Chapter Two- Plans Can Change...
~*~
Yugi jerked his head to one side. "Will you leave my hair alone?" he asked, irritated.
The girl who was combing it gave a small squeak of protest and moved so she was behind him again. "But you need to make a good impression, young milord."
"I won't make a very good impression at all if you don't stop yanking every hair on my head off with that comb!" Yugi snapped.
The girl stopped and he could tell she was shocked by his outburst. He sighed and ran a hand over his wild hair. "Look, sorry. Just... don't bother, okay?" he said.
"O-of course, milord," she said quietly. He could hear her put the comb down on a nearby table. "I'll... leave you for now so you can have some privacy before your father comes in." With that, she turned and hurried out of the room.
Again, the young man sighed and shook his head. /Even though this is only a small village, the elders insist on giving us servants. Because my father saves the day./ He frowned. /Now that wasn't a fair thing to think... How can I help it? I-/
He doubled over in a sudden fit of coughs. He clutched at the nearby table, desperately trying to suppress the coughs and the horrible elephant-like sounds they made. Finally, he managed to regain control of himself, and wiped his mouth.
A speck of blood.
Yugi stared at it in dismay. /And here I'm planning on running away to prove I'm a hero like my father. Who am I to think I can do that? I can barely deal with some stupid illness, a sickness that I'll be stuck with for life!/ He hung his head. /Who am I kidding? I'll never get past the village. I'd never make it alive.../
Then his head raised up, and he stared into the mirror. The face of a pale boy with wild hair met his gaze, staring hopelessly into the mirror.
"Stop it," Yugi muttered at the mirror. The face in the mirror was now angry. "Stop it, damn it," he said, a little louder. "I'm not some sick little kid! That's only what the others think! I'm going to show them!" He glared defiantly at the mirror. "I'll show them tonight. As soon as the feast is over, it's good-bye Yugi until I beat a monster. Even a weak one! I have to show them I can be a Warrior just like my father!"
With that thought in mind, the young man sat down in a nearby chair and continued to stare into the mirror. However, now he was just eyeing it thoughtfully, chewing on his lower lip. A lock of his hair fell into his eyes. Absently, he brushed it away.
/Now how am I going to do that...?/ he thought. /I'll have to get some sort of protection. Obviously, I'll need a sword. I should be fine. They're not that much heavier than the wooden practice swords, and I was all right with them. A shield...?/
He nearly wet himself trying to hold back a laugh at that.
/A shield! Right! I can hold a sword fine when I've got both hands to do so, but a shield! I wouldn't have a chance! No, I'll need another way. Armor? No, I'd only be able to handle one of those helmets... Looks like I'll have to just be really fast. Otherwise I'll become a monster's meal./
He nodded at the mirror. /The healer's foods are said to give people extra powers if they eat them while they are well. If I can steal something and take a bite, perhaps I'll get faster for a while thanks to her powers. It'll be hell to pay when I get back, but getting back will be the first step./ His lips pursed. /Correction. Getting back with a CARD will be the first step./
A knock sounded at the door.
"Yes?" Yugi called.
The door opened and his father strode into the room.
Yugi stood and turned to bow at his father. "Lord father," he said.
The man before him nodded. "You look presentable," was his reply.
"Yes."
There was a long silence, where Yugi observed his father for the millionth time. Unlike him, his father's hair was solid gold falling to his shoulders, his eyes an almost startling violet. Muscles rippled under the smooth skin with the slightest movement, though somehow he managed to stay thin. His voice was booming, whereas Yugi's was weak and rasping.
Yugi could tell he was being observed as well, and hated the feeling. He knew what his father was thinking; why on earth had the Gods given him a son who had trouble running, much less become a Warrior? Why had the Gods turned away from his pleas and forced his son into a permanent illness?
Finally, the scrutiny ended and Yugi's father turned away. "Let's get going."
"Yes," Yugi repeated. He suppressed the need to cough again and followed his father out of the door.
~*~
The ceremony was boring.
Yugi suppressed another yawn as the girl, Tea, was led from one woman to another in a slow dance. Two drums and a flute set the beat. Normally, the women's moves were fascinating for him to watch.
But not now...
