Author's Note: In many of the reviews I had read pertaining to my fan fiction, I discovered that my readers all seemed to have a pretty universal suggestion: to combine my poetry with stories. This is the first actual document that I have incorporated the use of my original poetry with a piece of literature.

Critical Chaos, a very angst-laden story, was developed to be a prelude to Breaking Point. I'm sure all those who have read Breaking Point are wondering who the criminal was that put young Yugi through so much physical and mental pain. Since I had mentioned Seto Kaiba periodically throughout the fic, some viewers even got the notion that he was the one behind the raping of the little duelist's innocence. Although I can understand why people would think that he had brutally punished the spiky-haired boy, I have to break the awful news to them by saying that they have to guess again. As I have been known to state in my fiction, "the truth hurts sometimes," so this particular story is very likely to turn Breaking Point into a very twisted tale indeed.

Disclaimer: For those who frequently read my writing, take extreme caution while exploring the contents of this document. I know you are probably used to seeing my dramatic romance stories, but this fic surpasses the usual boundaries of misfortune and misery. Like always, there is yaoi present within the pages of my writing, and here is a list of the couples: Yugi Mutou and his Yami, Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba (I know, it's an odd pair, but they can survive each other ^ ^), and Ryou Bakura and his millennium spirit. This will also be the first piece of literature in which I have introduced a yuri pair, too, which is none other than Mai Valentine and her high school sweetheart, Tea Gardner. High levels of cruel and unusual punishment will be present, along with bad language. Yami Yugi is completely OOC, too. If you happen to be a disciple of the mighty King of Games, I strongly advise you to seek another fic to read…he will not be portrayed well in this story. Please don't E-mail me and chew me out for being nasty or abusing the pretty bishie, for I never intended to destroy his reputation. I only wanted to write something completely original that no one has ever dared to compose on his or her monitor screen.

Chapter One: The Beginning of the End

/Critical chaos

Morbid mayhem

Sanity's loss

From which this stems /

"I hate myself!" I cried out in vain, my voice echoing off the walls of the spacious bathroom I was in.

Three days had come and gone since I was taken out of the toy box for Yami's amusement. Though I had no clock of any kind in the restroom, I still possessed a vague concept of time. Gazing through the only window in the large area, I had watched listlessly as the sun rose and set within the seventy-two hours I stayed locked up in here. I chose to remain captive behind the four sunshine-colored walls, hoping that the gods would smile upon me and force my millennium spirit to leave me alone. So far, so good…I had not come into contact with the darker form of myself in quite a while now. A surge of hope shot through my veins as I slowly began to understand how long I had been in this location.

/Misery mire

In this mind's wake

My heart's desire

I will forsake/

Usually, Yami kept me in his clutches until I passed out from playing his games. It never mattered if one or more of my limbs were horribly twisted, badly damaged, or even unrecognizable beneath a fresh coat of blood; for he would just grab me up by my hair and shove me into the bath tub. Lying on top of cold porcelain, I'd stare expressionlessly up at my master as he smiled wickedly down at me. His magenta eyes would scan my small frame, for he loved the compromising position my body always seemed to unintentionally fall into. I dreaded his touch, his words, the way his purple-red orbs gleamed with creative new ways to torment me. Of course, I knew the powerful pharaoh wanted far more than to simply tease me with multiple variations of suffering--that would be too easy to accomplish. What he dreamed of was far more terrible than anything Ryou's millennium spirit had the imagination to concoct. Above all else in life, my other half wished to surpass the boundaries of controlling my mind, crushing my heart, and breaking my will. He longed to have me in every possible aspect he could think of. What he truly desired was complete domination, pure and unbridled.

Constantly, I found myself vowing to never submit to his delirious demands ever again. Unfortunately, promises were made to be broken, for I also discovered that I couldn't keep any of them. Yugioh was just too much for me to handle by myself. While the top of my head only reached slightly above his waist, the pharaoh's lean structure towered over me, capturing me in his eternal shadow. Everything attached to me was so dainty and child-like that hardly anyone took me seriously, much less my attacker. When it came to defending myself against his cruel assaults, I was a total joke. Facing the twisted truth, I realized that I was just too petite in size to ward off any of his blows. My eyes snapped shut, overwhelmed by my storm-crazed thoughts.

/Wild abandon

Truly reckless

I can't hold on

This life's a mess/

I'm weak. None of my friends would actually believe me if I told them, but I am. Yes, I know I'm always the first one to jump in the middle of a brawl at school to come between a bully and an ally of mine, but that is the extent of my heroism. In all honesty, I can't fight on my own, not even with a weapon. Sure, I'm great at winning verbal debates when battling an opponent, but that's it. My sharp blade of wit rusts when faced with squaring off with Yami, since he punishes me for every word I speak out of turn. When in the presence of His Excellency, he commands my silence (unless he wishes to hear me recite a list of praises dedicated to himself). That goes for shrieks and cries, too.

One time I had accidentally let out a loud yelp as he dragged the tip of a dagger down my bare chest. Furious at my insubordination, Yami thought he would teach me a lesson by inflicting both mental and physical pain on me. Smacking my hand into his palm, the millennium spirit proceeded to wrap my fingers around the handle of the knife. Scared beyond a point of all reason, I watched helplessly as I was forced to re-open the wounds on my skin. Biting down hard on my tongue, I suppressed the nagging urge to scream. Draped in a sickening mass of maroon liquid, I can still remember what I told myself as I shivered in icy sweat: Please, gods just let the dagger slip. Let the damn blade be thrust in my chest so I don't have to see this. Suicide is all I need…

/Mutilation

Soul solution

Degradation

Love's conclusion/

A jaded half-smile materialized on my mouth as I recalled a famous phrase that popped out of the pages of my history book.

