystical Elf helped him sit up.
“Mystical Elf?” Yugi asked, confusion reigning.
“Kayson, my Prince.” The Elf nodded, “My name is Kayson.”
Yugi nodded, pulling on the shackles and wincing when the cuffs cut into his wrists.
“Don’t, my Prince.” Kayson advised, “Those cuffs are meant for effect monsters. I don’t know what they’d do to Duellists, but they stop effect monsters from using their powers.”
“That might explain why I can’t summon Wolf.” Harry nodded in understanding as the door opened and the two fiends that had been guarding the door, a pair of Abaki, entered the room.
Yugi put himself between them and the two huge red fiends and their giant spiky clubs, having already worked out that if Medan wanted him awake enough to kidnap a Mystical Elf to heal him, he wouldn’t be best pleased if Yugi was injured by the guards.
“Get out the way, Pharaoh.” One of them snorted, threatening him with its club.
“It’s alright, my Prince.” Kayson said, putting her hand on his shoulder and stepping past him before he could attempt anything, giving him a brief smile, “I’ll be ok.”
“But…” Yugi still looked worried. He didn’t like to think of anyone getting hurt, especially someone who had been a friend.
“I can’t be killed.” Kayson reassured him, smiling at him even as she moved towards the fiends, “Even if I’m defeated, I’ll just resummon.”
“Resummon?” Yugi asked.
“Like when you used to Monster Reborn a creature.” She explained, “It doesn’t hurt. Just rest for a while, you were pretty beat up. I’ll worry about me.”
“Kayson…” Harry spoke up, causing the Mystical Elf to pause and look at him, “Thanks.”
The elf nodded and exited the cell, the two Abaki following and shutting the door behind them. Both Yugi and Harry winced as they heard the heavy bolt slide back into place.
Harry felt Yugi draw on his own magic, only to wince when Yugi did as pain passed across the link. “So… that didn’t work.” Harry commented, as Yugi sat down next to him.
“No.” Yugi sighed, leaning back against the wall. “This could be interesting.”
“You have a weird definition of interesting.” Harry chuckled.
Yugi just smiled back, still feeling a little dizzy but easily able to imagine that he’d been much worse off before Kayson had helped him.
“Here’s a question.” Harry continued, wishing there was more light in the cell, instead of just the torch light that filtered in through the window in the door and a tiny, barred window that was so far above their heads that even if they stood on each other’s shoulders, they wouldn’t be able to reach it. “Did you ever get around to learning how to pick locks?”
Yugi looked embarrassed, remembering a time, years ago, when Yugi had mentioned he’d been thinking about learning, if only to give him an escape route if someone tried a stunt like Marik had pulled.
“I’ll take that as a no.” Harry snorted, sensing Yugi’s self-recrimination.
“Mokuba knows, Joey too, but I never got round to it. There was almost always something going on.”
Harry nodded understandingly. He could sympathise. Even when there wasn’t something going on that involved Voldemort, there was something going on with their friends or in the school that required their attention, even if it was as simple as homework.
“Guess we’ll have to find another way out.” Harry sighed, thinking, catching Yugi’s train of thoughts before Yugi could hide them from his partner. “No, Yugi. That’s not an option. Don’t even think about trying it.”
Yugi gained a stubborn look for a moment, then sighed, “What if it’s the only way?”
“Don’t you dare.” Harry could be as stubborn as his link partners if he wanted to, it was a point that had been tested many times over the last couple of weeks, when the memories had been too strong for either of his link partners and they had been temporarily lost in them. “We have no clue what Medan wants and I don’t care what he threatens, you’re not to give him anything. You’re especially not allowed to help him.”
“Harry…”
“No.” With that settled, though he had a feeling that he would have to have that conversation with the heir again later, Harry turned to look at the door, “So, those thugs, what are they?”
“Abaki,” Yugi filled him in, “Level four, fire fiend effect monsters with seventeen hundred attack points. I wouldn’t like to fight one without my wand or the Puzzle.”
