Disclaimer: WookieeBeta does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!… She does, however, own Ashkari – ^glances up to see Ashkari looming overhead with a nasty-looking knife^ Okaaaaay…perhaps Ashkari owns Ashkari… ^backs away^
Unknown Identity
Chapter Ten: Strange Occurrences
Are you sure about this, Yugi? Yami asked. It will take a long time for your hair to grow back this way if you cut it short, and you always swore you would never change it, before – well. He cut off before mentioning Yugi's loss of memory. It hurt both of them to think about it, though he felt that it actually hurt himself more than Yugi. Unable to remember anything but Duel Monsters, Yugi had acquired a blind faith in his yami, and he seemed ready to start over with his life – as long as Duel Monsters was never abandoned, of course. They had taken to playing duels in order to get their minds off Yugi's body's condition.
Yami, I can't remember it any other way, but then I've never seen it before, either, Yugi said. You'll probably know better than I will, but I think if it helps get us into the tribe – and out of this forest – losing some hair will be worth it.
You have seen it before, though, Yami said. When I'm not controlling your body, I look exactly how your body looks when I am in control. Does that make sense?
Kind of, Yugi replied. You're saying that I'm dressed in what's left of what was once black leather with a lot of buckles and have a big funny-looking hairdo? Yami could not help but laughing out loud at this. You know, Yami, that's the first time I've really heard you laugh, Yugi said. I think I like it.
I suppose you could describe yourself like that, Yami said. And I'm afraid it's true that I haven't laughed in far too long. Perhaps now that you're joining the tribe I will be able to laugh more often.
I don't like the way you say that, Yami, Yugi said, his voice dark. Now that I am joining the tribe? What happened to we?
Nothing. It's just that in a sense I'm not really joining the tribe – once you're strong enough to manage on your own, I'll be spending more and more time in my soul room.
But why, Yami?
Yami sighed. I have to find the secrets of my past before I pass on to the next world, Yugi, the spirit said. And I don't know how long that will take me. I've been so busy helping you for the last few months that I just haven't had the time or energy to concentrate on my own fate.
I'm sorry, Yami, I didn't mean to -
"Hey, Strange-Eyes!" Ashkari said, suddenly erupting from the foliage. She looked at him oddly. "You look different today, do you know? Somehow older, maybe taller…or maybe I'm just going crazy," she said with a laugh. "The chief wants you to come see him again tomorrow, when he'll tell you whether or not you're going to become part of the tribe." She glanced at the long knife in Yami's hand. "Planning to use that on yourself or your hair?"
"Hair, I think," he said, glancing at the knife as well. "It will be strange, of course – I've had it this way as long as I can remember – but I suppose I'll get used to it."
"I thought yesterday you said you didn't really know what it was like, had never seen your reflection before."
Sorry, Yami, I didn't know, Yugi said from his soul room, his voice apologetic.
"I haven't," Yami lied smoothly. "But I suppose it will feel different to have less hair." He shrugged. "Or perhaps I'm just making things up." Ashkari laughed again, and Yami realized just how much her laugh reminded him of Anzu. He suddenly felt a pang of homesickness, and wished he could see his friends again. What? he asked himself. Since when are they my friends? They're Yugi's friends… He shook himself out of confusion and tried to focus on the present.
Sorry, Yugi, he thought as he began to saw off the young one's once-prized hair. He could almost hear the old Yugi protesting – or could he?
No! Yami, no, stop!
Yugi? Yami called, bewildered.
What is it, Yami?
Did you just tell me to stop?
No, Yugi replied, clearly just as bewildered as Yami.
All right, I must have imagined it… Yami continued cutting off Yugi's hair, piece by piece. He watched it fall limply to the ground and settle silently in the forest soil…
Stop! Stop it, Yami! Don't do it any more!
Yugi! Yami called again.
What is it this time?
You just told me to stop again.
I what? Yugi replied, startled. Yami, I've been playing Duel Monsters solitaire, I didn't tell you to stop…
"Hey, watch what you're doing!" Ashkari said, her hand flashing out to grab Yami's wrist right before he impaled his own eye.
"Wha…" Yami's voice trailed off and the knife fell from his hand.
Yugi, you had better take over, he said, shaken. I just about blinded you there – it's lucky Ashkari stopped me. The knife's on the ground.
All right, Yugi said, somewhat shaken as well. You go rest for a while. Yami released control of Yugi's mind all at once, suddenly afraid that he would start doing something else weird, and Yugi scrambled to take control.
"Strange-Eyes, you're being very odd today," Ashkari said, catching him as he fell. "More than your eyes are strange, I think." She paused and looked at him closely. "Strange-Eyes?"
Yugi shook himself slightly and looked up. "Oh, sorry, Ashkari," he said. "I'm afraid I'm just a little bit out of it today."
"A little?" Ashkari asked incredulously. "First you laugh at nothing, then you try to stab yourself in the eye, and then you collapse? That's more than a little, Strange-Eyes!" But Yugi was not listening. His eyes were blank, and he didn't seem to be paying attention to anything in particular.
"Strange-Eyes?" Ashkari said a final time. Then she backed away as if in fear and disappeared into the foliage.
A/N: …