"Give me liberty, or give me death!" I declared, mimicking the tone of the individual who developed the widely known quote.

Laughing at my bad impression, I turned my line of sight up towards the ceiling. The humor was so poor, so appalling that I came to my senses at once. Here I am, sitting in the corner of my shared bathroom with scars and bruises engraved into my very flesh, and all I can jest about is taking my own life. Trembling, I arrived at a terrifying conclusion.

"Oh, dear spirits, I'm turning into him." I breathed, frozen in fear. "I'm going to end up hurting others like he does."

Gooseflesh prickled my skin as I contemplated the reality of what I stated. Would I try to subject my comrades to the same behavior? What if Yami caught on to this new terror of mine and attempted to use it against me? Ultimately, will Pharaoh have me perform the same nasty actions on my allies to gain more control? Shuddering at the images passing in front of my eyes of Yami toying with my best friends, I decided that there was only one precaution I could take to guard the others from such harsh brutality.

"But how can I do that?" I asked myself aloud, wondering how to complete such a barbaric task. "His Excellency never leaves potential weapons in my reach--"

All at once, the memories of my last rendezvous with my millennium spirit hit me. After my mandatory self-mutilation session with him, I was about ready to lose consciousness. Displeased with my inability to hold out longer for more eventful activities, Yami took his frustration out by licking the well-crafted blade clean--the same knife he cut me with. His serpent-like tongue lapped up the crimson fluid, restoring the priceless dagger to its original state. The last thing I remember seeing was Pharaoh setting the blade down on the bathroom counter, giving me a seductive little wink as my vision faded to black.

"That's it!" I said excitedly, my eyes as wide as the glass plates he threw at me on occasion. "I know where it is!"

Actually smiling in happiness, I dragged myself off of the floor. Immediately, I was struck with a dizzy spell that almost made me collapse. Grasping the bathroom counter with all of my strength, I finally achieved an awkward state of balance. Shaking off the nauseating feeling that was gnawing at my temples, I hobbled over to the other side of the sink. Different kinds of make-up (the latest styles from Lancôme, Mai's fashion-savvy ways were rubbing off on Tea) leaked out of the medicine cabinet and onto the surrounding marble area. Sighing at the absolute mess in front of me, I began digging through the pile of cosmetics. I wish I could have had more time to tell Tea that she looked just fine to me without any war paint on her face, but she wouldn't have believed me. I would have just gotten a pat on the head, a cheek pinch, and some soft words spoken to me that would probably be to the effect of, "Yugi, I know you just want me to feel better about myself, but I like the way this stuff looks on me." Pushing the made-up scenario from my mind, I concentrated on my search for Yami's knife. Moving Miss Valentine's star quality merchandise aside, my fingers felt the familiar brush of ancient steel. Relieved that the millennium spirit didn't retrieve the legendary artifact previously, I snatched the dagger up at once. Now I was only seconds away from ending His Excellency's vicious reign over my life.

/Pretty weapon

Take me away

Now I am done

With blood I'll pay/

Turning the weapon over in my palm, I allowed myself a few moments to take in its striking qualities. It truly was a work of art, just the hilt of the blade alone. This single trinket was the only item Yami cherished in his extended existence on this planet. Artisans from his native land must have crafted the dagger in his honor, for the millennium spirit's image was carved onto the surface. Surrounding the king of all Egyptians were some hieroglyphics glossed over with sterling silver. Studying the intricate language of a civilization that came and went, I discovered the meaning of the minute pictographs.

" 'Let all those who oppose me fall victim to my wrath, for I am the beginning of the end.' " I read out loud, fingering the smooth symbols adorning Pharaoh's created picture.

Cringing at the ominous words, I nearly dropped the knife. Totally isolated and sheltered from my menacing master, I knew that I would never escape his violent grasp. No matter how much I desired to just disappear into the cracks of gusty desert sands, I feared that he would find me. In the end, he always did, sooner or later. I had to do this. I had to get myself out of this bad situation, this on-going nightmare before anyone else was brought into it, too. The last thing I wanted to do with any of my allies was share a hospital room while hooked up on life support machines. I'd suffer until the end of time by Yami's hand before I would make the fatal mistake of handing the sociopath my best friends.

/A glint of steel

Is what I see

My own appeal

Pathetic plea/

Clasping the dagger with a shaking hand, I fell to my knees. Landing on the hard ground with a sickening thud, I gasped instantly in pain. Part of the flesh on my legs split, for I could feel warm sticky blood trickle off of my skin. Disregarding the throbbing sensation strumming my nerves, I lifted the shining blade above my head. In another time and place, I would have fancied such a knife for a personal collection of mine. Now it just resembled a tool of dominancy, some resource to keep me in restraints a little while longer while Yami skipped around and had his fun with me. Stretching my other arm in the direction of the sky, I coaxed the limb into joining its opposite hand. Coiling my fingertips tightly across the hilt of the blade, I gently closed my eyes once more. Nothing could stop me, for I was finally in control. No one--not even the tyrannical ruler of Thebes--could end the path to my first and last victory.

/Comes from my throat

A broken cry

Shrill in its note

Waiting to die/