Chapter 5: - A CHANGE of Circumstance
It was strange.
There had been a lull in the cards, with the recent capture of FLOWER, LIBRA, SONG and BUBBLES, the other Clow Cards seemed to have gone into hiding, not that the gang minded, Sakura now had ten of the cards and she'd only been going a month.
To be honest, Yugi welcomed the lull, with his increasing skill in meditation came an increasing level of awareness whenever he was a passenger in his own body, and he wasn't particularly comfortable with it.
He hadn't dared tell the others, it was once thing to have these Shadow Powers that you were pretty much making up as you went along, it was another to have those powers in the hands of whatever, or rather whoever, was possessing him when he was in danger, or there was a Clow Card around.
That was something Yugi didn't understand, the spirit, who Yugi believed was the Pharaoh who had sealed the dark magic away in the first place, after his Grandfather had told them some of the Puzzle's history, didn't seem to pick up on the presence of Clow Cards and yet was awake and aware the moment that Sakura activated her staff, yet Kero said that the Dark Magic of the Clow was more like Yugi's Shadow Magic then Sakura's other magic…
He was led on his bed at the moment, half expecting a phone call from Sakura, Tea or Tomoyo, while sorting through the Magic and Wizards cards his Grandfather had given him. He wanted to build a strong deck, so that next time he went to Domino, he could challenge his Grandpa to a game…
He held up his Koumori Dragon card, wondering what connection the cards had to his Puzzle. His grandfather had said there was one, and Yugi had felt something when he had held his Grandpa's Blue Eyes White Dragon, so he certainly believed him, but he just didn't feel that same connection with many of his own cards, Summoned Skull was kinda scary, but he felt he could trust it, just as he felt that Gaia the Fierce Knight, Celtic Guardian and Mystical Elf were all cards he could trust.
From the end of the bed, the Millennium Puzzle glinted in the lamp light, and Yugi's attention was drawn to it for a moment, then his mobile rang, the urgent bleeping sound that managed to wake him up in the mornings, or get his attention even when he was in the shower, distracted him and causing him to sigh and pick it up before his mum could complain, cradling it between his ear and shoulder as he shuffled the deck, and put it back in its deck box, "Hello? Oh hi Sakura…"
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Yugi reached Penguin Park in time to see Sakura swoop past on The FLY, chasing a green lizard like thing that sort of resembled a chameleon. "Hi Yugi!" She called, spotting him as she swept past.
Yugi however, was in the passenger seat again, watching as 'he' threw a gold net of magic over the chameleon and pounced on it, followed by Kero…
Then there was a green flash and suddenly it was him clinging onto the chameleon, and Sakura was calling for the card to return to its true form.
"Yugi?"
"Kero?"
Tea rushed to his side, as Sakura raced to Kero's and picked up the tiny bear.
"Yugi, are you alright?" Tea was worried, as Yugi struggled to think straight, one at a time had been hard enough, but something had happened and he wasn't sure what it… he just knew that there was two of them in his head.
'What the?'
"Who's there?" Yugi demanded, hand on his forehead and wondering how someone was talking to him inside his head.
"Yugi?" Now Tomoyo had rushed over, shutting her camera off as she did so.
'You don't have to shout, Yugi.'
"Kero?" Yugi yelped.
'You got that right, that was the Change card… wait, if you're in here and I'm in here… who's…' Yugi lost control of his body and unlike when he was made a passenger, the exchange wasn't gentle, causing him to sit there rather stunned while Kero demanded "Who are you?" of the bear, his voice issuing from Yugi's mouth.
"Yugi, that's Kero, remember?"
'Yugi' shook his head, "I'm Kero. The card Sakura caught was The CHANGE, it should have swapped me with Yugi, but Yugi's still in here, so I ask again, who are you?" He demanded of the bear.
"I… don't know." The bear answered, confused.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"Kero, give him a break, he's confused." Sakura scolded.
"Sakura…" Kero growled, black eye glinting, then there was nothing for a moment, and purple replaced black, "Pharaoh?" Yugi asked, kneeling down and taking the confused bear into his own hands.
"I was once called that…" The bear nodded.
"I knew it." Yugi smiled slightly at having his thoughts confirmed, "You've been stuck in the Puzzle, haven't you?" He asked sadly as the smile died.
The bear nodded.
"Can you remember anything?"
"Not much." The Pharaoh admitted, wings flapping, causing him to start hovering as Yugi had to deal with Kero in his head again. "I'm sorry."
"Kero, be quiet, please." Yugi asked, before speaking to the bear again, "I'm sorry I don't have much information to give you…"
"No, forgive me, Light one, for being unable to answer your questions."
"Of course, it's not your fault." Yugi nodded, then paused, "Light one?"
