Note: 'Adopted' is a fanfic currently being translated from Spanish to English. Adoptado is the original name of 'Adopted' and the author is alucard70. I hope you all enjoy his story as much as I have!
Translated By: Yazeki
Edited By: IdolShipping
Disclaimer: The franchise Yu-Gi-Oh! (Including the characters, terms and cards) is owned by Kasuki Takahashi and publishers Shueisha and Konami. This story is made non-profit and only as a hobby.
Prologue
Officer Kyo Marufuji of the police department in Domino City was reviewing a report. That morning, the worst traffic accident he had ever heard of had just taken place. The small family car of the Yuki family had been destroyed, and the other car wasn't in any better condition.
After reading the report, he could only confirm his first thoughts when he had gone to the scene on the outskirts of the city three hours ago. The car that hit the Yuki family's car belonged to a young teen of the city, another one of those snobby children from a wealthy family. From what he knew, that Saturday night he was out partying with some friends at his parent's beach house. In the morning, after a night of alcohol and little rest, they couldn't think of anything better to do than returning to the city in the inadequate state in which they were.
The Yuki family only wanted to spend a calm day together when they had come across the car full of teenagers, whose driver had been overcome by sleep. According to experts, Mr. Yuki had no time to react as the other vehicle had stricken their car.
The two adults of the Yuki family were killed; Mr. Yuki on impact and Ms. Yuki soon after entering the hospital. Small, five year old Judai, the son of the young couple, was struggling between life and death on a hospital bed.
According to the doctors, if Judai recovered, it would be a miracle. He would face a long period of physical as well as psychological recovery. He would also have to face the fact that he was alone in the world, since they had not been able to locate any relatives.
Police officer Marufuji sighed. It was very hard when a little boy was left alone. He would have to go to an orphanage and because of his age, it would be difficult for someone to adopt him since couples usually seek babies and children less than three years old. He knew all too well that it was very rare for a child of five or more years to be adopted.
He left the papers on his desk, hoping that everything went well for young Judai. He remembered his son, Sho. He was the same age as Judai. He felt a slight shudder at the thought of his son going through something Judai was. If something like this were to happen to him and his wife, he did not want to think about what would happen to their children, even though he knew that Ryo would take care of Sho. All the while, Judai had no one.
.-.-.-.
In intensive therapy at the general hospital in Domino City, a small, five year old boy named Yuki Judai breathed through an apparatus. He had two-toned brown hair and his cheeks were full of cuts. Most of his body was covered in bandages and casts. He had just emerged from a five-hour surgery in which doctors were able to treat his internal, and most of his external wounds, but the danger was still high. A Duel Monsters card laid on a small table to the right of his bed. Although unconscious, the child was able to hear the voice of the only friend he had…Yubel.
"Judai, I'm here. You're going to be okay; I won't let anything happen to you."
If the nurse responsible for monitoring the status of the child had been paying the least bit of attention to Judai's face, she would have noticed the smile that was forming. He trusted that Yubel would never leave him.
.-.-.-.
Against all medical odds, six months after the accident, Judai Yuki was able to walk again…even though he was being assisted by crutches. But recent medical tests indicated he would soon be well. Still, Judai was a reserved child who hardly spoke with the other children in the pediatric area of the hospital. He spent all his time looking outside through the window of his room with a lost gaze. The child psychologist had said that it was natural for a child to go through such dramatic changes in personality after an event as traumatic as the one Judai had lived through had taken place.
The child held the only card that had remained from his deck. The rest of his deck had been lost in the accident. The psychologist said it was also natural to cling to one of the few things that remained of what had been his life.
The next day, Judai would have to leave for Domino City's orphanage.
Judai had just turned six years old a week ago. It was his first birthday alone. That day, the nurse on duty and the physician who had treated him brought a small cake and a pack of cards for Judai. The child had simply thanked them and then had fallen into his usual silence, to the dismay of doctors.
.-.-.-.
