Once again, I don't own Yugioh, and I don't own Ushiro. I know I sort of borrowed some of the basic concept of what happened between Yugi, Yami, and Ushiro. I needed to use it to develop characters a bit. I really don't know exactly what happened in that Shadow Game because I was basing it on summaries I'd read. Anyway…on with the next chapter!
Chapter 3
Yami watched as Yugi got ready for school.
"What do you do about breakfast?" Yami asked.
"Mom and d-dad are gone by the t-time I get up," Yugi stated, pulling on his usual orange sweatshirt, "S-so I t-take something myself."
Yami nodded. He frowned, "What are you doing now?"
Yugi had finished tying a leather strap he had pulled off of one of his toys around the loop on the puzzle. He then tied the other side securely, and put it around his neck, "Now you c-can come with m-me to s-school."
Yami shook his head. "There are buildings for school?"
Yugi nodded, opening the attic door, "Un! C-come on!" He limped down the stairs.
Yami shook his head and followed. He was still amazed at how poorly Yugi was treated. The attic was so cold that Yugi was shivering the entire night. Without the smaller boy knowing it, Yami had come out and held Yugi to himself, providing some body heat to warm the boy up. He went back to the puzzle before Yugi woke up.
Yugi was moving over a stool, then stood on it and opened a drawer. He pulled out a plastic bowl, then a spoon nearby. He slowly got down, then put the items on the table and went over to the refrigerator.
"What's that?" Yami pointed to the refrigerator.
"It's a refrigerator," Yugi replied, taking the milk, "It k-keeps things c-cold."
Yami nodded. He watched at Yugi got out a box with pictures on it, "What's that?"
"It's b-breakfast. Cereal," Yugi replied, opening the box and pouring the little oddly shaped things in the bowl, then pouring in the milk. "You w-want some?"
"I don't need to eat," Yami replied.
"Oh," Yugi blinked. He started to eat the cereal.
On his way to school, he paused when he heard his friend calling his name.
"Yugi! Wait up!"
Yugi stopped and turned around, then smiled when Anzu came running up.
"Ohayo g-gozaimasu, Anzu!" Yugi smiled.
"G'morning!" Anzu beamed. She blinked. She looked Yugi over. Sure, he was walking with a bad limp and had a few more scratches, but he seemed happier today. Anzu shrugged. Whatever it was, she was glad. She looked at the thing hanging from around Yugi's neck. "Um…Yugi…what's that?"
"It's the p-puzzle I've been w-working on," Yugi showed it to her, "N-neat, isn't it?"
Anzu nodded, "Uh…yea. Let's get to school!"
Yugi nodded, and limped after her.
"Are you alright, Yugi?" Anzu asked. "I'm really getting concerned for you, you know. You seem to have new bruises every time I see you. Are you sure nothing's going on…?"
"N-nothing at a-all!" Yugi smiled nervously.
//As if…//
Yugi jumped, looking around.
"What's wrong?" Anzu blinked.
"N-nothing…," Yugi shook his head, "I th-thought I heard s-something…"
"Probably just some kids," Anzu replied, then started forward, "Come on! By the way, what happened to your leg? You're limping."
"Oh…th-this? I t-tripped and f-fell. D-down the s-stairs. At h-home," Yugi stammered.
"If you say so," Anzu didn't believe him for an instant, but couldn't figure out how he could have received that injury.
//She doesn't buy it. Who would?//
Yugi warily glanced around. Okay…this is getting weird. Am I hearing voices? Great. Now I'm schizophrenic. Perfect.
They walked up to the school.
//Wow. That's a big building.//
Yugi kept himself from sighing as he limped after Anzu. I'm losing it. What little sanity I had is going poof…! Wait a minute…that voice sounded like…
/Yami!/
//Gyaa!!! What the hell…?!//
/I can hear you!/
//I can hear you!//
/Whew. I thought I was going crazy for a moment there…/
//I can't believe it…I guess we get a telepathic link.//
/That's great! Now I can talk to you even when you're not out of the puzzle!/
//And, you're not stammering like this.//
/I wonder why…/
//Because it's like 'thought talk'.//
/Wow…/
"YUGI!"
Yugi blinked, then smiled, "G-gomen ne, Anzu."
