I'm glad some people liked the prologue, now here's the first chapter! ^_~
A girl with brown hair that touched her shoulders and was cut neatly in a circular sweep ran through the soaking streets devoid of all people except for herself. Dropped paper lay plastered to the ground, saturated with filthy rain water, puddles collected where the pavement and road dipped, no cars sped down the sodden road. Heavy light from the street lamps that lay adjacent to the road poured into the gathering water to bounce of the surface in other directions.
"Damn this awful weather, I should have gone home when I had the chance," the girl growled, it was true, she had had the option to go home while the grey clouds rolled in but she hadn't accepted the offer. Staying out just that little bit longer left her trapped in the storm with two options, not go home and don't get drenched but freeze and possibly get pneumonia, or go home, get soaked, get chilled, get a cooled but have a higher chance of living.
As she sped past the park her acute ears picked up faint whimpering: drowned out by the thunder that rolled into the city, a jolt of lightning lit up the area and a faint figure was distinguished on one of the benches. She rushed over to find a sodden boy, passed out from the cold, the redness on his face signifying he'd been crying. 'Sad or no, it gives no one the excuse to sit out in the rain. I can't just leave him out here to die or become extremely sick.'
Picking him up in her arms she once more headed off towards her home, the one she shared with her two greatest and the last of her friends. Once she had had at least two more, but they had long since been lost to the ever-flowing river of time. "Oh Jono and Seito are going to kill me," she mumbled aloud, the words not coming out right because of her mouth not fully opening. That way less rain could penetrate her and freeze her inside out rather than just outside in.
Finally she arrived panting, having caught a cold, barring the short statured boy in her arms and the backpack that made her shoulders feel ready to fall off. Half lidded eyes tried hard to focus on the door in front of her but instead swam, her vision blurring. Closing them briefly she open them again, but they closed again and she slumped against the door. Thumping was heard, a mad scrambling of feet as someone tried to reach the door, flinging it open.
Both boy and girl now taken into unconsciousness from the cold fell through the door, the blonde that stood in the door catching them, but only just. "Seito," he called into the house, "Seito, a little help please."
A tall boy with brown hair walked in; as soon as he saw the state his friend was in he rushed to help, taking the girl from him and closing the door. The blonde supported the small boy on his back and the two boys carried those who could not walk to their rooms, the girl to her own room and the other boy, whom they did not know, to a guest room.
Both headed down stairs and sat in the living room of the two-floor house, excluding the basement. "Seito, who was that boy?" the blonde asked, his hair grew down his neck, falling into the collar of his t-shirt that was now a little wet from his encounter with the soaking pair.
"I don't know but he looks like the one we are trying to find," Seito replied, Seito had brown hair that was cut neatly at his earlobes and ice blue eyes that screamed power.
"I just hope neither of them get sick, Teana can handle it, but as for the boy, I don't know," was the blonde's reply.
"I know what you mean Jono," Seito replied and with a silent nod the two headed upstairs. The boy and Teana were sleeping peacefully, as was the only other occupant of the house, another boy who had been abandoned by his friends and found by Teana, Jono and Seito. Another case of someone appearing that is indeed better than them forcing them to drift away from what they once knew and find something else. In fact it was the case that the short statured boy had contemplated earlier, the short-statured, tri-colour haired, large, once innocent, violet eyed Hikari, Yuugi Mouto. And the other boy, his Yami too had replaced him, with his long, spiky white hair that fell down to the small of his back and his brown eyes, he was, Ryou Bakura.
Yuugi's grandpa and Ryou's father had been their only remaining, blood related, family but when they had died, everything just went form bad to worse. Sympathy claimed its part in the boy's lives and in doing so invited their Yami's in, accepted immediately meaning someone would have to go. Both Ryou and Yuugi had now become detached, Ryou earlier than Yuugi.
---In the morning---
It was now a Saturday, the rain still poured outside, beating against cold glass windows that held fast against the precipitation. No one would be going out in this weather, unless it was urgent, the roads remained empty and silence rained throughout the city. Reports attained from satellite observation warned the public that the storm was a long one and may not blow over completely until Tuesday at the earliest, therefore school had been cancelled for Monday, Tuesday was a maybe dependant on the weather.
A pair of red eyes blinked open, their vision clearing steadily until the image they portrayed was crystal clear. The brown haired, red eyed, slim and fairly tall Teana sat up and her hand flew to her head upon discovering her pounding headache. Looking to her left to her bedside table she glanced quickly at the digital clock that sat upon it with it's neon blue glowing digits.
