*~*DISCLAIMER!!!!*~* I don't own Yugioh! I give full credit to the owners of the characters (you know who you are!) Heheheh this one is a bit of a long chapter, but the next one is even longer, so SIT TITE TITO! IT AINT OVER YET! lol
In his personal loft above his grandfather's house, Yugi Mutou paced back and forth, lost in thought. His violet, innocent eyes were downcast, staring at the floor like it had all the answers he needed. Truth be told, he was a nervous wreck.
Across the room on the bed, a spectral form, nearly transparent, was holding his head in his hands, and, much like Yugi, was also deep in thought. Dressed like Yugi, he seemed much more older than his younger counterpart, much more mature and refined in stature. The two of them together were much like the two sides of the same coin; although same midnight black tanktops that they both wore, and same ruby red hair with blonde bangs, these two were of one body, yet two minds.
It was the spectral figure that finally broke the silence. "Yugi, would you stop pacing around? It's nerve wracking to see you in such a state."
Yugi grimaced momentarily, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, sorry. I know I should stop Yami, but it helps me think. It seems that the closer we get to finding out who you really are, the more complicated it gets, and the deeper the mystery goes."
Yami's eyes, cold and defiant, softened slightly, admiring how hard Yugi was trying to help uncover a past not his own. But that was one of his strongest attributes, besides his innocence, his compassion, and his loyalty to his friends. Both of these two, although born millennia apart, were very much the same, and it was comforting to know that they could confide in each other like the best of friends.
However, even a best friend could see how fast Yugi was running down; he already had bags under his eyes, his hair was rumpled in all directions, and his feet were dragging across the floor.
"Yugi, you have done so much for me already. You've given me a second chance at life by putting together the Millennium Puzzle, and allowing me to join you in dueling in the competitions and duels. Without you, I would have still been dormant inside the Puzzle. My past is really something I don't want you stressing over." Yami smiled, a rarity across his usually fierce and intense features. "In fact, you need some time to recover from all the dueling we've been doing against Merrick and his hunters. Didn't Tea invite you to dinner and dancing tonight? With Tristan, Joey and Mei?"
Yugi winced again, except this time, from embarrassment. "Well, um... about that..." he paused, and grinned sheepishly, like dancing was the worst thing to do on a Saturday night.
His companion flopped backward on the bed, slightly exasperated with the younger boy. "Don't tell me, you never even excepted her invitation?"
"No, I did, but... well, it's Tea. I mean, it's not HER but...well..."
Now it was Yami's turn to wince. "You don't return her feelings toward you?"
A ruby red blush began to spread across Yugi's cheeks, and the back of his collar began to burn. "Well, to me, she's just Tea, who's been my friend forever. I just don't feel anything beyond that for her."
"Well, if it is not a date, then why don't you two go as friends? As I understand it, that is perfectly normal in this day in age. If we were in my time, you would not even have that chance to get to know the woman you wanted to marry, and dancing with a woman meant you would be courting her, and then marry her." Sighing deeply, Yami closed his eyes for a second, before he continued. "But dating without the intent of marrying? That was absurd."
Intrigued, his smaller protégé took a seat at the foot of the bed, sitting hunched over, Indian style, with his elbows on his knees. He held his face in his hands, attentive to what Yami had to say about his past. Or rather, what he remembered. Eagerly, Yugi bade Yami to continue.
Smiling a little wider at this act of child-like attentiveness, the former pharaoh of Egypt began to tell his tale, however little he remembered of it. It was a shame; he had almost gotten used to the holes in his memory, and how the simplest things, such as what he wore back in those days, were able to easily slip through his fingers, like grains of the Egyptian sand.
"In ancient times, I remember that on a specific time and date, all the men of Egypt would come to gather at Cairo, or the closest, largest city in Egypt. Each of the men would take their positions in a circle around the single women, who were in the very center of this giant circle. Then, the women would make a smaller hoop, so if you looked at the circles from the sky, it would have looked like an archery target. The next thing anyone would know, the music would start, and the men would dance around the dancing women, trying to land in front of the one they would hope to marry."
"Marry!?" innocent, violet eyes shot up in surprise, widening and incredulous at such a thing. "Wow! Did you dance as well? Did you dance in front of a woman too?"