"You're the Light," Yami said with a low bow.
"I'm The LIGHT?" Yugi asked confused.
Yami shook his head, "Not 'The LIGHT'. The Light, the Sun… Hikari…" Yami touched Yugi's arm and drew away, "In the dark for so long… and then light… you freed me…"
"My name is Yugi." Yugi introduced himself with a smile, "What may I call you?"
"I've had lots of names." Pharaoh said, gaining confidence, "I've been known as Pharaoh, Yugioh, there are some who called me Yami."
"It's an honour to meet you, Yami." Yugi gave a half bow back.
"The honour is mine."
"Yami." Sakura said, smiling at him, "My name is Sakura. I wanted to thank you for helping us with the Clow Cards."
"I wanted to do something to repay hika… Yugi…" Yami corrected himself, "It is pleasure to meet a friend of Yugi's and a wielder of Star Magic," Yami bowed again, "You're very powerful, for one so young."
"You're pretty powerful yourself." Sakura replied, wondering about Star magic, it explained why she'd had trouble before Yugi had gotten his Shadows under control.
"Not as much as I could be…" Yami said sadly, "But…" He shook his head, "It does not matter." He looked at Yugi, "Are you alright?"
"It feels weird, having someone awake in the back of my mind." Yugi said, trying to focus on the bear in his mind and the bear in front of him. "I should let Kero come out, but how do I do it? We've only ever swapped over if there was danger before, and then I slept through most of it…"
Tomoyo edged forward, turning off her camcorder, "Yami?"
"Yes?"
"I'm Tomoyo." She bowed to him.
"I'm Tea." Tea inserted before anyone could say anything, though she looked a little confused.
"I am honoured," Yami bowed again. "To make your acquaintance."
Darkness, that's what Yami means… Tea wondered, as Yami explained to Yugi how to swap with Kero and a rather indignant Guardian of the Clow explained exactly what had happened, including that he didn't really want to have to share a mind with Yugi for the rest of Yugi's natural life.
Then he had to backtrack when Yami glared at him, with, "Not that there's anything wrong with Yugi's mind, he's smarter then he lets people think, but I don't want to be in here when he'd old and wrinkly."
Then he had to deal with Yugi's mental laughter and Yami's growling and he hid behind Sakura to avoid the death glare.
"Wait… what was that about being stuck this way?" Tea asked.
"We only have twenty four hours after the CHANGE has been used, or we'll be stuck like this forever!" Kero complained from his safe place behind Sakura.
"Can't we use it now?"
"No, it's a once a day only card, we'd have to wait until tomorrow, but we can't wait till too late tomorrow or…"
"Stop panicking." Tea poked Kero-in-Yugi, "We can fix this."
"I know, I know." Kero sounded irritated.
"It's Yugi who should be irritated, at least Yami gets his own body for a night, Yugi's got to share with you." Sakura teased.
"Sakura, can I take Yami home with me, please?" Yugi asked, having been allowed control again by the aggravated guardian.
Yami looked up at the Cardcaptor, tinges of red tinting the black eyes of Kero's bear form and making Sakura's mind up for her.
"I think you should sleep over at mine tonight." Sakura said, "After all, you do have Kero in your head, and Dad's staying at the University and Toya's working all night…"
"They'd never let you have a boy sleep over if there wasn't anyone else in." Tea pointed out.
"What about staying at mine?" Yugi asked, "Mum'll be home late, but she always brings good take away and we have the spare room so…"
"I don't see why not…" Sakura nodded, "But I'd better tell Dad first."
The phone call took about ten minutes and if Yugi hadn't met Sakura's father before, it wouldn't have been so easy to convince him but soon it was Yugi's turn to phone his parent, taking out his phone and calling his mum to tell her about the change of plans and he was sorry and yes, he would go home and set up the spare room, and yes, Sakura would like that particular type of take away and yes, he'd make sure he did all of his homework… see you later, love you too, bye…
Yugi grinned as he got off the phone, "A little more warning was requested for next time, but other then that she's fine with it." There was a pause for a moment and then, "But I can't believe I'm going to spend the night with the crazy cat."
Sakura did a double take, knowing how much Yugi loved that cat, and gazing at the boy until she realised that it was Kero talking and not Yugi.
"It's not a crazy cat." Yami scowled from his perch on Yugi's shoulder.
"Weren't cats sacred in Egypt?" Tea asked the Pharaoh-Bear who looked incredibly ashamed.
"I… don't remember."
"What?"
"I… don't want to talk about it."
"Yami?"
"I don't remember anything before hikari, except that it was cold, and dark." Yami said slowly, not wanting to lie to the ten year olds, but not wanting to scare them either, "I only have remnants of memories; I don't even know what's going on half the time."
