Yami Himeko: What's your excuse this time?
Jade: I had the flu, and I was just plain lazy? Oh, I also bought Skies of Arcadia Legends and I've been working on that, too! ^__^
Yami Himeko: Those video games rot your mind, you know.
Himeko: *snores loudly*
Yami Himeko: Hmph. Gaki.
Jade: Oh yeah! Here's a warning: Yami Himeko's monologue (at the end of chapter) may not be suitable for close-minded children. I also have a mini poll which you can read at the bottam!
Disclaimer: There is no way Jade's parents will ever buy Yu-gi-oh! for her. However, Himeko and her yami are all hers.
Red Hot: Nani means "What?" ("Nan", and "Nanda" as well.)
/Hikari to Yami/
//Yami to Hikari//
3000 Year Old Secrets
*Yami's POV*
"Will she be okay, mou hitori no boku?" my aibou asks me. I wave my hand in front of Himeko's face. Her eyes continue to stare into space.
"Shiranaide," I reply. Suddenly, Himeko's eyes are filled with emotion and she lunges at me.
"Gomen nasai. Gomen nasai," she repeats as she cries into my shirt. Hesitantely, I wrap my arms around her sobbing form.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Himeko. You have done nothing wrong," I whisper in her ear. She tenses and pulls away from me. She blinks away a few tears and her shoulders sag.
"Yami-kun?"
"Yes?"
"I'm kind of tired. Can you leave me alone for a while?" she stares at the ground.
"Of course. C'mon aibou," I gently push him out the door. He looks at Himeko as the door closes.
"Arigatou," I hear her whisper just as the door shuts.
/It's my fault, Yami./
//What do you mean?//
/She broke down, because I had beaten her in the duel.//
//I don't think that's the reason, aibou.//
/But, she broke down right after she lost!/
//She was already breaking down when she challenged you.//
/Demo.../
//It's NOT your fault.// Yugi still looks uncertain. I sigh and rub my forehead. I'm sure Himeko wouldn't break down just because of one duel. Then again, Kaiba had... The bell above the door of the gameshop rings, interrupting my thoughts. "C'mon aibou, we've got work to do." He nods.
*Jounouchi's POV*
"Hey, Yug!" I call out. Yugi rushes down the stairs followed closely by Yami.
"Hey, Jounouchi-kun! Buying some cards?"
"Oh yeah! Gotta get ready for that tournament, you know! You're entering, right Yug?" Yugi nods. "By the way, Anzu told me that your cousin's coming today. Where is she?"
"She's sleeping. Jet lag, you know." Yugi seems a little uneasy about something. Hmmm...
"Hey Yug, she cute?"
"Sorta, I guess," his hand rubs behind his head.
"Think I got a shot at her?"
"Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi exclaims.
"Hey, I'm just kidding! I still got Mai, you know." I look around the store. "Hey, where'd Yami go?" Yugi looks around the room. Then he has that spaced-out look on his face he always gets when he's communicating with Yami.
"Yami is in his soul room. He says he has something important to do."
"Is that so?" There's a loud knock on the door.
"Those must be the new cards. Coming!" Yugi dashes over to the door. I scan the card case. As I look over the Duel Monsters I can't help, but realize how much time flies by. Three months ago, I was a complete rookie, but I had still been able to place second at Duelist Kingdom, and I did a pretty good job against Malik, too. Now, I'm one of the top duelists in Japan. I hear a loud grunt behind me and turn around. Yug held a rather large box in his arms.
"Need a hand, Yug?"
"No, I'm fine..." he waves his hand in a 'don't worry' motion and drops the box, missing his feet by a mere millimeter. I bend over and pick it up with relative ease. Yug scratches the back of his head with a goofy grin.
*Yami's POV*
I'm in the darkness, but somehow it's different. It's still dark, but I can actually see more than the outline of my hand. It's still cold, but I don't shiver as violently. Why? "Is anybody out there?" A soft giggle echoes through the darkness. I look around trying to find the source. There is a quick flash of light and I shield my eyes. When the light dims down I move my arm. My eyes widen for a second. It's the light that always runs away from me. Why isn't it running away now? "Who are you? You're not my aibou." I hear another giggle and it's iris eyes glow. It takes a step toward me. (Stay away...) What the? A voice in my head? "What's going on?" I ask the light. (Stay away...) It starts to fade. "Matte! Who are you?!" I reach out for it. Something grabs my shoulder as the light fades completely. I turn my gaze to my back and meet with a pair of crimson eyes similar to my own. It's the dark figure again. I feel it push against my back and I fall into an unseen abyss. I can hear it's horrible laugh echoing behind me.
