The Pharaoh and the Wayfarer (Atem/Yami Yugi x Spirit! Reader)

Chapter 24: Rescue and Friends Till the End

I own nothing.
Chapter 24: Desperate Rescue

There were instances where Rain had feared her spirit partner would fall back into her more violent tendencies like when she first woke up, but given her friends were kidnapped before her eyes, she was more than willing to overlook (Y/N)'s decimation of the two foolish Rare Hunters in their path. Still, despite the Queen's Royal beatdown, the two had managed to delay them long enough for their compatriots to escape with their captives. Claiming the locator cards (they couldn't even feel satisfied in claiming the necessary pieces for finals since they wagered 2 locator cards each), the two tried to pick up the trail of the kidnappers. Unfortunately, it seems as though they had just vanished.
"Damn it!" Rain yelled in spirit form.
(Y/N), per usual, remained calm, still searching the alleyways. "Rain, don't lose hope. We'll find them."
"Who knows what Marik will do to them in the meantime!? The Millennium Rod messes with your mind! What if it's-,"
"Don't tread that path, young Wayfarer." Her partner warned. "We have to focus on what's in front of us, not what could be happening around us."
Rain looked down dejectedly. "...what if I gave myself up?"
(Y/N) came to a screeching halt. "What!?"
"It's me Marik wants. Maybe if I offered to trade myself, he'll let the others go."
"Rain, no. That isn't an option."
"I wouldn't give him you or the Millennium Bracelet, but I can handle this."
"Then what?" (Y/N) asked, crossing her arms. "You'd just be trading one set of hostages for another, and without the Millennium Bracelet, you'll be defenseless again the Rod. And all of this is assuming Marik would keep his word on letting Tea and Joey go. We can't trust him, nor can we risk letting our power fall into his hands."
Rain looked away, an infuriated expression on her face. The former queen sighed, placing her hands on the currently in spirit form girl.
"I know it's frustrating, believe me, I want to save them as much as you do, but the fate of the world is at stake. We can't afford to be reckless."
"And what about Yugi and Yami?" Rain pointed out. "Marik only took Tea and Joey to threaten them!"
"And you don't think he'd do the same if he had you? That he wouldn't use Yugi's feelings for you against him?"
"They're not the same." Rain said somberly.
"No, they aren't." (Y/N) agreed, deciding not to further elaborate given the two teens would have to confess to each other themselves. "Regardless, we both know Yugi would fight to save you. I promise, we'll save the others, but we need the right opportunity."
"...fine." Rain finally agreed, though clearly still unhappy. "I just hope the guys are still all right."
(Y/N) bit back a response. Again, during their search, they had sensed what they now knew was the summoning of a god card, so anything could be possible. However, they also knew that if anything bad had happened to Yugi and Yami, they would have sensed that as well, so for now, they had to believe their partners were all right.
It was a small hope to cling to.

(Elsewhere)

