Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters
Chapter 1
It seemed like another peaceful day in Japan. Students were chatting among themselves as they traversed the hallways of Domino High. Only one student in particular had worries filling his mind. That student was a young teenage boy that went by the name of Yugi Muto. A worried sigh managed to escape his mouth with his thumb and index finger mindlessly rubbing the chain hooked to a small upside-down pyramid, known as the Millennium Puzzle, hanging from his neck. Over two weeks ago, his grandfather had left on an archaeological trip. While he understood information concerning the trip had to be kept secret, evident with how vaguely his grandfather described it, he had expected to at least get letters to keep him updated with the status of his grandfather.
The fact he hasn't received any kind of word from his grandfather seemed out of character to Yugi, and that only made him more worried. He was suddenly stirred from his thoughts by the faint golden glow of his Millennium Puzzle. With his purple eyes glancing upward, he managed to see the transparent image of the spirit Yami Yugi materialize beside him.
"Yugi, it's quite uncharacteristic to seem so quiet about your worries. Why haven't you spoken up to anyone about these worries?" the spirit asked in a stern tone that carried a hint of worry as well.
Yugi tried to force a smile on his face as he exited the school building and made his way to the front gates.
"Don't worry, Pharaoh, it's nothing to be concerned about." he tried to ensure as he ran his hand through his spiky black hair with gold and magenta streaks, "Just got a lot of things on my mind lately."
Unfortunately for the young teen, his response only earned him a stern glare with narrowed eyes from his spiritual companion.
"Yugi, with our souls connected, I can easily tell when you're trying to hide something." Yami stated with a hint of kindness hiding behind his usual stern, "We've barred our burdens to each other in the past, I don't see why we should stop now."
Yugi let out a sigh of defeat as he left the school grounds. Seeing he couldn't hide anything from his spiritual companion, he began voicing his worries concerning his grandfather. With each worry that spilled forth from his mouth, he noticed how the Pharaoh listened intently with an occasional nod. He couldn't help but slightly smile at this before continuing on. By the time he had finished voicing his worries, he had reached his grandfather's game shop. As he fished for the door keys out of his pocket, he managed to catch the sight of something from the corner of his eye.
Turning his head he managed to notice an envelope sticking out of the mail slot. Without any seconds thoughts, he pulled the envelope out of the slot and allowed his eyes to scan over the written text. Once he did this, his breath hitched and his eyes widened. The letter was addressed to himself and was sent from India. He was able to recall the country as one of the very few facts he could glean from his grandfather's vague explanation. With trembling fingers, he opened up the envelope. His heart pounded nervously as he read the contents of the letter, barely acknowledging the pharaoh's presence as he leaned over his shoulder to read the letter as well.
Within seconds, they learned the letter was sent by a man named Alex Brisbane who had been accompanying Yugi's grandfather on the secret expedition. Unfortunately, according to the letter, during the expedition Yugi's grandfather had disappeared without a trace, leaving Dr. Brisbane with no choice but to inform the man's closet of kin. Yugi's hands trembled as his fingers curled tightly around the letter. Learning that his fears and worries for the old man's silence were indeed warranted saddened and terrified him.
He was nearly on the verge of tears till he heard a voice softly call out his name. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed the Pharaoh's worried gaze focused on him. While not related, the spirit felt as deeply concerned as his companion, not only because of their souls being linked, but also because he also came to see the elderly man as family. A few sniffles managed to escape the young teen before he quickly wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his blue school uniform with a determined look in his eyes.
"Students will be going on break soon. I can use this chance to get ready and go to India to find grandpa!" he stated.
Yami simply hummed in agreement. Even if he ended up against the idea, the ancient spirit knew it was pointless to argue with his partner. Over the months spent bonded to his soul, he came to learn how stubborn and determined the teenage boy was. He couldn't help but admire it, especially since it reminded him of his own mindset.
Over the next few days, Yugi waited anxiously for his break to arrive, packing up anything he believed he would need and gathering his money he would need for the trip. He was unsure how long the trip would take, but he hoped to find his grandfather a soon as possible. Finally his anxiety filled days came to an end with the day of departure having finally arrived. The young teen grunted as he carried his heavy backpack down the stairs, and his attire now consisting of a dark blue jacket, dark gray pants, black shoes, along with his traditional black tank top and collar.
He only took a step outside of the game shop when he heard people calling his name. He bit his lip in worry when he saw his friends Joey, Tristan, and Tea all running toward him wearing casual clothes and carrying full backpacks. Before school had ended, he had informed his friends of his plan to go to India, knowing he couldn't keep it secret from them. But despite telling them, he didn't wish for them to accompany him on the journey out of worry that they would be endangered by whatever caused his grandfather to go missing.
"Hey Yug, you didn't think we would let ya head off on your own did ya?" Joey smirked, sporting his usual Brooklyn accent.
"No, but I was hoping you guys would." Yugi confessed as he rubbed his arm, "I still have no idea what caused grandpa to go missing in the first place. If it's dangerous, I'd rather not drag you guys into trouble with me."
