Hey! This is my second Yu-Gi-Oh story!
I'd like to thank dirtyxprettyxthings for once again, giving me a title, without knowing it! Thanks sissy!
This was just spur of the moment. I just had to get this out! Hope you guys enjoy and review please! I welcome flames if that's what you want to do!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
15 year old, Yugi Moto walks home from school with his head hung low, his blond, lightning bangs covering his dull and saddened amethyst eyes. He walks alone. No Joey. No Tea. No Honda. No Ryou. But most of all, no Yami.
Yugi no longer wore the Millennium Puzzle because he couldn't handle looking at the puzzle, while Yami didn't care. Now, the puzzle resided on his desk, along with his dueling deck. He hasn't touched either for 5 months. That's when it all started.
5 months ago, a week after Battle City, Yami got his own body, with the help of the Ishtars. Turns out they found a spell book or something like that. In the beginning, it was the best times of his life. He could actually hug and play with Yami! He was happy, but then the gang started to prefer Yami over Yugi and Yami preferred the gang instead of him. Yugi slowly shakes his head.
'I just don't get it! Why did they leave me? Breaking their promises, becoming hypocrites and like how they used to be before the puzzle, only worse.' Yugi sighs and his eyes grow even duller. 'After everything, they go and leave me. I just don't get it.'
Yugi's life went from bad, to great, to bad again and then to worse. Of course, seeing how his life was basically back to before he solved the puzzle, it only made sense that the bullies came back as well. Not only did the bullies come back, but so did the teasing. His so-called friends and yami laughed with everybody else, telling everybody, bullies especially, that they were no longer friends with Yugi. At school, the only person who acknowledged in a friendly way, was Kaiba. Really, the only person still on his side was his grandpa.
He talked to his grandpa about everything. The betrayal, his feelings, hopelessness, everything. His grandpa tried everything to cheer Yugi up, but nothing worked. He even confronted Yami and the gang, but all they did was blink at him and say they had no idea what he was talking about and left for the arcade or movies.
Yugi looked up and sighed. Yami and the gang were walking in front of him, talking and laughing. They went across the street towards the arcade while Yugi went straight, towards home. Yugi long gave up trying to talk to them and get them to talk to him. It was obvious they wanted nothing to do with him, so he found it stupid to try.
Yugi feels a rough hand on his shoulder and internally sighs, knowing what's about to happen next. He turns around and sees Ushio and two other large seniors.
"Hello little Yugi! Time for the daily beating you worthless shit!" Ushio says while pulling him into an alley. Yugi watches as Ushio pulls back his fist and closes his eyes right before he feels pain in his jaw. Soon, the other two seniors join along. After about an hour of constant beating, they leave laughing.
Yugi lay there, staring at the sky with pain filled eyes. After about half an hour trying to get up, he does. Yugi slowly makes his way home. The usual 10 minute walk took 30 minutes. Yugi opens the door to the shop and lets out a relived sigh.
"Grandpa! I'm home!" Yugi yells out. Solomon Moto comes out into the shop as Yugi takes off his shoes. Solomon gives a sad smile and helps Yugi.
"Ushio." A statement and Yugi nods. Solomon helps Yugi up the stairs and into the bathroom. Yugi sits down on the toilet lid and leans back. "Good thing you're on break until next semester for school. You won't have to deal with Ushio for a while." Solomon puts the medical kit he retrieved on the counter and opens it.
"Yea. Maybe I'll stay in my room all the whole time so I don't have to deal with them too." Solomon nods, knowing who 'them' were. Solomon finishes cleaning Yugi's wounds in a couple minutes and puts the kit away. "Grandpa." Solomon stops and looks at Yugi, who was looking at him.
"I know that tone. You're planning something." Yugi smiles a real smile while Solomon sighs. "What is it?"
"A nice get-a-way would be nice." Grandpa chuckles. "I'm serious! A trip to the Bahamas! Lay out in the sun, relax! Swim in the ocean! Get a massage!" Grandpa laughs. Yugi rarely talked in a cheerful tone and it was nice to hear it again. Yugi's been talking like that a lot, the 'get-a-ways', more so then usual. Solomon helps Yugi to his room and sighs.
"Yugi." Yugi sits and looks up. Solomon sits down and sighs. "If you do decide to leave, which I know you're planning!" Solomon says, stopping Yugi from interrupting. Yugi closes his mouth and stays silent. "If you do decide to leave, keep in touch." Yugi gapes.
" 'Keep in touch'?" Solomon nods. "That's it?" Another nod. Yugi blinks, looks at his wall and then back at Solomon. "I thought for sure you would try to stop me instead of saying something like that." Solomon grins.
"I should be trying to make you stay, but I'm not. You're miserable here and what kind of grandfather would I be if I kept you in a place you can't spread your wings?" Yugi smiles and shakes his head. "Where do you plan on going and when?" Yugi shrugs.
