Chao- It's more fun to write flashbacks and Yami angst then it is with this vague, fantasy aspect.
Yami- Well, gee, thanks for writing nothing but flashbacks and me being emo.
Chao- You're welcome.
"Talking"
"Thinking."
Chapter 11: Right Place, Wrong Reason
Yugi opened the family shop. He waited at the counter for people to come by. The day was not at all busy. He took out a game guide and read the print his eyes already had skimmed through hundreds of times. He glanced up when the tiny silver bell above the door rang. In the doorway stood a boy with thick, raven hair and metallic purple eyes.
"Hello." Yugi greeted with a smile. "Can I help you?"
"I was wondering if you had any single player games." the child said.
"Oh, sure." Yugi replied as he stepped away from his post.
He walked over to one of the bookshelves with many different display sets. He pulled down several activities, so the younger boy could see his options. Because the boy grew unsure of his decision, Yugi went ahead and took out the games from their cases.
The child grew surprised by this, but Yugi reassured him, "It'll be fine. Games are meant to be played with."
The two sat down for a joyous afternoon. It was easy since no one else came to the shop. Yugi was glad the young boy came along who had an interest in games. He could see he made the child happy.
He introduced himself warmly, "My name is Yugi. What's yours?"
"Mokuba," the boy answered.
"Well, Mokuba," Yugi began, "did you want to play some two-player games?"
"Yeah!" Mokuba replied with excitement.
The two played blissfully until it was time for Mokuba to leave. After a purchase was made, Yugi had invited back the child for more games and fun. The one with black hair agreed. When Mokuba left, Yugi began to lock up. He stopped for a moment and sighed.
His heart battled between mixed emotions. He was pleased he had some fun with someone new, but he was also glum about being alone in his house once more.
Xxx
With the grand power he had unlocked, Yami was given a new spell book. He discovered ones where he could transport himself quickly. He could also turn himself invisible, and he managed to learn new attack techniques. He tried them out in an open space far below the dark architecture he was kept in.
As he focused his energy, a symbol of a circle with four triangles glowed on the floor. His body and spirit were not accustomed to such a strong pull of his magic. He grew tired and took a seat on the ground.
Yami stared down at the Dark Stone morphed into a sword. He grew feel hollow inside. He was told he was needed here, but something was not right. He felt he was being used. He was in his current position because of what he had, not for who he was. Here, he was not loved, like he was when he was with his friends.
In the back of his mind, memories from where he actually was needed faded away.
Flashback
Yami stretched his arms with a grin as he walked down from the bathroom. He was content about the busy day the store had earlier, and he was glad he was useful in assisting costumers. It was the middle of the night, so he ensured himself to not disturb anyone else in the house. He paused seeing light shining underneath a door that belonged to Yugi's room.
"Hmm… I wonder if Yugi fell asleep with the lights on again," he mumbled to himself with a smile. In the past he would check on his friend and found him at his desk asleep while the top was covered in game pieces. Sometimes he would wake Yugi up and guide him to bed while other nights he would only place a blanket over him.
As Yami walked closer to the door, his ears picked up the sound of someone shuffling throughout the room. He wanted to confirm everything was all right, so he gently knocked on the door. He observed the noise behind the door stopped. He turned the handle and noticed it was not locked. Opening the door, he saw a wide awake Yugi.
"Is everything all right?" Yami asked with care.
The smaller boy glanced away. Fear lied in the back of his eyes. He attempted to hide it as he did not want to worry his friend.
"What's wrong?" Yami questioned with care as he stepped closer. Throughout the pass few nights, the small teen could be heard screaming, crying in pain and waking up others. When Yugi did not respond, the taller one asked concerned, "Did you have another nightmare?"
The younger teen shook. The vision he recently endured haunted him persistently. He tried to relax himself but was too frighten to do so on his own. Yami went up to his friend and pulled him closer. The two sat on the bed as the petite boy had calmed down since someone was with him.
"Everything will to be all right." Yami soothed. Back to when he was alone, he wished he had someone to talk about his dreams, nightmares, and any issues with someone. He always helped brighten up his friend whenever Yugi needed someone. He figured one reason the fright returned often was because the young one kept it to himself. Yami offered in a soft tone, "Do you want to talk about it?"
