Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

I've thrown away my toys

Spring comes early in my 17th year of life. At least it seems early to me. Granted, I've spent most of the last five years sacked away at boarding schools, so perhaps spring actually arrived properly according to Domino time. Standing on my balcony, I inhale the sweet scent of nature's re-awakening, feeling the crisp edge of winter still present in the morning breeze. April 1st; my first day at Domino High. I'm now a third year ready to graduate and I really don't know what to expect. My schooling, for the most part, has been in very isolated, opulent and private settings, surrounded by spoiled rich brats whose exaggerated self-pity left a bad taste in my mouth. I have no friends. I have no family I want to acknowledge. I have no twin to my soul anymore. I am alone.

Fighting the urge to wallow, I quickly shower and dress, heading out to the waiting limo. The bastard and bitch think my first day at Domino High should be treated as a special occasion since I'll be going to her alma mater. They'd planned to have Curtis drop me at the entrance, making a show of opening the door for me, bowing reverently, etc.

Little do they know…

"Curtis?"

"Yes, Master Crawford?"

"I keep telling you not to call me that."

"Yes, Master Cr--. Yes, Master Yugi."

"Better, but Yugi is just fine."

"Yes, Master Yugi."

I can see that I'm not going to get him to crack this time. I'll just have to keep at it.

"Whatever. Listen, Curtis, drop me off a few blocks away. I want to walk up like a regular person."

"But Mr. Crawford said…"

"I know what he said, but you're my driver, not his. I don't want all that pomp and circumstance. It'll be hard enough to blend in with this hair."

My hair is the bane of my existence. The tri-colored mop never strays from its perpetual spikes above my head.

Except for that one time, about a month after the incident, when I'd shorn it off in a fit of rage and grief. But most of the time, I'm cursed with its neon-sign like ability to draw crowds.

'Wow, how'd you get those colors?'

'How'd you get it to do that?'

'Get away from me, you freak!'

Are the three most common greetings I receive everywhere I go. I expect Domino High School will be no different. In fact, it'll probably be worse.

"As you wish, Master Yugi," Curtis replies, his interruption allowing me to chase away more disparaging thoughts. I quickly climb from the limo when he stops, making sure my uniform is straight before throwing on my backpack and heading down the block.

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Sitting in the office waiting to be directed to my new class, I casually look around the room. A glass case with several awards catches my eye. Quietly I get up, leaving my backpack in the chair and step toward it. As I get closer, I'm a bit disturbed by how much like a shrine it seems. Every academic award, plaque and trophy bears the name of one student, Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba. Where have I heard that name before? As I think on it a bit, a memory surfaces.

I was supposed to have been asleep, but I was restless and thirsty. I couldn't have been more than ten. I'd decided after a glass of water to take a walk in the garden. My…father was there, talking to someone in the shadows. He was gloating.

"With the technology created by that Kaiba boy, we'll rule the gaming industry!"

I'd run off after that other person had started laughing, afraid I'd get caught.

"He was the pride of our school," the principal notes behind me, breaking into my reverie.

"Oh?" I reply.

"Yes, it's a shame about what happened to him," he sighs dramatically.

"What?"

"The poor thing lost his mind," he whispers, glancing around as though it were a crime to speak of it.

"Lost his mind," I echo.

"Yes," he continues in that conniving whisper. "They say the line between genius and insanity is thin and one day he crossed it."

"Mm hmm," I reply, though it sounds like a fairy tale to me.

"Well, enough about that," he chirps, clapping his hands together. "Let's get you to class."

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"Students," my homeroom teacher begins, drawing attention to us, "I'd like you to meet your new classmate, Yugi Crawford. Mr. Crawford, tell us a little about yourself."

I've always hated talking about myself. At least since that day I have. I continue to stand silently, trying to think of something to say that won't make me look like an idiot.

'How about I'm only here so my parents could show off,' I think to myself. 'Or maybe I could tell them that they're only meeting half of me.'

"Mr. Crawford," the teacher prods.

"Mr. Crawford is my father," I spit. "I'm just Yugi. And yes the hair is real."

Well, I avoided idiot and slid straight into asshole. I didn't mean to react so strongly, but thinking about my father always angers me.

"That's alright, Mr. Crawford," the teacher placates. "Everyone gets a little nervous on their first day. You may take the empty seat in the third row. Mr. Kaiba, please take your feet off of Mr. Crawford's desk."

