Chao- This was one of the first fan fics that Chao has ever completed. The first one had a large gap between the Publication date and the Updated date, and there were always alterations happening right in the middle of it. So what differences are there in this version? Read to find out!
Disclaimer: DarkChao1663 does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Summary: Yugi hasn't been himself lately. Yami is concern. He's even more concerned when a villain from his past comes back to get revenge. Can Yami and friends save Yugi, or will Yugi even want to be saved?
Warnings: Minor swearing, themes of death
Parings: None
"Talking."
"Thinking."
/Yami and Yugi's mind link./
Chapter 1: I Only See You While Sleeping
The morning started out as a cool, autumn one. Many trees had their viridian leaves vanished, and some have even fallen to the ground, becoming vibrant colors and crunchy from a simple imprint of a foot. Grey clouds floated by while a chilled wind gently blew across the city. A very quiet morning urged students to not forsaken their warm, cozy beds.
"Yugi!" called out an adolescent's grandpa from the first story of their home. "You'd better get out of bed before you're late to school!"
The teen in his bed with unkempt orange sheets lied wide awake hearing the aged voice, but it sounded more like a solid hum. His mind was greatly occupied by something else, a deep impression that happened once long ago but did not feel at all real. The influence appeared more like a dream he longed to go back to, keeping an emotion alive, closely holding an important thought he never wanted to release.
/Yugi, you'd better do what your grandpa says./ the spirit of the Puzzle advised.
/I know./ Yugi answered plainly as he sat up and exited his mattress.
He went on his way from his bedroom, down a hall, and into the bathroom. He took his time showering and brushing his teeth. He came out wearing his school uniform. Entering back to his room while avoiding abandoned clothes on the messy ground, he grabbed his brown bag off his metal folding chair and his prize possession from his desk covered in school papers and Duel Monsters action figures. He slowly placed a golden upside down pyramid around his neck. He looked at it for a moment, focusing on all the pieces that connected together, all the parts he spent time with that eventually became whole.
Knowing he had class to attend, Yugi walked down the stairs and into the compact kitchen. His grandpa was sitting on a dinning chair reading the newspaper while having a cup of black coffee. Solomon looked from his daily rag and noticed his grandson seemed bemused. The small teen looked at the door with loss in his eyes. He observed his grandson treading towards the door to place on his shoes like a zombie.
"Yugi, are you feeling ok?" he asked with concern. He understood school could be tough, and waking up to a chilly morning was never easy, but he sensed something was different from his typically upbeat and optimistic grandchild.
"Hmm?" Yugi looked up from putting on his footwear. "Oh…Yeah, I'm fine."
The boy headed for the door, but he still seemed in some sort of daze.
"Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" the elderly man questioned.
"I'm not hungry." his grandson replied softly as he stepped outside. "I'll see you after school. Bye, Grandpa."
The autumn wind brushed up against a sapphire uniform. The small teen walked down the cement path paved with leaves of various dull colors. Lost in his world he did not notice someone was watching him with concern, sincerely observing his out of character actions and attitude. No smile was seen on the youthful, round face. His violet irises neglected to sparkle with innocence and fun. There was only emptiness.
/Yugi, are you feeling all right?/ Yami asked.
Yugi sighed wistfully.
Yami waited anxiously for his answer.
/Yeah, I just don't think I had a good enough sleep./
/Really? You seemed fine last night. You were not tossing to find a comfortable position, and you went to bed at your typical set time. And even when you are this tired, you still proceed to gripe about school but look forward to seeing your friends./
Yugi did not hold an answer to that.
Despite his genuine concern, Yami did not want to push his light, so he remained hidden within the Puzzle.
Yugi journeyed the rest of his way to school was in silence.
The day proceeded as a long, quiet one at Domino High School. Dull days like those drag on for an eternity with students' concentration skills put to the test. As usual, Joey's and Tristan's names have been called on numerous occasions by teachers annoyed at them nodding off during class or whispering to one another, believing their conversation was far of greater importance than a lecture. In contrast, good boys and girls who are prepared for anything rarely had their names called for their misbehavior; Tea shook her head at their nonsense.
Yugi, a student who fell in between each category, looked out the window and watched crumpled leaves blow where ever the wind engaged them, like a director to actors. Soft, white, clouds floated by gently with many shaped like circus animal that would make any child laugh in delight.
"Mr. Muto, will please pay attention!" ordered the strict English teacher as she smacked Yugi's desk with a long, brown ruler.
The teen jumped at the sound of the crack. He then remembered where he was; he was a student in the middle of a lecture. All his classmates stared at him with a few giggling as he grew a bit red.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied softly as he returned to his uninteresting textbook filled with tedious exercises. He did not wish to have any more attention drawn to him for the rest of his lectures, so he kept to himself the rest of his academic day.
Yami watched his friend from within, but he held no responses to give. He allowed his buddy to concentrate on his studies.
With classes completed for the day, Yugi's friends were ready to relax.