Yugi ripped control away from Kero. "I don't care if you don't remember; you've helped us out so much, and if I can ever help you in anyway…"
"No, Hikari, I…"
"I have Kero, Yugi has you." Sakura said, as if that settled the conversation.
"Guardians!" Tea giggled. "At least you don't eat like Kero."
Yami snorted, "Even if I had that sort of appetite, I couldn't eat that much without causing Yugi to gain a lot of weight."
Laughter followed that statement, making the Pharaoh-In-A-Bear relax slightly.
"Come on, let's go feed the cat."
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"So what do you remember?" Yugi asked, once they'd fed Aiko, who'd tried pouncing on the Pharaoh-Bear, missed, and decided that this was a fun new game and that she was going to play until she finally caught him, pinning the winged teddy down and mewing at him until Yugi came and rescued him.
Of course, this wasn't as easy as it sounded when you had a manically laughing Guardian of the Clow in your head as well as trying to juggle the cat food bowl and carrying the squirming cat who was trying to get at the cat food bowl…
But now they were slumped in the living room, the spare room was all set up to accommodate Sakura and they were interested in what Yami had to say.
"I don't remember much, just enough to keep my magic in check." Yami admitted, head down, tone self-derogatory, "I'm sorry to say that I'm not always certain that I can do something until I do it."
"I figured something like that was happening." Kero said, through Yugi, "Though I thought it was Yugi using the spontaneous magic, not a spirit."
"It was a little of both," Yami said, "Me to start with, when we fought FLY and CLOUD, but once Yugi got a basic grasp on Mediation, I think it was a little of both." Yami shook his head, unsure.
"I think FLY was more you reacting to a threat then really thinking about what you was doing." Yugi said, thinking, "You'd just woken up after all."
Yami considered this for a moment and then look at Yugi, "Once I'm strong enough, I'll teach you how to use our magic, I know enough to start you down the right path until I can remember some more."
"All right." Yugi nodded, looking excited, but a little nervous.
"So you have no idea why you were in the Puzzle?" Kero asked, trying to find out something, anything. Not that this 'Yami' hadn't helped them in the past, but he found it difficult to trust a mage as powerful as Yami when he'd been sealed in such a way, for so long.
"None." Yami said, shaking his head, "I'm sorry."
"Kero." Sakura hissed, noting Yami's mood. "It's ok, honest." She said, trying not to feel so nervous around the spirit, it wasn't that she didn't trust him; she just wasn't fond of ghosts. "You'll get there, you've been asleep a very long time, and you're not really awake yet. You'll get there."
"Thank you for your reassurance."
"Yugi?" Kero swapped back out again and plush toy Pharaoh collapsed in a heap, as the front door opened, "Kinomoto-San?"
"Mum's home."
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"Hikari?"
Yugi jumped as a small bear floated up to the window sill he had been leant on, having completely missed Yami having moved, from the bed.
"Sorry."
"No, it's not your fault, Yami." Yugi hastily reassured him, "I was just lost in my own little world." Yami smiled slightly and sat down as Yugi continued, "I guess I'm just not used to living somewhere else yet. This house doesn't quite feel like home yet, I'm getting there, but for ten years I looked out the window and saw roofs and skyscrapers. Now I look out the window and its houses and gardens and the tallest thing is the clock towers, over there, see it?" Yugi pointed it out and Yami looked, "And now I feel really guilty. I'm complaining about moving two hours down the tracks, and you're miles from home and thousands of years ahead of yourself."
"Don't." Yami advised, watching a big black cat pass the window and maow at them before carrying on down the road, "I don't remember my home enough to feel homesick, and I don't mind listening to anything you want to tell me. It feels good to be awake enough to have a proper conversation with you."
"I wanna know something…" Yugi said, biting his lower lip, "Why me? I'm no one special, why choose me to complete the Puzzle?"
"I don't know why you were chosen, hikari," Yami said, watching the moon, which was heading towards becoming full, "But I'm glad you were, you're brave and powerful, in another time you could have had my job."
"You joke, surely. Me? Pharaoh? Look at me, I'm weedy." Yugi indicated himself. "I was bullied before I made friends with Tea, Sakura and Tomoyo!"
"I don't know how I know, but between your magic and your heart, you would have made a good king."
"Huh…" Yugi sounded thoughtful and silence fell for a few moments, before, "I was thinking about entering the Magic and Wizards Tournament that Grandpa mentioned before we got in the limo, what do you think about it?"
"It's up to you, isn't it?" Yami asked.
"You're the one that's stuck going wherever I go, I just wondered if you'd be interested." Yugi was kind of looking forward to it, even if the whole day would just be battles using bits of card, rather then their magic.