"Yugi, we've been through so much worse at this rate. We are talking to the guy who now houses an ancient spirit within him. Besides, if you were to go missing, none of us would forgive ourselves. We're friends, so we stick together through thick and thin." Tea insured with a smile.
The tri-colored haired teen pursed his lips in thought. He could sense his spiritual companion try to urge him just to give up, considering their friends were just as stubborn as him at times. An exasperated sigh managed to escape the young teen's mouth.
"Guys, even if you wanted to come with me, you can't. I managed to gather enough money to pay for one plane ticket. Unless you guys have been saving up, then I will have to go alone." he stated.
"Oh don't worry about that." Joey pointed out with a wink, "I called in a favor and all it will cost you is one card game duel after this is all over."
The instance he heard the word "card game" uttered from the blonde's mouth, Yugi knew exactly who his friend was referring to.
Later that day, Kaiba sighed in frustration as he tapped his fingers against his arm, dressed in a black zip up vest with a long tail, a blue sweater, and black jeans with a pair of brown boots. It deeply annoyed him to have Joey call him without warning and insist he have them flown to India in exchange of being granted a duel with Yugi. He didn't see any reason why he needed the teen's permission to duel him. But nonetheless, he accepted the terms. After all, by accepting the deal and honoring it, that meant Yugi would have no reason to back out. With the young teen forced to duel him, the CEO had hope that one duel would be the one he needed to final prove himself worthy of the champion title.
His sharp blue eyes sharply glanced at the four approaching teens. His patience on waiting for their arrival had grown thin long ago. All he wanted to do was have them flown to India, Yugi find his grandfather, and then finally move on to the more important part of the deal. He grunted as he unfolded his arms and left them hanging at his sides.
"You know for some silly rescue mission, you four sure love wasting valuable time getting here. I was almost tempted to just leave and call the whole deal off." he commented in a cold tone.
"Nyeh, we both know you wouldn't have. What with your inflated ego and all." Joey snickered, earning a glare from the brunette.
Kaiba did not respond. Instead he simply grunted in annoyance before climbing aboard his private jet.
A small smile managed to form on Yugi's face as he boarded the jet with his friends. While apart of him was still worried about the unknown dangers that would lie ahead, the other part of him couldn't help but be thankful for his friends. Heck, even Kaiba managed to come to him in times of need even though they were more of rivals than friends. Whenever he was in trouble, his friends would be by his side to lend him their strength. These thoughts filled his mind as the jet took off and began its journey for India.
Hours passed by, leaving Yugi to nervously drum his fingers on the arm of his seat. Anxiety plagued his mind as he bit his lip, causing him to feel like the trip to India was taking ages. In an attempt to distract himself, he allowed his eyes to roam around the jet. He noticed Joey mindlessly shuffling his deck of duel monster cards while Tea and Tristan were both asleep in their seats. He couldn't see Kaiba anywhere, leaving him to guess the CEO was either busy looking over paperwork or was at the front of the jet to check up on his pilots. This left his eyes to settle on his sixth companion to accompany him on the journey, Kaiba's younger brother Mokuba.
His brow raised in interest when he noticed the dark-haired boy setting up small brown capsules on a board that looked similar to a chess board. He never recalled ever seeing the game before which deeply surprised him, especially since his grandfather's store held many assortment of games. Deciding to satisfy his curiosity, he got out of his seat and sat down across from Mokuba.
"Hey Mokuba, what exactly are you messing with? I've never seen anything like it." Yugi commented.
The dark-haired boy's gray eyes glanced upward toward his companion as he replied "This? Oh it's a game called Capsule Monsters. It's kind of like Duel Monsters, but plays more like chess. If you like, I can teach you how to play. I am after all the Champion."
The teen couldn't help but allow his eyes widen in surprise, briefly sensing shock coming from the Pharaoh as well. Of all the things he expected Mokuba to reveal, being a champion of a game he hadn't heard of till now was not one of those things. Figuring it would be foolish to pass up the opportunity presented to him, believing the game could be fun and a great time killer, he accepted the child's offer. He listened closely as the rules were explained, learning that he could choose up to five capsules and lay them out on the board in a straight line. As the explanation went on, he learned how some monsters have special moves that could be taken advantage of. The more he listened, the more he understood why Mokuba had compared it to Duel Monsters.
Before he could inquire more about the rules, he felt the jet began to descend, indicating that they would be landing in India soon. Sucking in a sharp breath, Yugi made his way back over to his seat and buckled up in preparation for the landing. Within a few minutes, the jet had touchdown upon private landing grounds purchased by the Kaiba Corporation. Having little patience, Yugi jumped out of his seat and dashed for the door. He wanted to start his long anticipated search immediately. Unfortunately, dashing to the door had resulted in him accidentally slamming into Kaiba, resulting in the two to crash to the ground.
"Ugh, sometimes I ask myself if the outcome is even worth this annoyance." the brunette grumbled as he sat up.
Joey snickered at the sight before him as he held out his hand and said "As funny as it is to see Money Bags here get knocked down a few pegs, you really shouldn't rush this, Yug. We're going to find your grandfather."