Yami slowly closed his eyes, scanning the back of his mind and sifting through his memories, trying to find the answer to Yugi's simple question. However, the answer completely eluded him. Discouraged, his face scrunched up in deep concentration, but still nothing of that special dance. "I'm... not sure if it was that dance, but I do remember dancing with a beautiful woman."
"But it COULD have been that dance though, right? That girl could have been your wife!'
Yami frowned, wishing even longing for his memory to be more complete. His own mind betrayed him! It was elusive and enigmatic, equally distressing to not know not only where you came from, but also even who you REALLY are!
"Yugi... it is possible that it was that dance, but what does it matter now? That dance happened so long ago, and no one outside the spirits in the Millennium Items could have survived how much time has passed," the solemn pharaoh sighed. "And even if she was my wife, she would be long gone by know. Pity... I can't even remember her face..."
Standing up, the younger of the two resumed his pacing, thinking, rethinking and pondering over the history of Yami's past and how hard it was on Yami to remember such trivial things. Yugi's thoughts and reasoning, however, just began to spin in his head, not making much sense and making him dizzy, like a little kid on the neighborhood merry-go-round.
I wish I could help Yami out, he thought, his blonde bangs falling in his violet eyes, but even his mind betrays him at times. I was right when I said this mystery only gets deeper and more complex as we keep looking for answers.
Yugi sighed, frustration evident on his face. And then there is that thing with Tea as well...
His gaze wandered, and rested on the scenic view from the opened window. The sun was at its peak, a high arc across the cerulean depths of the sea below. At high noon now, the sun's rays pointed straight down, and if held there long enough, a person could have cooked an egg right off the sidewalk. As it had made the trek across the sky like all the days previous, the sun began to race steadily westward; its rays began to race eastward like wildfire. In description, it was the perfect time: the middle of the day. The world seemed peaceful, so glorious and bright; not like the dismal atmosphere of the loft.
It came as quite a surprise, but just by looking at this picturesque view from the opened window, just by looking at what the sun had brought to this day, everything was calm. Peaceful. Even serene. Despite the chaos that had become his life by helping Yami saving the world, and despite the fact that every shadow and on every corner could carry one of Merrick's minions, ready to steal the Millennium Puzzle away from him, Yugi Mutou was at peace. The view of the window had put him in the mood of complete confidence, and calmed his mind into knowing that despite the holes in Yami's memory, and despite the chaos ensured by Merrick, everything would eventually turn out all right.
He smiled gently, and turned to face his brooding companion. For a moment, Yami was surprised to see Yugi in such a mood, and pride filled him for how quickly Yugi had gained his composure. He smiled, impressed again by how strong this little one could be in times where strength was in short supply. Yugi was also someone with fierce independence, unbroken spirit, and an abundance of Duel Monster knowledge. His strengths would continue to grow as long as he had his friends beside him, Yami was there to guide him, and confidence in himself to venture on.
It was minutes before either one spoke. "I'll go with Tea and the rest of the guys to the dinner and dance thing. Who knows? Maybe I can relax a little about Merrick's hunters coming after me, and maybe I can just be 15 and be a normal kid!" Having said this, a wide spread grin stretched across the young boy's face, proud at what he had just said and what he was about to say. Suddenly, the words just bubbled up to the surface, "You're coming too, Yami!"
"Wha... ME?" cried Yami, jumping off the bed and crossing his arms in surprise. "Why would you want ME tagging along? I thought YOU were the one going out to have fun, not me!"
Laughing, Yugi replied, "Well, I can't leave you behind, in case Merrick's hunters do arrive at the dinner/dance thing, and you need some relax time too, so..."
The pharaoh sighed, knowing he was going along for the ride whether he liked it or not. "But, what would I DO there?"
"You'll figure it out, Yami. You'll thing of something, I'm sure of it!" was his only enthusiastic reply.
Now it was Yami's turn to laugh, in spite of all of Yugi's enthusiasm. "Well then, alright, I'll consider it, but we better get ready for the dance. That includes you taking a nap Yugi. I know you're tired, and you need rest. The party is in five hours."
With that statement, the spectral Pharaoh vanished, leaving only his words of wisdom behind him as he drifted back inside the Millennium Puzzle, hanging from a chain around Yugi's neck.
