It is the same setting he is always in whenever he has these dreams. A dark desert. In the middle of nowhere. No signs of life. Only darkness. He can practically hear the beating sounds of his heart loud in his ear, anxiously waiting. What will this dream be about now? How much more will 'they' torment him?
Voices echo around him, saying the same exact thing varying from:
"You are not worthy of its power."
Or
"You are weak."
Atem looks around in all directions, trying to remain calm and appear calm at the same time. He knows the moment they sense his fear…
A trickle of sweat goes down his temple.
"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY!"
A net gets tossed on him, throwing him to the ground and he squirms like a fish out of water, trying to break free. Numerous shadows appear around him with red glowing eyes, glaring down on him. He is defenseless against their merciless attacks, taking blows to the head, abdomen and back. He bites his lower lips to keep his cries of pain from ringing out. It would only fuel them more.
He feels himself going in and out of consciousness. If he succumbs here, would he perish in real life? It is a question that always goes through his mind whenever the shadows torture him mercilessly like this.
With blood trickling down his face, he shuts his eyes and yells from the top of his lungs. "ENOUGH!"
Shooting up in bed with pearls of sweat on his face, he breathes heavily after having yet another nightmare. His eyes first go to the ceiling fan in his bedroom that blows cool air on his bare upper body. Then he turns his sights go down to the spot next to him where the Millennium Puzzle sits in a golden case.
Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath to calm himself down. What he experienced just now was only a dream. None of the wounds or injuries that were inflicted on him are here in reality. He looks over to where Mana normally lays, but she isn't there. He assumes she is preparing Cairo for her first day at her new school after they traveled back home in the city last night. He swings his feet out of bed and walks out of the room, heading down the stairs.
The light from the sun shines through the shear living room curtains and a soft breeze blows through the cracked window. It is silent with no trace of Mana or Cairo anywhere. He walks into the kitchen and his eyes land on his phone. Realizing he has a text message from Mana, he promptly opens it. According to her message, she tried unsuccessfully to wake him up and decided to let him sleep in since he seems to be going through a lot of stress. He wonders if she is still mad at him for not opening up to her. It wouldn't be surprising to him if she starts to give him the silent treatment.
He notices another text from his brother Yugi, who urges him to see their grandfather regarding his recent issues and concerns with the puzzle. Ultimately he decides not to respond and he sets the phone back down with a sigh.
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"So what if I'm giving him the silent treatment?" Mana says to Téa as they walk down the sidewalk after dropping their daughters off at school. "He's my husband. We're supposed to be a team and he's hiding things from me. If the shoe were on the other foot, you know he wouldn't have it."
"You have a point there."
"Don't get me wrong," she folds her arms. "I'm all for giving someone space, but when is enough, enough? I'm worried about him, Téa. And I just wish he'd let me help him or at least tell me what's really going on."
Téa sighs and shakes her head. "Well that's the Mutou's for you. Always insisting on doing things on their own."
"It's annoying," Mana huffs.
"Agreed." She puts her hands behind her back and looks up to the sky. "How do you think the girls will do on their first day at a new school?"
"I'm sure they'll be fine. As long as Cairo doesn't break anything," she chuckles. Like her, Cairo is a magician as well. When she first started practicing it a few years ago, she became obsessed with a certain spell that granted an incredible amount of physical strength. It was the first spell Cairo mastered. But she had used the spell so many times that it somehow became permanent. "Yufi seemed very excited."
Téa nods. "Yeah, I think she's ready to finally do something other than staying home and keeping herself entertained." They stop at an intersection waiting for the light to change in their favor. "So what are your plans for today?"
"I'm headed to Kaiba Corp."
Téa tilts her head. "Why there? To watch the guys?" she asks, referring to the fact that Yugi and Atem work there. On top of being professional duelists for a living, they also mentor and train new duelists how to play the game of Duel Monsters. Outside of the game, the two brothers can also summon real duel monsters to aid them whenever evil arises.
Mana shakes her head, grinning. "Nope! Kaiba just finished that new training room for Kisara in the basement and Kisara wants me to help her test it out!"
"Oh…" Téa dims her eyes with disappointment.
"It's supposed to be sound proof and all, so no one will know we're down there blowing stuff up! Which is great because I need to blow off some much needed steam..."
"Well…I guess I'll just hang out at the duel arena then."
"You sure? There's a safe place where you can watch us!"
