Innocence

Hey! So, I'm finally back and I finally decided to rewrite this story. I went through it and was like, 'is this really how it was written?' so I just started rewriting it, and I think it sounds better now.

Enjoy!

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Innocence is a very fragile thing. It all depends on how you see it, and how you look at the world. But be careful, because you can lose it very fast, and unexpectedly. It happens eventually, and we all must live with that, but sometimes it's kept hidden to protect the person from losing themselves…

Yugi found himself standing in front of Yami's soul room staring at the Eye of Horus that was engraved on the stone door. His hand was on the knob, but he was not turning it. He was afraid too. He remembered what it looked like in there, how empty, dark, dank, and confusing it looked.

Images went through his head as he went over all the times that he did go in there. It was like a scavenger hunt, only without a map or a starting point. Having to walk endless hours, never knowing if he was even going the right way. The time stopping was just to torture him further. He never liked it in there…

Suddenly, all his thoughts were on Yami. How can he go through all that, and still manage to be so calm afterwards? He felt bad for Yami having to live in a place like that. But what he kept disagreeing with himself, over and over again, was the fact that Yami's soul reflected his room. 'Does Yami really feel this way?' Yugi always thought in his head. Yami may not smile as much as the average person, but still, it couldn't be that bad.

'Yami probably doesn't even like it in there himself,' Yugi thought. He honestly couldn't blame him. The place is a maze; stairs and doors all over the place, some placed at different angles, which makes it much harder to track down anything in there. Just losing a shoe or a pencil, and he'd probably never find it again.

If that wasn't the worst of it; dark creatures from the shadow realm are always lurking there, just waiting for the perfect moment to lash out and take anything or anyone that was in their way, more specifically Yami, with them to torture endlessly, until an emotional breakdown. And Yami had to live in there, day after day, constantly living in fear of his life. He would never show that fear though, no. He would just say everything was perfectly fine, his famous line, basically telling anyone not to push the subject further.

Yugi still couldn't get his mind off how a person's soul is supposed to reflect their room. Sure, Yugi's soul reflects his room pretty well, but it is a small room compared to Yami's. His was huge! But, Yami is not this dark. He makes Yugi laugh, he does crazy things, he laughs sometimes; it's more of a chuckle, but that's just the way he laughs. His soul room could not possibly reflect who he is, it simply didn't add up. 'There has to be at least one room that's pure, or at least decent enough to be in, without having to run away.

These are the thoughts that plagued his mind, as he stood at the door, curious. Wondering if Yami might actually have a room like that. He'd ask Yami, but how could he? Yami doesn't even understand his soul room himself. He took a deep breath, and twisted the door handle, ignoring the soft creak the door was making, as he crept into the room.

Just like Yami, he always felt a little guilty going into another's soul room, but his curiosity always outvoted his guiltiness.

Although he did understand how Yami felt when he didn't want to go into Yugi's soul room without permission. He respected his privacy, and Yugi respects his too. But not right now. Now it was time for investigation.

He took a step inside and saw that it was the same as before. A dark room with mazes, stairs and doors, with halls lit by a couple of torches. 'This is where he goes everyday,' Yugi thought as he took a look at his surroundings.

He started walking even further, wondering where Yami sleeps in here. He found himself at a random door and opened it. All he saw was darkness and silence. 'No Yami there,' he confirmed. He went on with for what seemed like hours until he opened one and saw Yami sleeping on his bed.

Yugi smiled watching him. The bed wasn't modern but Yami still slept peacefully. His facial expression is always so demanding and strict that when he sleeps, it's not there anymore. Yugi has always wondered what Yami could possibly be dreaming to make him look so innocent just laying there.

Yugi looks around the room. It's still dark, but a little lighter than before with candles sitting on ledges that are on the walls. His eyes wander to a door that he spotted in the corner, so he walked up to it. 'Hmm, I wonder what's in here,' he thought as he looked at the door.

He saw that the door was probably never opened before. Strange, seeing how Yami sleeps in that room every night, you'd think he would've opened that door by now. Yugi grabbed the handle and twisted it. He had to put a lot of force on it considering it was very hard to turn but he managed to get it to click.