After some time passed, Yugi told his friend about his reoccurring nightmare. Someone was going to kidnap the younger one and harm him while the taller one was unable to assist unless he left him. The older boy listened politely. His own heart ached at the idea of being separated from someone so kind. He was glad this was only a horrific vision and not a part of reality.
"Feeling better?" Yami inquired with Yugi nodding his head.
The smaller one held on to his companion and said with a tiny smile, "Thank you."
The older boy smiled back. He glanced over towards the clock and noticed how late it was. He was about to leave and allow his friend to rest when he felt someone tugged on him. He looked down and saw Yugi did not want his close pal to leave.
"Please don't go." Yugi whispered forlornly as he shut his eyes.
Yami grew a bit surprised by the boy's reaction. He understood Yugi may still be afraid.
"Ok," the taller one agreed. "But I promise: I won't leave you. Not from anything or anyone. You accepted me for who I am, and I shall be forever grateful you did."
The two placed the covers over themselves with their backs against the headboard. Yugi placed his head on Yami's chest. Allowing the comforting pledge to enter his heart, he returned back to sleep with ease. Yami looked out the window and saw a full moon.
He couldn't help but smile.
He was actually needed and wanted by someone.
End Flashback
"I'm sorry, Yugi; it seems as though your nightmare came true," he mumbled.
He glanced out a small window and saw a crescent moon. He couldn't tell if the silver rock in the vast sky was growing or waning. He shook his head; the idea didn't matter.
He strolled down the long corridor with ease; he grew accustom to the mysterious place. The area reflected his heart, a dark and lonely place where magic dwelled. As much as he wanted to continue with his new life where he was trained, he didn't feel right.
He stopped and looked down at his sword once more. He had powers, magical strength he lost control over when his rage became too much for him to handle. His weapon gave him a reason to still be here. Yami shook his head. His mind and boss told him that, but his heart disagreed. He had been here against his will. His friends were harmed because of a man named Bakar.
Proceeding on his way silently, he hurriedly glanced into two different rooms. He spotted Kaiba unhappily go through the same game of chess over and over. He knew the teen longed to be with his brother once more. He also saw Mai sitting in her room alone with a distant, depressed look on her face. Even though she was told she belonged here, she was not satisfied with her location.
Yami looked at the Dark Stone once more. He wished he could do something. He wished he could take his weapon and slash Bakar. His chest tightened. There was a different spell placed on Yugi, a magical charm that could cost the innocent teen his life.
Yami sighed.
He told himself he wouldn't drown in the past any longer, even if it meant losing happiness.
Xxx
Yugi awoke with a startle. He panted with sweat dripping down his face as he sat up. Immediately clamping his eyes tightly as he gripped his shirt, he grunted in pain. Suddenly, his body turned cold. He disliked the feeling. The uncomfortable ache vanished in an instant, and he settled down. He took his sleeve and wiped off his sweat that had formed.
"What a horrible nightmare," he mumbled to himself. He placed one hand on his head. He looked around and noticed he was in his room. He sighed with relief, "Good, I'm still here instead of being chained in some dungeon."
After his recovery, Yugi stepped out of bed for his usual routine. There was no school today, and he had no other plans, so he worked his grandfather's shop. Because it was the weekend, a few more people came around. The costumers came in like waves. The morning was slow but the afternoon was packed.
Tea stopped by to see how everything was going. After some chat, she left to continue on with her errands. Yugi grew surprised when he saw Joey and Tristan enter the shop. The teen with blonde hair explained he wanted to buy a game for his younger sister. Yugi happily assisted. The two boys looked around and chose what they thought was good.
When the purchase was made, Joey commented out loud, "Hey maybe we should stop by again."
"You guys are always welcome here." Yugi replied, a tad shy.
As evening came around, the crowd died down once more. A smile grew over the teen's face when he saw a boy with black hair enter.
"Hey, Mokuba." Yugi greeted happily. "What's up?"
"I just came to look at some more games." Mokuab explained.
"Sure, there are still some we haven't played yet."