I awake and sit up in bed. I quickly scan my surroundings. I let out a somewhat relieved sigh. I'm back in my soul room. What had all that been about? For three months I have the exact same dream until now. Now the light approaches me and someone else, if not the light, is telling me to stay away. Stay away from what? Stay away from the light? I rub my temples. Ra, this is confusing.
/Yami-kun, you awake, yet?/
//Aibou? Yeah, I'm up.//
/Good, the truck just arrived./
//About time. I'll be there in a minute.// I stretch my arms when something catches my eye. There's something at the foot of my bed. A flower, an iris...
*Yami Himeko's POV*
My aibou is resting... She looks so peaceful. Much different from when she is awake. She's always jumpy and whiny when she's awake. She needs to toughen up a bit. I sigh. However, I overdid it again. That beating hurt her more than I intended. Atleast she isn't spiritually bleeding this time. Thank Ra for that. I hope you will understand someday, little one. I'm doing this to help you. There are people who would not hesitate to take advantage of you. Like your father. I hope you'll never learn of what happens at night after your father comes home late. How he would go into his room with a bottle. How he would come out in a drunken stupor, muttering your name. "Himeko, Daddy loves you." I shiver as I remember those words. When that had happened I would separate from your body and take your place, aibou. I took the brunt of those attacks, every night. A yami can't help, but protect the hikari. Even if I had to relive those nights 3000 years ago.
~Flashback~
"Summoned Skull destroy the Gemini Elf!" the pharaoh orders. I watch as Gemini Elf's tablet is destroyed. "I win, Himeko." He smirks at me. His crimson eyes, so similar to mine, bore into me. "You'll have to be punished." He pushes me flat against the wall.
"P-Pharaoh-sama. Please...I'll do better..." His smirk widens.
"Of course you'll do better. I know you can." For a minute I can see the kindness he had shown me years ago. He looks like the pharaoh who had cared for his people and me. His eyes become cold once more. "You'll do better, little Himeko." His words coming out like a purr as his lips claim mine.
~End Flashback~
My body's trembling. I can't stop shaking. I feel it rise in me again. I bolt out of my hikari's soul room into my own. I lock the door behind me. "She hasn't done anything. She hasn't done anything." I repeat over and over again. I WILL not take this out on my hikari. I WILL NOT! "Pharaoh...you'll pay..." I laugh like those psychos on tv. "YOU'LL PAY! I'll KILL YOU JUST AS I DID HIMEKO'S FATHER!" I chuckle with a weird cross of elation and anger. Is this insanity? "Oh yes! You'll pay!" I pull a dagger out of a drawer. I make crimson lines all over my arm. "Oh, you'll pay. You'll pay dearly." I lap the blood that trails down my arm. A cross of bitter and sweet is how I would describe the taste of my blood. A grin spreads across my face. I wonder how the pharaoh's blood tastes... "Only one way to find out..."
Yami Himeko: What the hell was that?!
Jade: That was you. Tell me if you think this should go up a rating, now. It didn't seem that bad, but hey, I'm not good at judging what's appropriate for thirteen year olds.
Himeko: *snores*
Yami Himeko: Typical hikari. Sleeps the chapter away.
Jade: One more thing! I'm kinda in a dilemna. One part of me wants this to be yuri while the other part wants to stick with the original non-yuri relationship (not telling which boy she was supposed to pair up with.) There won't be any major changes, just a reversal of roles. Don't rush to the polls either. Romance doesn't come in for a few chapters, so go ahead and take your time.
Yami Himeko: Yuri?! With this brat?! You have got be kidding me!
Jade: *shrugs* Doesn't sound too bad, plus this will seem less of a Mary Sue. Review please!
Jap/Eng Guide:
Mou hitori no boku- other me (this is supposed to be what Yugi usually calls Yami, I believe)
Mou- Another
Hitori- One
No- of
Boku- I, me (masculine)
Shiranai de- I don't know.
Gaki-brat
Yuri- Girl/Girl relationship
Jounouchi- Joey (Jap/Dub)
Anzu- Tea (Jap/Dub)
