The Japanese Jekyll

or The Exorcism of Yugi Muto

Chapter 1

Hot water gushed into the bathroom sink, steaming as it pooled in the basin. A teenaged boy hunched over the porcelain, scrubbing his hands desperately under the water. His bright purple eyes had a frantic look about them, a mixture of shock and terror, as he reached for more soap with a bloodsoaked hand.

Drops of red mixed with the swirling tap water, staining the liquid pink. This was the third time in the last two weeks that he'd woken up in the middle of the street, dazed and with no memory of the last several hours. He'd never been a sleepwalker before, and it chilled him to the bone to imagine who he'd talked to, or what these hands had done.

The other times, he'd woken up next to mentally unstable people, lost in some schizophrenic fantasy. Sometimes he recognized them from school or the street. The first had been Ushio, a rather menacing bully hiding behind a fake smile and school government campaign. He'd taken it upon himself to "protect" Yugi from Jonouchi and Honda, two boys who'd once teased him. But his services were hardly charitable. Ushio had beaten Jonouchi and Honda to a pulp, unprovoked, and then demanded a large sum for his so-called gallant deed.

Naturally, Yugi had been horrified, and jumped into the fray to protect his two classmates. As with just about everyone, Yugi considered them friends, regardless of any mutual sentiment. And naturally, having been denied his fun, Ushio turned his fists on Yugi. Pummelled him, sanding the poor kid down to nothing. Bruises sprawled across his face, arms, torso and legs, as his injuries began to puff and swell. But beatings and black eyes were nothing new to Yugi, and he gingerly picked himself back up again and shuffled home to the game shop.

Puzzles and games were Yugi's whole life, and not just because his family ran a game shop. In times of stress, they were a peaceful reprieve, a way to busy and challenge and distract his brain. And there was one puzzle in particular, whose solution eluded Yugi for the better part of eight years. The Millenium Puzzle...a mysterious Egyptian artefact that his grandfather had brought home from an archaeological trip decades prior.

No one knew what it was supposed to look like, and an ominous warning adorned it's golden packaging. The one who solves me shall inherit my dark knowledge and power. His grandfather, Sugoroku, had translated it for him a long time ago, as his little fingers traced the hieroglyphs. Even then, it had an allure, like it called specifically out to him. When his wide, purple eyes found the symbol of Wadjet on the side, it felt like the rest of the world fell away. His periphery would blur, and he'd hear a deep, thrumming bass, a tribal heartbeat.

Some nights, he'd steal away into the shadows, tip-toeing into the shop to marvel at the puzzle. He knew it was off-limits, but he couldn't help but touch the golden pieces. A rush pulsed through his veins when his skin connected with the cold, shining metal. Maybe it was from his fear of the unknown, or the mysterious, dangerous vibe the puzzle exuded...but it was a thrill unlike any other.

Yugi had never noticed, but Sugoroku watched him from the doorway one night. Expression full of intrigue and alarm, he watched Yugi interact with the pieces, his mouth set in a grim line. Like Gollum and the ring, he knew it was useless to keep the two apart. So one day, he gave Yugi the puzzle, reminding him, "No one has ever completed it. It's rumored to be impossible."

He'll tire of it after a while, he thought to himself. There won't be anything to worry about.

For eight years, very little progress was made. The skeleton of the thing had begun to appear as time passed by, but it was far from complete. Every time Sugoroku passed his grandson's room, a chill shot up and down his spine. Even partially complete, the golden puzzle gave off an evil, ominous vibe. Like something invisible was watching him from the corner of the room.

But on the night Yugi returned home after seeing Ushio, bloodied and beaten, the puzzle all but solved itself. The challenge dissipated, and the pieces literally fell into place. Yugi's eyes widened as the build came together in his hands, as if by magic. It was...a golden, inverted pyramid, connected to a worn leather rope. He knew the puzzle had to be thousands of years old, but the cord was surprisingly intact - no fraying edges or weakened structure. What was even more interesting, the gold surface bore no scratches, and was unmarred even by dirt or heat warp. It was too pristine.

And as that last piece fell into place, the ridges pulsed with a bright yellow glow. An unsettling chill began to creep over him, and the temperature in the room began to drop. Although he was overcome with a strong urge to look over his shoulder, Yugi couldn't tear his eyes away from the puzzle. The symbol of Wadjet shone intensely, drawing him in and arresting his attention. He wanted to scream, to drop the artefact and run, but found his body had gone numb.