Enduring Kaiba's stubborn refusal to prioritize the wellbeing of his friends was not something Yami enjoyed, especially after that long duel with Lumis and Umbra. However, he could do this much considering the stubborn male had agreed to help if only to payback Tea for rescuing Mokuba, while also looking for Rain and (Y/N).
"There!" Mokuba said, looking at his laptop. "That's the Rare Hunters' hideout! It's about 11 miles away and I know exactly where those creeps are keeping Tea. Joey should be nearby too!"
Kaiba eyed his rival who was looking out the window of the helicopter, his stoic expression not exactly hiding the concern he felt for his missing friends.
"I'm concerned with more important issues, like finding the third Egyptian god card." That got Yami's attention. "Tell me, Yugi, who exactly is this Marik? He leads the Rare Hunters, but what else do you know about him?"
"Well, I've never actually seen his face, but I know that he possesses a Millennium Item, much like my own Millennium Puzzle and Rain's Millennium Bracelet."
Kaiba huffed. "Those again? Spare me the bogus magic talk, Yugi, I hear enough of it from Rain's stories."
"Kaiba, you have already experienced the power of a Millennium Item first hand." The pharaoh pointed out. "Or have you forgotten about Pegasus and his Millennium Eye?"
"That was just a cheap trick!"
Mokuba was less than convinced. "But Seto...Pegasus did use his Millennium Eye to trap us. Remember all those stories about evil magic that Rain and Carter told us?"
"That's all they were, Mokuba: stories."
"You can believe whatever you choose, but I can assure you the puzzle and the bracelet are no trick, and I'm not exactly who you think I am, Kaiba. I am actually a 5000 year-old spirit who lives within the chambers of the Millennium Puzzle."
"That's a lie!" Kaiba snapped. "Do you honestly expect me to believe you?!"
"It's true, Kaiba. At one time, I lived in Egypt, ruling as pharaoh."
"As pharaoh?" Kaiba repeated, Mokuba looking equally as shocked by all this. "It's not true! There's just no way!"
Yami side eyed him. "If you don't believe it, think about Rain."
"What does she have to do with this?"
"You may act indifferent, Kaiba, but I know you at least value your relationship with her. Enough that you'd notice her sudden changes in behavior. Just as Yugi isn't always himself, Rain isn't always Rain."
Seto clicked his tongue, silently denying it, but Mokuba seemed to be pondering the words.
"I...I have noticed that Rain does seem to change sometimes when she's dueling. I always thought she just gets really focused but...you're saying she changes into a different person?"
Yami nodded. "Yes, like me, a spirit resides in the Millennium Bracelet and is partnered with Rain. Her name is (Y/N)."
"Did you know her?" Mokuba asked.
"Yes, she and I were..." Yami cut himself off before finishing his sentence. "...we were close."
Kaiba began to laugh. "You? Pharaoh? What a joke! I've heard those bedtime stories from the (L/N)s and spoken to that crazy woman also, Yugi, but unlike you, I don't buy them."
"Look, what Ishizu said is true. I know who (Y/N) and I must stop."
Yami recounted what had happened with the Rare Hunters before as well as his conversations with Marik.
"Hold on, Marik wants to rule the world!?" Mokuba shouted, completely in shock. "And he thinks getting all 3 Egyptian gods cards will give him the power he needs to do it? I guess that explains why he's going through all this trouble."
"That's ridiculous, Mokuba!" His elder brother retorted. "Yugi, do me a favor and stop corrupting my brother's mind with your lies."
"They're not lies, and you heard Marik's plan from Strings."
Kaiba smirked. "Hmm, using magic powers to control people's minds. I bet you still believe in the tooth fairy as well."
"Marik's powers are very real and very dangerous. And now that he's captured my friends, there's no telling what he could do. We have to locate my friends as soon as possible, before it's too late."
Kaiba noted the pharaoh clenching his fist, biting back a sarcastic quip he had been brewing as the helicopter approached their destination.
"We're only two miles from our target, guys." Mokuba announced.
"I'm tired of hearing about your friends, Yugi." Kaiba said, easily breaking his previous silence. Yami side-eyed his rival. "I can't say I'm surprised, but can I at least request you keep an eye on Rain?"
"Why?" Kaiba asked, the slightest hint of concern melding into his voice.
"She's in the most danger of all of us. Marik is after her, not just for the Millennium Bracelet, but her as an individual. Marik wants her."
"And you let her go off on her own!?" Seto snapped.
"I trust her and (Y/N) to look after each other, that doesn't mean I can't be cautious for their sake."
Kaiba huffed and crossed his arms. "How does Marik know her?"
Yami shook his head. "That's what we're trying to figure out. He knew her name, and Rain insists his name is also familiar."
"An associate of Carter's?" The brunette suggested.
"No, she says she'd likely have a better memory if that were the case. He knew things about the Wayfarers and their customs."
"Maybe he's part of the tribe?" Mokuba jumped in.
Again, the pharaoh shook his head. "No, he's part of a separate faction from what he told us. Rain's already had Carter get into contact with Wayfarers in Egypt to see if they know anything, but beyond that, we have no idea how he knows her."
"And why tell me this?" Seto asked.
"Because if I or Yugi ask them to be careful, they turn the request back on us." Yami pointed out. "It might sound different coming from the two of you."
Kaiba said nothing, not necessarily disagreeing, while Mokuba nodded fiercely, completely on board. As they approached, Yami couldn't help but worry about the girls. He had been truthful when he said he trusted them, but that didn't mean he wouldn't worry. The mere thought of (Y/N) being in danger sent a dagger to his heart.
Yugi appeared beside him in spirit form. "The girls are fine, Yami. If anything had happened, we would've known."
"I know." The Spirit echoed in his thoughts. "But I can't help how I feel, Yugi. If anything happened to (Y/N)..."
The pharaoh flinched as a distant scream echoed in his ears, a voice he knew all too well. Yugi gave him a sad smile.
"It's okay. I get it. (Y/N) is...well she's your wife. It would be weird if you didn't worry about the person you love."
Yami turned his head. "What?"
Yugi shrugged. "You love (Y/N), it's pretty obvious. Even without your memories, you still remembered that much."
Yami sighed, but a smile crept on his face. "I suppose I still love her. I've always loved her."
"You should tell her that. She might be more careful if you do!"
Yami leaned back, pondering the advice. "Perhaps you're right."