Disclaimer. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
The next day, at school, three friends crowded around an empty desk. One thing wasn't just like always that day at school. Anzu was confused. Honda was annoyed. And Yugi was worried. Jonouchi was missing. He hadn't turned up at school. Honda started yelling. "We gotta solve the case of the missing Jonouchi!" Anzu giggled. "What are you? A detective?" Honda glanced at her before resuming his rant. "You people might not believe me but...Jonouchi has never missed a day of school! Never! He always gets an A+ in Physical Education." Then he sighed. 'Although he always flunks his other classes. How is he still in school?'
Yugi frowned, staring at the empty desk. "This...is the first time Jonouchi's missed school." Then he closed his eyes, muttering. /Do you know where he could have gone Other self?/ A long pause. Yugi waited for an answer. /Well. There could be multiple reasons. And many places he could have gone to...you say he's never missed a day at school?/ /Yeah./ Yugi could imagine Yami inwardly shrugging. /Sorry. I can't offer you much help. I'm just as confused as you are...oh. Your friends are talking to you./ Yugi blinked, coming back to reality. "Hey. You in there? I was just suggesting we go to his house. Maybe he's sick." Yugi nodded. "Oh. Right. Yes. Of course." Honda shook his head, glancing out the window. 'This is a bad idea...' Yugi packed up his bags and they left the school, walking down the street, following Honda.
"I know where his place is. Come on." Anzu tried texting Jonouchi on her phone, but got no response. Yugi felt uncomfortable with the silent walk, so he tried making small talk. "So Honda...you've been friends with Jonouchi since middle school?" Honda nodded, walking in a straight line, his face furrowed with worry. "Yeah. I've only been to his place once. We're here." They had reached a large apartment. "If I remember correctly he's on the third floor." They walked in, taking the elevator. Yugi decided to ask another question. "So? What was it like when you visited?" Honda stiffened. "You'll find out." Anzu tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Honda just shook his head. "Just wait." Yugi gulped. "I don't like where this is going." The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. They walked along the rows of doors until Honda pointed at the one at the end of the hall. "That's it." Yugi noticed how stiff Honda walked as he went up to the door. "You guys might want to stand back a bit." Anzu backed up. Yugi was already away from the door. Honda lifted his hand, and rapped on the door. There was no answer. So Honda opened the door.
An alcoholic bottle was thrown towards him, and Honda ducked, the bottle smashing into pieces against the door. A loud, rather disoriented voice sounded. "HEY YA ASS! YOU'RE FINALLY HERE! IT'S BEEN TWO WHOLE DAYS! GET IN HERE! IMMA TEACH YOU A LESSON!" Honda closed the door, turning back towards the other two. "See what I mean now?" They nodded and together they left the apartment, pondering their next course of actions.
Honda sighed, pinching his nose. "That was Jonouchi's dad. He's been like that forever. That's why Jonouchi never invited his friends over. It was too dangerous." Anzu frowned. "His dad said Jonouchi has been missing for two days. We should look for him." Yugi nodded. "Agreed." Honda glanced back at the apartment before stalking off, Anzu and Yugi following behind. They scoured the city, searching for any sign of their friend. The sun sank behind the tall buildings, the sky growing darker. Yugi sighed. "Jonouchi." Honda turned to look at him. "I'll keep looking. You two go home."
Anzu made a noise of agreement, putting a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find him." Yugi didn't say anything. As they started for home, a loud voice shouted. "HEY!" They turned back, seeing a bunch of shady people surrounding a man. One of them spoke. He had weird glasses on and a green cap. All of them were smoking cigarettes. The green capped one grabbed the man's suit by the neck, shaking him. "Fgghin step on my foot? Why dontcha look where ya going?" The man stuttered. "I'm s-sorry..." The green capped one spoke again. "What're you gonna give to me to forget about it?" The gang started kicking the man.
Honda looked away. "Their from Rintama school. You can tell by their uniform. Come on. Let's forget about them. They're nothing but bad news." He was about to walk away when Yugi tugged on his sleeve. "Look! It's Jonouchi!" Honda immediately became more alert as he looked to where Yugi was pointing. Sure enough, Jonouchi was standing on the sidelines, staring down at the man. Honda growled, shaking his fists. "Why is Jonouchi hanging out with punks like them?"
Some other gang member spoke to Jonouchi. "Come on. I know a good place to hang out. It's called J.Z. You'll like it." They started walking. Yugi ran towards them, feeling slight alarm from within him. "Jonouchi!" The gang turned towards him. Jonouchi didn't look at Yugi. Yugi started bombarding his former friend with questions. "Why are you with someone like them? Why'd you skip school?" The green capped guy took a whiff of his cigarette. "Ya know this kid Jonouchi?" The blond shrugged. "Nah. Never seen him. Let's go..."
Yugi stepped fowards. "Wait! Jonouchi!" A tall man with a ponytail and a smug face smirked. "You're too nice Jonouchi. Don't tell me that kids like him follow you around back at Domino High. You've gotten too soft. You should've came with us right from the beginning." Honda blinked. 'That man. He's Hirutani! But why is he back with Jonouchi now?"
Yugi shouted at Jonouchi, tears forming in his eyes. "Come back with us!" Multiple warning bells sounded in his head, and Yugi knew that Yami was the one who sent them. /Not now./ /But.../ Yugi shoved him away, staring fiercely at Jonouchi.