"I would be, but do not compete for my sake, if you're unhappy about it."
"I dunno, I wanna play, but I don't know if I'm good enough to compete at a competitive level yet, my deck's not as powerful as Grandpa's."
"You have time to buy more cards." Yami pointed out. "And your monsters are all willing to fight for you, no matter what."
"You can tell that?" Yugi frowned, remembering he'd been playing with his deck since their trip to Domino.
Yami nodded, "The Shadows are linked to Duel Monsters somehow, but I'm afraid I don't know how right now." Yami smiled slightly, "I can show you how to summon monsters when I get stronger."
"Cool!" Yugi grinned, "That sounds great."
Yami chuckled. "At least I have something to offer you."
"Yami…" Yugi looked away from the sky and down at the bear who had turned to look at him at the tone in his voice, "Don't think like that, I want you as a friend, not a servant or someone who thinks they're 'not worthy'."
"But…"
"No, Yami, from here on in, we're friends, right?" Yugi asked, "Partners. Don't be afraid to ask me about or to help you with anything. As long as you give me warning and be careful with your magic until you have a better idea of what you can do, I don't mind allowing you the use of my body."
"In exchange, I'll protect your friends, help Sakura and teach you how to control your magic." Yami nodded.
"Partners then?"
"Partners."
Yugi grinned, hugged the bear and sat down on his bed.
"What does the Sun Guardian think of this?" Yami asked.
"Kero's asleep." Yugi said, Yami gave him a concerned look, "I figure he must be, I recognise this feeling, it's the same sort of feeling I've had since I freed you, except this one's burning brightly, a little too hot, instead of the comforting darkness that I'm assuming is you."
Yami nodded. "It's only natural that with all your light, having anymore in your mind would be uncomfortable."
"Where as you balance me out, right?" Yugi asked.
"I guess."
Yugi laughed quietly, trying not to wake Sakura or his mother, "Light and Dark make Shadows. Perhaps we were destined to meet."
"Perhaps." Yami acknowledged as Yugi got into bed, "Sleep well, hikari."
"Good night, Yami."
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"Are you ready?" Sakura asked, activating her staff.
Yugi switched with Kero, and Tomoyo tried not to giggle at how it looked as Yugi-Kero hugged Kero-Yami, as per the change back conditions. Somewhere between cute and awww, I want to cuddle it, and as Sakura cast the CHANGE spell, she could see the difference in Yugi.
How could they have not noticed it before now?
Yami Yugi was so different from Yugi if you looked properly… taller for one, and the eye colour change, as well as the slight deference to Yugi's friends and the much more confident way Yami held himself to Yugi. Memories gone or not, he still held himself tall and proud… as if he was still a king?
Yami looked down at Kero, who was scolding the Pharaoh for not eating enough and could they go get cake now?
Sakura watched as the exchange happened, Yami stood up and Yugi was standing at the end of it. "Feel any better?"
"A little." Yugi nodded, having been feeling weird all the way through school, "I'm sorry for not telling you guys sooner."
Sakura laughed, "I've given up trying to work out what's normal anymore." She grinned, "Though to be fair, I think this tops it."
"We've got a long way to go yet." Kero warned.
"We'll get there, there can't be anything that much weirder then the fact Yugi's possessed, right?" Tea asked hopefully.
"Well…" Kero said seriously. "I suppose there isn't anything much weirder…"
"Don't jinx it!" Yugi yelped.
"We'll just have to see what's around the corner." Tomoyo giggled, "Meanwhile, I've gotten some awesome footage."
"Is that all you think about?"
"No…"
"She thinks about costumes too!" Tea laughed.
"Hey!" Tomoyo protested as the others laughed.
'She has a point, I don't think I've been in the same costume twice yet.'
"Yami?"
The girls paused and Kero gave him an inquisitive look, "Does Yami have something to add to the conversation?"
"Yami thinks that Tea has a point." Yugi said, "So, you can talk to me now?"
'I'm not sure what the CHANGE did, but it seems like it, yes.'
"Cool." Yugi grinned, then he saw the look on the other's faces.
"This is going to take some getting used to." Tea frowned.
"It's alright Yugi; it's just that we only get half of the conversation." Tomoyo laughed, waving it off.
Sakura giggled, "We'll get used to it. We got used to everything else."
"Thanks guys." Yugi gave them all a relieved look.
"And now we have that sorted," Kero said, hovering in mid air and looking aggrieved, "Can we please go and eat?"
"I'm all out of cake." Yugi warned, "You ate it all last night."
"I think my cook made some." Tomoyo mused.
"Yeay!" Kero cheered, making Sakura and Yugi look at each other with half amused, half exasperated looks. "To Tomoyo's!"