"Don't know. The sooner the better, right?" Solomon nods. "I've got enough money for a plane ticket. I was kinda thinking somewhere in America."
"What about Arther? You could stay in America with him and Rebecca." Solomon says with a perverted grin and Yugi blanches.
"Grandpa!" Solomon laughs, making Yugi pout. "I don't want to be a burden to them." Solomon sighs.
"Alright, but where do you suppose you'll stay? I could get a hold of a couple of friends of mine and see if they wouldn't mind letting you stay there with them." Yugi tips his head to the side, thinking. "I have one particular friend in California who takes care of a few orphans, he'll be the first one to call." Solomon says more to himself then Yugi.
"Well. California sounds good and maybe I won't be alone when school starts again. I like that idea!" Yugi says with a grin and Solomon nods.
"Alright. I'll give him a call right now. It might be a good idea to start packing. Knowing him, he'll want you to get there a.s.a.p.! That's if I tell him your problem here." Solomon gives Yugi a questioning look. Yugi sighs and nods. Solomon smiles. "He won't judge you, Yugi. You have nothing to worry about." Solomon goes downstairs to make the call.
'I thought for sure he would try to keep me here.' Yugi thinks and smiles. 'Just goes to show how understanding grandpa is.' Yugi gets up and grabs a suitcase from the closet.
-Downstairs with Solomon-
"Chuck! Long time old friend! How have you been?"
-Chuckle- "It has been a long time! I've been great! You wouldn't believe this! I just adopted three more orphans a month ago! They're hellions! I have no idea what's going to happen! Not a dull moment at all!! How about you? How's little Yugi doing?"
-Laugh- "I'm fine! Three more?! How many does that make?"
"Umm...that would make 9."
"9?! That's a handful! You think you can handle that many?"
"The only ones I really have to worry about are the three I just adopted and their 'followers'! Which would be a total of...oh...I don't know...9!! They're all crazy! Life is a lot more exciting since I adopted those three! It's awesome!!"
-Shakes head- "You are crazy!" -Pause-
"Solomon? Something wrong? You still haven't told me how Yugi's been."
-Sigh- "Actually, yes. I need to ask a favor. A BIG favor."
"Uh oh. I know that tone. What happened? What's the favor?" Solomon explains everything that's happened in the past 5 months, except Yami, who he explains as a friend, and nothing about the millennium puzzle. After Solomon is done, the line stays quiet.
"Chuck? You there?"
"...Wait. Let me sum this up. His friends are ignoring him and he's getting bullied like hell and nobody's doing anything about it? You're also holding something back from the story Solomon."
"Yes. That sums it up. About the holding something back, you'll have to ask Yugi. That's his decision to tell you, not mine."
-Sigh- "Fine. What are you going to do?"
"Actually. That's where the favor comes in. Yugi's been talking about leaving a lot lately and I have to agree, that would be best for him. I was wondering if it would be possible if you could take him in."
"You're serious? You're going to let him leave you and Japan? Though, if I was in your position, I would too. I wouldn't mind if he stayed with us and I'm perfectly sure the others won't either! When is he coming?"
-Relieved laugh- "Thank you Chuck! I really appreciate this and I know Yugi will too! As for when he's coming, no idea. Hold on." Solomon puts the phone down on the table and goes upstairs. He walks in Yugi's room "Yugi?" Yugi comes out of his closet and blinks.
"What is it Grandpa?"
"I'm on the phone with my friend, Chuck, and he said he didn't mind you living there with him. Though, he has 9 adopted children and from what he says, they're all hellions! He wants to know when you're going and frankly, so do I." Yugi sighs.
"Wouldn't I be a burden? He's got 9 others to take care of." Solomon sighs and picks up the phone on Yugi's desk.
"Chuck?"
"Still here! When's the flight?"
"Actually. You might want to talk to Yugi right now."
"All right! Put the little tyke on!"
-Sweatdrops- "Chuck. He's 15."
-Silence- "Oops. Oh well! Put him on!" Solomon hands the phone to Yugi and he takes it after a deep breath.
"Hello?"
"Yugi! How are you doing? Eh..Never mind." -Clearing throat- "Solomon told me what's been happening. You're welcomed to stay here with me and the children I adopted."
"Wouldn't I be a burden? I don't want to be a nuisance and trouble you and the oth-"
"STOP!" -Deep breath- "First of all. No. You won't be a burden. Second: You won't be a nuisance. Third: You won't be any trouble. God! What the hell have those jerks been doing to you?! When is the flight?"
Yugi blinks. "What about your children? Won't they care?"
-Laughs- "No! They won't care at all! 'The more the merrier' my kids like to say..Wait. You didn't say adopted! The kids will love you for that! Anyway. Flight?"
Yugi smiles and shakes his head. He sits down in front of the laptop Kaiba got him as a present last year. Why? Mokuba. Enough said. "Well. I haven't really looked, in case you said no. Lets see. Airplane take offs...Domino, Japan to...Where in California am I going?"
