Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh…though the concept of this civilization that the story is set in IS mine. I came up with it about 6 months ago when my sister and I were trying to come up with an idea for a comic book that she's illustrating. SO DON'T STEAL IT.
Chapter 1: Leaving home and settling in
Yugi woke up to the sound of his grandfather yelling from down the stairs. After delaying the inevitable for as long as possible, which was all of five minutes, Yugi climbed out of bed and got dressed in the only outfit that hadn't been packed. Because today was the day that Yugi would be leaving his hometown and going to the school. Yugi knew that the school probably had a name, but for some reason he couldn't remember what it was called. 'I'll probably find out when I get there.' Yugi thought before he headed down the stairs.
His grandfather had made Yugi's favorite breakfast, and his mother looked like she had been crying, though she tried to hide it when Yugi walked into the room. It seemed like everyone knew that this might very well be the last time they would ever see Yugi again. Because, well that was the way the school worked. When you turned 15 you were enrolled as a student, and legally compelled to attend. If you didn't show up and anyone found out about it you could, and would be killed for insubordination. And there was one other thing about the school failure was completely unacceptable. Students who weren't able to keep up, who fell behind, or who just plain struggled ended up dead. And since this school didn't really focus on academics…it was more of a skill based school, no one thought that Yugi stood a chance.
It was also one that no one thought Yugi was going to be able to pass, because well he was known as being both physically weaker than everyone around him…and on top of that he was clumsy. Both of which basically guaranteed that this school was basically a death sentence. Though, Yugi's friend Jou had promised that he would do his best to keep Yugi out of trouble and make sure he got back home, but there would be only so much Jou could do…assuming Jou could do anything at all. Since, if they weren't placed into the same groups of study then Jou wouldn't be seeing Yugi much, if at all.
Yugi sat down and silently ate his breakfast with his mother and grandfather…or more like his idly picked at his food for some reason he didn't have that much of an appetite. The tranquil breakfast was interrupted by a loud knock on the Moto's front door. Solomon set down his fork and went to answer the door. After a few moments he came back in and shook his head. Yugi set down his fork and sighed, knowing that the person as the door was from the school and was here to collect Yugi and the others who have become of age from his village and take them to the school. Yugi slowly stood up and hugged both his mother and his grandfather.
"I love you both, and who knows…I might actually by some miracle be able to see you guys again." Yugi said calmly. Solomon nodded as he walked out with Yugi, in order to help him carry his bags.
"I know you'll do your best and make us proud my boy. I'll see you in the summer." Solomon said, and Yugi could tell that Solomon didn't really believe what it was he was saying, but hoped with all his heart that was he was saying would be true. Yugi hugged his grandfather one last time before climbing into the vehicle that would take him to his doom.
Once on board he stopped the mop of blond hair that characterized his best friend Jou. Yugi went and sat next to him. Jou smiled weakly at him.
"Hey bud, how ya holdin up?" Jou asked.
"I'm alright." Yugi said.
"So," Jou said as he looked around, attempting to come up with something to talk about with his usually cheery friend, "what group do you think they'll put us in?" he finally asked.
Yugi shrugged. You see there were many different groups, each of which specialized in a specific trade. The groups were: assassins, thieves, priests, magicians, soldiers, and the most prestigious of all shadows. Shadows were considered to be the jacks of all trade…and had the absolute lowest survival rating, but those that did survive were some of the most powerful people in the kingdom.
Jou nodded realizing that Yugi had no desire to discuss school, and instead settled into a comfortable silence. After all they had a long ride until they arrived. About three hours later the vehicle came to a stop and the door was quickly opened and all seven of the students filed out and followed their silent guide up to the large gothic style castle that was going to be their home…and for some of them their grave.
They entered a large sparsely lit entrance hall where there was an a single cloaked figure standing in the center of the hall and several other, Yugi guessed, students standing slightly behind him. What caught Yugi by surprise was that one of them looked like he could have been Yugi's twin, if Yugi had had a twin…which he didn't. Yugi's twin looked at Yugi for a second and smirked, which sent shivers down Yugi's spine before he walked over and whispered something to the cloaked figure, who nodded to the boy before he walked back to his spot in the line.
"Now, as you are all aware the first thing that is done upon arrival is you are divided into your groups. Classes will begin tomorrow morning, and a representative from your group, the one that will be escorting you to your groups' area, will fill you in on the particular training schedule that you will have to adhere to. Now, listen up while I tell you which group you're going to be placed in." the cloaked figure said.
"Ryou…thief"
"Honda…soldier"
"Jou…priest"
"Anzu…magician"
"Rebecca…magician"
"Malik…assassin"
"And last but not least Yugi…shadow" the cloaked figure called out.