Suddenly exhaustion set upon Yugi's brain, urging him to sleep. He yawned loudly, took up residence on the bed, and curled up under the covers. Slowly closing his eyes, almost inaudibly, he murmured, "This is going to be... a night I'll never... forget..."
In his personal loft above his grandfather's house, Yugi Mutou paced back and forth, lost in thought. His violet, innocent eyes were downcast, staring at the floor like it had all the answers he needed. Truth be told, he was a nervous wreck.
Across the room on the bed, a spectral form, nearly transparent, was holding his head in his hands, and, much like Yugi, was also deep in thought. Dressed like Yugi, he seemed much more older than his younger counterpart, much more mature and refined in stature. The two of them together were much like the two sides of the same coin; although same midnight black tanktops that they both wore, and same ruby red hair with blonde bangs, these two were of one body, yet two minds.
It was the spectral figure that finally broke the silence. "Yugi, would you stop pacing around? It's nerve wracking to see you in such a state."
Yugi grimaced momentarily, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, sorry. I know I should stop Yami, but it helps me think. It seems that the closer we get to finding out who you really are, the more complicated it gets, and the deeper the mystery goes."
Yami's eyes, cold and defiant, softened slightly, admiring how hard Yugi was trying to help uncover a past not his own. But that was one of his strongest attributes, besides his innocence, his compassion, and his loyalty to his friends. Both of these two, although born millennia apart, were very much the same, and it was comforting to know that they could confide in each other like the best of friends.
However, even a best friend could see how fast Yugi was running down; he already had bags under his eyes, his hair was rumpled in all directions, and his feet were dragging across the floor.
"Yugi, you have done so much for me already. You've given me a second chance at life by putting together the Millennium Puzzle, and allowing me to join you in dueling in the competitions and duels. Without you, I would have still been dormant inside the Puzzle. My past is really something I don't want you stressing over." Yami smiled, a rarity across his usually fierce and intense features. "In fact, you need some time to recover from all the dueling we've been doing against Merrick and his hunters. Didn't Tea invite you to dinner and dancing tonight? With Tristan, Joey and Mei?"
Yugi winced again, except this time, from embarrassment. "Well, um... about that..." he paused, and grinned sheepishly, like dancing was the worst thing to do on a Saturday night.
His companion flopped backward on the bed, slightly exasperated with the younger boy. "Don't tell me, you never even excepted her invitation?"
"No, I did, but... well, it's Tea. I mean, it's not HER but...well..."
Now it was Yami's turn to wince. "You don't return her feelings toward you?"
A ruby red blush began to spread across Yugi's cheeks, and the back of his collar began to burn. "Well, to me, she's just Tea, who's been my friend forever. I just don't feel anything beyond that for her."
"Well, if it is not a date, then why don't you two go as friends? As I understand it, that is perfectly normal in this day in age. If we were in my time, you would not even have that chance to get to know the woman you wanted to marry, and dancing with a woman meant you would be courting her, and then marry her." Sighing deeply, Yami closed his eyes for a second, before he continued. "But dating without the intent of marrying? That was absurd."
Intrigued, his smaller protégé took a seat at the foot of the bed, sitting hunched over, Indian style, with his elbows on his knees. He held his face in his hands, attentive to what Yami had to say about his past. Or rather, what he remembered. Eagerly, Yugi bade Yami to continue.
Smiling a little wider at this act of child-like attentiveness, the former pharaoh of Egypt began to tell his tale, however little he remembered of it. It was a shame; he had almost gotten used to the holes in his memory, and how the simplest things, such as what he wore back in those days, were able to easily slip through his fingers, like grains of the Egyptian sand.
"In ancient times, I remember that on a specific time and date, all the men of Egypt would come to gather at Cairo, or the closest, largest city in Egypt. Each of the men would take their positions in a circle around the single women, who were in the very center of this giant circle. Then, the women would make a smaller hoop, so if you looked at the circles from the sky, it would have looked like an archery target. The next thing anyone would know, the music would start, and the men would dance around the dancing women, trying to land in front of the one they would hope to marry."
"Marry!?" innocent, violet eyes shot up in surprise, widening and incredulous at such a thing. "Wow! Did you dance as well? Did you dance in front of a woman too?"
Yami slowly closed his eyes, scanning the back of his mind and sifting through his memories, trying to find the answer to Yugi's simple question. However, the answer completely eluded him. Discouraged, his face scrunched up in deep concentration, but still nothing of that special dance. "I'm... not sure if it was that dance, but I do remember dancing with a beautiful woman."