"Good question. You'll be going to Los Angeles, California."
"Alright. Los Angeles, California. Hey. What do you know. The next flight out goes to Los Angeles. Los Angeles International Airport." (AN: No idea where in California that airport is, so...yea.)
"Great! What time?"
"Um..The plane leaves here tonight at 6, goes west and lands in Los Angeles around 4 hours later. (AN: Not sure if the planes actually go west from Japan! I just want to make the damn flight short!) What time is it there?"
"Uh..Right now it's 1:30 in the morning! So. You would get here around...You said 6, right?"
"1:30 in the morning!? That's early!" -Sigh- "Well. If the plane actually did leave at 6, then I'd arrive in Los Angeles around 5:30 in the morning there."
"That's early. Oh well. Knowing the airports, it'll take about an extra half hour to load everything, unload, and all that good stuff. So I'll be at the airport around 6. Sound good?"
"Yea. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate this."
-Laughs- "Just like your grandfather! I'll see you around 6, or somewhere near that, tomorrow! Well. This morning! Tell Solomon I said bye! See ya Yugi!" -Click- Yugi puts the phone back down and looks at his grandpa to not see him. A second later, he comes in.
"I heard what he said. I put the phone in the living room back up. You should book that flight right now. Are you almost finished packing?" Yugi nods and begins the whole ordeal with getting an airplane ticket.
"Almost. Just need to put a few more things in and then I'm finished. When should we leave?"
"When you're finished packing. Don't want the others to figure out you're leaving, do we?" Solomon says with a smile and Yugi nods with a smile. "You want to tell anybody you're leaving? Maybe Kaiba and Mokuba?"
"Hm...I have Mokuba's email, so I'll email him after I'm done getting the ticket." Solomon nods and goes downstairs. After booking the ticket, Yugi opens his email and goes to compose.
'Now. How should I put it to Mokuba? Hmmm...Maybe I'll just tell him to get on AIM tomorrow after school. Yea. That's it. I'll explain it to him then.' Before Yugi could start typing, Solomon calls up to him.
"Yugi! Kaiba and Mokuba are here!" Yugi slightly cringes.
"Coming!" Yugi sighs and exits out of the email. "Might as well tell them now." He mutters and runs out of the room, to the living room where the Kaiba brothers are sitting on the couch. "Hey guys! What are you doing here?" Mokuba gets up with a smile and hugs Yugi. Yugi hugs back.
"What? WE can't come see a friend?" Mokuba teases. "How's everything? Anything new happen?"
"Mokuba. Don't ask so many questions. I'm sure Yugi wants to know why we're here." Kaiba says and Yugi nods. Yugi sits down on the love seat and Mokuba sits back next to Kaiba.
"Yea. That would be good to know."
"We came to see if you were alright." Mokuba says and Yugi blinks confused.
"Are they still ignoring you?" Kaiba asks and Yugi sighs with a nod.
"Yup. Still are." Yugi hesitates and looks at the brothers, making Kaiba raise an eyebrow and Mokuba blink. "Actually, I was just about to email you, Mokuba, and tell you that I was leaving Japan."
"What?!" Mokuba yells out and Kaiba blinks.
"It would be for the best Mokuba." Kaiba says and Mokuba sighs.
"I know, but..You'll keep in touch, right?" Yugi laughs a bit.
"That's all Grandpa said! 'Keep in touch.' Yea. I'll keep in touch."
"When does your plane leave? Seto and I will see you on!"
"Once I'm finished packing, we'll be leaving for the airport. Ah! I better hurry! The plane leaves at 6!" Yugi says and runs into his room and packs almost all of his belongings. Now, the only things of his unpacked, was his duel deck and the Millennium Puzzle. He stared at both items for a minute, before deciding all he'll take is his deck. He goes back downstairs with his bags.
"You have everything?" Kaiba asks while standing up and Yugi tips his head in confusion. "We'll drive you and Mr. Moto to the airport and see you off." Yugi smiles and nods.
"Thanks. I appreciate that." Kaiba nods and they head off to the airport. After getting his ticket and finding the terminal, they sit down, talk and wait. When Yugi's flight was called to board, he stood up. "That's my flight." He hugged Mokuba, shook Kaiba's hand and hugged his grandpa.
"Good luck in America Yugi! Keep us updated!" Mokuba says and the other nod.
"I will."
"What should we tell the others?" Solomon asks and Yugi shrugs.
"Tell them the truth, but only when they figure out I'm gone, but don't tell them where I went off to. That would kinda make this whole thing pointless!" Yugi laughs out and the others nod. "I'll email you guys once I get settled in America. I'll miss you guys." Yugi walks up to the gate, shows his ticket, looks back, waves and walks out of sight.
"He'll be ok, right?" Mokuba asks and Kaiba smirks.
"He'll be fine. He's the King of Games after all and I still need to win that title from him." Kaiba says and the three watch as the plane flies away.
Hope you liked and please review or flame!