Yugi paled when he heard that he was going to be a shadow…he was really hoping that he would be either a priest, since that was what Jou had been listed as, or a magician since out of all of the groups that was supposed to be the easiest one to complete. Jou placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder and mouthed, "I'm sorry." Before he walked towards the tall brunet that was going to lead him back to where ever it was the priests met.
Yugi sighed and turned to look for where he guide was, only to find him standing right in front of him. It was his twin from earlier, though maybe that wasn't really an accurate statement, since there were so many subtle differences between the two. Though, they both had the same unique tri-colored hair, the other boy's had additional blond bangs that stuck up into the black portion of his hair, the other boy also had sharp, angular crimson eyes, unlike Yugi's wide amethyst ones, and their skin tones were different…Yugi's being rather pale when compared to the natural tan that the other boy seemed to possess.
The older boy grabbed Yugi's wrist and began to lead him down one of the schools sparsely lit corridors. "What's your name?" Yugi asked suddenly, though why he didn't know…maybe it was because he wanted to have some sort of conversation…or maybe he just wanted to know the name of the sexy young man that was leading him around by his wrist.
"My name is Yami, Little One." Yami said as turned into another corridor and began to walk down a flight of stairs.
'Yami, that's an interesting name. And a beautiful voice now that I think about it, that deep baritone…its WOAH where did that come from? Bad Yugi, bad.' Yugi thought to himself before he asked, "So, Yami…aren't you supposed to be telling me what it is that I'm supposed to know about being in the shadow group?"
"I'll tell you everything that you need to know in a minute." Yami said as he led Yugi into a room that had about seven or eight other teenagers lounging around. "What are you all slacking off for? You all know that classes resume tomorrow. Get your asses in gear." Yami shouted as he walked across the room, making everyone else jump up and immediately begin reaching for either spell books, or heading off to the training room, with the excuse that they wanted to get some more practice in. Once everyone else had left Yami proceeded down a narrow hallway and placed his hand on a large Oak door a second before pushing it open. Yami walked into the room and pulled Yugi in behind him before closing the door and locking it. After that, he turned to Yugi and smirked. "Sit down Little One, for there's quite a lot of things I am going to fill you in on, and its going to take awhile." Yami said as he gestured for Yugi to sit on the bed. Yugi nodded, signaling for Yami that he could continue.
"First let me say Little One, that I have no doubt in my mind that you will not be able to complete this training on your own, but I'll get back to that in a bit. You will have to attend class from 8 in the morning until 7 at night Monday through Saturday and if you are not it will be expected that you be training or sleeping. If you do not do that, you will not make it. Any questions of what is going to be expected of you?" Yami asked.
"No I understand what the expectations are. Though, I am curious as to why if no one thinks I could make it, why I was placed in this group to begin with?" Yugi asked, because as far as he knew he should have been placed in the group that he stood the best chance of surviving.
"Well, the reason you were placed in this group is because I requested that you be placed in this group." Yami said.
"What! Do you realize that you have basically sentenced me to death by doing that?" Yugi all but shouted.
"Relax, you're going to make it through this, remember I said that you weren't going to be able to make it on your own…however if I help you that will be an entirely different story." Yami said.
"Wait a minute. You're offering to help get me through all this…that's great but, what's the catch?" Yugi asked, because there was absolutely no way that Yami would be offering to help Yugi if there wasn't something in if for him.
"The catch," Yami said as he walked closer to Yugi, "is that you will basically agree to be my mate…and you will play that part until my graduation…after which time you will depart the school with me. For, you see my father is getting on in years and it has been decided that after my graduation I am going to take over for him as ruler. However, in order for me to do this, I need to find a mate, and as soon as I saw you walk through those doors I knew that you were the one. So, are you willing to agree to my terms?" Yami asked he was now standing so close to Yugi that he could feel Yami's breath ghosting over his face.
"And if I were to decline?" Yugi asked, after all it never hurt to know what would happen if you said no.
"If you were to decline, which I can already tell that you won't, I would either a) leave you to handle the challenges that will arise completely unassisted or I could b) kill you now and save you the suffering that you'd be forced to endure." Yami said with a triumphant smirk upon his face.
Yugi sighed; Yami really wasn't giving him a choice in the matter. "Fine, I'll agree to your terms. Now can I go I need to get some sleep so I'm plenty rested for class tomorrow?" Yugi said.
Yami grinned before he pushed Yugi back onto the bed, "I think not Little One…if you sleep anywhere it will be beside me."
Yugi nodded before he thought of something, "Yami, you do realize that my name's Yugi, right?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, Little One, I am aware that is your name, however I prefer to refer to you as Little One or Aibou…and I will probably only refer to you by your given name when I'm upset with you." Yami said before he pressed his lips to Yugi's neck. At first Yugi tensed, but then he forced himself to relax…he'd just have to get used to this eventually, and trust that Yami wasn't going to hurt him.
A/N: alright this is chapter one…I hope you liked it, as always read and review, I don't get reviews I won't continue.