Yeah i know i made them too fast friends but this fic's focused on seto and yugi friendship, so....that was kind of an aside thing y'all knew that was to happen, right? but the yugi-chan is right, because seto was just teasing him. and yes i loved your review, Iba but i don't know what you meant by beta reader......T--T plz explain? :)
Chapter 3: Meet Yami
Even though yesterday had ended on a happy note, Yugi came home and started to sob at his desk again, setting his elbows on the table and burying his face into his arms, shoulders shaking.
Images of a cold hard face and those mean little squinty eyes underneath black bars of eyebrows, were compared in his mind with Seto's face, his now cold, emotionless eyes, the mouth in a thin line, staring at him with hate and contempt as if he were the mud under his shoes....
Grampa had told him what had happened to his old friend. "Yugi, Gozaburo died a long time ago." He paused. "No, he didn't die.....only physically. But his hate still lives on in young Seto....."
"B-but..." Yugi had sputtered, unsure of how to explain. Then he sighed and pounded one tiny fist on his thigh. "I told him! I told him, grampa, not to go with HIM. He had his pick of families, I was the one who didn't......" Grampa had been told about his old friend. Yugi pictured Seto's smiling, excited face on the day he left the orphanage. "How could he....well, be so stupid to pick such a cruel guy?!"
"Yugi...even though he was your friend, he had an ambition even while young, and it...controlled him. But don't give up hope, if he's still your friend, one day he might be." Grampa's words floated around.
Now alone in his room, he looked miserably around his cluttered desk, filled with cards and tokens from board games. Everything seemed to remind him of their lost friendship. I will never play another game again!
Something yellow caught his eye, half hidden under a stack of worksheets.
"My box!" Yugi gasped, not having seen it in a long while. "I'd forgotten all about it!" He took it, remembering the wish he'd made, to be in a loving family. Too bad I didn't make the same wish for Seto....... Maybe it c'n fit one more wish....he thought, hopefully.
The box opened with a whoosh of musty, dusty smell, reminding him of how long ago it was opened. The last time.....Seto was with him, telling him to sell it. Yugi's mouth trembled slightly at the fond memory. "If you sell it, we could buy a rocketship........and fly to the moon!"
He raked the little pieces. Teardrops fell again, wetting the crumbles of gold. Why am I so well..... heartbroken over this? he thought. I knew we'd be separated someday....but I thought he'd keep his promise at least! That when we do "meet", it'll be a "great day!" "Great day..." Yeah, right.....Liar!
Click click, went the puzzle benath his fingers, the pieces starting to fit, but in his misery, he couldn't think of anything else. I'm so weak! Honestly, what did I expect? What did I EXPECT?! His hands shook with anger suddenly..I should have done something.....said something! It all my fault, that's what it is!
The thought came at such a power that he fell back. Then a lot of events happened quickly, one after the other. First, before he fell, he saw the completed puzzle, shining from a light within, one that seemed to fill up his whole room, eventhough it was brilliant already from the sunlight. It felt warm, then hot to the touch. So he must've dropped it, or tried to released it, but it stuck to his hand like hot glue. Then a black curtain fell over his vision in a breath.
Five minutes later, Tea knocked softly on the door "Yugi? You acted weird all day.....I came to see how're you doing..." She listened, but there was nothing, since he had fallen off on the other side.
"Yeah, I'm here too, hi," said a muffled voice, full of food. Tea jumped nearly out of her skin. "Jeez, woman, you sure are jumpy!" Joey muttered, munching on a turkey leg. [a/n: they always seem to pop up out of thin air, so....]
"Probably you're here just for the food!" she scolded him, with a huff. "Yugi-kun? she asked softly, coming in carefully, while Joey barged in, like he owned the place. "Your Grampa said you were working; I can help you! I like those things!" Then she turned her head and saw him on the floor, as if he'd hit the floor with a splat, toes pointing straight up and stiff-backed on the beige carpet.
"Yugi!" she cried, horrified, kneeling over him. He was lying on the back, eyes tightly shut. She knew his health was precarious. It seemed like he wasn't breathing. Still as death, his skin was cold and clammy and sheet-white.
"What happened to 'im? Whatja do now to 'im, Tea?" Joey said accusingly, and she scowled fiercely at him, waving a fist at his face.
"Yeah, riiight!" As they continued arguing and shouting, the spirit of the Millenium puzzle opened his ruby colored eyes and stared straight up at the ceiling for a moment. Gracefully, slowly, he got to his feet, scanning around him, testing his new body out; widening his fingers and staring at his palms.