There had been a lull in the cards, with the recent capture of FLOWER, LIBRA, SONG and BUBBLES, the other Clow Cards seemed to have gone into hiding, not that the gang minded, Sakura now had ten of the cards and she'd only been going a month.
To be honest, Yugi welcomed the lull, with his increasing skill in meditation came an increasing level of awareness whenever he was a passenger in his own body, and he wasn't particularly comfortable with it.
He hadn't dared tell the others, it was once thing to have these Shadow Powers that you were pretty much making up as you went along, it was another to have those powers in the hands of whatever, or rather whoever, was possessing him when he was in danger, or there was a Clow Card around.
That was something Yugi didn't understand, the spirit, who Yugi believed was the Pharaoh who had sealed the dark magic away in the first place, after his Grandfather had told them some of the Puzzle's history, didn't seem to pick up on the presence of Clow Cards and yet was awake and aware the moment that Sakura activated her staff, yet Kero said that the Dark Magic of the Clow was more like Yugi's Shadow Magic then Sakura's other magic…
He was led on his bed at the moment, half expecting a phone call from Sakura, Tea or Tomoyo, while sorting through the Magic and Wizards cards his Grandfather had given him. He wanted to build a strong deck, so that next time he went to Domino, he could challenge his Grandpa to a game…
He held up his Koumori Dragon card, wondering what connection the cards had to his Puzzle. His grandfather had said there was one, and Yugi had felt something when he had held his Grandpa's Blue Eyes White Dragon, so he certainly believed him, but he just didn't feel that same connection with many of his own cards, Summoned Skull was kinda scary, but he felt he could trust it, just as he felt that Gaia the Fierce Knight, Celtic Guardian and Mystical Elf were all cards he could trust.
From the end of the bed, the Millennium Puzzle glinted in the lamp light, and Yugi's attention was drawn to it for a moment, then his mobile rang, the urgent bleeping sound that managed to wake him up in the mornings, or get his attention even when he was in the shower, distracted him and causing him to sigh and pick it up before his mum could complain, cradling it between his ear and shoulder as he shuffled the deck, and put it back in its deck box, "Hello? Oh hi Sakura…"
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Yugi reached Penguin Park in time to see Sakura swoop past on The FLY, chasing a green lizard like thing that sort of resembled a chameleon. "Hi Yugi!" She called, spotting him as she swept past.
Yugi however, was in the passenger seat again, watching as 'he' threw a gold net of magic over the chameleon and pounced on it, followed by Kero…
Then there was a green flash and suddenly it was him clinging onto the chameleon, and Sakura was calling for the card to return to its true form.
"Yugi?"
"Kero?"
Tea rushed to his side, as Sakura raced to Kero's and picked up the tiny bear.
"Yugi, are you alright?" Tea was worried, as Yugi struggled to think straight, one at a time had been hard enough, but something had happened and he wasn't sure what it… he just knew that there was two of them in his head.
'What the?'
"Who's there?" Yugi demanded, hand on his forehead and wondering how someone was talking to him inside his head.
"Yugi?" Now Tomoyo had rushed over, shutting her camera off as she did so.
'You don't have to shout, Yugi.'
"Kero?" Yugi yelped.
'You got that right, that was the Change card… wait, if you're in here and I'm in here… who's…' Yugi lost control of his body and unlike when he was made a passenger, the exchange wasn't gentle, causing him to sit there rather stunned while Kero demanded "Who are you?" of the bear, his voice issuing from Yugi's mouth.
"Yugi, that's Kero, remember?"
'Yugi' shook his head, "I'm Kero. The card Sakura caught was The CHANGE, it should have swapped me with Yugi, but Yugi's still in here, so I ask again, who are you?" He demanded of the bear.
"I… don't know." The bear answered, confused.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"Kero, give him a break, he's confused." Sakura scolded.
"Sakura…" Kero growled, black eye glinting, then there was nothing for a moment, and purple replaced black, "Pharaoh?" Yugi asked, kneeling down and taking the confused bear into his own hands.
"I was once called that…" The bear nodded.
"I knew it." Yugi smiled slightly at having his thoughts confirmed, "You've been stuck in the Puzzle, haven't you?" He asked sadly as the smile died.
The bear nodded.
"Can you remember anything?"
"Not much." The Pharaoh admitted, wings flapping, causing him to start hovering as Yugi had to deal with Kero in his head again. "I'm sorry."
"Kero, be quiet, please." Yugi asked, before speaking to the bear again, "I'm sorry I don't have much information to give you…"
"No, forgive me, Light one, for being unable to answer your questions."
"Of course, it's not your fault." Yugi nodded, then paused, "Light one?"