"But it COULD have been that dance though, right? That girl could have been your wife!'
Yami frowned, wishing even longing for his memory to be more complete. His own mind betrayed him! It was elusive and enigmatic, equally distressing to not know not only where you came from, but also even who you REALLY are!
"Yugi... it is possible that it was that dance, but what does it matter now? That dance happened so long ago, and no one outside the spirits in the Millennium Items could have survived how much time has passed," the solemn pharaoh sighed. "And even if she was my wife, she would be long gone by know. Pity... I can't even remember her face..."
Standing up, the younger of the two resumed his pacing, thinking, rethinking and pondering over the history of Yami's past and how hard it was on Yami to remember such trivial things. Yugi's thoughts and reasoning, however, just began to spin in his head, not making much sense and making him dizzy, like a little kid on the neighborhood merry-go-round.
I wish I could help Yami out, he thought, his blonde bangs falling in his violet eyes, but even his mind betrays him at times. I was right when I said this mystery only gets deeper and more complex as we keep looking for answers.
Yugi sighed, frustration evident on his face. And then there is that thing with Tea as well...
His gaze wandered, and rested on the scenic view from the opened window. The sun was at its peak, a high arc across the cerulean depths of the sea below. At high noon now, the sun's rays pointed straight down, and if held there long enough, a person could have cooked an egg right off the sidewalk. As it had made the trek across the sky like all the days previous, the sun began to race steadily westward; its rays began to race eastward like wildfire. In description, it was the perfect time: the middle of the day. The world seemed peaceful, so glorious and bright; not like the dismal atmosphere of the loft.
It came as quite a surprise, but just by looking at this picturesque view from the opened window, just by looking at what the sun had brought to this day, everything was calm. Peaceful. Even serene. Despite the chaos that had become his life by helping Yami saving the world, and despite the fact that every shadow and on every corner could carry one of Merrick's minions, ready to steal the Millennium Puzzle away from him, Yugi Mutou was at peace. The view of the window had put him in the mood of complete confidence, and calmed his mind into knowing that despite the holes in Yami's memory, and despite the chaos ensured by Merrick, everything would eventually turn out all right.
He smiled gently, and turned to face his brooding companion. For a moment, Yami was surprised to see Yugi in such a mood, and pride filled him for how quickly Yugi had gained his composure. He smiled, impressed again by how strong this little one could be in times where strength was in short supply. Yugi was also someone with fierce independence, unbroken spirit, and an abundance of Duel Monster knowledge. His strengths would continue to grow as long as he had his friends beside him, Yami was there to guide him, and confidence in himself to venture on.
It was minutes before either one spoke. "I'll go with Tea and the rest of the guys to the dinner and dance thing. Who knows? Maybe I can relax a little about Merrick's hunters coming after me, and maybe I can just be 15 and be a normal kid!" Having said this, a wide spread grin stretched across the young boy's face, proud at what he had just said and what he was about to say. Suddenly, the words just bubbled up to the surface, "You're coming too, Yami!"
"Wha... ME?" cried Yami, jumping off the bed and crossing his arms in surprise. "Why would you want ME tagging along? I thought YOU were the one going out to have fun, not me!"
Laughing, Yugi replied, "Well, I can't leave you behind, in case Merrick's hunters do arrive at the dinner/dance thing, and you need some relax time too, so..."
The pharaoh sighed, knowing he was going along for the ride whether he liked it or not. "But, what would I DO there?"
"You'll figure it out, Yami. You'll thing of something, I'm sure of it!" was his only enthusiastic reply.
Now it was Yami's turn to laugh, in spite of all of Yugi's enthusiasm. "Well then, alright, I'll consider it, but we better get ready for the dance. That includes you taking a nap Yugi. I know you're tired, and you need rest. The party is in five hours."
With that statement, the spectral Pharaoh vanished, leaving only his words of wisdom behind him as he drifted back inside the Millennium Puzzle, hanging from a chain around Yugi's neck.
Suddenly exhaustion set upon Yugi's brain, urging him to sleep. He yawned loudly, took up residence on the bed, and curled up under the covers. Slowly closing his eyes, almost inaudibly, he murmured, "This is going to be... a night I'll never... forget..."