"Then let's get playing!"
Yugi took out a game board that required at least two people to play. The object of the game was to roll the dice and pass by any monsters and traps while on the way to the winner's circle. As the play field was being set up, the teen paused. He felt strange. He felt he was experiencing déjà vu. He didn't know why. He always had been by himself, and he only enjoyed these games with his childhood friend and grandfather.
He placed one hand on his heart.
"Yugi?" a voice called out.
"Huh? What?" the distant adolescent responded when he snapped back in.
"Are you ok?" Mokuba asked.
"Oh, yeah, peachy." Yugi replied as he tried to smile.
The two new friends began their little game.
Xxx
Yami walked down the spiral stair case towards the bottom of the prison he was kept. He carried with him his sword and spell book. There wasn't much more he could do other than train his powers. Reaching the end, he heard someone was already down there.
"That's odd," he mumbled. "Kaiba and Mai don't like it down here, and they are only around when they have to. Who else could it be?"
Yami glanced around and saw Bakar taking part in some sort of ritual. The adolescent formed an uneasy feeling. Rather than say he was here, he remained quiet. He vaguely spotted an evil smirk on the man. He decided to listen carefully.
"Yes!" Bakar bellowed with joy.
Cautiously hiding himself, Yami kept an eye on the mysterious man. Bakar grew a magic spell book into a giant screen in front of a large circle with four triangles inside. The text was blurry but reeked of something malicious. Yami took a few steps down the stairs while continuing to mask himself.
"This is the spell I have been looking for!" Bakar boasted. "The magical charm to keep me alive forever!"
Yami gasped. He had sensed this was not good. He listened closely.
"Everything is almost in place." Bakar gloated with greed. "All I really need now is that innocent soul I found."
"Innocent soul!" Yami gasped quietly. He knew the man had turned a glance towards his direction. He concealed himself and remained silent as best he could. His heart pumped with a harsh pressure.
Bakar ignored this and mumbled, "It's such a shame this can only be used with the aid of others. I wouldn't need any of these people if I was capable of doing this myself. However, it was nice I was drawn to Yami. Not only did he release the power of the Dark Stone, which has a magical liquid inside, but he also led me to the innocent one."
Yami's sharp orbs widen. He couldn't believe what he heard. He was brought here to train, not fulfill an evil purpose. He didn't have time to think. He heard someone coming his way. Shutting his eyes tightly, he gripped his sword and book with fear. He wished he was back in his room.
After the thought was made, the footsteps came to an end. Yami opened his pupils, and he saw he had returned to his room safely.
He dropped to his knees with his weapon and book falling. He was exhausted. He was also confused about what took place.
"This is truly odd." Yami mumbled tiredly. "One moment I was down in the chamber, and the next I'm in my room. What just happened?"
He stood up slowly and sat himself on his bed after nearly losing his balance. He placed one hand on his head. He couldn't believe what he heard: His boss was planning something horrific! He recalled the words the man had uttered. He was the one who helped lead him to finding someone who could be used as a sacrifice.
He thought about the people he knew. He thought about his friends. His chest tightened once more. He wanted to see them. Even though he had the ability to watch over them from a screen, it was not the same. He instead chose to lock himself away. He closed his eyes and thought about everyone.
The one who stuck out the most was Yugi, the teen with a kind heart.
The one who was worried about his friends even while he was in danger.
The one who tried to find the good in everyone.
Yami flashed his eyes opened. He gasped at his realization.
"Bakar is after Yugi!"
Yami needed help. He must stop Bakar before anything could take place. He already knew one of his teammates had a strong disliking of the villain already. Once he found the energy, Yami took off. He left his room and ran down the corridor. With ease, he found Kaiba's room. The tall, young adult was busy once more with his chess pieces.
"Kaiba!" Yami shouted.
"What," Kaiba asked annoyed.
"You must help!" Yami begged.
"With what?" the other adolescent questioned with little interest.
"It's Bakar!"
"What about him?"
"He's evil! He's planning something devastating! He must be stopped!"
"And why should I get involved?"
"Because he's about to harm some innocent people!"