'11:00 am' it read, she groaned, partly from the pain and partly from the late time, at that point someone entered the room bearing a tray. White hair flowed and a soft voice followed, "So your awake Teana, how do you feel."
She looked to him blinking once more as her eyes stung, "A headache, arg," she groaned again as her head began to pound and her vision swam.
"Ah," Ryou exclaimed hurrying behind her to take her shoulders firmly, supporting her weight, sitting behind her he began to massage her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.
She closed her eyes, "Thanks Ryou, I really don't think being out in the rain is good for me," she commented smiling slightly.
"Teana girl, you scared me last night, are you okay?" asked a concerned Jono hastily yet quietly as he rushed to his friends side. He took her hands in his and squeezed slightly, "Don't you ever do that again alright?" he pleaded hugging her around the waist.
"Uh huh," she replied, her voice fading.
"You need to rest, come on Jono," Ryou commented laying Teana back down and she smiled at the two as they left her alone, sleep soon claimed her once more as her headache overcame her senses sweeping her into darkness.
"Jono, you and Seito see if you can find some tomatoes to make some soup, it's the best thing we can give the two of them right now," Ryou commented quietly so as not to disturb Teana and the still resting Yuugi.
"Yes mum," Jono replied grinning and heading off down stairs.
Ryou smiled after his friend, after drifting apart from Yuugi and the others he'd met Teana, Jono and Seito. They reminded him greatly of Tea, Jounouchi and Seto but he couldn't think why, it wasn't just their looks that were similar, but their personalities, to a certain extent. A groan erupted from the guest room that Yuugi was currently occupying, due to his need for a soft surface so as not to cause any more pain when he woke up, which was round about now.
Walking into the room Ryou smiled at the one person he knew had noticed him gone, he'd heard him try to bring up the subject and he'd realised then that Yuugi was drifting apart also. "Hello Yuugi," he called making the smaller jump and turn to face him, eyes blinking rapidly in a blind (no pun intended) attempt to clear his vision.
He shook his head, his hair flew from the motion and finally he responded, "Huh, Ryou is that you?" the small boy gasped on realisation that he had found his white haired friend. That or Ryou had found him, whichever came first.
"Yes Yuugi, it's me, and your safe now," Ryou replied softly sitting on the plush bed next to Yuugi, he smiled at the now fully awake teen: who promptly sneezed. Ryou chuckled quietly and held out a tissue, "Bless you."
"Arigato," Yuugi muttered into the tissue as he sneezed again, folding the soft white material up and throwing it in a bin nearby.
"You have good aim Yuugi," Ryou commented, Yuugi still appeared dazed and had sent a small object into an equally small bin that was at least five yards away.
"Arigato," Yuugi said again, smiling back at Ryou, "Ryou what happened to you, where have you been?" Yuugi pleaded desperately with his friend to relay the answers to his questions.
"Well," Ryou laughed an the extra-large shining eyes that Yuugi was currently giving him, "I took the money my father left me and came to live with Teana, Jono and Seito. They found me more than I found them, I transferred schools and here I've been ever since," was Ryou's short answer.
"Hey Ryou, the kid awake yet?" came a muffled voice form behind the wooden door sealing Yuugi's room off from the vibrantly lit hallway, the call was followed by a curt knock, soft but clear.
"What do you want me to say Yuugi?" Ryou whispered and Yuugi nodded eager to meat one of Ryou's friends but not hoping for a moment they'd be his friends too. In fact he didn't want them to be, his heart was a small faint beat now and he didn't want what little he had left to be taken away from him. The only person he could trust was Ryou, yes he'd be polite and nice to whoever this mystery person was but he didn't want them as a friend. Not yet anyway, not until he had sussed out the person and watched Ryou to see if he faded away again, if he did, it was bye, bye time, no mistaking it.
The blonde haired, honey eyed Jono then walked in, going to settle on the opposite side of Ryou. "Hey kiddo, I'm Jono, what's your name?" he questioned softly so as not to upset the small boy before him.
"Mouto Yuugi," he replied breathlessly, this boy, looked so much like Jounouchi, except for the longer hair and slightly redder eyes, and, of course, the name.
"Don't worry, you can trust them Yuugi, they won't hurt you like the others did, trust me," Ryou said taking one of Yuugi's hands and squeezing it reassuringly, Yuugi smiled and something clicked and for some reason his heart started to seep back into place.