"Man, Yug, if you're gonna space out, then at least know which class you can do it in!" Joey informed with his usual grin displaying.
"And this is coming from the guy who sleeps in almost every class," Tristan cracked.
"You keep quiet!" yelled an angry blonde.
"Or what!?"
"Come on guys, let's do something fun before you knuckle heads tear each other apart." Tea ordered annoyed.
As the competition between the tough males fared, Yugi had already gathered his materials and walked his way to the door.
"Hey Yug, don't you want to get some food or go to the arcade and play some games?" Joey asked when he noticed his group suddenly missed one member.
The small teen turned his head towards his friends and replied quietly, "Actually, I need to get home to help Grandpa with the game shop."
"Ok." Joey replied.
"See you tomorrow," Tea said.
"Yeah." Yugi nodded as he walked away.
He left the school entombed within his own thoughts. He walked down from his rambunctious school into a park nearby. A playground was covered with young children crawling every inch of the brightly colored metal bars. A few benches with gum underneath carried some parents with newly born babies. Joggers in tight, neon outfits raced across the pavement while young adults in loose clothing gathered underneath trees to discuss books and to play guitar.
Yami knew his partner did not normally take this path, especially alone.
/Yugi, I thought you said you needed to assist your grandpa./ he brought up bemused.
Yugi sighed sitting underneath a vacant tree that still maintained its viridian leaves. He had spent the day with speaking very little. No one is his group voiced their concern with his lack of participation, and a part of him was grateful for that. He could not bear to destroy their smiles and their relaxed hearts just for his sake.
He responded slightly hurt, /Yami, I… I know I shouldn't lie to my friends, but I needed some time away from everything./
The spirit at first assumed his partner was still weary from his so called lack of sleep, but now he wondered if something deep dwelled on the teen's mind.
/Is there something wrong, Yugi?/ he questioned with care.
There was a moment of silence.
The young teen debated what actions to follow. A problem did lie in his heart. He wondered if he should at least give a little information for advice.
/Well, I've had a lot of things on my mind and…/
He stopped again. He was trying to uncover the correct words to dispatch his cause which resulted in him acting in his unusual manner. But this was a predicament he had always kept to himself, captive in his own heart.
Yami surmised his light was bearing a tough time, and being a good friend he wanted to be there. He reminded his lighter half gently, /Yugi, you know you can tell me anything, right?/
Yugi looked up seeing his friend in his transparent state. Yami carried a gentle smile, one that always made Yugi feel better and unperturbed. He only saw the formal ruler smile when trouble was not about. The words his partner spoke held truth; he did trust him.
The teen swallowed hard and opened with, "I… I had this dream last night and—"
He was interrupted by a strong, evil laughter. He immediately stood up and searched for the location of the cackle.
"Who's there!?" he shouted. He only saw the branches and shrubs sway from the wind. He could not risk being prey, so he stood his ground.
"I've finally found you, Pharaoh!" an arrogant voice called out.
Within those lines, a chill struck Yugi's spine. "What does this guy want with the pharaoh?"
"Yugi! Let me take over!" Yami directed with concern.
Yugi nodded and allowed his friend to govern his body. He did not view the instructions as strict commands, for he knew of the pattern pertaining to danger that came with his responsibilities of bearing the Puzzle. Although he would not be in control, he remained by his partner's side.
The spirit came out, prepared to take on whatever threat had found its way to him and his friend. With his head held high and his eyes on the lookout, he ordered to the unknown enemy, "Show yourself!"
"As you wish!" the same voice replied stoutly.
A huge white smoke exploded several feet from the young adult. Yami could not directly see into the sudden smoke, but he remained still with eyes observing the spot. As the smoke cleared, there stood Yami and Yugi's adversary. His bronze skin highlighted his muscles, and his short hair was brown. A scar on one cheek desecrated his young face.
"Who are you!?" Yami demanded.
"My name is Akana," the man stated. "I'm here to get my revenge on you!"
"Excuse me?!" Yami shouted.
"I'm here to make you pay for all the pain you'd put me through! Five-thousand years ago you had to take the souls of your people in order to save your own! You took away my son and wife!" Akana wasted no time in unfolding his backstory. His facial expression fully displayed his hatred towards the man who once wore a crown.
"What?! I would never do such a thing!" Yami yelled assured, unable to comprehend the situation. His past was buried in time, as were his memories. He questioned, "How could you have live throughout the ages and know I was the ruler at the time?"
"Shut your mouth! I've been hidden within this coin, but my hatred is just as fresh." The man held up a small, faded, gold coin. It did not appear to be special, but it did hold the mysterious eye found on the Millennium Items. "Now, before I can actually have the honor of destroying you, I must first make you suffer, like I have."
He had a wicked plot to unleash, so he wasted no more time. He raised his fist into the air and chanted some ancient language.
Yami immediately pick up a few words, understanding what was being said yet not fully knowing how he was familiar with them. He was powerless to resist. He felt a strange sensation over his borrowed body. Gazing down towards himself, he noticed his form glowing.