"Damn, theirs is so easy!" Joey muttered. He was sitting to the right of Yugi, running his hands through his hair. Unlike Yugi, however, he was sitting on a mat on the ground, not on a chair. "They get t' just dance around, and we guys get freakin' beat up!"
"The men's ceremony is not required, you know," said a smooth voice from behind.
Yugi and Joey turned to see Joey's rival approach. "And what are ya implying?" Joey asked, frowning.
"I imply nothing at all, 'friend'," the rival replied. He gave a small nod to Yugi. "And how is our resident failure today? Found a new sickness to spread yet?"
Yugi glared, and his muscles tensed. "What did you say?" he demanded.
"Yugi!"
The young man started, then realized his father was giving him a disapproving look. "You are showing an unpleasant amount of... shall we say, carelessness, this evening. Pay attention to the ceremony."
"...Yes, father."
"Obeying your father so quickly. How... trustworthy you are. How obedient," the rival mused, edging closer to Yugi's seat.
"Tread softly, or not at all, Seto son of Kaiba," Yugi's father growled. "If you must speak tonight, speak of the ceremony."
"Of course, but of course," Kaiba replied. With that, he set himself down next to Joey, continuing to murmur insults.
Yugi glared at the other young man. /I shouldn't let him get to me. He's just got more cards than anyone else in the village, and he's the fastest, and he's just the son of a lord who doesn't make him work in the fields.../
His hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. /I can't take this./ His eyes found the girl, Tea, as she was swung to the next woman, who was a year older than the last one. The drum's beat was steadily quickening. /Not anymore. I can't take the insults, the pettiness. I can't!/ She was twirled to the next woman, nearly spinning past her to the woman beyond. The flute hit a high note that made him start. /I CAN'T!/
He jumped to his feet.
"Yugi!" his father began.
"I-I... I must go! Forgive me!" Yugi gasped, fighting back a cough. With that, he spun around and fled for his house before he did anything stupid; like interrupting the ceremony, or strangling Kaiba.
He only had the chance, however, to round a corner or two before having to submit to a coughing fit. It was long and hard, and he feared someone may hear him. Thankfully, however, no one did. And no one, as far as he could tell, was coming after him.
Finally, the coughing stopped. Yugi found it alarming to find more blood on his hands, which he'd clamped over his mouth to quiet himself. Swallowing, he headed home to clean up and get a drink.
~*~
"I can't take this anymore. I have to do this," he whispered.
Yugi had set up a small pack of essentials for himself. He had a clean shirt in it, a cloth for bathing, many of the herbs the healers used to ease his cough, some dried fruit and a loaf of freshly baked bread.
He put the pack on, and found to his relief that it wasn't as heavy as he thought it might be for him. Then he looked around to see if he was missing anything.
/Right. A sword, and maybe herbs in case I get messed up... no, when I get messed up.../ He frowned. /I hate being so pessimistic about everything, but all the bad things seem to happen before the good things do. At least to me./
He glanced into the mirror, wondering what sight he would behold now. For a moment, he imagined himself standing straight, perhaps looking a little taller than before. Maybe he'd still be lean, but with that limber look that some of the faster boys had. Maybe his face would be set with determination, or perhaps he would have a smirk that even he had not been aware of for the past few minutes...
All that met his eyes was the image of a pale boy with wide, uncertain eyes.
He frowned and looked away. "No! I can't give in to uncertainty now, or I'll never go. I'll be a- a- a house-pet, for one of Kaiba's types! And I will NOT let that happen!"
With that, he turned and left his room.
/Now to find an-/ "OW!"
He found himself face-first on the ground a moment later, and sat up to wipe the dirt off of his face.
"Owww, what was that? What happened...?"
Yugi looked around for a moment before something caught his eye. Turning to it, he saw something shining, even in the dim evening light. Something gold, something that seemed to have an odd light to it...
"But what is this? I've never seen it around before..." Yugi gently touched the odd item. "It looks like some weird necklace thing. My father owns nothing like this, though."
He slowly looked from one side of the room to the other. Then he looked down at the item again.
"Well, it may be good for selling later on, if nothing else." He picked it up, admiring the smooth surface on the gold necklace. Then he ran his fingers over the chain. He frowned a bit. "What a thin chain... it looks like it could break at any moment."