Anzu sighed, "Come on, stop spacing out! We have to get to class!"
Yugi nodded, "H-hai!" He limped after her, wincing as he came down on his ankle. He was grateful when they finally got to class. He could finally rest his leg. He blew out his breath as he sat down at his desk, putting his books on the desk as well. He had put his bag in his locker before class. Anzu was still at her locker, getting some books.
Suddenly, his head started to hurt, like his mind was sending warning signals through his body. He looked up and saw the class bully, Hiroto Honda, standing in front of him.
Yugi groaned to himself. Oh, great. And on top of that, Ushiro is gonna pulverize me after school…
"Nice pyramid, Yugi," Honda sneered, "How 'bout if I see it?"
Yugi gripped the puzzle, shaking his head.
Honda reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, twisting and causing him to let go.
Yugi gave a yelp of pain, wincing.
//That bastard! I'm gonna…!//
/Yami! Wait! Don't! You can't appear in school!/
//…//
Pain brought him out of the link, and he whimpered, closing his eyes.
"Why a-are you d-doing this?" Yugi sniffled. His head still hurt, and now this…
Just then, a hand clamped down on Honda's.
"Oi, oi, oi," came another male voice, "Pick'n on someone who's already injured? That's a new low for ya."
Yugi opened his eyes and saw a boy a bit shorter then Honda but still tall to him with blonde hair wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a green light jacket with black sneakers. He was glaring at Honda. Yugi blinked. The boy was Katsuya Jounochi, another classmate of his. Honda and Jounochi had a long rivalry, but both were equally as tough, and good fighters.
Yugi blinked warily. Why is he helping me…?
Honda glared at Jou, "Hands off, bastard." He pulled out of Jou's grasp, letting go of Yugi in the process.
"Back down, Honda," Jou warned, "Or else yer look'n at a detention again."
Honda glared at him, "We'll settle this after school. By the gates!" He stormed off, then sat down.
Yugi didn't realize he was shaking until he let go of the puzzle. He hid his hands to try to hide his shaking. "Th-thank y-you…"
Jou shook his head, "Naw. It's noth'n. I just can't stand him, ya know? He picks on anyone who's weaker then him. Drives me nuts! Know what I'm say'n?"
Yugi nodded, still unsure as to why Jou was talking to him, let alone help him. And he was too scared to ask.
"You awright?" Jou asked.
Yugi nodded shakily, rubbing his sore wrist, "U-un…"
"Ya must be wonder'n why I'm help'n ya."
Yugi found himself nodding, then straitened up, his eyes going wide as if he had just broken a rule and was going to get hit.
"No worries," Jou grinned, "I dunno why, neither. I just can't stand ta see anybody pick'n on yas. I've seen it for a while, and frankly, I'm tired of see'n it. I guess I'm at my limit. Especially on steal'n. That's a pretty cool pyramid thing you've got. I c'n understand why he'd wanna see it. But for some reason, I can't let him take it. I dunno why. Mebbe cause I just got some'n from my sister. Dunno."
"Y-you have a s-sister?" Yugi stammered.
Jou nodded, "Yea. A younger sister. She's had really bad eyesight since she was little. Then, our parents got divorced a couple'a years ago. Now, her eyesight is gett'n worse, and she may go blind soon."
"That's t-terrible," Yugi whispered. "I'm s-sorry to h-hear it…"
"Thing is," Jou shook his head, "There's a corrective surgery thing that she c'n get before it happens. Problem is, mom don't gots enough money, and ask'n pop is outta the question. Like he makes enough as it is. He spends more gett'n drunk then earning anything. So I'm try'n to save up for the surgery."
"That's r-really nice of y-you," Yugi stated.
Jou grinned, blushing a bit, "It's noth'n…"
Class started a couple minutes later.
After school. That's what Yugi dreaded. He was walking towards certain doom, when he heard fighting. He limped over and saw Ushiro trying to punch someone.
Jounochi.
Yugi limped over, gasping.
"You stole my money, didn't ya?!" Ushiro was shouting, "Give it back! Ya thief! It's mine!"
"It's only a little bit…!" Jou protested, "Come on, Ushi…!"
POW!Jou went flying back into the wall. He winced.
"So, the big boy's just a puppy dog," Ushiro cracked his knuckles.
