Chapter 1: Things Change

YUGI'S P.O.V.

I stood on the top of a large hill near a withered old tree, that had only just begun to brush away the long winter and began to bud.

A man walked up to the tree and stood there letting the breeze catch his coat.

He looked up and said, "The Echo of your old live is gone, and new life begins like a shining Nova. Don't let this fact Phase you, for it will let the cold in giving you soul an undeserved Frostbite. You four are stronger than you think."

Then I realized next to me was three other figures, but they were so blurred and distorted, I had no idea who they were.

The man looked at me and said, "You bear the secrets of what is to come, you shall guide them to your destinies..."

He turned around and began walking away.

I yelled, "Who are you?!"

He turned back and said with a smile, "When the time comes, you will know... but for now, you may call me X."

He pointed down the hill and said, "Tragedy will strike, but in it is new light... You will find me... You and the others..."

Then images rolled through my mind; A car moving at high speed, a large thing of wires, a IV bag with blood in it, and finally nothing but blackness.

I awoke with a gasp, breathing heavily as my covers slit off my chest and into my lap.

'Yugi? Are you alright?'

Yami appeared at the foot of my bed looking at me in question.

I wiped my brow of cold sweat that drenched it and said, "It's nothing... just another weird dream."

He nodded and said, 'As usual I suppose.'

I grabbed the journal from my bedside and began to write down what had occurred in it.

Mr. Knapp, my Psychology teacher, assigned everyone in class to keep a dream journal so that later in the unit, we can interpret our own dreams and learn more about ourselves.

To be honest, I never really though about my dreams before this but now that I'm recording them they seem odd...

Like they could be real...

"Yugi! Breakfast!" I heard Grandpa yell from down stairs.

I nodded and quickly got up, changing into my normal blue school uniform.

I ran a brush through my spikey multi-colored hair to stop it from frizzing up during the heat of the day, although it was the middle of autumn.

I went to grab my student ID when...

It just fell through my hand...

Now I thought I was seeing things...

I tried to pick it up my it kept sliding through my hand...

THOUGH my hand! Not slide off, not through my fingers...

No it fell through my palm and landed on the floor.

"What going on?!"

Yami looked at me and said, 'Yugi? Are you having trouble?'

I looked at him and said, "Watch Yami..."

I slid my hand through the ID once again and he said, 'It must be a gift the millennium puzzle has given you.'

I focus as hard as I could and finally picked it up and put it on.

I looked at Yami and said, "You'll have to show me why I can do that when we get home, okay?"

He nodded and said, 'Alright Yugi.'

I grabbed my backpack and headed down the stairs to see Grandpa sitting at the table reading the paper.

Next to him sat a plate of eggs and toast, with a glass of orange juice.

He smiled and said, "Good morning Yugi. Did you sleep well?"

I sat down and said, "More or less. I'm not tired if that what your asking."

He smiled and said, "That's good to hear, now don't forget after school your suppose to be going to Kaiba Corp for a mini tournament. You were invited remember?"

I nodded and said, "I'll make sure to be there. If I don't Kaiba will probably chew me out."

I finished eating my breakfast and headed out the door.

As I was walking Joey, Ryou, Tea and Tristen came along side me.

I smiled and said, "Hey guys. You ready for the tournament after school?"

Everyone but Joey nodded in agreement.

I looked at Joey and said, "Joey you are going. Right?"

He shook his head and said, "I want to so bad, but my mom had me signed up for a doctors appointment for weeks, and unfortunatly it at the same time as the tournament."

Tristen looked at him and asked, "Why do you need to go to the doctor?"

He groaned and said, "It my eye doctor... my mom thinks I need glasses or something..."

Ryou gave a small laugh and said, "Well you do have trouble reading from a distance, perhaps you're far sighted."

Joey sighed and said, "Honestly as long as I can read the duel monster cards, I'm fine."

He looked down and said, "But still it sucks that I have to miss out on dueling Money Bags."

I smiled and said, "Don't worry Joey, you'll get to duel him... I know you will."

Joey looked at me and said, "How can you be so certain?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I'm not sure... but I have this feeling you will get to duel him."

Tea looked at me and said, "I swear Yugi... sometimes the way you talk, people would think you know what going to happen."

I sighed and said, "Nah... I'm just optimist that's all."