"You're up! What.....Yugi?" Tea said carefully, cerulean eyes wide and unblinking. It looked like him, but at the same time it didn't. He was glaring at her in a way he'd never had, even thought he wasn't really, that was just the way he looked. He paused, then moved across the silent room in slow, confident steps. He ignored Yugi's friends calling after him, eyes set and the Millenium symbol glowing right in the middle of his forehead. His dark, blood red eyes searched for a string, and tied the puzzle, methodically around his neck so it settled against his chest while taking note of everything. Definitely have to get some new clothes, thought he.
"Where're ya going?!" Joey looked irritable at being ignored, then stopped short. "Tea.... what up with dat weird glowing thing on his face..?" he whispered.
"D-don't be a scaredy-cat...." Tea muttered, still in shock. "You ask him!"
I've no time, thought the spirit. I have to go save the world. Now. Just then, Joel the dog appeared, and tugged at his master's jacket. Tea saw 'Yugi' flick a gaze at the canine with a strange expression, then suddenly grab his head and grimace as flash from his other self regained concious thought.
/Hey! Who are you and what are you doing in my body?! Get out!!!!!/ a high pitched voice yelled in his head. Wincing once, he straightened again, eyes clouding over the mental conversation.
/I am your yami, host. I need this body for a while./Yugi could see nothing but a carbon copy of himself, except he had deeply slanted red eyes, stood confidently, powerfully. Yet he could sense no real evil in him. Even though he sure looked it. /Well, 'Yami' don't you think you need to ask permission first?! Gah, what am I saying?! Are you possessing me or something?!?!?!?!/
/Don't yell. I need to teach the one called 'Kaiba' a lesson. He's hurt you./The spirit decided not to correct him, besides, he liked the name. It'll do, he thought. For now.
/What? No, never mind......leave me alone..../ in a flash Yugi found himself staring at the worried faces of his friends. "Uh....what's h-happened....?"
"Dinnertime!" his grampa interrupted, and he was grateful because his friends were staring as if he'd lost his mind. "Not....hungry....?" the old man inquired.
Yugi tried to forget his strange vision. "I-I am, Grampa!" he said shakily, grinning in a way very unlike his usual sunny smile. "Let's eat, guys!" They reluctantly followed, with a deep silence, but he didn't have time to worry about that now.
/Yugi....I am here to help you. I mean no harm./
/Who are you? Where did you come from? Are you human or......what!?/
The spirit explained, /I come through the puzzle you just solved. As for the other two questions, I have ........no answer./
/Well.....what do you mean, ' I have to go save the world?' I-I don't think I WANT to understand..../ Yugi saw that his friends were staring like he was a freak. /Go away.....! I don't need this right now! I have very little friends--I don't want to lose any more!/
/I......understand. Only for now, though./ Then, there was silence; the only thing Yugi heard was his heart pounding like mad. "What was that all about, Yugi?" Tea asked, as they walked towards the kitchen.
"I-I'm sorry, Tea......did I scare you?" Yugi hung his head. She patted his arm, relieved.
"No, but.....I know you didn't mean it." She decided to drop it, he looked so sad.
The next morning Yugi decided to make his focus on meeting Mokuba, and hope he hadn't changed, like his brother. Over the time, he'd thought constantly about the friends he knew before. He kept picturing the way Seto had stared at him, as if he were a stranger. There must be a reason why! Besides his father, that is.....I pray that Mokie hasn't changed also! That'd be just awful!
So the next day after school he found out where the Kaiba mansion was from his new friends. "You aren't seriously thinkin' bout going dere, are ya?" The tall blond stopped in mid-chew. [a/n yeah they're fast friends but work with me here --;;]
"Well....yeah." Yugi fidgeted. They had all agreed to try and forget what had happened before, to his relief. Anyway, how am I to explain if even I don't know anything about it myself?! Yugi thought. I got the creeps about the whole thing....... He focused his mind somewhere else. If he didn't think about it, it would go away......Right?
Although reluctantly, the three of them set out in the direction of the tall mansion that overlooked Domino City. "I dunno why ya want to see him, he made it clear yesterday y'all weren't friends no more," Joey glared at the property hatefully.
"Yeah he's right for once," Tea put in her two cents as Joey leaned back from them. "maybe he was nicer in the past, but now he's not, and his brother is just like him."
Yugi widened his eyes. "You've met Mok-Mokuba?"