The boy with the glasses and green cap frowned. "Hirutani! That kid's getting on my nerves. Jonouchi said he doesn't know him." Hirutani shrugged. "Keh." The green capped boy swung his fist at Yugi, hitting him in the face and knocking him down. Jonouchi turned towards the man, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Yugi struggled to stand in the haze of pain he was in. /Yugi! Speak to me!/ /I'm...fine. No amount of beating shall ever hurt me as much as what Jonouchi is deciding to do with his life right now./ /Yugi.../ Anzu rushed fowards, helping Yugi up. Honda glared at Jonouchi. "How could you let that happen?!" Jonouchi turned away, gritting his teeth.
The green capped man chortled. "Heh heh. Who said you could talk to Jonouchi?" Yugi struggled up, Anzu supporting him. She turned her fierce stare upon Jonouchi. "You're the worst." Honda backed up her words. "What is wrong with you Jonouchi?" The blond didn't answer, walking away with the gang. Anzu guided Yugi to a bench, Honda trailing behind. She rummaged in her purse, bringing out a Kleenex. She started dabbing up the blood on his cheek. Yugi winced.
Honda paced back and forth beside the bench, muttering. Anzu glanced at him. "Who were those people?" Honda didn't stop pacing as he answered. "You see, Jonouchi was in a gang in middle school. There was a time when all he wanted to do was fight against other gangs. He lived for fights, causing him to build up quite a record. They almost sent him to jail. That...was when he was with Hirutani. The guy you saw with the ponytail. I used to hang out with Jonouchi all the time. I used to look up to him. He used to look out for the younger guys. Never picked on the weak. But now...I can't understand. What's his deal? Maybe he's not coming back..."
Yugi gazed at him. "Honda..." He glanced down at his puzzle, and wrapped his hands around it, the metal slightly warm to the touch. He could feel the artifact hum in response. 'Yes...it's because of my puzzle that I made friends with Jonouchi. Back when I noticed one piece was missing, Grandpa gave me the last piece, saying it was from a friend. Now I know that Jonouchi had stolen the piece but had given it back. Yeah. I believe the real Jonouchi's still there.'
He glanced at Honda. "Jonouchi hasn't changed. He couldn't have. Let's go find him!" Honda blinked at him, before smiling slowly. "Yeah. Let's go." Anzu stepped towards them. "I'll come too! Let's go get him back!" They all cheered and headed off.
"There has to be a reason for this." Honda said to no one in particular. Anzu pulled up a map on her phone. "They said J.Z right? It's this way!" After awhile they reached a staircase leading downwards. Some neon lights flickered above, spelling the letters J.Z. The sound of footsteps echoed on the stairs, and Honda shooed at Yugi and Anzu. They hid behind a building, while Honda walked a bit aways, waiting. A man walked out, muttering to himself. "Damn. Where am I gonna find those weird foreign cigarettes Hirutani keeps yapping about?" Honda stalked him from a distance, a scowl on his face. Yugi and Anzu watched with bated breath.
Honda stepped in front of him. "Yo." The man reeled back. "Huh? What a-are..." Honda didn't give him a chance to react. He grabbed the man's shirt near the neck and lifted him up. "Now. Why is Jonouchi hanging out with you guys from Rintama? Spill it!" The man shrugged. "I dunno." Honda shook him fiercely. "Speak now or you're dead!" The man yelped. "Aiieee! Ok. I get it. I'll talk."
Hirutani leaned against a counter, smoking his cigarette. "I'm glad you joined us Jonouchi. Let's have fun. For old times sake. Heheh." The green capped man smirked. "We'll make everyone recognize us all over Tokyo." Jonouchi turned towards him, glaring. The man blinked. "Huh? What is it? Something on my face?"
The man blabbered, telling Honda all he knew. "Hirutani's been bringing in his old friends to expand the gang's turf. Even Jonouchi...but he refused at first. But Hirutani was too smart to stand for that. So he gave Jonouchi a warning. Heheh. That punk went white as a sheet." Honda glared at him, shaking him a bit more. "Keep talking." The man sweated. "Aha...yes. So anyways. Hirutani said if Jonouchi didn't join our gang he'd beat up all the kids in his Domino High class one by one. When he heard that..."
*Bang!*
Honda glanced towards J.Z. "What was that?"
Jonouchi had slammed his hands on the table, finally speaking what was on his mind. "No way. I'm not letting this pass." He strode over towards the green capped guy, punching him straight up in the face. The man coughed and flew backwards. "NO WAY AM I LETTING YOU GET AWAY WITH HURTING MY FRIEND!" Hirutani laughed darkly. "Heheh. Jonouchi. I'm glad to see the old look back in your eyes. Too bad it's aimed at us." He turned towards his goons. "Hold him down! Jonouchi need an attitude lesson!" They all crowded around him. Jonouchi raised his fists. "Come at me!"
Honda knocked the man unconscious, turning towards his two waiting friends. "You hear those noises? They're fighting. Jonouchi is probably rebelling against them." Yugi smiled. 'I knew Jonouchi hasn't changed!' Anzu raised her fist in the air. "Let's go save him!" "YEAH!"
End of chapter ten part one.