"You're the Light," Yami said with a low bow.
"I'm The LIGHT?" Yugi asked confused.
Yami shook his head, "Not 'The LIGHT'. The Light, the Sun… Hikari…" Yami touched Yugi's arm and drew away, "In the dark for so long… and then light… you freed me…"
"My name is Yugi." Yugi introduced himself with a smile, "What may I call you?"
"I've had lots of names." Pharaoh said, gaining confidence, "I've been known as Pharaoh, Yugioh, there are some who called me Yami."
"It's an honour to meet you, Yami." Yugi gave a half bow back.
"The honour is mine."
"Yami." Sakura said, smiling at him, "My name is Sakura. I wanted to thank you for helping us with the Clow Cards."
"I wanted to do something to repay hika… Yugi…" Yami corrected himself, "It is pleasure to meet a friend of Yugi's and a wielder of Star Magic," Yami bowed again, "You're very powerful, for one so young."
"You're pretty powerful yourself." Sakura replied, wondering about Star magic, it explained why she'd had trouble before Yugi had gotten his Shadows under control.
"Not as much as I could be…" Yami said sadly, "But…" He shook his head, "It does not matter." He looked at Yugi, "Are you alright?"
"It feels weird, having someone awake in the back of my mind." Yugi said, trying to focus on the bear in his mind and the bear in front of him. "I should let Kero come out, but how do I do it? We've only ever swapped over if there was danger before, and then I slept through most of it…"
Tomoyo edged forward, turning off her camcorder, "Yami?"
"Yes?"
"I'm Tomoyo." She bowed to him.
"I'm Tea." Tea inserted before anyone could say anything, though she looked a little confused.
"I am honoured," Yami bowed again. "To make your acquaintance."
Darkness, that's what Yami means… Tea wondered, as Yami explained to Yugi how to swap with Kero and a rather indignant Guardian of the Clow explained exactly what had happened, including that he didn't really want to have to share a mind with Yugi for the rest of Yugi's natural life.
Then he had to backtrack when Yami glared at him, with, "Not that there's anything wrong with Yugi's mind, he's smarter then he lets people think, but I don't want to be in here when he'd old and wrinkly."
Then he had to deal with Yugi's mental laughter and Yami's growling and he hid behind Sakura to avoid the death glare.
"Wait… what was that about being stuck this way?" Tea asked.
"We only have twenty four hours after the CHANGE has been used, or we'll be stuck like this forever!" Kero complained from his safe place behind Sakura.
"Can't we use it now?"
"No, it's a once a day only card, we'd have to wait until tomorrow, but we can't wait till too late tomorrow or…"
"Stop panicking." Tea poked Kero-in-Yugi, "We can fix this."
"I know, I know." Kero sounded irritated.
"It's Yugi who should be irritated, at least Yami gets his own body for a night, Yugi's got to share with you." Sakura teased.
"Sakura, can I take Yami home with me, please?" Yugi asked, having been allowed control again by the aggravated guardian.
Yami looked up at the Cardcaptor, tinges of red tinting the black eyes of Kero's bear form and making Sakura's mind up for her.
"I think you should sleep over at mine tonight." Sakura said, "After all, you do have Kero in your head, and Dad's staying at the University and Toya's working all night…"
"They'd never let you have a boy sleep over if there wasn't anyone else in." Tea pointed out.
"What about staying at mine?" Yugi asked, "Mum'll be home late, but she always brings good take away and we have the spare room so…"
"I don't see why not…" Sakura nodded, "But I'd better tell Dad first."
The phone call took about ten minutes and if Yugi hadn't met Sakura's father before, it wouldn't have been so easy to convince him but soon it was Yugi's turn to phone his parent, taking out his phone and calling his mum to tell her about the change of plans and he was sorry and yes, he would go home and set up the spare room, and yes, Sakura would like that particular type of take away and yes, he'd make sure he did all of his homework… see you later, love you too, bye…
Yugi grinned as he got off the phone, "A little more warning was requested for next time, but other then that she's fine with it." There was a pause for a moment and then, "But I can't believe I'm going to spend the night with the crazy cat."
Sakura did a double take, knowing how much Yugi loved that cat, and gazing at the boy until she realised that it was Kero talking and not Yugi.
"It's not a crazy cat." Yami scowled from his perch on Yugi's shoulder.
"Weren't cats sacred in Egypt?" Tea asked the Pharaoh-Bear who looked incredibly ashamed.
"I… don't remember."
"What?"
"I… don't want to talk about it."
"Yami?"
"I don't remember anything before hikari, except that it was cold, and dark." Yami said slowly, not wanting to lie to the ten year olds, but not wanting to scare them either, "I only have remnants of memories; I don't even know what's going on half the time."