"Yeah, and he's a real spoiled brat, you'll see," Tea said, muttering uncharacteristically of her, since she was always upbeat and positive. Yugi started to get nervous. As they went up the long driveway, the huge double doors opened up before they rang the doorbell. A small, black haired boy answered. Yugi was so excited by his old friend's smiling face. Mokuba had the same messy black hair and his eyes had grown sharper instead of cold. "I see you've grown ......Mokie." Yugi said breathlessly.
"I see you haven't!" the boy smiled, and they both laughed easily. They were now the exact same height. "You haven't changed, that's for sure." Yugi still had the same wild hair, bright eyes and cheerful grin as they shook hands.
"Hmph. That's for sure," repeated a hollow voice from within the house. Half hidden in the shadows, Kaiba regarded Yugi disdainful, eyes narrowed into slits. He towered intimidatingly over his brother and Joey cursed under his breath, clenching his fists. "I'm not surprised you've made a friend in someone as pathetic as yourself, like Wheeler." He spat.
Tea had to hold said blond physically back then. "Who are ya callin pathetic?! Least I don't beat up on my ol' friends!"
Yugi gulped. "We're still friends, aren't we....Seto?" he stopped himself in time as Kaiba's eyes turned blood red with hate and he scowled fiercely.
"That's 'Kaiba' to you! GOT IT?!?!"
His throat closed up and he switched his words.. "What happened to you........ friend?"
"We are not friends, Yugi!" he rasped. "Get it through your naive head."
"I don't believe that." Yugi said calmly. He saw as the tall boy hesitated, and pounced on the opportunity. "I don't think you've changed, either, not really. You're still somewhere in there..." he trailed off self consciously as all eyes were staring at him.
Mokuba was uncharacteristically silent. He knew what Yugi was talking about, but didn't dare to stick up for him. He scratched at a scab on his thumb, sadly. Nii-sama's sure has changed, and it must've been a shock to Yugi, he thought sympathetically. But I've long ago gave up hope on trying to find my brother again.
So ironic, he wanted to say sadly, that two people so alike back then could turn out so different......
Seto smiled suddenly, but it wasn't a smile like before. It was more like when a tiger sees a helpless doe. "I'll show you, Yugi," he drawled lazily. "Come on inside, and we'll play a GAME." He stepped back and disappeared into the gloom of the house. "like 'old times'.....ku ku ku ku...."
"Don't do it, Yugi!" Tea said. "Last time a man disappeared and was never to be seen again!" "Yeah! Don't be stupid, he's got a torture chamber down there!" Joey called, as Yugi baby stepped inside, ignoring them. The house looked tomb-like and empty, and it was freezing cold. Mokuba next to him gave him a hopeful look, looking very much like he did when they were all little.
"Maybe you can help ni-sama," Mokie whispered under his breath. "He isn't like they say."
Outside Joey spat angrily. "Idiot! Well, it's his funeral..." he started to turn.
"Oh no you don't!" Tea said, grabbing him. "We're following him!" she dragged him furiously, dodging his flailing arms.
Yugi followed the swaying trenchcoat in front of him deeper and deeper in the shadows. "M-Mokuba?" he called, but the little boy was no longer there. He was all alone with his old friend. His teeth rattled, he was shivering so hard, from nerves and the cold. What's gonna happen....?
That's what you think, Yugi, Yami thought from his soul room. He could see everything through his host's eyes. So that is the one they call Kaiba, he thought with a scowl, crossing his arms and not liking the look of said CEO at first sight.
"Sit down there!" Kaiba barked sharply, jarring Yugi witless. They were in an dueling arena, though it seemed more like a cave to Yugi. I remember this kid always beat me, Kaiba thought. Let's see how he gets out of this one...."You play duel monsters, Yugi?" he said sneeringly, already knowing the answer. "Uh, only once before....." Yugi watched fearfully at a spider in a dew covered web. It seemed about ten inches long above his head. His palms were cold from all the sweat.
"Scared?" Kaiba said hatefully, shuffling his own deck to prepare.
"No.......I know you wouldn't hurt me....." Yugi answered, practically whispering.
"Then why do you have that bruise in your face?!" Kaiba said irritably. "That was my doing."
"You didn't do the......actual hitting," Yugi mumbled pitifully, touching his still hurting jaw. Besides, the pain inside is far worse, he thought.
The smirk was replaced by a frown. "I checked up on you Yugi," Kaiba stated "Your grandfather is a good duel monsters player, is he not? And I'll bet you use his deck, eh? Answer me!" Yugi gave a nod. "Well, I looked at it and never saw such a pathetic deck in my life! Still, I remember you being very skilled at cards....." A deck appeared in front of Yugi. "There it is. Take it!"