"Hey Yuugi, do you want some soup, we have, chicken, vegetable, tomato, mushroom, onion and carrot," Jono offered grinning comfortingly.
"Um, mushroom please," Yuugi asked his smile starting to get wider as everything that he'd been deprived of for so long started seeping back, everything coming back into place, just as it should be.
"Alright, I'll go get Seito to make some," Jono said grinning at Ryou who all of a sudden looked horrified.
"Oh no you don't, the last time that guy tried to cook he nearly burnt the house down, I'll do it!" and with that Ryou stormed out of the room to go make Yuugi some soup without causing any damage.
"So Yuugi, do you wanna stay with us or go back home?" Jono asked smiling at the small boy who sat up and blushed instantly. He suddenly realised that he was only in boxers and noticed that his cloths were drying on a radiator.
"Um," Jono chuckled at this and went out of the room for a minute and then came back in with a baggy looking t-shirt.
"Here," he offered throwing it at Yuugi who caught it and pulled it gratefully over his head.
He grinned, "Thanks, but could you please tell me how I got here? The last thing I remember was being stuck outside in the rain and everything went black all of a sudden," he promptly sneezed, as though his own body was emphasising his point.
"Well Teana was late coming home, I mean way late, it was past twelve by the time you got here," he started and Yuugi gasped, he had been vaguely aware of the time but he didn't really register it was past twelve so it came as a bit of a surprise. "Well, she found you and brought you home, where were you anyway?" Jono asked blinking at him and then shaking his head as if to clear his vision.
"I was in the park," Yuugi muttered looking away, he didn't exactly know why he reacted the way he did but it happened none the less.
"Okay, just wondered," Jono replied shrugging, then he saw a tear run down Yuugi's face, "Aw kid come on, you haven't done anything wrong, why are you crying?"
"B-bec-cause I'm s-so useless," and with that Yuugi bursts out crying, his tears ran freely. His breath hitched in his throat when he felt strong arms wrap around him and pull him to a strong, well muscled chest. He began to clam down slightly as he was rocked back and forth, a hand tracing circles on his back in an attempt to sooth him. Yuugi's sobs faded away until he was sniffling slightly, "I'm sorry," he whispered upon his discovering of Jono's now soaking wet shirt.
"S'okay Yuugi, I have other shirts," Jon replied grinning again and Yuugi started to smile again but it was still faint. "Oh well," Jono sighed as he stretched his arms into the air, squeezing his eyes shut as he did so. Yuugi blushed and scrambled back under the covers making Jono chuckle, "Your funny Yuugi, I'd better go check on Teana, Ryou will be back soon kay?" the blonde stated ruffling Yuugi's hair slightly, Yuugi grinned and nodded.
About a minute after Jono had exited the room, just as he'd predicted, Ryou walked into the room holding a tray in both hands. On which was set a spoon, a bowl of mushroom soup and a steaming cup of hot chocolate with five little marsh-mellows floating around on the surface. "Thanks Ryou," Yuugi exclaimed his eyes brightening as though they were lights that had just been fitted with new bulbs.
The tray was set in front of him and Ryou smiled as Yuugi dug into his soup hungrily, "Is it good Yuugi?" Ryou asked.
Yuugi grinned taking another spoonful of soup before replying, "As good as ever, even better, I missed your cooking Ryou," Yuugi chirped as he once more dug into his dish.
"So are you staying with us Yuugi, or do you still want to go back to the game shop?" Ryou asked looking at his friend who looked quiet content after the meal he had. He ate it as fast as Joey; it was like he hadn't eaten for days although there were no other signs of that so Ryou just took it as enjoyment.
Yuugi looked thoughtful, he sipped his hot chocolate as he contemplated his options, taking one last swig, which finished off the mug he answered, "Here," Ryou blinked, "I want to stay here."
"Alright, do want to get you stuff some time later on if you're feeling up to it?" Ryou questioned.
Yuugi nodded, "Yes, there are spare keys in my coat pocket, I'd like to go when Yami isn't around if that's alright?"
"Sure," Ryou agreed, "I'll tell the others you want to stay here, or come look around?"
"I'll sleep a little more, thanks Ryou," Ryou nodded and exit the room, Yuugi smiled, maybe there was a light at the end of his tunnel, maybe he'd just got off at the wrong station and got on another train. His promise not to trust Ryou's friends faded, he just couldn't not like them
Well there you have it, chapter 1! Can anyone guess who Teana, Jono and Seito are?