Yugi ripped control away from Kero. "I don't care if you don't remember; you've helped us out so much, and if I can ever help you in anyway…"
"No, Hikari, I…"
"I have Kero, Yugi has you." Sakura said, as if that settled the conversation.
"Guardians!" Tea giggled. "At least you don't eat like Kero."
Yami snorted, "Even if I had that sort of appetite, I couldn't eat that much without causing Yugi to gain a lot of weight."
Laughter followed that statement, making the Pharaoh-In-A-Bear relax slightly.
"Come on, let's go feed the cat."
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"So what do you remember?" Yugi asked, once they'd fed Aiko, who'd tried pouncing on the Pharaoh-Bear, missed, and decided that this was a fun new game and that she was going to play until she finally caught him, pinning the winged teddy down and mewing at him until Yugi came and rescued him.
Of course, this wasn't as easy as it sounded when you had a manically laughing Guardian of the Clow in your head as well as trying to juggle the cat food bowl and carrying the squirming cat who was trying to get at the cat food bowl…
But now they were slumped in the living room, the spare room was all set up to accommodate Sakura and they were interested in what Yami had to say.
"I don't remember much, just enough to keep my magic in check." Yami admitted, head down, tone self-derogatory, "I'm sorry to say that I'm not always certain that I can do something until I do it."
"I figured something like that was happening." Kero said, through Yugi, "Though I thought it was Yugi using the spontaneous magic, not a spirit."
"It was a little of both," Yami said, "Me to start with, when we fought FLY and CLOUD, but once Yugi got a basic grasp on Mediation, I think it was a little of both." Yami shook his head, unsure.
"I think FLY was more you reacting to a threat then really thinking about what you was doing." Yugi said, thinking, "You'd just woken up after all."
Yami considered this for a moment and then look at Yugi, "Once I'm strong enough, I'll teach you how to use our magic, I know enough to start you down the right path until I can remember some more."
"All right." Yugi nodded, looking excited, but a little nervous.
"So you have no idea why you were in the Puzzle?" Kero asked, trying to find out something, anything. Not that this 'Yami' hadn't helped them in the past, but he found it difficult to trust a mage as powerful as Yami when he'd been sealed in such a way, for so long.
"None." Yami said, shaking his head, "I'm sorry."
"Kero." Sakura hissed, noting Yami's mood. "It's ok, honest." She said, trying not to feel so nervous around the spirit, it wasn't that she didn't trust him; she just wasn't fond of ghosts. "You'll get there, you've been asleep a very long time, and you're not really awake yet. You'll get there."
"Thank you for your reassurance."
"Yugi?" Kero swapped back out again and plush toy Pharaoh collapsed in a heap, as the front door opened, "Kinomoto-San?"
"Mum's home."
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"Hikari?"
Yugi jumped as a small bear floated up to the window sill he had been leant on, having completely missed Yami having moved, from the bed.
"Sorry."
"No, it's not your fault, Yami." Yugi hastily reassured him, "I was just lost in my own little world." Yami smiled slightly and sat down as Yugi continued, "I guess I'm just not used to living somewhere else yet. This house doesn't quite feel like home yet, I'm getting there, but for ten years I looked out the window and saw roofs and skyscrapers. Now I look out the window and its houses and gardens and the tallest thing is the clock towers, over there, see it?" Yugi pointed it out and Yami looked, "And now I feel really guilty. I'm complaining about moving two hours down the tracks, and you're miles from home and thousands of years ahead of yourself."
"Don't." Yami advised, watching a big black cat pass the window and maow at them before carrying on down the road, "I don't remember my home enough to feel homesick, and I don't mind listening to anything you want to tell me. It feels good to be awake enough to have a proper conversation with you."
"I wanna know something…" Yugi said, biting his lower lip, "Why me? I'm no one special, why choose me to complete the Puzzle?"
"I don't know why you were chosen, hikari," Yami said, watching the moon, which was heading towards becoming full, "But I'm glad you were, you're brave and powerful, in another time you could have had my job."
"You joke, surely. Me? Pharaoh? Look at me, I'm weedy." Yugi indicated himself. "I was bullied before I made friends with Tea, Sakura and Tomoyo!"
"I don't know how I know, but between your magic and your heart, you would have made a good king."
"Huh…" Yugi sounded thoughtful and silence fell for a few moments, before, "I was thinking about entering the Magic and Wizards Tournament that Grandpa mentioned before we got in the limo, what do you think about it?"
"It's up to you, isn't it?" Yami asked.
"You're the one that's stuck going wherever I go, I just wondered if you'd be interested." Yugi was kind of looking forward to it, even if the whole day would just be battles using bits of card, rather then their magic.