I wish that was all.

Sometimes I feel like something going to happen and other times I feel like it is going to happen.

I'm not sure why get these feeling but I do...

It almost like... I can see it happening...

I looked at my watch and said, "It's 8:04! We're going to be late!"

And with that we all made a mad dash to the school building which was still 5 blocks away.

KAIBA'S P.O.V.

"Hey Seto, are you in here?" Mokuba asked as he entered my personal gym.

I maybe a world renowned duelist, and a CEO of a major company, but I still need to exercise my muscles once in a while.

To train the mind, one must train the body as well.

In the room there wasn't barbells or heavy weights.

No there was a punching bag, a treadmill, and a mat where I practiced my marital art skills.

When Mokuba came in I was hitting the bag hard, trying to bring up a sweat, but nothing yet had given me what I was going for.

Mokuba smiled and said, "Man Seto, you hitting it pretty hard."

I replied while continuing to punch, "What are you talking about? I barely hitting it!"

He sighed and said, "Seto there imprints in the bag where you been hitting."

I said, "I always hit there."

I gave a few more light punches and said, "If you want to see a hard punch, I'll give you a hard punch!"

I took my fist and hit hard and fast on the punching bag.

The rope snapped and the bag slammed against the wall.

Mokuba said, "Whoa... I didn't know you could hit that hard..."

I grabbed a towel and said, "It's an old punching bag and the rope was bound break anytime. Apparently that last punch sent it over top."

Mokuba smiled and said, "Still Seto, that an impressive feat."

I looked at him and said, "You were looking for me. Right?"

He nodded and said, "The Mini Tournament is set up and almost all of the people invited are coming."

I looked at him and said, "So who are the ones that couldn't make it?"

He pulled out a list and said, "Only four participants couldn't make it. Marik and Ishizu Istar are currently in America with their Egyptian Artifacts, Mai Valentine is off the grid right now, and finally... I don't believe it."

I looked at him and said, "What? Who the last drop out?"

If it was Motou... I going to kill him...

He replied, "Joey Wheeler. Apparently he had a previously scheduled appointment that couldn't be skipped."

I smirked and said, "The Mutt must be pissed."

Mokuba sighed and said, "Well, once you clean up, I'll need you to sign off on the papers and then we'll be already for the tournament."

I nodded and said, "Alright, leave them in my office at Kaiba Corp. I'm going to take a shower and head there."

He nodded and said, "Alright Seto."

He headed out of the room and I made my way to my bedroom.

I got undressed and turned on the hot water letting it roll over my body.

God, I can believe I broke the rope on the punching bag... Again...

I swear that the fifth time I done that in the last two months.

Next time I'll have Roland put a chain on it.

Ever since I was little I was a bit stronger than most people, although I never let it show.

I let the warm water drizzled over the head washing away the sweat and grime from my work out.

Strange... Why can't I feel the water on my hands?

I looked down and...

What the hell..?

I lifted my hands up right in front of my eyes and they looked like they were made from pieces of clear glass and crystal that seemed to replace the skin on my hands.

It climbed down my wrist to my elbow where it seems to smooth into my skin becoming a part of it.

I must be hallucinating...

The water... It has got to be to hot...

I went to grab the water fosses when the crystals sunk beneath my skin...

I need to get out of this shower...

I got out and wrapped a light towel around me drying off, my hair and letting my body cool down from the heat.

Note to self: Take colder showers.

I went back into my room and began putting on my regular clothes with the addition of a set of gloves considering how cold it was out today it being the middle of September.

I left my room and made my way to the limo.

I got in the driver said, "Where to Sir?"

I replied, "Kaiba Corp. and step on it."

He nodded and said, "Right away Sir."

As I rode in the limo I looked down at my hands...

That delusion... It seemed so real...

Like if I thought about it maybe...

My phone to began ringing and I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Seto!"

It was Mokuba, and he sounded upset like he had been crying.

I said, "Mokuba what's wrong?"

He replied, "I just got off the phone with Yugi. Some idiot hit Joey with a car and he's in the ICU...He's in bad shape..."

I sat shocked for a moment and said, "How bad is it?"

He replied, "He has a severe concussion and a lot of broken ribs and one of them pierced a lung. He might not have made it if they got there one minute before..."

I shook my head and said, "I'll be at the hospital in 20 minutes."

