A/N: Ladies and gents, I bring a story of epic proportions!! Or not. Really, it's just a story I'm basing off of my work experiences and the people I meet/help/get yelled at by. That's right, I work…in a department store!
Now, not EVERYONE will be EXACTLY the same as in my real job, because I have to fit in the characters we all know and love. But, there are many similarities I've picked up on and have put the characters into their positions in the store accordingly. And the customers are based off of actual customers I've dealt with.
Yuugi will be playing the part of yours truly. He is basically how I am on the days I don't mind working. Yami fits the days I feel like being anywhere but work. That's why I chose Yuugi to represent me.
Yuugi::gulp::
Akina: Aw, come on, it won't be so bad! Look, I've survived 9 months so far!
Yami: Wait, what do you mean by comparing me to the days you hate work?
Akina: The days I want to be able to banish stubborn items and pesky customers to the Shadow Realm. Those are the days I am more like you. And the days I am more than happy to help everyone and anyone and am just happy to be there are the days I am more like Yuugi!
Okay, so…
((words)) indicates walkie talkies
//words// indicates the Yami/Yuugi link
'words' indicates individual thoughts
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its components except for those created by my own happy fandom. Like this story. Also, this story is based off of real events, but is meant in good fun and is not intended to insult any of the people represented. Names and personalities have been altered accordingly.
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It was a cold November's day. The wind blew restlessly and leaves rustled in the tall gangly trees, signaling a coming snow flurry. Early Christmas shoppers were bustling around the streets of Domino, some drifting in and out of Kame Game Shop to browse of buy a new item for their child at home. Behind the desk sat and elderly man, watching the customers calmly, while a young boy stood at the end of the glass case, pleading with him.
"Grandpa, I want to help out! I can earn my own Christmas money and pay for more of my own things, and then you can use your shop money to pay the bills and go on your expeditions!"
"Yuugi, I've already told you. You don't need a job, and those expeditions are educationally funded by college sponsors. We're doing fine and I don't mind lending you some cash every now and then! You don't need the added stress of a job as well as school and entertaining a pharaoh and saving the world and whatnot."
Yuugi felt a pang of regret in his heart. He sighed, reaching out with his mind to find the other end.
//Mou Hitori no Boku—//
//I know that having me living inside may be stressful at times, Aibou, but I don't mean to disrupt your life. I truly am sorr—//
//Okay, first of all, I LIKE having you around. You are an important part of my life and a good friend who just always happens to be around when I need you. Second of all, my Grandpa is trying to work you against the idea of working, so stop listening to him.//
//He seems pretty insistant. How do you plan to sway him?//
//With the truth.//
Yuugi crossed his arms. "Well, I already applied and was accepted somewhere, and I can't really turn it down."
"Wha—Yuugi!"
"It's a good job! It pays above minimum wage, has flexible hours, hires minors, and is very pro-education, so I can still go to school and take educational leaves and they are more understanding than most. PlusitwasMouHitorinoBoku'sidea."
//Aibou! It was not!//
//Oh, don't worry about it, he won't hate you.//
Sugoroku sighed, rubbing his temple. But the look in his grandson's eyes was unmistakable determination, and when Yuugi was in that mode, nothing would stop him from achieving his goal.
"Alright, alright. I'll miss you around the shop, but if you feel so strongly that you want to help out around here by supporting yourself, then by all means."
Yuugi mentally grinned. //See!//
//I'm still not sure about this, Aibou.// The soothing voice echoed in his skull, laced with unease.
Yuugi smiled, making sure to send a bit of confidence with his own message. //Mou Hitori no Boku, it'll be fine. It's just a temporary job for extra Christmas money. Then it's back to school.//
"If you don't mind my asking, where is it you applied to?"
Yuugi pushed himself off the counter he had been leaning on and grinned. "Domino Mart!"
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9 Months Later…
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It was long past the Christmas season, but you wouldn't know it based on the volume of people in the store.
((I need two people to help at the checkout lanes.))
Yuugi sped up a little with his cart of merchandise, hoping that by being far enough away they wouldn't force him into a checkout lane for the next half-hour. He was already behind on straightening his department, and had two full carts of returned items to put back on the shelves.
"Hey there, Yuug!" Yuugi looked over with a grateful smile at his good friend Jonouchi, affectionately dubbed Joey by the rest of the staff. He was leaning casually over a magazine behind the Electronics desk. "Where are you tonight?"
"They put me back in Seasonal."
"Ah yeah, it's Back to School season!"
Yuugi groaned. "Yeah, don't remind me. They asked me to restock the notebook paper. I'm like three hours behind, and I have to restock an entire shipment of PAPER."
Joey winced, making a pained sympathy face. "I feel for ya there. I'd totally offer to help, but I can't leave the desk, and—"
"Excuse me," a young woman on the other side of the desk called out, and both boy's lifted their heads and turned to her, putting on the look of being willing to help. "I was wondering if you could help me get a game from the glass case?"
"Sure, ma'am." Joey grabbed the key that was sitting beside the magazine and sauntered off with a wave to his friend. They'd be seeing a lot more of each other as it was.
Yuugi continued to push his cart and finally made it to his own department, when suddenly the all-too familiar voice of one of the managers that day buzzed over his walkie.
((Yuugi, do you think you could help us out at the check lanes?))
Yuugi groaned, but lifted his walkie and replied cheerfully into the speaker, "Sure! Be there in a second."
'I hate Sundays…Everything goes on sale and people kill you if you don't have what they want. It's like Christmas packed into one day of the week.'
He felt a reassuring brush against his mind link, and began to relax a little.
//Aibou, do you want me to take over for a while?//
//If you could, Mou Hitori no Boku, that'd be great.//
He closed his eyes, feeling the familiar sensation of being pulled down, away from reality, and then resurfacing inside the comfort of his soul room.
Yami opened his eyes, checked his watch and then strode purposefully over to the checkout lanes. Stepping behind the one he was directed to by the lady in charge and flipping on his light, he pointed at a customer in a near-by long line.
"Step forward, ma'am!" he said in a kind but commanding voice. She complied, although hesitantly.
Midway through the scanning process, the computer began beeping and replaying an error message across the screen. Yami tried to scan the troublesome item again, and again, and again, and again, before giving up and wishing he could mind crush the bastard.
He felt Yuugi chuckle.//The computer's a bastard now?//
//I wouldn't have to call it names if it would just comply with my wishes.//
//Just call over Jen to help you. Let's get this day over with.//
Yami did call over the manager of the check lanes, Jen, letting her sort out the machine before continuing with his work. As he sifted through customer after customer, he dared the damn thing to disobey him again.
The machine beeped.
"Argh!"
Yuugi rubbed his temple. It was going to be a long day.
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A/N: There you go. A quick chapter one. This story will probably be very ongoing, considering it'll be updated as I come home with tales of work. Plus, I think it'll be fun. I miss writing stuff that's just FUN.
That is pretty much my reaction when they call me up and then my machine breaks. I just wanna kill the damn thing.
Just wait 'til I introduce you to some of my customers. Hoo boy. And there are more characters to come. I just needed to think up good jobs for them all.
Review! Tell me what you think of the concept! This is Akina, blasting off again!