"You have powers, you can control the Dark Stone, this is your problem!"
"I can't do this alone!"
"If you die, oh well. Someone else can always use the Dark Stone."
"All you do is play the same game over and over! Wouldn't you rather take action!"
"For what? Losing my life? Neither one of us are strong enough to face him. You're better off quitting."
The two grew furious; neither was willing to back down. Yami wouldn't give up though. He didn't want anyone harmed if something could be prevented. He didn't want Yugi to be hurt.
"And then what!" Yami bellowed with rage forming. "You already have an aversion towards him! Are you about to allow Bakar to do something worse to your brother!"
Kaiba became overwhelmed when his sibling was brought into the argument. He tackled the smaller one to the ground. Yami's stomach pressed against the cold floor with Kaiba leaning an elbow into his back. The taller one took hold of the smaller one's hands.
"Listen you," Kaiba whispered in a hash tone, "just because something happens to you and your so called friends doesn't mean anything will happen to my brother. I don't give a damn about those you know."
"Then why did you help me the first place?" Yami questioned, referring to the amnesia spell.
Kaiba loosened his hold for a moment but in a flash regained his strength, causing Yami to cry out a little. While erupting with anger, Kaiba informed firmly, "I only tried to ease you of that. If you plan to repay me with the loss of my brother, you better consider a different option. I will not have Mokuba harmed because of your stupid crap."
Believing he made his point clear, he set his opponent free.
Yami lied in his positioned for a while.
Kaiba walked out of the room.
The teen with gold bangs observed the atmosphere. Flames shot up, but when the brother of Kaiba was mentioned, the teen with brown hair appeared different. Yami struggled to stand up. The physical battle he fought drained some of his energy.
"Perhaps Bakar isn't my only adversary in this." Yami pondered. He recalled how strong the adolescent with icy eyes was. He easily took down Joey, a born street fighter. However, he wasn't about to allow either one of his teammates suffer any longer. He had empathy with both Kaiba and Mai.
He was once alone like the blonde woman. He allowed himself to grow cold and hate the world. If he had discovered his powers back then, he may have done some serious damage to people. Despite experiencing strong desire for revenge, he decided he would follow a different path after he met Yugi. Yami was curious if Kaiba had a different personality when around his sibling.
He walked down the hallway and saw Mai. He knew the woman had overheard the argument and fighting. He could only pray Bakar didn't know a thing just yet. He glanced over at the one with blonde hair.
"Where's Bakar?" Yami asked.
Mai crossed her arms as she replied, "He said he would be out getting some supplies."
Yami clinched his fists. He believed the man went out to gather material to complete the spell for eternal life. With every item found by that vile villain, Yami would have less time for his rescue mission.
"Just give up your idea." Mai discouraged after an uneasy silence.
"And why should I," Yami questioned. He had a good intention in his heart to not only rescue Yugi but Mai and Kaiba as well.
"Think about it." she began. "If you weren't here, then what would be of your powers?"
"Who needs them," Yami argued while trying to remain calm.
"Even if you don't want them, you're still stuck with them." she brought up. "If you weren't here with the proper training, what would have become of you and of them?"
"I may have never thought about using them."
"Oh, really? Just look at your rage."
Yami fell silent. His animosity had the better of him in past situations. He had wanted to implement revenge on people who have wronged him and the ones he cared about. Even by accident, he nearly allowed his anger to harm Mai when they first met. Yami grunted. He recalled he did have an issue, but he always tried to find a better solution after meeting Yugi. He remembered Bakar used the same formula to get him to stay and train.
"I won't give up." he mumbled as he walked away.
He was here for training for controlling his gift and curse. He did so at the cost of losing everyone important to him. He was aware Mai and Kaiba fell into the same trap. He had a burning desire to stop the insane villain after leaning what may happen to Yugi. Even though both Bakar and Yugi were connected, Yami was confident the man had some other tricks up his sleeve.
He had to do something.
He didn't know what.
To be continued…
Chao- One reason it took so long for chapters to come out was because of the villain. Chao didn't want something as boring and cliché as taking over the world. Having the idea of sacrificing a pure soul for eternal life seemed better and more interesting.