"No thanks. You and Kisara tend to get a little carried away." Typically she wouldn't mind going to watch them, but lately it has become old to her. She wishes they would do things that all of three of them can do. But even when they do, it always ends with them competing or sparring with each other.
Oblivious to how Téa is feeling, Mana shrugs her shoulders. "Suit yourself! To Kaiba Corp. we go!"
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In a busy hallway, students of various ages converse with each other while preparing for their first class. Cairo leans on a red locker with her eyes closed and arms crossed wearing a red pleated skirt with black shorts underneath, a white blouse and matching red tie. Yufi wears her uniform similarly except she opts to wear long dark socks that reaches her knees and no shorts.
Yufi is optimistic. Even with it being a new school that they're attending, she holds out hope that they will be accepted and fit in nicely. Her cousin on the other hand, seems indifferent, only going with the flow and seemingly not caring how things will go at their new school.
"Lighten up a bit, Cairo," Yufi says as they takes their seats side by side in the classroom. "We're not gonna make any friends if you look mean all the time." As opposed to her being more of a people person, Cairo is usually more apathetic and introverted.
"So what do you want me to do?" Cairo asks, gazing out the window with a bored expression, resting her chin on her hand.
"Look more lively like you wanna be here!"
"I don't wanna be here."
Yufi slaps her forehead and groans. She pulls out a deck of cards and places them on her desk, thinking out different duel strategies to pass the time. Ever since she can remember, she has always had a huge interest in the game of Duel Monsters. She guesses it's only natural with who her father is.
"Into Duel Monsters?" a harsh sounding voice asks. She lifts her head to two boys standing in front of her desk. One boy has turquoise hair, blue eyes and yellow glasses with a beetle in the middle while the other boy standing next to him dawns a red beanie that covers his brown and purple dyed hair.
Yufi smiles and nods. "I love it! Do you play too?"
The boy brown and purple hair tips his hat with a smirk. "Of course we do! And we're the best of the best."
"We're?" The boy with glasses asks with disbelief. "Rex here is more of an arcade gamer. I, Weevil Underwood, am the best duelist there is." Rex side eyes him and Yufi chuckles.
"What's so funny?" Rex asks.
"You can't say you're the best of the best if you haven't dueled me," Yufi replies. A small group of their classmates, overhearing the conversation, begins to surround them as Weevil digs into his pocket to get his deck.
"Is that a challenge?" Weevil pulls up a chair and they both begin to shuffle each other's decks.
Yufi notes the beetle glasses on Weevil. "Let me guess. You're into bug types."
"And you must be into pretty little fairies," Weevil assumes mockingly, drawing his five cards.
Yufi smiles innocently. "They may be pretty. But when paired with a great strategy, they can be unstoppable."
Cairo looks over lazily and sighs. "This won't take long…"
Ten Minutes Later…
Weevil clenches his hair after a humiliating defeat as their classmates cheer Yufi on. He is shocked that he lost so easily to someone that literally just popped up to their school. And a girl at that.
"Good game, Weevil," she says to which he growls.
Rex snickers. "Dude, you lost to a—" Weevil elbows him before he can finish that statement, already feeling embarrassed as it is. He watches as his classmates crowd around her, enthusiastically asking her questions to which she happily answers.
"What's your name?" one of them asks.
"I'm Yufi Mutou. And that…" she points to her cousin who leans on her hand. "…is my cousin Cairo Mutou."
Weevil and Rex's jaws both drop to the floor after they reveal their names. Some of their classmates have also seem to have recognized the last names as well and their excitement only grows.
"Their fathers are the top duelists in the world!" Rex says with shock. "It's no wonder you lost!"
"Shut up! My father is a top duelist too!" Weevil snaps.
"Yeah, but not as good as theirs."
Weevil growls and resists the urge to elbow his friend again.
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"You have that look again," Yugi says, sitting next to his brother in the stands as they watch a duel by two of their students.
Atem doesn't reply, only hunching forward with his fingers interlocked and partially covering the bottom half of his face, appearing focused on the duel. What look is his brother even referring to anyway? Why is he even studying his facial expression to begin with?
Yugi shakes his head and looks over as Téa comes to join them. She plants a kiss on Yugi's lips and he groans. "Not in front of my students Téa," he whines, his cheeks turning red a little and she giggles.
"Sorry. I always forget." She looks over to Atem and raises an eyebrow before looking back at Yugi. "He's got that look again."