The tri-colored teen smiled bashfully as he accepted his friend's hand. His inhaled sharply as he watched Kaiba open the door before stepping out of the jet. He knew, once he stepped onto solid ground, his journey would begin. Emerging from the jet, Yugi squinted his eyes, trying to adjust to the bright light and intense heat that greeted him. From the corner of his eye, he could see his spiritual companion even taking in the new surroundings.
He was lost in the sight of the thick jungles until he heard a voice say "Ah, you must be Yugi Moto. I see you received my letter concerning Solomon."
Quickly twisting his body toward the sound of the voice, he saw a blonde-haired and pale-blue-eyed man wearing a black trench coat approaching him.
"I'm Dr. Alex Brisbane, I'm quite surprised you have come here after receiving my letter." he said as he shook the young teen's hand, "But nonetheless, I'm still very grateful for your appearance."
Yugi smiled back at the man, still grateful for the letter. But at that moment, he could sense waves of distrust wash over him. He was confused until he realized the source of distrust was coming from the pharaoh. He couldn't help but shudder a bit; the spirit's negative feelings always left him feeling strangely cold inside to the point he wanted to curl in on himself. The young teen resisted the urge when he noticed the older man giving him a look of confusion. He smiled bashfully, quickly coming up with an excuse about getting air sick. Much to his relief, the doctor seemed to buy the excuse as he finally let go of his hand.
With a slight frown, Yugi scolded mentally "Pharaoh, remember that not everyone knows about your existence. Your feelings effect me and vice versa. If you get all moody, it's going to have a psychical effect on me."
Yami simply narrowed his eyes as he glared at the doctor talking to Kaiba.
"I don't trust him," he finally confessed, "and based on Kaiba's face, neither does he. No one told the doctor about our arrival, so how did he know to come to meet us?"
The fifteen year-old's eyes widened in realization. He had been so worried about his grandfather, he hadn't contacted Dr. Brisbane in anyway or form. So the fact the blonde-headed man knew he would find him there was incredible suspicious. Unfortunately, as much as he hated to admit it, that man was the only link to finding his grandfather. After all, Dr. Brisbane had been the last person in contact with him before his disappearance. With this in mind, the young teen had no choice but to be wary yet trusting of the man until he found his grandfather.
It took a few minutes for everyone to get themselves prepped with bags full of supplies. Once they were all set, they wordlessly began to follow Alex.
Joey let out a groan as he brushed away some of his bangs that were sticking to his forehead from sweat created by the intense heat. He was a bit bored until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Much to his surprise, he failed to notice that Brisbane was no longer leading the group but rather was now walking beside him.
"Pardon me, but you and everyone else here are young Yugi's friends correct?" the older man asked.
"Well yeah, we wouldn't be here to help out Yug if were weren't. Only one I really wouldn't call a friend is Kaiba over there. He's kind of more of a reluctant ally ya know." the blonde-haired teen answered with a shrug.
"Really, so in other words those two have faced each other multiple times. Interesting. So outside of Kaiba, has any of you or any of your other friends have faced Yugi in battle?" Alex continued to ask.
Joey couldn't help but raise a brow in suspicion. He slightly bit his lip as worry began to develop in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling as to why the doctor was asking so many questions. Yet the man hadn't shown any signs of ulterior motives, one could chalk up his questions as curiosity. As much as the fifteen year-old wanted to convince himself of this, he couldn't help but feel the man was truly planning something. So with a bit of hesitancy, he explained how he was the only one to face Yugi in a duel out of all his friends.
He remained silent as he searched the doctor's face for any kind of reaction, anything that could hint to ulterior motives. But he couldn't find anything, much to his relief and disappointment.
"Hmm, well I must say this chat has been interesting. This discussion helped clear a few things up." the doctor began to say in a quiet tone, moving his arm as if to shake hands with the young teen.
Although still a bit cautious, Joey reached out and took the man's hand. Unfortunately, this proved to be a mistake. Before he could react, he saw an evil expression flash across the man's face as he jerked his arm toward him. Panic filled the teen as he finally noticed that during that chat, Brisbane had unknowingly led him to the far back and away from his friends. He tried to call out to them, but suddenly felt something clamp around his wrist. Joey couldn't prevent the hiss of pain escape his mouth; his wrist felt like it was on fire.
He only had a moment to glance down to see a strange, large black bracelet with red gems clamped around his wrist. At first he wanted to demand what the doctor slapped onto his wrist, but suddenly he felt his thoughts begin to slip away. All emotion faded from the blonde teen's face with his brown eyes flickering red briefly.
"You'll forget this encounter between us happened. Once our Commanders have been chosen you are to come with me. Understand, Champion?" Alex commanded.
Joey didn't speak, instead he numbly nodded his head in response.
"Excellent. Now rejoin your friends before they get suspicious of your absence." the man gave his final command in a stern tone.
He watched as the teen nodded once more before dashing over to his friends, grinning slightly when he saw the expression of confusion painted on his face upon having no memory of their chat. Everything was falling into place for him. He had chosen his final piece, now all he needed was to await for the choosing of the Commanders and then the game would truly begin.