Pegasus J. Crawford watched the championship finals of a Duel Monster tournament for children. Although this year had very good duelists, he could not help being disappointed. In the playoffs in Domino City a year ago, he had seen an awfully skilled boy. He was five years old and was able to carry out complex strategies using his cards, and using rare cards such as the Elemental Heroes, against many duelists who were weak. However, even though he had earned his pass to the finals where duelists of five to eight years would face others from around the world, he never showed up.
Pegasus was worried. Young Judai was an energetic child and a huge fan of duels. There seemed no logical reason for the boy to be absent from an important event as this.
Pegasus sighed and began to concentrate on the final, where a child of six years named Johan Andersen of Norway had just defeated the U.S. representative, a boy of seven years named Jack Mulder. Following the award ceremony where the president of Industrial Illusions delivered a package of rare cards to the child and an envelope with fifty thousand dollars to the guardians of Johan, Pegasus left the Kaiba Dome, still wondering what happened to the young prodigy.
Usually he would not have given more importance to the fact, but in those moments, he had a strong feeling that there was more to the whole thing. With that in mind, once he reached the hotel, he ordered Crocketts to investigate what happened to the young Yuki.
The next morning, during breakfast, Crocketts appeared with a folder.
"Mr. Pegasus," said the most trusted employee of the president of Industrial Illusions. "I found out what happened to young Judai…" He hesitated a little before continuing, making Pegasus worry even more. Unable to talk, he handed the papers to his boss.
Pegasus's face darkened when he saw the newspaper clippings which spoke of the accident and how a child with a great future in dueling had been forsaken. Pegasus had seen the great potential that the young child had. He had no doubt that one day he could be part of the newly formed Pro League, but to do so, he would have to work a lot, and it was almost impossible for an orphan to even have a chance at entering the newly founded Duel Academy, or even move up the league without financial support.
"A great duelist with a career cut short before he could even continue dreaming about it," the president of Industrial Illusions thought out loud. "Not if I can help it."
Within a few minutes, the limousine owned by Pegasus J. Crawford went to the orphanage of Domino City.
.-.-.-.
Judai Yuki contemplated with dull eyes as Pegasus signed the adoption papers.
Kira Kinomoto, director of the orphanage in Domino City, had never in her twenty years of taking charge of that institution seen a child be adopted about twelve hours after the boy arrived at the orphanage. She was happy that little Judai could have a proper psychological treatment, one that they, with their limited budget and being dependent on government support for food and clothing and some external donations, were not able to give the boy. At first she had thought that Judai's situation would be an impediment for the adoption to be carried out, but Mr. Crawford seemed to be convinced that the boy would get over it and could have a good father-child relationship in the future.
Judai got into the limo, Yubel as always, was strongly clutched in his hand.
"Judai-boy," Pegasus spoke, as they headed to the hotel. "Even though your parents died a while ago, my lawyers have managed to recover the apartment building your parents owned."
"Will I be able to keep it?" the child asked in a timid manner.
"Of course, Judai-boy," he responded while smiling.
He knew Judai wanted to keep it, so he would have to be in charge of hiring a manager to look after the property. He was sure that the tenants of his parents would be grateful as to what happened had been questioning if he could continue living there or not.
The rest of the way was spent in silence.
The next morning, after passing through the cemetery to lay flowers at the grave of his parents, Judai, accompanied by Pegasus and Crocketts, went to the building where he had lived for five and a half years with his parents, happily. He took some of his things he wanted to keep and some family photo albums. In a few days, some employees of Industrial Illusions would go there to move the furniture and other objects at a winery so the department could be used by the administrator who was hired.
Before leaving his old home, Judai could not hold in the pain that he had kept for days. He broke into tears in the arms of his new father, who was merely trying to comfort the boy, not knowing what else to do or say. The tragedy had suddenly, without any sign of mercy, took his parents away, and it had wiped out everything he knew, his old life had completely ended.
But Pegasus J. Crawford knew that the little one would get over it. He was no longer alone. He had him, a "father", who even though did not share blood ties with, was beginning to appreciate. After all, Judai was now his heir, and even more importantly, his son.