"N-no. I won't play with you, not when you're like this."
"Fool! Take it, I said! Rather I'll force you to play?"
Yugi took it, hand and mouth trembling, not with fear but with hurt. I have to let him win, he thought. If he was a bad loser then, he must be an even worse loser now!
/No./
Yugi jumped, startled, as Kaiba went on, "I'll the first move, Vorse Raider in attack mode and one card face down!" A burst of stars and light and to Yugi's awe and amazement, a 3d image of the horseman came to life. Kaiba nodded, proudly.
"Didn't I say that I would create realistic images, Yugi? Is it too much for you? I hope not," he said sarcastically.
"I remember," Yugi said quietly, drawing his hand. He studied it then put a monster in defense and three cards face down. "And I was right, remember what I said?"
Kaiba's frown deepened as he thought back. "Yes.......that it would be 'mundo scary,' " he mocked. "Vorse Raider, attack his face down card!" To Yugi's horror, the big horse seemed to gallop right toward him, so realistically, and he flinched as an ear splitting blast and the scream of his monsters died. "Heh, now you have no monsters." Kaiba smirked at Yugi's trembling form. "You don't look like you're having fun ,Yugi. That's too bad."
/Yugi, let me duel this guy, your resistance is down,/ Yami said through the mind link.
Yugi couldn't answer because then he fainted and was somewhere dark and scary. Outside, Kaiba blinked in surprise uncharacteristically. "Surprised? Now you'll have some fun." said a now deep baritone that rumbled through the cave, shaking it. Yami drew a card, held it up, and slapped it down gracefully. "Gaia the fierce knight in attack mode! Destroy his Vorse raider!" he commanded powerfully. The strongest warrior galloped across with a screech, and Kaiba's monster blew up into bits.
Kaiba paused then lowered his head and glared up at Yami. Whoever this guy is, it's NOT Yugi, he thought. I know the little squirt well. He tried to puzzle it out, but couldn't think of an answer. And he definitely wasn't going to ask at the cost of his pride. Whatever. Whoever he is, he'll meet defeat at my hands. He held his breath, drawing his card for his turn. A genuine smile spread across his face, the first time in a long time. "Blue Eyes white dragon, in attack mode!" his voice rang out, also making the walls shake and crumbled, but not caring even though this was his cave. "Attack with white lightning, NOW!!"
3000 atk points were aimed directly at the doomed warrior, and Yami growled against the impact, blood starting to boil. This 'Kaiba' guy is strong monsters!, he thought. But that's not what the game's all about. Meanwhile, inside, Yugi could see himself playing. Everything looked like a scene from underwater, all blurry and unreal. He also felt his blood boiling with never felt anger. My body is reacting to this other guy's emotions! he thought dazedly, baby-stepping foward. /Where am I.....? Wow, Kaiba has what Grampa has!/ he unknowingly told Yami. /The legendary blue eyes!/
Then I have to draw this 'blue eyes', thought Yami. His own ruby red eyes fell on the neatly stacked card deck. And soon, for this hand does me no good...... All that were in there were pieces of Exodia. Just three.....
"Very well, Kaiba, but I have drawn my own!" He said, holding up the BEWD triumphantly. If it were any possible, Kaiba stared even more resentfully at Yami Yugi. That's the card I will take when I win this match, he thought viciously. "Attack your twin, the other BEWD, to destroy them both!"
"Not so fast! Reveal face down card!" Kaiba shouted, at the hologram flipped it over. "Change of Heart! Now your beast is mine, like it should be! Attack now directly!" The controlled beast turned 180 degrees and aimed directly at Yami. His life points dropped to 300.
Inside, Yugi felt the pain of smashing debris flying. /Let me talk to him!/
/No. this isn't over yet! Understand?/
/I said, let me talk to him!/ Yugi said desperately./He's still my old friend deep down....../
No, your real friends are right....he's completely changed. There is no hope for him to be as he once was.Yami told him firmly, staring at the other BEWD Kaiba had on the field. Ignoring Yugi's pleading, he tensed his fingers, ready.
"Other BEWD! Attack him and finished this duel! Ah hahaha!" Kaiba's laugh echoed as the monsters screeched in obedience. Kaiba closed his eyes, relishing his victory, but instead of mental image of the young him and Yugi playing Nintendo on the dirty floor resurfaced. Still helplessly trapped in the shadow of his darker half, Yugi managed to see Kaiba's eyes suddenly widen, as when one does in surprise. The bond they shared as boys, he found out then, was still strong, although buried firmly under misery and pain. But through it Yugi saw a mental message, in young Seto's voice: What am I doing?!