“Can you sense the Puzzle?” Harry asked, hoping it was nearby, after all a lot of the villains they’d fought before had been stupid enough to keep their magical weapons, the things Medan had called their ‘focuses’ close to their prisoners.
Yugi paused and closed his eyes. Harry could feel him seeking out the links that his magic had made, tugging on them one by one, making Harry squirm uncomfortably when Yugi tugged on their link. “The Puzzle’s close.” Yugi answered, opening his eyes, “If I’m right, it’s with Medan. Our wands are closer.”
Harry scowled, even as that made sense. If the red Dark Magician was seeking power, the Puzzle’s strength would have made an unwelcome addition to the mage’s power.
“So, the question is if we can’t use our magic thanks to these.” Harry shifted his wrists to the right, so Yugi could see his cuffs, “How are we getting out of here?”
“I have an idea.” Yugi said, moving over to the door and speaking quietly. “I want to speak with your leader.”
“Yuge!” Harry hissed, wondering what Yugi was up to.
The two fiends looked confused as Yugi ignored Harry. “Huh?” The first one finally asked intelligently.
“Medan, the red Dark Magician. I want to talk to him.” Yugi repeated himself, sending reassurance down the link, along with his plan. “Could you take me to him?”
The pair of Abaki looked confused, and then one of them nodded, reaching for the bolt on the door.
The other one slapped his partner around the head. “We can’t let them out.”
“Why not?” The first one asked as Harry got the gist of Yugi’s plan and already making adaption’s to it in case something went wrong.
“Because they’re prisoners and they might run away.” The second replied as if it was obvious, which, to be fair it was, but Yugi had been hoping that they were as stupid as they looked, after all it was rare that he came up against grunts with brains.
“What if I promise not to run away?” Yugi asked, “Would you take us to see him then?”
The pair considered it. “We could bring the boss to you.” One of them said finally.
Yugi’s quick mind was already adjusting the plan and Harry was having trouble keeping up with it, “Alright.” Yugi nodded, “Bring him here, I want to know what he thinks he’s playing at.”
`Yugi Mutou, don’t you dare play Atem! Not here!` Harry scolded, as one of the Abaki stormed off down the corridor. `Or don’t you remember what Keyson said?`
“I do.” Yugi replied, taking a deep breath as he did so, “But I have a feeling that we’re going to need every tool in our arsenal to get out of here.”
`Just be careful.` Harry scowled at him, disliking Yugi’s scheme but going along with it for now, `You get too lost in the memories and I will pull you back. You think Atem’s going to be pissed now, it’s nothing to how he’s going to be if we lose you because you couldn’t prevent yourself from getting lost and turning into a Duel Monster.`
Yugi didn’t refute it, knowing it to be true. “I’ll need you to help me then. I can’t afford to turn into a Duel Monster, I have too many promises to keep.”
`I’ll do you a deal.` Harry chuckled over the link, amused that Yugi was as easy to manipulate when it came to Atem as Atem was when it came to Yugi. `I’ll keep your head on straight, as long as you keep mine on straight.`
“Deal.” Yugi agreed, about to say something else when the Abaki came back with someone who was most defiantly not Medan. Instead it was a tall man with long red hair in a black cloak.
“You’re a Vanity’s Fiend, aren’t you?” Yugi asked, backing away from the door as the fiend approached the door.
“That’s right.” He nodded, smirking at the pair, “I hear you want to see Medan.”
“That’s correct.” Yugi nodded, putting on an air of self confidence.
The fiend looked far too amused. “Well, I’m afraid he’s too busy to talk to you lot right now and I’m afraid,” The fiend reached into the box next to the door and took out their wands and decks, waving them at the pair, “That he’s asked me to bring these to him. Guess you won’t be getting your hands on them that easily.”
With that the higher level fiend left and Yugi sank back against the wall, Harry sitting down next to him.
There was silence for several moments, then one of the Abaki spoke up.
“Told you we shouldn’t let them out.”