"What's going on?!" he shrieked.
A sharp pain stroked through his entire system. He cried out in agony, and his view went entirely black.
After a split second of being unconscious, he found himself on the ground trying to regain his vision. His body felt sore, and a great pain lied in his heart, like something was missing.
/Yugi, are you all right?/ he asked his friend. He always cared about his buddy's wellbeing, and he always ensured his safety even in battle.
He received no response from the other end.
/Yugi!/ Yami yelled louder while trying to employ his mind link. He realized he could no longer feel his light. He struggled to stand up, hearing the insane laughter of the villain once more.
"Yami!" an innocent voice cried out.
Yami grew bewildered. The voice raged from a distance rather than his mind. He looked up, and his eyes widened in terror: Akana was holding Yugi by his collar with a strong grip, a brace becoming tighter, making breathing for the teen difficult.
"Ya… mi…" Yugi choked with fear. His feet did not touch the bottom, so he had no ground to stand on.
"Yugi!" Yami bellowed. His protective instincts gained control, and he at once sprinted towards his enemy. He wanted to tear off the limb from the man who imprisoned his buddy.
The man could not allow his enemy to take control of a situation he made after waiting for years. To gain back the upper hand, he tightened his control on Yugi, causing the boy to yell in agony.
Yami at once stopped his tracks, knowing his partner was in danger.
"I can do much more than just this, Pharaoh," Akana smug, aware of the pharaoh's weakness.
"What do you want," Yami demanded, bearing no ill will to come to his partner.
Anger built within him looking straight into his foe's fierce eyes. His entire shoulders solidified. He switched his view towards his partner and lowered them: The boy was trembling, and a look of full terror was across his innocent face.
Akana yelled out, "What I said before—my revenge!"
He chanted a magical spell once again.
A great gust of wind knocked Yami from his enemy. The cards from his pocket scattered. He placed his hand in front of his face to block the oncoming lashes of air. The air stung his form and whipped against his hair. Through his fingers he noticed Akana's fist radiating with an eerie sunglow.
"That's step one." the villain mumbled. "Now onto to step two. Let us see who little Yugi holds dearly in his heart."
He took his fist and jammed it right into Yugi's chest.
Despite the terrible throbbing, the young boy couldn't cry out in pain as the clinched hand slowly and painfully entered his body. As his eyes expanded in agony, he felt as though he was stabbed with a thousand knives into the center of his chest. With the fist deepening, more pain rushed into him, but strangely enough different memories entered his mind.
A picture of his friends went by.
Then his grandpa.
Some images of his greatest rivals flew in and out.
Finally one of his folks came into view.
Yami watched in horror as his partner bore through all the torture. Snatching a card lying on the ground nearby, he summoned a monster, Celtic Guardian. An elf the size of an adult human appeared. He wore a green armor, a blue cape, and a pair of brown pants. In his holster was a large sword.
"Celtic Guardian! Attack!" Yami ordered fiercely.
The loyal creature charged with his sword. Taking a dynamic swing, his affliction was blocked by an invisible force. He found he could not enter.
"There must be some sort of magical barrier!" Yami concluded as his eyes enlarged.
Akana slowly removed his fist from Yugi's chest.
The teen gasped in pain as the sensation barged through his body, mostly in his heart. His entire form stiffened with agony, as though he had dropped from a great height.
"Now I have what I needed." Akana smirked with pleasure. Placing his index finger on Yugi's forehead, he chanted again.
Yugi felt a sudden shock exploded throughout his body, but he then relaxed. He strained himself looking into Akana's face, struggling to keep his eyes open, but the act was vigorous. His eyes grow heavier and heavier with each second passing, like an unendurable weight was placed into each eyelid. Everything around him darkened, and all sounds turned into a hum.
Akana was now holding an almost limp body.
"Now my plan is in motion." he crackled with pleasure.
Yami only watched all in terror, unable to help out his dear friend.
"Here's your precious treasure back!" Akana yelled as he threw the small body halfway between him and Yami.
Yami ran towards his partner and managed to grab him in time. Both bodies dropped to the ground.
Akana disappeared in a mist, vowing, "I'll be back soon!"
Yami knelt by Yugi and held his limp upper body. He could not feel his lighter half since somehow they were separated. He did not know what to do, but he must ensure that his partner was well. He placed Yugi gently on the ground and positioned one ear on the teen's chest. A heartbeat pounded at a normal rate. He then looked at Yugi's chest to see if it was rising and falling, which it was. His face was clear of any cuts or bruises, and his complexion was normal. The young boy appeared at an easy rest.
"Ok, so he can breathe, and he still has a heartbeat." Yami observed with relief. He tightened his fists as he questioned, "But what happen? What did Akana do, and what does he want?"
Xxx
Yugi wandered around to what seem to be the park he was in earlier. The only difference was that all the trees had green leaves on them and the sky out was clear and blue.
"Where am I?"
To be continued…