Hi! This is the first chapter of 'An Eye for an Eye', you you want a hint on what the story might be about, read the first two paragraphs of this chapter and try to guess. Another clue is the title 'An Eye for an Eye'. If you don't get my meaning, don't worry, I'll tell you what I perceive as 'an eye for an eye' which is actually shortened from the phrase 'an eye for an eye is not a rule to live by' or 'an eye for an eye makes everyone blind'.

Anyways, don't mind the ramblings of a teenage girl.

On with the story [Chiong! (Sorry, Hokkien word for 'hurry on' or something along most lines...)]

*Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh... though I wish I do... and even if I do, I'll want to own only this Yu-Gi-Oh, not GX or 5D's, not meaning to insult anyone, it's just that this one is my favourite Yu-Gi-Oh...

People always told him that 'an eye for an eye isn't a rule to live by' and he agreed. Nine-year-old Yugi Moto found it ridiculous that people would let revenge eat away at their souls until there was no goodness left in them. Yugi couldn't understand, but he himself had almost done the same thing. It was a good thing his family didn't give up on him during that period of time. He knew he must've been unbearable but they still didn't say 'well, we've done all we could, he's gone'. And he was grateful for that.

If you met present-day Yugi, you would have never thought of him like the type of person who would hold a grudge. But once, for a short period of time, Yugi had been fuelled by anger, hate and thirst for revenge.

Now, as Mai Valentine watched the thirteen-year-old, she was worried that signs of those hateful emotions would return. After the spirit in Yugi's millennium puzzle had split into two and gotten a body of their own, Yugi's so-called 'friends' had practically ignored him in favour of Yami and Atem. Even his own twin brother, Heba and started spending less and less time with him. Mai could tell Yugi was getting very frustrated and she was worried. If Yugi had any thoughts of revenge on his mind, then the world would be on the brink of a war. Be warned, Mai thought, the Dark Days might be coming sooner than you think…

Yugi sighed. This was the fifth time that week alone his 'friends' had ignored him and favoured Yami and Atem instead. Although his twin brother, Heba, did not really 'ignore' him and still talked to him, the times were very rare. In fact the only people who still talked to him frequently were Grandpa, Mai and, of course, the 'Yami Haters'. The 'Yami Haters' consisted of Ryou, Bakura, Malik and Marik. Ishitar still talked to him but she was too busy with her job at the museum.

Even his deck had abandoned him because they preferred Yami. Atem didn't really play Duel Monsters. But at least, Yugi reminded himself, I still have these three. He stroked the card-shaped locket hidden behind his shirt. Taking it off, he pressed the fire-jewel like button and it opened. Inside there were three Duel Monster cards. Unlike what most people said about the Dark Magician, it was not true that he was Yugi's favourite. These three were Yugi's lifelong friends ever since childhood.

Although Yugi had only played them once, they were very close to him and the bond of the heart of the cards between them had never been truer. They were unique, one-of-a-kind type of powerful cards but that wasn't the reason why he treasured them so greatly. Two of them each showed a picture of a dragon. But they showed a different type of dragon. One was an eastern dragon while the other was a western dragon. The last card was one of a golden phoenix.

Placing them back in the locket, Yugi went downstairs to find his grandfather cooking pasta. He could hear the sounds of laughter coming from the living room and knew almost instantly that the others were here too. He slowly and quietly walked back up the stairs. He was in no mood to deal with the others' ignorance and instead sought comfort in the thick book on his desk. A thick book that so happened to have the title 'Magic's History and Past'. Smiling slightly, Yugi leaned back into his bed and was soon engrossed in the book's thrilling yet gruesome history facts, completely unaware that in the span of the next few weeks, he's well-kept secret would be spilled and his entire world turned upside down.

Outside, the sounds of thunder could be heard clearly. It was raining heavily but the pink-haired girl outside couldn't care less. She made her way to the Kame Game shop and rang the doorbell. Soon, an elderly man opened the door and exclaimed, "Ayano! Get in quickly! You're drenched!"

When Grandpa had opened the door, he had expected to see a salesperson persisted on selling his or her product despite the rough weather conditions. Never in his life had he expected to see Ayano Kannagi, Yugi's cousin, soaked to the skin standing outside the door.

Ayano stepped into the warm threshold of the house and walked to the sofa and sat down on an empty armchair beside the sofa and coffee table. The group of friends huddled around the coffee table stopped laughing and playing their game to stare at her in curiosity. She did not know nor care about any of them except for three boys who looked a lot like Yugi and a girl by the name of Mai Valentine. Yet she knew that the boys were not Yugi. One of the boy's presence was way too dark to be her cousin. Another held too much authority to be Yugi and the last should be Heba as she could not feel any magical aura radiating from him.

"Ayano?" Mai asked. "Is that you?"

Ayano nodded and Grandpa bustled into the room, draping a dry towel over the seventeen-year-old girl's shoulders. "Thank you Grandpa," she muttered politely.

"It's nothing, Ayano," Grandpa dismissed. "But what were you doing in the rain? My goodness!"

"Somehow I get the feeling this isn't going to be much of a social visit," Mai noted.

"Your sense of perception is astounding," Ayano replied dryly before sighing, "But you're still right. Both of you, we have something to discuss. In private," she added, glancing at the room's other occupants.

"Alright, kids, please go upstairs to Yami's room. You can continue playing there," Grandpa instructed. They nodded and scrambled up the stairs, leaving the three others in their alone.

"Is Yugi in? I would also like to speak with him," Ayano told Grandpa.

"Heba?" Grandpa called. "Please call Yugi and tell him Ayano is downstairs and would like to speak with him."