Mokuba gave a sob and said, "Alright Big Brother... Be safe."

I hung up and said, "Change in plans, we're going to the Domino Hospital. NOW."

The driver nodded and said, "Yes Sir!"

He changed his course and we headed toward the hospital where Wheeler was hanging on for dear life not knowing if the next breath might be his last.

MOKUBA'S P.O.V.

"Seto!" I cried as I hugged my brother.

He looked at me and said, "How bad?"

I pointed at Joey who was unconscious, had wires running up and down his entire body along with a massive amount of bandages that cover the top of his skull along with the rest of his body, an IV blood transfusion, and sitting in the glass ICU room.

Yugi and his friends were sitting outside of it looking extremely concerned about their friend.

Seto walked over to Yugi and asked, "What happened?" Yugi looked up with red eyes where the tears had stained them and said, "We were late for school and we were running to make it on time. Somehow or another Joey was speeding up he went to the crosswalk. The light was green, and then we he crossed..."

He looked down and said, "... Then a car came out of no where... It hit him dead on... and it sent him down the street... He was bleeding badly and... and..."

He looked up with tears brimming his eyes, "He wouldn't wake up! I couldn't wake him up! I couldn't..."

Tea looked at him and said, "Yugi! Calm down! It not you fault..."

He continued to weep and said, "Why? Why didn't I slow him down... Why didn't I?"

A Doctor walked in and everyone turned to him.

She looked up and said, "I'm Dr. Martinez, and I'm in charge of the ICU patients."

Seto looked at her and asked, "So... How bad is it?"

She shook her head and said, "Considering he was hit by a car going 40 miles an hour, he doing rather well. We were able to re-adjusted the broken ribs and his lung is no longer in danger. Now the head injury might be more severe, but we won't be able to tell until he wakes up."

I looked at her and asked, "And when do you think he'll wake up?"

She replied, "We're not sure, but until then he'll remain in the ICU even after that he'll have to remain in the hospital for a few weeks. Now have you contacted his family?"

Ryou nodded and said, "I called them once he was admitted, but right now they are 5 hours away."

She nodded and said, "I see, until they arrive you can stay here. We doing everything possible to help him."

Yugi nodded and said, "Thank you..."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "I should be thanking you. If you hadn't acted as fast as you did, he may have not made it."

Seto looked down at me and said, "Why don't you go get something to drink? I'm going to see about the idiot that hit him."

I looked at him and said, "Alright Seto...but I going to call off the tournament..."

He nodded and said, "Go ahead... No one will want to duel with all of this going on."

I walked down stairs and began making phone calls to the participants.

To say the least, they were understanding of the situation and were willing not to duel to day and put it off for when Joey was better.

Once I had all the calls done I sat down in the hospital cafeteria.

Everyone in there was bundled up in long sleeve shirts, huddling for warmth.

Apparently they were cold, but to me the room felt fine to me and I was wearing a t-shirt.

I bought a bottle of water and sat down at the table.

I held it in my hand as I took out my phone and called Roland.

He picked up and said, "Hello?"

I replied, "Roland, we going to have to cancel the tournament."

He replied, "But Mokuba, won't your..."

I responded, "This is under my brother's orders. A friend of ours is in the ICU right now and is really bad shape. The competetors have all been informed and all that left to be done is the official press statement."

Roland asked, "What should I say?"

I replied, "That a competitor was in severe condition and because of this the tournament has been post-poned until further notice. His identity will not be revealed to the press."

Roland replied, "Right, but if I may ask. Who was injured?"

I replied, "Joey Wheeler... Hit by a car... Severe Concussion... Broken ribs... Almost died..."

Roland sighed and said, "Understood, I'll make the statement immediately."

He hung up and I put my phone back in my pocket. I picked up my bottle to take a drink but...

It was frozen solid.

What? It wasn't like that before?

What happened?

It's not below freezing in here, because then the fountains and sinks would freeze over.

I took my hand off the bottle and as soon as I did, it melted back to normal water...

What?

Am I...doing that?

I pressed my finger on it and sure enough the water froze again only this time freezing part of the table with it.

I removed my finger but the ice remained.

I looked at my hands in amazement.

I can freeze things...

My phone began to ring once again.

I picked it up and said, "Hello?"