He opened the door and gasps at what he sees. He sees the most beautiful, sparkled, golden room ever. It literally sparkled. Yugi had to almost cover his eyes because it was so bright.

He walked into the room, feeling very cleansed from the darkness outside. He took a better look around the room. He spotted a bed that was way better than the one Yami was currently sleeping on. It looked so soft. On the floor, there were lot's of toys scattered all around the bed.

He spotted a desk with books and papyrus that were used for drawing pictures. He knew that from the pictures that were drawn and scattered on the desk. Then it hit him. This room was almost exactly like his room. It held a light that Yugi wouldn't think Yami had in his soul room.

He pasted everything together and finally came to a conclusion. 'This was Yami's innocence. This room hasn't been discovered in so long, the darkness couldn't get to it,' he realized. This place was perfect for innocence to be put. It was beautiful. Yugi was even starting to get jealous seeing as how Yami's room sparkled and his didn't.

He spotted a ball of fuzz in the corner. Once again curiosity took over, so he went over to check it out. He saw that the fuzz started to move. Yugi looked closer to see two big eyes staring back at him. "Kuriboh!" Yugi shouted. The duel monster jumped up and nuzzled Yugi. "Kuri!" he said as he started bouncing around.

"What are you doing here? How'd you even get in here anyway? That door was practically blocked." Kuriboh stopped bouncing and pulled Yugi's sleeve asking him to move forward. They traveled to a certain corner in the room. Yugi saw that there was a crack big enough for Kuriboh to go through.

"Oh I see. You came through this crack in the room, and then you covered it up to prevent any of that darkness from getting through." Kuriboh yelped happily. "Okay, what are you doing here anyway?" Kuriboh looked up at him with big eyes. The two stared at each other for mere moments before Yugi realized something. "This is probably where you live isn't it?"

Kuriboh was always one of Yami's closest companions. He was more of Yami's innocence that came back to play with him. Innocence that Yami needed to remain content and sane. Yugi was the other half, but he has his own soul room. This room was Yami's own innocence but it hasn't been checked in a long time.

"Kuri!" Kuriboh answered happily. He started bouncing around again. Yugi looked around for a little while and occasionally played with some things until he decided it was time to go.

"I gotta go now Kuriboh." Kuriboh looked up at him with sad eyes. "I know you don't want me to, but we'll play later okay?" Kuriboh started bouncing around happily again. "Bye Kuriboh." He slammed the door accidentally which caused him to wince. That had caused Yami to stir.

He turned around and saw Yami sitting up and looking at him with tired eyes. "Aibou, what are you doing here?" he asked groggily. Yugi tried to think of something fast.

"Oh, just checking up on you!" he said while grinning sheepishly.

"Why are you by that door?" he asked as he pointed in that direction.

"Umm...well I...haven't you ever looked in this room before?"

"No, I can't open that door."

"What?" He showed the surprise on his face.

"I can't open it. See watch." Yami got up and walked towards the door. He tried to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge. He tugged on the door but it didn't work. "See?"

"Hmm, well I could open that door," Yugi mumbled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing! Umm, let me try." He tried to turn the handle, finding that he couldn't now. 'What the?' he thought as he started yanking on it harder. 'That's weird. I was able to open it before.' He stopped tugging it. "Do you know what's in there?"

"No I don't. I wish I did though." Yugi wondered if maybe it's able to open when Yami's asleep. Maybe it didn't want to show him yet so Yugi just kept quiet to himself. Besides, he doubt that it would be understandable right now.

"Oh, okay. I think I'm gonna go back to my soul room now. Sorry for disturbing you."

Yami yawned. "That's okay, you didn't. See you in the morning Yugi." He collapsed onto the bed and was fast asleep again.

Yugi smiled. "Goodnight Yami-chan. Hopefully someday, I can show you that room." He opened the door and walked out of the soul room, but not before hearing a childlike voice laughing throughout Yami's soul room. He smiled as he closed the door.

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Whew! Hopefully this one was better the second time. Review please?