Heba nodded furiously and went to tell Yugi. After a minute or two, Yugi descended the stairs and went to sit on the sofa beside Grandpa and Mai. "Hi Ayano!" He grinned.

Ayano smiled warmly at one of her two favourite cousins. "Hello Yugi."

"So, what's up, Ayano. Please don't keep us in suspense," Mai said.

Ayano turned to Yugi. "You're coming home," she said bluntly.

"But I am home," Yugi said.

Ayano shot him a look. "As in Kannagi Mansion."

A silence followed. It was broken by Grandpa, "But Ayano, Yugi is safe here."

"I couldn't agree more," Ayano agreed. "But he's safer at the mansion. I know you and Mai are strong, Grandpa, but if Yugi comes back to the mansion, he'll be protected by many well-trained fire magic-users."

There, she said. The two words that separated them from a normal family. Fire magic-users. The Kannagi's was a family of people who could control fire and they were the best at it. However, Yugi's mother was a wind magic-user and so it was expected that at least one of her children could control wind. Yugi was also not a twin, but a triplet. He and Heba had a triplet brother named Ren. Ren could control fire, Heba could not do any form of magic and could opt out of magical education, which he had gladly accepted and so had lived with Grandpa for all of his life. That was the reason why he had not recognised any Kannagi cousins like Ayano.

The Moto's were a family of powerful wind magic-users and they were the best in wind magic. Mai Valentine was one member of the family. Though not one of the head family like Yugi, Heba and Ren, Mai was one of the strongest. That was one of the reasons why she liked to use Harpies so much.

Yugi seemed to get the worst of both worlds. He had both the powers of the two ancient families and could use both fire and wing magic.

"But why?" Yugi asked.

Ayano shifted slightly. "Well, you don't want to leave Ren all by himself to face headship, do you?"

Yugi, Heba and Ren were part of both the Kannagi and Moto head family, though if they were to ever become head, they would have to be for the Kannagi's first, though, since it was their father's side of the family. Ayano was the daughter of the current head of the Kannagi family, Yugi's Uncle Jugo, so she was supposed to be the next head. Then was Yugi's older brother, Kazuma, and next him and Ren. But Kazuma was dead and Ayano didn't want to be the head so she had threatened to kill herself at the age of twelve if they made her head. So Yugi and Ren were next in line.

Being the head of such and important family was a tough job and Yugi realised he really didn't want to leave Ren to suffer the burden alone. Besides, his 'friends' were basically treating as if he had never existed and Heba had them to keep him happy. So there was really no point in staying there. His only concern was his Grandpa…

Yugi sighed and looked up to face Ayano's serious gaze. "When?"

"Tomorrow, at dawn," Ayano smiled. "Thank you for cooperating. Don't worry, Yugi will be in very safe and capable hands, Grandpa and Mai."

Mai sighed. "Well then there seems to be nothing I can say to change your minds. Yugi, you should get to bed. You have a very exciting day ahead of you tomorrow."

With that, Yugi nodded and took his leave, heading up to the room he and Heba shared. He could hear whoops of laughter echoing from the room which Yami and Atem inhabited. Quietly, he packed all his things, remembering the fact that he very well might never step into that room ever again.

The sounds of laughter came to a stop and instead, replaced by a wail of 'Nooo!' from a certain American blond that indicated he had just lost a game of Duel Monsters against Yami. Yugi couldn't help but smile and wish that he was in the same room. Then again, if he was, he would have a very tough time explaining. This way, nobody would notice he was gone until a good few weeks later where he would be cities away.

Just then, Yugi heard Yami and Atem's door open and close after a shout from his brother saying that he was tired and was going to bed. Hastily, Yugi put everything away and sat on his bed, opening a book and pretending to read it.

It didn't fool Heba. One quick glance at the room and Yugi's twin could tell something was wrong. "Why are you packing?"

"Nothing," Yugi said instantly.

Heba's eyes narrowed at him, "Liar." He cast another look at the room. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"It's nothing," Yugi repeated.

"Why?"

Yugi sighed. It was no use trying to around his persistent brother. "I'm going back to Kannagi Mansion."

"Is it because of that girl downstairs?"

"Well, yes. By the way, her name's Ayano. She's our cousin."

"Why do you have to go back?"

"Uncle Jugo's getting old and you know Ren and I are the next in line."

"So?" Heba sulked.

Yugi thought his brother was getting rather selfish. "You have Yami and Atem with you. Not to mention Joey, Tristan, Téa and everybody. You've had me for a long time. Isn't it right that Ren has some time with me too?"

"Yeah…" Heba sighed.

"Go to sleep," Yugi advised.

"What about the others?"

"Mai will tell them when the time is right. Go to sleep."

"Okay."

All too soon, the next morning arrived. It was five in the morning but Yugi was already at the door with everything packed in the magically extended suitcase. A taxi was behind him. Ayano was with him as Grandpa and Mai bid them farewell.

Ten minutes later, as Yugi and his cousin stepped into the even-this-early bustling Domino City Airport, Ayano clasped her hand on his left shoulder and asked, "You ready to go back to your old life, little cous?"

How was it? Good? I hope so. Please review and constructive criticism would be nice. Thanks! :)

By the way, in case any of you are confused, I promise I'll do a list of the 'Kaze No Stigma' (Stigma of the Wind characters) and post it was the next chapter. Another thing, when Yugi solves the puzzle, it unleashes two spirits - Yami and Atem. Yami is the duelist and Atem is the Pharoah, though technically, they're both known as the 'Pharoah'. Yami resided in Yugi while Atem resided in Heba.

I hope you'll stay with me!

Latios963