"Mokuba come back up, I think he's starting to wake up."

It was Seto. Knowing him, he probably chewed out the driver in pure spite.

For the accident and the fact he had to cancel a tournament.

I replied, "On my way."

I hung up and made my way through the halls.

JOEY'S P.O.V.

"Come on Yug! We're going to make it if we hurry!" I yelled as we ran towards school.

Usually I don't like to show how fast I can run, because well...

I don't know how fast I can run never really tested it...

But I know I was the fastest person in our class, got offered to be on the track team more than once, but I never really was one for sports.

Up ahead was a crosswalk and the light just turned green.

I ran across when...

Pain...

The most excruciating pain I have ever been in is what I felt after I was hit by a car and lying on the ground.

I didn't see it coming but...

God the pain...

It's unbearable...

Someone please... make it stop...

I heard Yugi yelled out, "JOEY WAKE UP! YOU HAVE TO!"

I tried to move or even open my eyes, but I couldn't it was like I was paralyzed...

It was like I was dead...

God did I just die?

I heard Yugi scream, "JOEY DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON US! WE NEED YOU!"

Then I felt the touch of someone grabbing me up in a cradle.

Okay I can feel... That means I'm not dead..

But why can't I move...

They sat me down on something soft like a bed, but it wasn't a bed...

I had no clue what it was...

I just slowly fell into my own mind.

Is this another dream?

I felt the wires wrapping around my arms and the needles in my veins.

I moved my arm a little bit and I felt the rugged pain through my body.

No not a dream...

The car accident happened... I'm not sure how bad it was... but I know I'm in bad shape.

I heard the voice of my friends talking in soft voices and the loud beeps of the machines.

But as the sound traveled to me I began to get a mental image of the room.

Like I'm making out the room with sound.

I rolled my head a bit and opened my eyes.

To put it simpliy I wanted to close my eyes again, because before me was a endless sea of white.

But as the sounds of the machines went off, the white space became shapes and lines, defining objects, doorways, and living beings.

Immediately the shape with the large hair walked into the room.

It was Yugi by the shape of it, but I couldn't really tell.

It looked like something from a dream, but as I got used to the sound, the image faded away leaving me in the sea of white once more.

I know I'm not dreaming... but what in the world was that?

I heard Yugi yelled, "He awake! Joey's awake!"

I turned my head to where the noise was coming from and said in a scrachy weak voice, "Yugi... "

I heard him said, "Joey thank God you're alright."

Then I heard a new femine voice and she said, "Step aside Mr. Motou. I need to examine him and none of you can be in here when I do it."

I said, "Who is that? I don't regonize the voice..."

The woman voice then said, "I'm Dr. Martiez and I'm in charge of your care, Mr. Wheeler."

I asked, "Where am I?"

She replied, "You're in the ICU at Domino Hostpital. Can you tell me what happened to you?"

I replied in a scratchy voice, "I was hit by a car... and I hit the concrete... hard..."

She nodded and said, "You're retaining memory that's a good sign. Now let's test conginative skill."

I felt a brush of breeze roll over my face and she asked, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

I replied, "I can't tell."

She then said, "Are you have trouble counting them or..."

I said, "I can't see them Doc... Maybe it someone turned down all this white light I could see it."

She whispered, "White light? Joesph I'm going to try something."

I felt the breeze brush across my face once more and I heard her gasp in shock.

I asked, "What's wrong?"

She replied, "Mr. Wheeler I'm going to be frank with you... Appearently the accident did some damage to you brain. Mainly your ocluatory lobe which is why your puplils aren't dialing."

I then said, "Can you repete that in lament's terms?"

She sighed and said, "Mr. Wheeler, as of this very moment, you are legally blind..."

The words hit me like a brick wall.

"The car accident effected the part of the brain in charge of vision, thus... It took your sight... I truly sorry to inform you of this..."

I sat back in shock.

Blind...

I can't be blind...

I can't be...

And yet...

I lifted my hands in front of my face and nothing... I saw nothing...

I can't see...

I can't see...

God... I can't see!

I felt a steady trickle down my cheat as my eyes filled with tears.

What I'm I suppose to do?!

I shifted and heard a loud clank.

But as that clank settled in my ear, the room was in the strange shapes before...

This is happening...

What is this?

Am I doing it...?

What the hell am I?