He carefully dropped the chain around his neck, the large item on the end of it thumping into his chest. Then he inspected the chain again. /It holds!/
"Some things are stronger than they seem," he murmured. He couldn't help but add a touch of smugness to his tone, even though he was quite alone; everyone else was out at the ceremony.
Though, by now it would be nearing its end.
"I should go, and quickly. But first, the sword!"
Yugi hurried into his father's room to look about, for once ignoring how much more elaborately it was set up, for once regarding the many cards on display with a cynical little smile on his face instead of a frown.
He found his father's old short sword in his wardrobe, and thankfully discovered its sheath and belt so he could latch it around his waist. Then, after a little rummaging around, he found some simple healing herbs for fixing up a small wound or so.
Finally, he scrawled a quick note for his father and left it on the bed, where it could easily be found.
The young man looked out the door, hearing voices coming from down the street. He knew it was time to go; it was now or never. If he waited one more moment, someone would see him, someone would try to stop him. Then he'd never go.
Setting a determined expression upon his face, the young man murmured, "Goodbye, father," and hurried away from the cheerful voices he heard.
He just prayed to the gods that he wouldn't get into a coughing fit. Gods, not now...
~*~ Two hours later ~*~
This wasn't good.
"Two hours of stumbling around in darkness and this is what I get for my efforts?!" he gasped, struggling to pull out the short sword while fighting back the hacking cough he so despised.
A huge wolf growled at him, crouching low on the ground as he tried to back away from it.
"Please, oh gods please!" The short sword came free from its sheath. "Yes!" He held it with two hands, glaring now at the wolf. "Come on, fight me now!"
The wolf gave a little bark, then lunged at him.
"Ack! Not good!" he yelped, barely dodging out of the way. He tried to turn quickly to deliver a blow, but it only nicked the creature's front paw. However, it was enough for him to back away from harm for a moment so he could catch his breath.
Yugi swallowed, then suddenly felt very, very lightheaded. "Oh Gods! Please, no!" he gasped, then fell back against a tree as the past two hours of endless stumbling through the woods and fighting a wolf caught up with him. He sank to his knees, coughing and trying to remember how to breathe as the wolf came ever closer to its prey.
/Oh no! What am I going to do now? I'm such an idiot!/ Yugi stared up at the creature with wide, frightened eyes. /Now what? I gotta try something!/ He covered his mouth with one hand, using the other to lift his short sword and wave it threateningly.
The wolf gave another bark, which sounded almost like a laugh to Yugi's ears. It knew its prey wasn't able to fight back; this one was young, weak, and above all, sick.
The bark lowered back into a growl as the wolf prepared for its final attack.
Yugi closed his eyes. /Gods, Spirits, somebody, anybody! HELP ME!/
He heard a scuffling noise, then a thudding noise and a howl of pain. Then... silence.
He kept his eyes closed, wondering what had happened. /Was... that it? Am I dead? What happened? That was much more painless than I thought it would be.../
Then Yugi heard a deep-voiced chuckle. "You called for me, little one?"
"What?!"
Yugi opened one eye, then the other. A lean figure stood before him, holding a card in his hand. The wolf was nowhere in sight.
The young man stared up at his rescuer for a moment.
The other man smiled reassuringly at him. "Fear not, little one. I mean no harm for you. But..." He held out the card. "I believe this is yours."
"Huh?"
Yugi reached out to touch the card, and looked up at the man again.
"Go ahead, take it. It's yours."
"But you-"
"But I am here because you called for me. You summoned me to create a card for you, and lo! Here it is. Your first, is it not?" The man nodded. "Many firsts have occurred upon this night, then. But it matters not; take the card."
Slowly, Yugi obeyed. He looked at the card in his hands. "Wow! The Silver Wolf, attack 600." He looked back up. "Thank you! But... I don't know who you are."
"Me?" The man shook some of his hair out of his eyes, still smiling at him. "I am your summoned, and you are my summoner."
"That doesn't answer my question, sir. Who are you, what were you doing out here?"
"My name is Yami. I am here because, from now on, I am your champion."
~*~
Note- The card "Silver Wolf" is completely made up. I may or may not make up cards in the future. This is an AU fic, so I'm entitled to it. ^^ But don't worry, I'll add in cards you'll recognize soon enough.
~*~
Yugi jerked his head to one side. "Will you leave my hair alone?" he asked, irritated.
The girl who was combing it gave a small squeak of protest and moved so she was behind him again. "But you need to make a good impression, young milord."
"I won't make a very good impression at all if you don't stop yanking every hair on my head off with that comb!" Yugi snapped.
The girl stopped and he could tell she was shocked by his outburst. He sighed and ran a hand over his wild hair. "Look, sorry. Just... don't bother, okay?" he said.
"O-of course, milord," she said quietly. He could hear her put the comb down on a nearby table. "I'll... leave you for now so you can have some privacy before your father comes in." With that, she turned and hurried out of the room.
Again, the young man sighed and shook his head. /Even though this is only a small village, the elders insist on giving us servants. Because my father saves the day./ He frowned. /Now that wasn't a fair thing to think... How can I help it? I-/
He doubled over in a sudden fit of coughs. He clutched at the nearby table, desperately trying to suppress the coughs and the horrible elephant-like sounds they made. Finally, he managed to regain control of himself, and wiped his mouth.
A speck of blood.
Yugi stared at it in dismay. /And here I'm planning on running away to prove I'm a hero like my father. Who am I to think I can do that? I can barely deal with some stupid illness, a sickness that I'll be stuck with for life!/ He hung his head. /Who am I kidding? I'll never get past the village. I'd never make it alive.../
Then his head raised up, and he stared into the mirror. The face of a pale boy with wild hair met his gaze, staring hopelessly into the mirror.
"Stop it," Yugi muttered at the mirror. The face in the mirror was now angry. "Stop it, damn it," he said, a little louder. "I'm not some sick little kid! That's only what the others think! I'm going to show them!" He glared defiantly at the mirror. "I'll show them tonight. As soon as the feast is over, it's good-bye Yugi until I beat a monster. Even a weak one! I have to show them I can be a Warrior just like my father!"
With that thought in mind, the young man sat down in a nearby chair and continued to stare into the mirror. However, now he was just eyeing it thoughtfully, chewing on his lower lip. A lock of his hair fell into his eyes. Absently, he brushed it away.
/Now how am I going to do that...?/ he thought. /I'll have to get some sort of protection. Obviously, I'll need a sword. I should be fine. They're not that much heavier than the wooden practice swords, and I was all right with them. A shield...?/
He nearly wet himself trying to hold back a laugh at that.
/A shield! Right! I can hold a sword fine when I've got both hands to do so, but a shield! I wouldn't have a chance! No, I'll need another way. Armor? No, I'd only be able to handle one of those helmets... Looks like I'll have to just be really fast. Otherwise I'll become a monster's meal./
He nodded at the mirror. /The healer's foods are said to give people extra powers if they eat them while they are well. If I can steal something and take a bite, perhaps I'll get faster for a while thanks to her powers. It'll be hell to pay when I get back, but getting back will be the first step./ His lips pursed. /Correction. Getting back with a CARD will be the first step./
A knock sounded at the door.
"Yes?" Yugi called.
The door opened and his father strode into the room.
Yugi stood and turned to bow at his father. "Lord father," he said.
The man before him nodded. "You look presentable," was his reply.
"Yes."
There was a long silence, where Yugi observed his father for the millionth time. Unlike him, his father's hair was solid gold falling to his shoulders, his eyes an almost startling violet. Muscles rippled under the smooth skin with the slightest movement, though somehow he managed to stay thin. His voice was booming, whereas Yugi's was weak and rasping.
Yugi could tell he was being observed as well, and hated the feeling. He knew what his father was thinking; why on earth had the Gods given him a son who had trouble running, much less become a Warrior? Why had the Gods turned away from his pleas and forced his son into a permanent illness?
Finally, the scrutiny ended and Yugi's father turned away. "Let's get going."
"Yes," Yugi repeated. He suppressed the need to cough again and followed his father out of the door.
~*~
The ceremony was boring.
Yugi suppressed another yawn as the girl, Tea, was led from one woman to another in a slow dance. Two drums and a flute set the beat. Normally, the women's moves were fascinating for him to watch.
But not now...