As I approach the indicated seat, a guy with wild black hair pulled into a very long, bushy tail sits up from his sprawl, with a snort of "Whatever."

He smirks at me as his combat boots slide to the floor.

After taking my place and moving to pull my books from my backpack, I notice the prominent, black scuff marks across the top of the desk.

Casting a disapproving eye at the obvious delinquent, I wait until the teacher has her back to us before gesturing for the leather-clad punk to lean closer.

"I expect that you will clean that off," I whisper, indicating the scuffmarks.

Though I wasn't that keen on being here, I wanted to at least have a clean desk. And I've had enough run-ins with foul-tempered, rich idiots that a regular bully means nothing to me. Without Yami to protect me anymore, I've had to take care of myself for several years now.

He looks shocked for a moment before startling me with a bark of laughter, which draws all eyes to us.

"You've got some balls, Crawford. I'll say that," he exclaims loudly. "Don't you know who I am?"

I narrow my eyes. I won't be intimidated by this guy. He looks only a few inches taller than me and he's not much bulkier. I could probably take him if I had to. Maybe I will, just to piss off bastard and bitch.

"What's to know? You're a loud-mouthed punk with an obvious leather fetish," I sneer, indicating the dark blue leather pants and jacket he's wearing over a black, long-sleeved, button-down, which is visible at the edges of the high color of his jacket and its sleeves.

His response of a mostly feigned look of shock irritates me enough to continue.

"It's beyond me how you get away with wearing that anyway," I scoff, folding my arms and leaning back in my chair.

Surprisingly, he throws back his head and laughs loudly. Slate-gray eyes settle on mine after a short time, a chillingly cool smile adorning his lips.

"I like you, Crawford," he nods. "I think we'll be great friends."

"Yay me," I reply sarcastically, earning a much warmer smile that reflects in his eyes.

"Mr. Crawford," the teacher interjects, "I must ask that you not disrupt my class again or you will be sent to the principal's office."

"Yes, sir," I mumble, noting Kaiba's smirk of superiority.

I guess his parents are important enough that he 'doesn't get into trouble at school'. Great. I'm in the same sort of place I just left. I was hoping a public school would be different.

Lunch finally rolls around and I head to the cafeteria to see what swill is being served. Deciding on a medium bento box, I head to an empty table in the corner, planning to eat alone.

I look up from my first bite of surprisingly well-cooked rice to see a trio of fairly tall guys heading my way. Wonderful. They could have at least waited until I've had my first meal to start harassing me.

All three take seats around me and begin eating quietly. I recognize them from my class this morning. I guess they're all third years too.

"That was freakin' brave of you, man," the one with short brown hair tosses.

"I'll say," the blonde echoes with a chuckle.

"No one talks to Kaiba like that and just walks away," the third of the group, a raven-hared teen with a colorful headband finishes.

"You're not from around here, are you," the blonde questions.

"Why? 'Cause I didn't lick some guys boots?"

"He's not just some guy," the brown-haired one replies. "He's Mokuba Kaiba! His dad practically runs Domino!"

"Oh, so because he comes from money, I should fear him?"

"Actually freak," a green-haired, be-speckled squirt interjects, "you should fear the ass-kicking he's gonna give you."

"Don't jerks like you have any other way to insult me about my hair?" I sigh, exasperatingly. "'Freak' is so overdone."

Eyeglass boy smirks.

"Whatever freak. I'm just here to deliver a message. Mr. Kaiba will meet you in front of the school at 4:15pm. Don't be late."

He spins on his heels and disappears into the crowded lunchroom.

"Idiot," I murmur, going back to my lunch. Like I have time to sit around waiting for some bully.

"You're a dead man," raven-hair whispers. I glare at him.

"You guys may be scared of that punk, but I'm not," I retort. "And I'm not meeting him anywhere."

"You're gonna skip?" the blonde questions incredulously.

"Of course! I'm not his flunky! I have to get home. I still have a lot of work to do to find…" I clam up and go back to my lunch.

Whoops! Almost let the cat out of the bag. I can't let every Tom, Dick and Harry know about my quest to find Yami and bring him back to me.

Gods, Yami. It's been so long, almost nine years since we were last together. And I'm no closer to finding you now than I was then!

"Dude, it's a really bad idea to cross Kaiba," the brunette warns, interrupting my thoughts.

"Whatever," I scoff, suddenly not hungry anymore.