"Mirror Force! This card blocks your attack and sends it directly at your monsters!" Yami roared. Now the walls were shaking violently under his voice and as the light sped back towards Kaiba. Taken off guard, Kaiba shielded his face until dust had cleared, and then stood and smiled. Meanly.
"There's 4 BEWDs in the whole world, Yugi or whatever you are," he said, grinning arrogantly, voice soft and persuasive. "It's only a matter of time before I draw another!"
"What?! You still have some more?!" Yami shouted.
"Yes! And when I beat you, I will take yours!" Kaiba drew. "Lord of D.! Perfect! In defense." He grinned. "End my turn."
He must have some scheme, thought Yami. "My turn!" he yelled. A long pause. Darn it! Another piece...but he might finish me in the next turn.....I'll have to wait him out...but with only 300 points left....."One monster in defense."
Meanwhile, Yugi had about given up. He had noticed the walls shaking like on tomorrow. The wall may well crumble down on us and smush us! No matter what, both of us lose....most likely me!
/Quiet, aibou./ said Yami. /We won't lose, ever against the like of him./ he stared hatefully at Kaiba. "My turn!" As Kaiba drew his card, he was distracted by the way Yugi was looking at him. So evilly, eyes slanted downwards, hair wilder than usual. His mouth tightened. Lucky Yugi, he thought. A relative claimed him, and he grew up in a loving home, unlike him. he had no business looking as resentful as he.
Brushing these thoughts off, Kaiba said triumphantly. "This is it! your demise, Yugi. Reveal monster reborn! Return my BEWD!" The one dead monster was revived. "Attack him face down monster!" It was destroyed. "Now, I play flute of summoning dragon with my Lord of D. This allows me to pick the last BEWD out of my deck into the field!"
"Oh. No," Yami whispered softly under his breath. Kaiba saw with satisfaction as his weird colored eyes turned big.
"Oh, yes!" Kaiba sneered. "With no monsters on your side of the field, you are finished!" The mighty dragon appeared with a roar. "ATAA-" He stopped as the Yugi, the real one, appeared in ghost form in front of him, scaring him stiff.
/We don't have to be this way, Seto./
The card in his hand turned sweaty and slipped. "Two...Yugis?" he muttered, confusedly, his head starting to throb. His eyes darted from Yami, who had stopped looking surprised and was glaring daggers at him, to Yugi's ghost form, staring with pleading, pure crystal violet eyes. What was going on? His eye fell on a light shining from the boy's neck. It looks familiar....... but where did I see it before? Kaiba thought. A golden pyramid.....his jaw hurt from clenching it so hard as he ran a hand through his hair.
/Yes, we are the same./ Yugi was saying, looking to his left, where the young Seto, as he was when they were little innocent boys, stared at him also, so solid looking. Kaiba groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.
"So, you stopped your attack. You fell into my bluff!" Yami shouted, too hyped up and unaware of Yugi's doings. "I draw!" He paused for a breath, hand resting on his deck. I need a good monster, to survive his dragons or I'm finished! His opponent still has all life points intact.
Exodia's head appeared in front of him, and he slapped down the cards, one, two three. "Exodia! Arise!" Kaiba jerked his head up. The legends were true?! He cursed himself and Yugi for distracting him.
/Yami, stop!/Yugi shouted. /He's okay now!! He's back to his old self! Stop!/ He fell to his knees in his cold dark soulroom, his heart feeling like as if it were about to burst in desperate fear.
But the spirit was far too incensed and overcome by his ancient hatred. Yugi froze his he felt it too. There was nothing he could do to stop him.....he was going to ruin everything! The ground began shaking as the Exodia geared up his attack, Oblivion. "Obliterate!" Yami's voice rose above the monster's noise, pointing a long finger at his target as the air filled with the smell of sweat.
"Stop!!" Yugi shouted just then, overtaking control of his body again by sheer, desperate willpower. He gripped the edge desperately, trying to see through the thick smoke that stung his eyes. But it was too late........
Yami sorta the villain in here....heh i always wondered how things would go if someone was there when yugi solved the puzzle.... - -;;; don't mean to cliff hanger u there, actually yeah I do. : heh. But the next chap'll be up so don't fret! & I'm glad i made u feel 'bubbly'....me too. R&R