Tendrils of golden light began to radiate from the puzzle, snaking up his arms. It burned like a candle's flame as it passed across his skin, and he cried out in surprise and anguish. His eyes squeezed shut against the pain, his teeth clenched as he grit through it. And just as he thought it couldn't get any worse…

A solid, brilliant beam shot from the middle of the eye of Wadjet. It pierced Yugi's forehead, searing white hot as it scorched his brain. All those beatings, those times he'd been punched or slapped...it was nothing compared to the intensity of the torture he now suffered. He wanted to rip away from his body, to shy away from that terrible burn. And suddenly, mercifully, he'd blacked out. Faded away into unconsciousness, overwhelmed.

And as he disappeared into the warm embrace of sleep, he whispered his wish to the puzzle.

I wish to have friends. Friends I can rely on, and who can rely on me.

As Yugi blinked awake, his cheek scratched against the pavement. It was wet, slick from early morning dew. Instinctively, a hand flew to brush the dirt away, and he frowned in confusion.

"Wha-?" he mumbled, still straining to become fully conscious.

His vision swam, and he shook his head. Details sharpened into focus, like a camera lens. Domino High School's entrance loomed overhead, it's clock tower stark in the moonlight. Wind howled past, shaking the schoolyard trees and scattering the fallen autumn leaves across the grass. Winter hadn't quite arrived yet, but everything - the air, the puddles, the wind - felt like ice.

Yugi longed for his warm bed at home.

Home.

Why wasn't he home?

He rolled his wrist, illuminating his watch. Four in the morning. It took a beat to register what he read. He had never been out this late, and certainly wouldn't be caught dead creeping around school in the wee hours. But -

His thoughts were cut off abruptly, as he clocked another shadow in the schoolyard. It was large, rocking back and forth against one of the trees, as it tossed leaves up into the air with a manic giggle. The moonlight caught the man's face as he restlessly shifted in the foliage.

Ushio.

But he looked wrong. His expression was contorted, his eyes manic. Drool seeped from the corners of his lips, dripping down onto the crumbled leaves. He held fistfulls of dirt up to his face, admiring it as a jeweler would a diamond. There was a lost look in his eyes, a vacancy that was haunting.

"Hey, Ushio?" Yugi called out, slowly crawling closer. The sharp, metallic edge of the Millenium Puzzle cut into his gut, and he winced. "Are you ok?"

A loud, crazed giggle burst forth from Ushio, as he hugged an armful of dead leaves to his chest. Yugi froze, the hair on the back of his neck standing on edge. And when Ushio finally turned his gaze on him, Yugi could only barely make out the outline of his pupil. White eyes stared back, as a creepy grin spread slowly across Ushio's face.

"It's all mine," he whispered, his voice shaky with a mixture of happiness and possessiveness. The leaves crackled as his arms crushed tighter around his chest. "You can't have it."

Rising slowly, Ushio stumbled towards Yugi like a zombie. His steps were wobbly, and he raised his arms as if to grab the poor boy in front of him.

So Yugi turned on his heel and ran. Sprinted full tilt through the dark, as fast as his short legs could carry him. He didn't dare look back until he collided with the game shop's rough, stucco wall. Drawing in ragged, painful breaths, his purple eyes darted behind him. Confirmed he was alone. And he allowed himself to collapse, shaking with disbelief and shock as he tried to make sense of the night…

And that had just been the first blackout. One of many.

The sound of rushing water paused as Yugi twisted the sink's knob. He held it for a moment, staring down into the vibrant red pool as it spun and twisted down the drain.

His eyes wandered slightly further, to the golden puzzle that hung around his neck. It gleamed with a cold twinkle, flashing white as it reflected moonlight. It looked innocuous enough at first glance, but…

The one who solves me shall inherit my dark knowledge and power.

The warning on the puzzle's box seemed all the more real now. He hadn't taken it seriously at first, thinking it mere superstition. An occultist joke to help foster the intrigue and mystery around the item. But what if it was evil? What if some dark power had taken over him, controlled him and stolen his memories?

Yugi grasped the cord, intending to remove the puzzle. He didn't want to wear it anymore, especially if it was cursed. It would be the only way to know for sure.

But his arms locked, frozen in place. He struggled to lift the cord, to slip it over his neck, to no avail. It was as if someone or something was exerting an equal, opposite force right back down on his limbs.

"What-?!" Yugi cried, his muscles straining against the pressure. "Let go of me!"

He continued to fight as he glanced up to look in the mirror. His eyes widened in terror, as he saw a black mist hovering around him, holding his arms in place. It hissed a death rattle, ghosting down so it was level with his face.

And Yugi could only watch as his own mouth stretched into a wicked smile, and bright purple eyes flushed dark red. The same color as blood. The Millenium Puzzle pulsed, beating like a heart against his stomach.

Help me, he whispered to no one.