This time Atem glances over at her, feeling a bit irritated at this point. "What exactly is 'that look' you two keep referring to?" he asks.
Téa opens her mouth to speak, only for Yugi to stop her and shake his head, advising her not to. Atem is one to keep his composure, so when he visibly looks bothered by something, it's only a matter of time before something sets him off.
"I wish I could have joined you to drop the girls off at school," Yugi says, changing the subject. "But I didn't want to cause a scene with my appearance."
"I'm sure the 'secret' is already out. Either the teacher had them introduce themselves by full name or Yufi has already revealed it or both," Téa assumes. "Besides, I hear they have a few field trips coming up and one of them is here. So it was only a matter of time."
Yugi's eyes widen. "Seriously?"
"You seriously haven't even looked at the school's schedule for her class have you?"
He blushes and rubs the back of his head. "Well uh…" She grunts and he chuckles nervously, trying to find another subject for them to discuss. "Where's Mana?" He cringes when that name rolls off his tongue and hesitantly looks over at Atem, who hasn't reacted at all and continues to monitor their students' duel.
Téa pauses before replying. "Apparently Kaiba made a training room for Kisara that's in the lower level of this place and Mana was gonna help her test it out to let off some steam." Atem's eye twitches at the 'let off some steam' statement. There's no doubt that he is the reason for that.
"You're not gonna go watch?" Yugi asks and Téa slumps back into her seat, sighing.
"No. Seeing them go at it can get so old sometimes. I wish they can do normal things without having to spar or turn everything into some sort of competition."
"Well, they aren't normal Téa."
She rolls her eyes. "Yes, I know."
"Have you ever told them? They probably don't know that you're feeling like this."
"No, I haven't. But you're right. I shouldn't beat around the bush." Téa sets her sights on Atem again. "Speaking of beating around the bush…"
"I'm aware that I haven't been completely open to Mana," Atem says, now sitting up straight and folding his arms, still avoiding eye contact.
"Look, I know you like to handle things on your own because you don't want her to worry…" She side eyes Yugi. "…because Yugi has a habit of doing that too. But by doing that, you're literally making her worry. You have to talk to her."
Atem sighs. "I know…And you're absolutely right. But she's probably giving me the silent treatment right now."
"Take her out to dinner," Téa shrugs. "She'll loosen up after she has food."
"Food is always a good idea when it comes to Mana," Yugi agrees. "Or even a mini vacation. When's the last time you two have been on one of those without Cairo?"
"Cairo has just started back in school," Atem says. "I'm not sure if Mana would be very open to leaving."
"Aw stop. She can crash with us! Right Yugi?"
Yugi nods. "Yeah, Cairo will be fine. You two just have fun and get some quality time in."
"Thank you. Both of you," Atem says. He looks to the exit of the arena just as Mana walks by in the hallway, making his heart do cartwheels. He's hoping what he has planned will get them back on speaking terms because the tension between the two of them is high, though he knows that he is the one to blame for it.
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Rex cackles as Weevil continues to fume over his loss to Yufi earlier that morning. The turquoise haired kid angrily scrolls through his phone as his friend continues to tease him. "You really got beat by a girl with fairies!" Rex laughs.
"Shut up! You wouldn't have done any better!" Weevil snaps.
"Well yeah. But at least I was smart enough not to challenge someone who is the daughter of one of the Mutous!"
"You idiot! You didn't find out until I did!"
"Oh yeah…" He glances over, seeing Weevil looking at different videos of Yugi and Atem. "Uh…what are you doing?"
"What do I have to do to be this good?"
"We do have a field trip to Kaiba Corp and their training area coming up in a few weeks. Apparently they'll be there. Maybe you can ask them yourself."
Weevil sucks his teeth. "They'll probably give me some sort of cliché answer like work hard or keep practicing." He goes through more videos until he lands on one that shows Atem summoning the Egyptian gods and he stops in his tracks, causing Rex to do the same. "Is this forreal?"
"Someone hasn't done their research," Rex says, putting his hands into his pocket.
"What are you talking about?"
"Atem and Yugi can summon real duel monsters."
"What?!"
Rex blinks. "I mean, it's common knowledge. There's videos everywhere. Plus there was that one freak who recently tried to make a mess of things not even a week ago. How could you not know?"