"I would be, but do not compete for my sake, if you're unhappy about it."
"I dunno, I wanna play, but I don't know if I'm good enough to compete at a competitive level yet, my deck's not as powerful as Grandpa's."
"You have time to buy more cards." Yami pointed out. "And your monsters are all willing to fight for you, no matter what."
"You can tell that?" Yugi frowned, remembering he'd been playing with his deck since their trip to Domino.
Yami nodded, "The Shadows are linked to Duel Monsters somehow, but I'm afraid I don't know how right now." Yami smiled slightly, "I can show you how to summon monsters when I get stronger."
"Cool!" Yugi grinned, "That sounds great."
Yami chuckled. "At least I have something to offer you."
"Yami…" Yugi looked away from the sky and down at the bear who had turned to look at him at the tone in his voice, "Don't think like that, I want you as a friend, not a servant or someone who thinks they're 'not worthy'."
"But…"
"No, Yami, from here on in, we're friends, right?" Yugi asked, "Partners. Don't be afraid to ask me about or to help you with anything. As long as you give me warning and be careful with your magic until you have a better idea of what you can do, I don't mind allowing you the use of my body."
"In exchange, I'll protect your friends, help Sakura and teach you how to control your magic." Yami nodded.
"Partners then?"
"Partners."
Yugi grinned, hugged the bear and sat down on his bed.
"What does the Sun Guardian think of this?" Yami asked.
"Kero's asleep." Yugi said, Yami gave him a concerned look, "I figure he must be, I recognise this feeling, it's the same sort of feeling I've had since I freed you, except this one's burning brightly, a little too hot, instead of the comforting darkness that I'm assuming is you."
Yami nodded. "It's only natural that with all your light, having anymore in your mind would be uncomfortable."
"Where as you balance me out, right?" Yugi asked.
"I guess."
Yugi laughed quietly, trying not to wake Sakura or his mother, "Light and Dark make Shadows. Perhaps we were destined to meet."
"Perhaps." Yami acknowledged as Yugi got into bed, "Sleep well, hikari."
"Good night, Yami."
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"Are you ready?" Sakura asked, activating her staff.
Yugi switched with Kero, and Tomoyo tried not to giggle at how it looked as Yugi-Kero hugged Kero-Yami, as per the change back conditions. Somewhere between cute and awww, I want to cuddle it, and as Sakura cast the CHANGE spell, she could see the difference in Yugi.
How could they have not noticed it before now?
Yami Yugi was so different from Yugi if you looked properly… taller for one, and the eye colour change, as well as the slight deference to Yugi's friends and the much more confident way Yami held himself to Yugi. Memories gone or not, he still held himself tall and proud… as if he was still a king?
Yami looked down at Kero, who was scolding the Pharaoh for not eating enough and could they go get cake now?
Sakura watched as the exchange happened, Yami stood up and Yugi was standing at the end of it. "Feel any better?"
"A little." Yugi nodded, having been feeling weird all the way through school, "I'm sorry for not telling you guys sooner."
Sakura laughed, "I've given up trying to work out what's normal anymore." She grinned, "Though to be fair, I think this tops it."
"We've got a long way to go yet." Kero warned.
"We'll get there, there can't be anything that much weirder then the fact Yugi's possessed, right?" Tea asked hopefully.
"Well…" Kero said seriously. "I suppose there isn't anything much weirder…"
"Don't jinx it!" Yugi yelped.
"We'll just have to see what's around the corner." Tomoyo giggled, "Meanwhile, I've gotten some awesome footage."
"Is that all you think about?"
"No…"
"She thinks about costumes too!" Tea laughed.
"Hey!" Tomoyo protested as the others laughed.
'She has a point, I don't think I've been in the same costume twice yet.'
"Yami?"
The girls paused and Kero gave him an inquisitive look, "Does Yami have something to add to the conversation?"
"Yami thinks that Tea has a point." Yugi said, "So, you can talk to me now?"
'I'm not sure what the CHANGE did, but it seems like it, yes.'
"Cool." Yugi grinned, then he saw the look on the other's faces.
"This is going to take some getting used to." Tea frowned.
"It's alright Yugi; it's just that we only get half of the conversation." Tomoyo laughed, waving it off.
Sakura giggled, "We'll get used to it. We got used to everything else."
"Thanks guys." Yugi gave them all a relieved look.
"And now we have that sorted," Kero said, hovering in mid air and looking aggrieved, "Can we please go and eat?"
"I'm all out of cake." Yugi warned, "You ate it all last night."
"I think my cook made some." Tomoyo mused.
"Yeay!" Kero cheered, making Sakura and Yugi look at each other with half amused, half exasperated looks. "To Tomoyo's!"