A/N: This story strangely enough came to me while I was writing a duel for another popular story, "The Girl Of Destiny". It takes place several months after the DOOM saga. Yugi is in a deep depression, ever since DOOM was defeated. He consistently relives the final events of Yami's first duel with Rafael. Can Yami and the others help the depressed hikari or will his depression tempt him to evil? Enjoy! Also there will be some implied RafaelXYugi but I haven't decided the main pairing yet. The idea is lightly based off Nightmarish Dreams (another popular one). Rafael's story will be explained in more detail later. Rafael's and Yami's description is based from memory.
Yugi Moto stared out his bedroom window with a soft, almost depressed sigh.
This had been going on for days, even weeks since the defeat of DOOM.
"Here it comes again…" Yugi thought as the same flashback that had bugging him for weeks started again.
Rafael laughed as Yami Yugi stood there, his body smoking from the final blast from his Guardian Eatos.
"Time for you to pay up Pharaoh…" He teased.
Rafael was easily 6 feet tall with thick blonde hair and soft but tough sapphire-blue eyes with light silver earrings pressing upward through his right ear.
His voice was deep and gravely as he was easily around 25 years old but his arms were very muscular indicating he was also very strong along with the fact that he was easily a half-foot taller than Yami. He wore dark brown boots, mainly those you would find on someone out hunting as he was.
But he had turned to DOOM because of an accident in the past…
He slowly walked over until he and Yami were only several feet apart.
"The Seal of Orichalcos never leaves the field without taking something along for the ride, and this time it's you. And you have yourself to blame, cuz you sealed your own fate when you played that card…" Rafael told him.
Yami Yugi looked at the ground with a sort of dull smile. His ruby-crimson eyes were tinted almost blood-red because of the Orichalcos Symbol on his forehead. Yami was several inches taller than his host, Yugi but other than that they were virtually the same except Yami had more lightning streaks of blonde in his hair.
"Now your life force will awaken the great beast…" Rafael teased with a smile.
Yami remained in the same spot as he felt the Seal try to pull his soul away.
"No!" A higher-pitched voice cried as the form of Yugi appeared in spirit form, pushing Yami out of the Seal.
"Yugi, no!" Yami cried as he turned to his younger counterpart.
"What are you doing here?" Yami asked, both surprised and worried.
"It only needs one of us, so I'm letting the Seal take me instead." Yugi replied, smiling a sort of sad smile as his form disappeared with every word he spoke.
"NO!! Yugi!!" Yami screamed, the Seal leaving his forehead returning his eyes to their normal hue as he helplessly watched Yugi's innocent soul get snatched away.
"Adios, your Highness…" Rafael teased once more as Yami slowly fell to his knees, and collapsed with a quiet groan in front of the Guardian duelist as the flashback ended.
Yugi sighed, pounding his open hand with his other which he had made into a balled-up fist.
"What's wrong with me? Why am I having these flashbacks? Why am I so depressed I can't even duel?" Yugi asked himself mentally, forgetting his other half could hear his thoughts.
They had separate bodies when they wished but for now they were still connected together.
"I wish I knew, aibou." Yami replied to him through their link.
Then the phone by his bed rang, but Yugi however made no move to answer it so Yami took physical form with his own body and picked up.
"Hello?" The 5 millennia year old spirit asked.
"Hey Yugi it's Tea." Came the voice from the other line who didn't recognize Yami's voice at first.
"Tea, it's Yami." He replied with a soft chuckle.
Tea giggled in an embarrassed tone on the other line. "Sorry Yami. I always get you 2 mixed up on the phone." She said softly.
Yami chuckled again. "That's all right. What's up?" The spirit asked.
"Well I was wondering if you or Yugi would want to go out to the arcade with me." She answered. It being a Saturday morning, she and Yugi didn't have school or anything related to it.
Yami smiled lightly. "I myself wouldn't mind but Yugi well he just hasn't been himself for weeks now." He replied.
Tea sighed lightly. "He still depressed?" She asked.
"I'm afraid so, Tea. The only time he ever even leaves his room these days is for school, dinner or to help Grandpa around the shop." Yami replied, looking at the depressed light.
"I see. Would it be better if Joey and I came over to yours and Yugi's place?" Tea asked hopefully.
Yami's expression brightened. "Sure that may help. He always cheers up when you or Joey visit." He replied.
Tea smiled happily on her end. "Ok Joey and I should be over in about 15 to 20 minutes. See you then, Yami. Bye." She replied.
"Sounds good. Goodbye Tea." Yami replied as he and Tea both hung up at the same time.
Yami looked back at Yugi, hoping he would cheer up at the news.
"Who was that?" Yugi asked quietly.
"It was Tea. She and Joey are coming over to visit for a while." Yami replied.
Yugi gave a half-hearted smile and nodded. "Fine." He replied, trying to sound happy but you could tell deep down he didn't totally mean it because of his depression state.
To be continued…