After dumping out what's left of my lunch, I head back to class for the remaining lessons, though I admit missing at least a third of them as I brood about Yami. I'd hoped that a different school setting would mean that I'd have more to distract me from the pain. So far, that isn't the case.

Still, it's only the first day. Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.

I call Curtis to pick me up a few blocks away from the school and get home early enough to finish all of my homework before dinner.

"So, how was your first day of school, Yugi?" the bitch gushes. "I hope you didn't do anything to embarrass me."

"Of course not, Mother," I smile, knowing she hates it when I call her that.

"Well, that's good," she waves dismissively. "I had reservations about sending you to a public high school, but once I found out that Domino still maintained the high standards it had when I attended, I knew you'd be just fine there."

She and that bastard go off on a tangent about "schools of today" while I force down my meal. It's not that the food is bad; it's actually quite delicious. It's just that sometimes I can't stomach being around them. I hear their voices and all I can think about is that night and my soul being torn in half.

"Yami! No, Yami!" I'd cried, straining against the arms of my assailants.

"Yugi..." my twin had struggled as oddly clothed others dragged him away.

"YAAMIII!!" I'd screamed, fighting harder as the front door had slammed behind them.

After the hired hands had released me, I'd turned on my father.

"You bastard! Bring him back! Bring him back, now!"

But my father had merely smiled condescendingly and walked away.

After my other self had been ripped away, I'd awakened sobbing from that nightmarish memory every night for weeks. I'd felt so empty and more afraid than I'd ever been in my life. That incident proved to me that I could never trust anyone. After all, if I can't trust my own parents, then who can I trust?

I glance up at their animated faces, forcing down a sneer of contempt.

Pegasus and Cyndia Crawford. Mom and Dad. Bastard and Bitch. They aren't my real parents, but they're the only parents I've known since infancy.

Somehow, I'll make them pay for the soul-searing pain and hollow feelings I still endure, but not until I've found a way to get Yami back.

Nothing can happen to them until then.

Not able to finish my plate, I leave the table without asking to be excused and run up to my room. I slam the door behind me and lean heavily against it, barely keeping my meal from returning.

Once I stop shaking, I head for the shower, chucking my school uniform as I go. The hot water on my head and back calm me down enough so that I can do what I do every night before I go to bed; look for Yami.

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Though I'm so sleepy I can barely function, my second day at school starts out on a very positive note. It took me most of the night, but I found a new clue to Yami's whereabouts.

After hacking my father's mainframe at work, I found a file, an encrypted file, which I hadn't seen before. I was only able to decipher the name of the file, 'Removal and relocation,' and Yami's name somewhere in the ensuing jumble of computer code before I got too sleepy to continue, but that's more than enough, considering I'd gotten nothing at all for the past three months.

I can't help the smile on my face as I head toward my classroom after stopping off at my locker. On the way, I notice several students pointing at me and whispering. Hmm. It took them a whole two days to start talking about my hair instead of the scant hour and a half it took at the last school. Maybe things will be better here, at least a little.

Stepping into the classroom, my upbeat mood wanes a little when I see Kaiba sitting with his feet on top of my desk again. Great. I guess this is where I get threatened for not bowing to his will yesterday. And my day started so well too. The few students in the classroom early whisper about my fate as I walk by.

"Get your feet off my desk, Kaiba," I assert, dropping my backpack and taking my seat.

"You didn't come to see me yesterday, Crawford," he frowns, completely ignoring my request. "I'm hurt."

"Whatever. Feet off my desk," I repeat.

Instead of moving them, he uncrosses and re-crosses his legs.

"No," he declares, eyes narrowed in challenge.

Gods.

It's only my second day… At the last school, nobody tried to fight me for two whole weeks! And if I fight this guy, it'll completely ruin my mood. Not to mention I'll probably get sent to the principal's office, he'll call that bastard at work, and then I'll lose valuable time in my search when he removes my computer as punishment as he'd threatened before school began.

Maybe I should just let this go. I need my computer too much right now.

But when I look up to Kaiba's smug sneer, it reminds me of all the other bullies in my life and how I've had to fight to stay strong to find Yami. Standing slowly, I knock his feet from my desk, enjoying the look of shock on his face as he almost falls out of the chair before regaining his balance.

The collective gasp of the students acts as the signal for our fight to begin.

I began martial arts training at the age of three. The bastard thought I would look cute, so he enrolled me in a karate class. I loved it. And I loved when he put me in Tae Kwon Do at age seven, and Akido at age nine. I entered the Ju-jitsu and Judo classes on my own at ages eleven and twelve. I've earned several black belts in three of the five arts I practice and a brown in the other two.