Weevil studies the battle in awe, watching as Atem commands the gods with such authority. "If I had that sort of power…" Another video pulls up where Atem is in another situation where he has to summon the gods. But there is one thing that catches Weevil's eye.
"I wonder if that thing hanging around his neck and those gods have any sort of correlation," he comments, rewinding the same video. "I mean you definitely don't see that thing when he's summoning his Dark Magician."
"Beats me," Rex shrugs his shoulders.
Weevil smirks mischievously, coming to a conclusion of his own. "If I had whatever that thing is, maybe it could enhance my dueling. Or I could take it a step further and summon real monsters too! Maybe even the Egyptian gods."
"Wait, you're not talking about stealing it are you?"
"Just borrowing it," Weevil says, pushing up his glasses. "Just to test out my theory."
"You can't possibly be serious...And how do you plan on 'borrowing' it? I'm sure he doesn't just place it anywhere. And he doesn't wear it all the time it seems."
"If we become friends with Yufi, it'll be easy! The closer we get to her, the closer we get to her father's puzzle!"
Rex shrugs his shoulders, unsure about his friend's plan, but choosing to go along with it anyway. "If you say so…"
YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO
Cairo yawns, entering into the bathroom located in the main hall of their house. Walking up to the sink, she looks toward the mirror, grunting when she can only see the top of her head. Reluctantly, she grabs a stool that is specifically for her due to the fact that she is too short to see her reflection in the mirror. If she could somehow master the art of flying, she wouldn't need this dumb stool, which is just her old potty from when she was a toddler that has a lid on it and can be used as a stool.
After getting herself situated, she begins to brush her teeth and then comb her hair. She thinks back on her school day, which was anything but eventful. Though in contrast, it seems her cousin had a great day after showing her dueling abilities. It isn't surprising that Yufi has adjusted well to their new school. Yufi is quick to warm up to others whereas she takes a little more time to loosen up.
"And she was worried about making friends," Cairo says to herself with a half chuckle before sighing. "I, on the other hand…"
"How was your first day?" Not noticing him at first, she looks at her reflection to see her father leaning on the doorway behind her with his hands in his pockets.
"I was able to snag a window seat," she shrugs. "I only wish it were further toward the back of the classroom."
Atem smirks. "Your mother preferred that as well. Though she only wanted that seat so she could sneak and take naps." After a brief silence between the two, Cairo grins mischievously, causing Atem to dim his eyes. "Don't tell me that was your reasoning…"
Cairo only turns away, muttering to herself secretly. "I could have also snuck in some video game time, easily. Naps would've been a plus."
Atem dims his eyes even more. "I can still hear you…" He can attribute that aspect of her sometimes unpredictable personality to her mother without a doubt. "Anyway…what else happened today?"
"Yufi fits in quite nicely. We were hardly there for an hour and she defeated some kid in a duel," she tells him.
"That's impressive."
Cairo nods her head. "I'm sure she'll have no problem making friends."
"And neither will you, Cairo," Atem says, sensing a bit of her insecurity.
"She's just so much more talkative than I am. And that's not me."
"There's nothing wrong with that. You should only be you."
"Right."
Atem smiles down at her and a smile creeps onto her lips as well. "It's almost time for bed."
"I suppose," she sighs, beginning to walk away before stopping, turning around to face her father once more. "By the way…" She takes full notice of what he is wearing. A white buttoned up shirt and black pants with dress shoes. "Why are you so dressed up?"
As she asks this, they catch a glimpse of Mana walking down the stairs, wearing a short, fitted navy blue dress and heels. "Your mother and I are going out," he says and Cairo groans.
"Does this mean I'm stuck with a baby sitter?"
"For tonight."
Cairo raises an eyebrow. "I don't understand."
"This isn't for your mother to know right now, but I'll be surprising her with a vacation in which we'll be leaving after dinner. I already have her bags packed along with mine. You will be staying with Yugi and Téa starting tomorrow after school."
"And I'm not invited to this vacation because I have school," she assumes with a pout.
"Be good," he says, beginning to walk down the stairs as well.
"Only if I get to stay up late."
"You may stay up for an additional hour tonight."
She frowns with disappointment. "Only an hour?"
"I can reduce it to half."
"…Have fun."
'Let's hope so,' Atem thinks to himself, hoping things will go well.
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How do you think things will go with their date? Also, this is my first time writing a fanfic where Weevil and Rex have some sort of role, so things will get interesting. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews!