Moons: Okay…ff.net is being really stupid lately so I'm sorry for any delays in getting this chapters out but hey, when it rains it pours.
Aurora: That's usually meant went bad things happen.
Moons: Oh well… I'm getting work done on these stories, graduating next Saturday (oh man) and then I'm off to Vermont for a week to come back for a week and then ship off to Florida for another week (I'm spending my entire trip on the Aerosmith roller coaster.)
Aurora: Steven Tyler?! Bring me!!
Moons: I have no choice do I? Anyway, I'll let you guys go read this chapter and if you are it means that ff.net finally pulled its head out of its ass! So enjoy.
Pharaoh's Spirit
CHAPTER TWO: SECRETS REVEALED
Morning crept up on the tiny Game Shop. Sun light shifted its way through the blinds and landed on Yugi Mouto's face. It brightened causing him to flinch and try and roll away. But the light was persistent and soon Yugi found himself sitting up in bed grumbling.
"Stupid habit." He mumbled. "Light's my wake up call. No alarm clock for me, just the seven in the morning rays."
He rubbed his stomach which was still sore from the previous day's activities. That reminded him of the gang, Pharaoh's Spirit and his close encounter with them. It had all been because a group of punks wanted to loot his grandfather's store and sell there prizes for more money. Then Yami had shown up and things got weird.
Yugi sighed and walked over to his window. He pulled up the blinds and looked out over Domino City. In the distance he could see the roof to the gang's hang out. Part of him wondered if they would be there if he took a walk down that way. Probably, gang's hardly ever left their place of safety during the day. He wanted to see Yami again and thank him for everything that he did yesterday.
Just the thought of Yami sent Yugi's well collected thoughts scattering around in his head. Besides the fact that they looked so much alike, Yami was an interesting character. He had tried to act tough in front of Yugi, even threatened him, but that little bit of softness had been his downfall. Even back at the warehouse, Jonouchi had told Yugi that Yami was tougher then many gave him credit for. So was he tough or was he a softie?
Yugi groaned and turned away from the window. Why did he care so much? Did it really matter to him if Yami could take on anyone? He just didn't understand why he cared so much about Yami. Throwing open his closet door, Yugi searched for an outfit to wear that day. He had made up his mind.
He was going to see Yami.
~*~
Yugi walked with his head down. The area he had entered wasn't dirty, just frightening. People staggered out of the alleyways asking if he had change. They grabbed his shirt and pleaded, the liquor now stale on their breath. Women stalked him, waiting till they got a few blocks from their original stand point to ask him if he was interested in a free half hour session. The whole situation was just surreal.
And this was the area where Yami lived? Granted he was in a gang, but even then he was human. He had to be frightened by the begging drunks and disgusted by the over zealous prostitutes. Then again, they were a part of his life. Who knew, maybe Yami even partook in one of the free sessions. Yugi's cheeks burned with a fierce blush after that thought. To think of Yami being a part of such dirty sexual acts. Besides, Anzu was probably Yami's girl. If there was one girl in a gang of guys it was usually because she was the leader's girl.
Yugi was so intent on his inner thoughts that he never heard the footsteps come up behind him. It was only when the large shadow cast over him that Yugi realized he was being followed. But by then it was too late.
A large man with tiny black eyes grabbed Yugi by the shoulders and pulled him into the nearest alleyway. He slammed him up against the wall and gave him a quick look over. Yugi shuddered and tried to squirm his way out of the man's grasp.
"You're a cute one." The man spoke gruffly pressing his hands down harder on Yugi's shoulders. "I guess I'm lucky you happened to come my way."
Yugi whimpered. This was too much. He should have never come. The only thing he needed to do was tell Yami thanks. That wasn't worth this, was it?
"Pretty little violet eyes." The man grinned and slipped a hand inside Yugi's shirt. "Soft, soft skin."
Yugi gasped and tried harder to struggle his way out of this man's grasp. It was perfectly clear what he wanted and Yugi was going to see to it that he wouldn't get close. But his struggles were futile and the man allowed his curious hand to descend.
"Beautiful eyes that are beautiful when they have tears in them." The Man laughed and allowed his fingers to dance over Yugi's waist line. "Cry for me little one."
Yugi sniffed and tried to hide his tears from this awful man. There was hardly any traces of alcohol on his breath so Yugi was pretty sure he was completely aware of what he was doing. But this couldn't be happening!
"How about you cry for me!"
The man's grip was suddenly gone from Yugi. He gasped and fell to his hands and knees. Drawing in quick breaths he let his memory drift back. He knew that voice, that accent. Looking up, Yugi confirmed his thoughts.
Standing over his attacker was the same white haired boy that he had met at Yami's hide out. Ryou threw a punch landing his knuckles across the man's face with a deadly crack. The man fell backwards, blood bursting from his nose. He grunted and tried desperately to crawl away from the fuming teen.
"I just wanted a quick fuck!" He yelped. "I didn't know he was yours! Honestly! Just please, let me go!"
Ryou snorted and gave him a kick to the stomach. Yugi winced even though he was glad that guy was getting what the angered gang member gave him. It just looked so painful. He flattened himself against the wall and waited for Ryou to end his beating.
"P-please." The man sputtered through the mask of blood that was caking to his face. "I-I'm sorry…sorry."
Ryou snarled and kicked the man fiercely. The kick landed on the man's ass pushing his forward onto his face. He left a blood smear on the ground.
"Get out of here." He growled. "And don't let me see you around again. Molesting kids doesn't go well around here. So beat it!"
The man crawled out of the alley, too dazed to get to his feet. Ryou grunted and spit after him. Yugi crawled away form the wall and up next to the white haired teen. Glancing up with his bright purple eyes, he gave Ryou a shaky smile.
"Thanks Ryou." He whispered, almost afraid that the gang member would turn and direct his fierceness on him.
But instead Ryou turned to him with a grin. His brown eyes softened from the sharpness that they had just been before. Yugi was relieved to see this side of Ryou again. He climbed to his feet and still came only to the gang member's chest. Ryou placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders and looked him up and down.
"Did that man hurt you?" He demanded checking Yugi over once more.
"No." Yugi smiled and Ryou removed his hands. "Just scared me. Which is more then I can say for what you did to him."
Ryou grinned and shrugged. "He deserved it." He sneered in the direction that the man had staggered off in. "That asshole is always wandering these streets trying to grab fresh meat. He's used up all his free half hour sessions and is looking for freebies. I thought he learned his lesson when he tried to pick Otogi up. Otogi had landed him in the hospital."
Yugi grinned. That he could picture. Otogi definitely seemed like the kind of guy to rip into someone who over stepped his set boundaries. Which was exactly why Yugi planned to be careful around him.
He almost laughed at himself. Listen to him talk! He was talking as though he was actually going to be spending enough time around these delinquents to have to learn their likes and dislikes. It was quite amusing to him. Though he doubted that any of the rest of Pharaoh's Spirit would find it equally as amusing. Yami might though, he seemed to have an odd sense of humor.
"So what are you doing in this part of town?" Ryou suddenly asked, shaking Yugi out of his odd thoughts. "This ain't exactly the kind of area for a kid like you to be hanging out in."
"Oh," Yugi blushed and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I, uh, I came to thank Yami personally. I couldn't rest knowing that I hadn't said it myself."
Ryou smiled sadly. He knew what was going on here. He could see it as clearly as he saw that Yugi had been in trouble. This young boy was falling for their leader. He wasn't surprised. Yami had saved his life and it was known that when somebody did that ties were formed that were unshakable. But he was yet to know if Yami returned these feelings of endearment. By the time he had reached the warehouse this morning Yami was already gone for his walk. Granted it was much earlier today then normal, but it hadn't surprised him after the day that Yami had had yesterday.
"Sorry kid." Ryou gave Yugi a pat on the shoulder. "Yami already left for his daily walk."
Yugi's face fell and he looked back at the ground. He saw the blood stain that his attacker had left and shuddered. If Ryou hadn't showed up when he had things could have been a lot worse. He was thankful for small miracles.
"Oh." He gave a dejected sigh. So it had all been for nothing. "I guess I'll have to live with a second hand thank you then."
Ryou felt his heart break for the small boy. He looked at the sky for a second. Opposite the moon for Yami, the sun had a calming effect on him. Basking in its warm rays for a second, he got a sudden idea.
"Hey Yugi." He gave the boy a soft grin, his British accent seeming to strengthen for a second. "Why don't you talk a walk with me? We can go to the park and talk. And if we run into Yami, you can give him that personal message. What do you say?"
Yugi looked up at him quickly. Did Ryou just give him an invite to spend the day with him? Just when he thought he wasn't going to be spending time with him this comes up. Though he was delighted with the offer the prospect that more grabbed his attention was the idea that they might run into Yami and he could talk to him. Yugi nodded quickly and Ryou had to grab his shoulders.
"Shake your head any harder and it might fall off." He joked.
Yugi blushed and gave a short, slower nod. He didn't want to seem to enthusiastic. Ryou let go of his shoulders and motioned for Yugi to follow him out of the alley. Yugi followed him slowly, afraid of meeting the same riff raff leaving as he saw coming. But all the prostitutes and beggars seemed to back off when they saw Ryou coming. Maybe this gang had more power then he thought. And maybe that meant that Yami never had partaken in any of the free sessions. Cause if Ryou scared them this way, he could only imagine the fear they felt when seeing the leader. He blushed even darker when he realized that he was thinking that way again. Ryou noticed the crimson of his cheeks and laughed.
"What are you thinking of?" He asked jokingly.
"Well, all those prostitutes came up to me offering free sessions but they seemed scared of you." He couldn't believe he was going to ask Ryou this. "I was just thinking, have any of you ever taken them up on their offer?"
Ryou started laughing which made Yugi blush even darker, if that was even possible. He gave the small boy a grin.
"I know that most of us haven't." He chuckled. "I'm not sure about Jou though. That boy sure loves the women."
Yugi sighed a breath of relief. So Yami hadn't been with those dingy women. It was definitely a weight off his shoulders. But he didn't know why. Was he really falling for the gang leader? He couldn't be! Especially when he knew that Yami probably would never share that same feeling. It was just asking for his heart to be broken.
The two walked in almost complete silence to the park. Ryou only broke the silence a few times to ask questions about Yugi. He was hesitant on the answers, not exactly sure if the answers he was giving were acceptable. But Ryou didn't seem to care. He just grinned and nodded as Yugi relayed his life story. Including the part about being a bully target. Ryou frowned at this and shook his head.
"I just don't understand people." He sighed. "Here I am, a gang member, and I don't even bully people. It takes a lot a nerve. I guess that punk form yesterday should be glad that Yami didn't put him in the hospital. He comes from experienced life with bullies."
Yugi was so shocked by this statement that he didn't see Ryou sit by the pond in the far corner of the park. Nobody came over here and he guessed he knew why. It appeared that the area was marked for Pharaoh's Spirit. He sat beside Ryou and looked up at him sheepishly.
"What do you mean that Yami comes from experience?" He asked softly. "He doesn't seem like the kind to get bullied."
Ryou gave a sad smile and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He offered one to Yugi who shook his. Ryou shrugged and pulled one out for himself. Lighting it, he took a long drag before answering Yugi's question.
"Yami's had a hard life." He sighed. "He didn't become a gang leader for nothing. He's basically been on his own for ten years."
Yugi was again shocked. Ten years? That meant Yami had been on his own since he was eight. And that was too young for anyone to be on their own. Even someone as tough as Yami.
"He doesn't have any parents?" Yugi thought of his own lack of parents and decided to rethink his question. "He doesn't have any relatives?"
Ryou shook his head and took another long drag. "Yami's parents left him when he was six." He blew out a lungful of smoke. "But they even abused him up until that point. One day they just got sick of him, packed him up and dropped him off on the front steps of the orphanage. And even there he didn't find refuge. The kids mocked him saying things like 'your own parents don't even want you, so you really think you'll get adopted. He lived through that for two years before he ran away at the ripe age of eight."
Yugi sat back and took that all the new information in. So Yami had no one. No wonder he was so distant. He probably felt he could trust no one but his fellow gang members. He must be afraid of any kind of sentimental feelings.
"After that he had to live on the street." Ryou continued. "Being on the streets at eight is tough. He's wander around during the day, stealing food to survive. And at nights he would have to hide in anything to keep away from the night crawlers. He was a tough kid and survived it all. When he was old enough he got a job. But when his boss found out he was living on the street he called the orphanage. Yami ran and never looked back.
"He was alone again for a long time, too afraid to get another job and broke. He had to resort to stealing again. He stole food, clothes, and weapons. Yami became a whiz at shop lifting. He basically stole everything he needed to survive. When he was fourteen he meet up with Jou. They hit it off right away and they became an inseparable duo. They weren't a gang yet mind you. Pharaoh's Spirit didn't come around until we were all sixteen. But the rest of us meet up when we were fifteen. Right before Yami turned sixteen was when it happened. The thing that made us all decided to start the gang. The thing that convinced us to give ourselves those jailhouse tattoos."
Yugi blinked. This was way too much. Yami had lived on the streets since he was eight? That would describe why he had such street smarts and why he was the leader. But this event that Ryou talked of had him both intrigued and afraid. He knew that it couldn't bee good. And what was a jailhouse tattoo?
"Uh, what is a jailhouse tattoo?" He asked timidly.
Ryou grinned and lifted his shirt up and lowered the waist of his pants. There on his hip was a shaky yet very visible tattoo. It was the same odd eye that was engraved on the front of the pyramid that he wore around his neck. Ryou let his shirt fall back into place and snubbed his cigarette out on the ground. As soon as it was out he lit another one.
"A jailhouse tattoo is one that you give yourself." He explained. "You cut yourself in the shape that you want the tattoo and then pour ink into the wound. It heals like a regular tattoo. Granted it's more dangerous and hurts like hell, but it has more meaning, relies on more trust. We all have the same one in the same spot, including Anzu. They tie us together forever. Even when we're forty we'll look down and know who our true friends are. We can give you one too if you want."
Yugi paled and shook his head. Ryou laughed and took a deep lungful of smoke.
"Didn't think so." He chuckled. "Anyway, we have a rival gang, the High Priests. They are the reason that we formed this bond. Or more their leader is and what he did to Yami that night."
Yugi watched the smoke that left Ryou's mouths in puffs as he talked. He seemed to really enjoy his cigarettes. Maybe he could try one sometime. If Yami offered him…
"What happened to Yami?" He asked in a weak voice.
Ryou started at the question. A sad look crossed his features and he himself watched the smoke that curled up from the end of his cigarette.
"High Priests' leader Seto cornered him one night in an alleyway." Ryou seemed almost pained at having to tell this story. His British accent came out thick in his sorrow. "Yami usually was able to over power people that grabbed him, but Seto was strong himself. He overpowered Yami and stole his innocence. He raped him that night and Yami's never been the same since. We formed the gang as a protection and soon our reputation rivaled that of the High Priests. But that still didn't bring back the old Yami. He began having nightmares and for the first month Otogi had to stay at the warehouse with him because Yami was terrified to spend the nights by himself. He became paranoid. Granted he's over all that now, but he goes into random bouts of depression and occasionally still has nightmares. We all worry about him but we know he can defend himself better now than he could then."
Yugi's head was spinning. Yami had been raped? No wonder he hated bullies. He had been bullied for the first half of his life and then he had been raped. His entire life had lived in fear. Yugi felt his heart break for the gang leader. He had heard a gang member's life was tough but he had idea that it was that tough. Glancing up at Ryou he decided another question was in order.
"So have you all had such tough lives?"
The amusement returned to Ryou's features. He finished off his second cigarette and snubbed it out. This time he didn't light another. He looked out across the pond and sighed.
"Yes and no." He shook his head sending his white hair bouncing around his face. "We've all lead tough lives but none as tough as Yami's. I have a father who's never home, so I moved out. I share an apartment with Otogi. Otogi never really knew his parents. He's another orphanage escapee. Except he didn't bust out until he was fourteen where he met up with me. We moved in together offering support. Jou's mother left him and his sister with an alcoholic father who one day just didn't come home. They don't whether he's dead, in jail, or just skipped out. Now Jou watches over his sister and make sure that she gets a proper education and all. Anzu lives with parents that don't care what she does. She could not come home one night and they wouldn't care. She fell into or group when she brought Otogi home one night. He was beaten pretty badly. She became our official doctor and hung out with us ever since. We all come from broken homes. That's our tie to each other."
Yugi sighed and looked around the park. It really made him appreciate his life. Their lives made his handful of bullies seem like nothing. He still had his grandfather who cared about him. They really had no one but each other. What he wouldn't give for friends like that. That's when he noticed a familiar figure strolling slowly through the park. His similar hair gave him away right away.
"Yami." He breathed.
Ryou looked over and spotted his leader trudging through the park. When Yugi jumped to his feet, Ryou grabbed his arm.
"No." He shook his head. "Leave him. He's lost in his own thoughts. It's best to leave him be. We've realized that when you try to talk to him when he's like this, you get nowhere."
Yugi finally noticed what Yami really looked like. His head was down, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He walked slowly, like a man headed to his own execution. He looked absolutely miserable. The sight caused Yugi's heart to ache.
"He looks so sad." He whispered.
Ryou nodded and this time he did light another cigarette. After taking a deep drag he went to answer Yugi when another, colder voice broke into their conversation.
"That's because he is sad. A sad case."
Ryou bristled and rose to his feet. A growl rumbled out of his throat and he drew a dagger from a hidden location. Yugi gasped and took a step back away from the bushes that Ryou was glaring at. Another teen stepped out of them. His white hair and brown eyes made him a dead ringer for Ryou. The only difference was the fiercer slant to the mysterious boy's eyes. He looked ready to kill.
"Oh Ryou." He taunted. "Glad to see me as always."
"Shut it Bakura." Ryou growled, stepping front of Yugi. "What the fuck do you want?"
The fight was back in Ryou's eyes, shifting them into a menace that Yugi found frightening. He took a step back away from both teens and whimpered. This drew Bakura's attention and his eyes widened in surprise.
"And who's this?" He asked in a low voice. "He looks just like that pathetic leader of yours, Yami. I wonder if Seto would enjoy him as much as he enjoyed Yami."
Ryou snarled and stepped in front of Yugi once more. Yugi realized that he must have been a member of the High Priests. He bristled himself, thinking of what that gang had done to Yami.
"Oh," Bakura raised an eyebrow. "So the little one has some fight."
"You leave him out of this." Ryou hissed. "He's not one of us so you have no fight with him."
Bakura eyed the dagger in Ryou's hand and grinned evilly. He pulled out his own dagger. He wiggled an eyebrow at Ryou in almost a seductive way.
"So you want a fight." He jabbed his dagger in Ryou's direction. "Then let's go fucker. I'll waste you."
"I don't think so." Ryou growled lunging at Bakura.
Yugi gasped and jumped to the side, giving the two teens dueling room. Their daggers meet in metallic clashes and their fists landed in empty air. Bakura finally swiped his dagger across Ryou's upper arm, drawing blood. Ryou hissed in pain. But his dagger slashed across Bakura's chest drawing another line of blood. Bakura growled and jumped away from Ryou, wrapping his arm across his chest. But his glare soon turned into a grin.
"We call this round a draw." He chuckled. "But I'll be back. And next time it's to the end."
Ryou spit after Bakura as he slipped into the bushes he had slunk out of. Turning to Yugi he saw the boy staring at him with frightened eyes. He quickly ran over and dropped beside him.
"Yugi are you okay?" He gasped.
Yugi looked at him and nodded blankly. He was fine, he had just never seen a fight of that magnitude. He gave Ryou a shaky smile and firmer nod. Ryou grinned and wrapped his arm around the boy in a hug. The action shocked Yugi but he hugged Ryou back.
"I'm sorry Yugi." He breathed. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just hate that shit."
Yugi gave a light chuckle. Ryou pulled his arms away and hissed at the fiery pain that bolted up and down his arm. Yugi gasped.
"You're hurt!" He yelped. "He got you."
"Not badly though." Ryou chuckled. "Bakura's all talk and little action. He can never finish his own battles. I can run to Anzu and have her patch me up. You better be getting home. It's getting late."
Yugi looked up and noticed that the sky was beginning to be painted by dusk's cloak. How long had he been sitting in the park with Ryou? He quickly jumped to his feet.
"My Grandfather is going to kill me!" He moaned. Giving Ryou a quick wave he started to jog away.
"Yugi wait!" Ryou called. Yugi turned to see the teen cradling his injured arm. Even though he was in pain he gave Yugi a grin. "Come by the warehouse anytime. But take this."
He wiped his dagger's blade of on his shirt and returned it to its sheath that had been hidden in his pant's waist line. Giving it one last look he tossed it to Yugi who caught it with a surprised look.
"Use that if anyone tries to take advantage of you again." He gave Yugi a wave. "See you around buddy."
With that finally goodbye, both teens turned and ran in opposite directions. One ran back into the good part of town, a new treasure held tightly in his hands; the other towards the slums holding an injured arm and grinning.
It was strange the twists that life took.
Moons: I'm making this AN quick because it's 2:30. What can I say I work best at night. I hope you liked this chapter. Please read and review and let me know what you think!