"Damn, theirs is so easy!" Joey muttered. He was sitting to the right of Yugi, running his hands through his hair. Unlike Yugi, however, he was sitting on a mat on the ground, not on a chair. "They get t' just dance around, and we guys get freakin' beat up!"
"The men's ceremony is not required, you know," said a smooth voice from behind.
Yugi and Joey turned to see Joey's rival approach. "And what are ya implying?" Joey asked, frowning.
"I imply nothing at all, 'friend'," the rival replied. He gave a small nod to Yugi. "And how is our resident failure today? Found a new sickness to spread yet?"
Yugi glared, and his muscles tensed. "What did you say?" he demanded.
"Yugi!"
The young man started, then realized his father was giving him a disapproving look. "You are showing an unpleasant amount of... shall we say, carelessness, this evening. Pay attention to the ceremony."
"...Yes, father."
"Obeying your father so quickly. How... trustworthy you are. How obedient," the rival mused, edging closer to Yugi's seat.
"Tread softly, or not at all, Seto son of Kaiba," Yugi's father growled. "If you must speak tonight, speak of the ceremony."
"Of course, but of course," Kaiba replied. With that, he set himself down next to Joey, continuing to murmur insults.
Yugi glared at the other young man. /I shouldn't let him get to me. He's just got more cards than anyone else in the village, and he's the fastest, and he's just the son of a lord who doesn't make him work in the fields.../
His hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. /I can't take this./ His eyes found the girl, Tea, as she was swung to the next woman, who was a year older than the last one. The drum's beat was steadily quickening. /Not anymore. I can't take the insults, the pettiness. I can't!/ She was twirled to the next woman, nearly spinning past her to the woman beyond. The flute hit a high note that made him start. /I CAN'T!/
He jumped to his feet.
"Yugi!" his father began.
"I-I... I must go! Forgive me!" Yugi gasped, fighting back a cough. With that, he spun around and fled for his house before he did anything stupid; like interrupting the ceremony, or strangling Kaiba.
He only had the chance, however, to round a corner or two before having to submit to a coughing fit. It was long and hard, and he feared someone may hear him. Thankfully, however, no one did. And no one, as far as he could tell, was coming after him.
Finally, the coughing stopped. Yugi found it alarming to find more blood on his hands, which he'd clamped over his mouth to quiet himself. Swallowing, he headed home to clean up and get a drink.
~*~
"I can't take this anymore. I have to do this," he whispered.
Yugi had set up a small pack of essentials for himself. He had a clean shirt in it, a cloth for bathing, many of the herbs the healers used to ease his cough, some dried fruit and a loaf of freshly baked bread.
He put the pack on, and found to his relief that it wasn't as heavy as he thought it might be for him. Then he looked around to see if he was missing anything.
/Right. A sword, and maybe herbs in case I get messed up... no, when I get messed up.../ He frowned. /I hate being so pessimistic about everything, but all the bad things seem to happen before the good things do. At least to me./
He glanced into the mirror, wondering what sight he would behold now. For a moment, he imagined himself standing straight, perhaps looking a little taller than before. Maybe he'd still be lean, but with that limber look that some of the faster boys had. Maybe his face would be set with determination, or perhaps he would have a smirk that even he had not been aware of for the past few minutes...
All that met his eyes was the image of a pale boy with wide, uncertain eyes.
He frowned and looked away. "No! I can't give in to uncertainty now, or I'll never go. I'll be a- a- a house-pet, for one of Kaiba's types! And I will NOT let that happen!"
With that, he turned and left his room.
/Now to find an-/ "OW!"
He found himself face-first on the ground a moment later, and sat up to wipe the dirt off of his face.
"Owww, what was that? What happened...?"
Yugi looked around for a moment before something caught his eye. Turning to it, he saw something shining, even in the dim evening light. Something gold, something that seemed to have an odd light to it...
"But what is this? I've never seen it around before..." Yugi gently touched the odd item. "It looks like some weird necklace thing. My father owns nothing like this, though."
He slowly looked from one side of the room to the other. Then he looked down at the item again.
"Well, it may be good for selling later on, if nothing else." He picked it up, admiring the smooth surface on the gold necklace. Then he ran his fingers over the chain. He frowned a bit. "What a thin chain... it looks like it could break at any moment."