Honestly, I thought Kaiba would be all bluster like the other bullies I've dealt with in my life. However, despite being able to properly draw on my skills with deadly accuracy, Kaiba wipes the floor with me in surprisingly short order.

We both wind up at Domino Memorial being treated for lacerations and broken bones, my left wrist and his right hand, from when we'd both tried to pull the same move from opposite sides. After an overnight stay 'for observation' since we'd also both hit our heads on hard surfaces at some point, we are sent home.

The ride with my mother and father back home is eerily silent. Mom's not looking at me and Dad's staring at me with narrowed angry eyes. Once we're in the house, the silent treatment continues. I head up to my room, expecting my computer to be gone. I'm completely unprepared for what I find instead.

My room looks like a hurricane went through it.

Clothes from my closet and dresser are strewn all over, the drapes at the window are torn, my desk and chair are turned over, the sheets have been ripped from my bed, the lamp and my nightstand have been shoved to the floor and instead of my computer being removed, it's lying in several pieces in front of my dresser.

"Your mother was a little upset," the bastard offers into my stunned silence, before chuckling to himself down the hall.

It's later the next night that I allow the feeling of loss to overcome me. I've served one of my two days of suspension, cleaned my room enough to function in it, and endured one more day of my mother refusing to acknowledge my presence when I allow reality to re-assert itself.

I didn't expect my computer to be destroyed. And I didn't expect the bastard to refuse to get me a new one and force me to use the one in his study instead. It doesn't have the software I need to crack that encrypted file. And it's always monitored.

Sure I have everything backed up on disk and thumb drives hidden under the floor of my closet, but without a computer…Forget setting my search back, they've ended it completely! There has to be another way to find Yami. There has to be! I can't just give up!

Try as I might, I get very little sleep that night, consequently, my mood is in the toilet as I arrive at school Friday morning. It also doesn't help that my parents found out that I'd had Curtis dropping me off a few blocks from school and threatened to fire him if he doesn't take me to the front door every day from now on. Angrily, I step from the limo to wide-eyes, outright stares and discreet whispers.

I storm through the halls to my locker, ignoring the pointing and whispering around me. Operating with a busted wrist is annoying, but at least it isn't my writing hand, though getting my books is a little challenging with the cast on.

Kaiba's already at his desk when I go in the classroom, but he looks different since the last time I saw him. Before, his hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, now it's all over his head and covering half of his face. It's startling, but not quite as startling as my desk; there are no scuff marks on the top and Kaiba's boots aren't on it.

"What gives?" I raise my eyebrow at him. "We both know that you wiped the floor with me, so why'd you clean my desk?"

"What makes you so sure I cleaned it, Crawford?" he smirks.

"Right, like anyone else would have defied you and done it?" I scoff.

He smiles and leans back, putting his sneaker-clad feet on top of my desk.

"I'm too tired and too bruised to fight, Kaiba. Please move your feet."

"I'm comfortable. Wait 'til class starts," he grins coolly.

"Whatever," I snicker at him.

"I knew we'd make great friends, Crawford," he asserts, gracing me with that same warm smile from Monday.

I can't help but shake my head and smile back. Ignoring his feet, I sit down and pull out my books. True to his word, he puts his feet down once class starts.

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I'm eating lunch with the same three guys, Otogi, the one with the headband, Honda, the shorthaired brunette and Jonouchi, the blond, when Kaiba comes over to our table.

"Maybe if I extend the invitation myself you'll show up, Crawford," he smirks, standing over me.

Predictably my lunch mates practically piss themselves before making up random excuses and scrambling away. Kaiba laughs loudly at their retreating forms, and then flops down in front of me.

"So, what do you say?" he mumbles around a pilfered French fry of my western style lunch of a hamburger and fries.

I look up to answer him and notice the black eye. He must have been in another fight because I never hit him in the face.

"What happened?" I nod to indicate his eye.

"What?"

"How'd you get a black eye?"

In a blink, his whole demeanor changes. An angry scowl twists his face from the open and amiable sight it was before as he stands and knocks my lunch halfway across the room.

"That's none of your fucking business, Crawford," he snarls. "You'd just better be there today at 4:15 pm sharp or I promise you'll regret it."

He storms away from the table, students jumping out of his way in fright.