He carefully dropped the chain around his neck, the large item on the end of it thumping into his chest. Then he inspected the chain again. /It holds!/
"Some things are stronger than they seem," he murmured. He couldn't help but add a touch of smugness to his tone, even though he was quite alone; everyone else was out at the ceremony.
Though, by now it would be nearing its end.
"I should go, and quickly. But first, the sword!"
Yugi hurried into his father's room to look about, for once ignoring how much more elaborately it was set up, for once regarding the many cards on display with a cynical little smile on his face instead of a frown.
He found his father's old short sword in his wardrobe, and thankfully discovered its sheath and belt so he could latch it around his waist. Then, after a little rummaging around, he found some simple healing herbs for fixing up a small wound or so.
Finally, he scrawled a quick note for his father and left it on the bed, where it could easily be found.
The young man looked out the door, hearing voices coming from down the street. He knew it was time to go; it was now or never. If he waited one more moment, someone would see him, someone would try to stop him. Then he'd never go.
Setting a determined expression upon his face, the young man murmured, "Goodbye, father," and hurried away from the cheerful voices he heard.
He just prayed to the gods that he wouldn't get into a coughing fit. Gods, not now...
~*~ Two hours later ~*~
This wasn't good.
"Two hours of stumbling around in darkness and this is what I get for my efforts?!" he gasped, struggling to pull out the short sword while fighting back the hacking cough he so despised.
A huge wolf growled at him, crouching low on the ground as he tried to back away from it.
"Please, oh gods please!" The short sword came free from its sheath. "Yes!" He held it with two hands, glaring now at the wolf. "Come on, fight me now!"
The wolf gave a little bark, then lunged at him.
"Ack! Not good!" he yelped, barely dodging out of the way. He tried to turn quickly to deliver a blow, but it only nicked the creature's front paw. However, it was enough for him to back away from harm for a moment so he could catch his breath.
Yugi swallowed, then suddenly felt very, very lightheaded. "Oh Gods! Please, no!" he gasped, then fell back against a tree as the past two hours of endless stumbling through the woods and fighting a wolf caught up with him. He sank to his knees, coughing and trying to remember how to breathe as the wolf came ever closer to its prey.
/Oh no! What am I going to do now? I'm such an idiot!/ Yugi stared up at the creature with wide, frightened eyes. /Now what? I gotta try something!/ He covered his mouth with one hand, using the other to lift his short sword and wave it threateningly.
The wolf gave another bark, which sounded almost like a laugh to Yugi's ears. It knew its prey wasn't able to fight back; this one was young, weak, and above all, sick.
The bark lowered back into a growl as the wolf prepared for its final attack.
Yugi closed his eyes. /Gods, Spirits, somebody, anybody! HELP ME!/
He heard a scuffling noise, then a thudding noise and a howl of pain. Then... silence.
He kept his eyes closed, wondering what had happened. /Was... that it? Am I dead? What happened? That was much more painless than I thought it would be.../
Then Yugi heard a deep-voiced chuckle. "You called for me, little one?"
"What?!"
Yugi opened one eye, then the other. A lean figure stood before him, holding a card in his hand. The wolf was nowhere in sight.
The young man stared up at his rescuer for a moment.
The other man smiled reassuringly at him. "Fear not, little one. I mean no harm for you. But..." He held out the card. "I believe this is yours."
"Huh?"
Yugi reached out to touch the card, and looked up at the man again.
"Go ahead, take it. It's yours."
"But you-"
"But I am here because you called for me. You summoned me to create a card for you, and lo! Here it is. Your first, is it not?" The man nodded. "Many firsts have occurred upon this night, then. But it matters not; take the card."
Slowly, Yugi obeyed. He looked at the card in his hands. "Wow! The Silver Wolf, attack 600." He looked back up. "Thank you! But... I don't know who you are."
"Me?" The man shook some of his hair out of his eyes, still smiling at him. "I am your summoned, and you are my summoner."
"That doesn't answer my question, sir. Who are you, what were you doing out here?"
"My name is Yami. I am here because, from now on, I am your champion."
~*~
Note- The card "Silver Wolf" is completely made up. I may or may not make up cards in the future. This is an AU fic, so I'm entitled to it. ^^ But don't worry, I'll add in cards you'll recognize soon enough.