Yugi didn't know why he was doing it, but he found himself putting himself between Ushiro and Jou.
"Get outta the way, squirt! I'll beat'cha up like I promised later!" Ushiro growled.
Jou opened an eye, then blinked, "Wha…!? Yugi!? Get the hell away from here! You'll get yer ass kicked!"
Yugi spread his arms out, "I d-don't care! It d-doesn't m-matter, anyway! It w-was my idea for him t-to take the m-money! I th-thought that since I c-couldn't pay you, I'd take your o-own money and g-give it back so you wouldn't b-beat me up!" Nice lie. Oops…it looks like he's really buying it…maybe I overdid it. This is going to hurt…
Jou was staring at him in amazement. Yugi's stand'n up for me. Nobody's ever stood up for me before. They just let me get beaten up when I get ganged up on or if I get caught steal'n.
Ushiro cracked his knuckles, fuming, "So, the little shrimp Yugi was behind this?!"
Yugi gulped. Yup…this is going to hurt…
"I'll do more then just make ya a smear on da walls," Ushiro shouted, lunging, "I'm gonna kill yas right now!"
Yugi froze. Die…? Do I really want to die…? No! I really don't want to die! But I can't move! I'm too scared! I'm frozen! HELP!
Just then, the puzzle around his neck glowed, halting Ushiro's attack and making Jou stare in shock and amazement.
Yugi fell on his butt in shock, staring up at the taller boy who had came out of the puzzle.
"Yami…," Yugi whispered.
"Yami?!" Jou blinked, "What the hell's go'n on…!?"
Yami smirked at the confused Ushiro, "Beating up on younger kids? Even if he did steal something, you don't have to beat him up for it. You're Ushiro Tenrio, aren't you?"
Ushiro froze, "H-how do you know my name…?!"
Yami grinned, "I know more about you then you think, Ushiro. Like how you bully people who are weaker then you, and blackmail them into paying you to keep themselves from being beaten up. And I know that you were doing the same thing to Yugi, weren't you, Ushiro?"
Ushiro stepped back a bit.
"You've been told that your greed will get you into trouble one of these days," Yami stated, "And today is that day." He glanced back at Yugi and Jou, his voice turning softer, "Stay there. Don't move. You don't have to watch if you don't want to." With that said, he turned back to Ushiro, the booming voice returning as well, "I challenge you, Ushiro Tenrio."
"To a fight…?" Ushiro grinned, holding up his fist.
"No," Yami crossed his arms, "To a game."
"Whadda I look like…a first grader…!?" Ushiro growled.
"A game for money," Yami pulled out 2,000 yen from his pocket.
Yugi blinked. When did Yami get that much money…? I wonder if he got it from the puzzle…
Ushiro's eyes lit up, "You say'n that I c'n get alls that money?"
Yami nodded, "Yes. But you have to win, and you can't break the rules."
"Fine!" Ushiro laughed, "Tell me what I have to do!"
"Take out your knife," Yami pointed.
Ushiro blinked, "How did ya know I'm carry'n a knife…?" He pulled the jack knife out of his pocket.
"Set it on the ground," Yami knelt down, "Come down so you can see."
Ushiro complied, going onto his knees as well and setting the knife down.
"Here are the rules," Yami smiled, "I'm going to put the money down here. It's in paper form, as you can see. We take turns in putting some of the money on the back of our hand, then putting the knife into it. Whatever the knife goes through, you get to keep."
"That's all?!" Ushiro blinked, "Dat's easy!"
Yami smiled, "There are a few rules, Ushiro. First rule is that the knife has to go through at least the first layer. If you go too far and stab your hand, you lose, and the other person gets the entire pile. Third rule is that you will be severely punished should you break the rules. Do we have a deal?"
"You bet!" Ushiro laughed, "Dis is gonna be easy!"
Jou and Yugi watched, curious.
Yami narrowed his eyes and spoke to them without looking at them, "You two. Get out of here."
"But Yami…"
"What gives…?!"
"GO!" Yami shouted.
Yugi gulped and nodded, "Y-you'll come wh-when you finish…?"
Yami nodded, "This isn't something that you should be seeing. Both of you, just go to the bench by the fountain we passed. Wait there."
They nodded.
Jou stood up and helped Yugi up, then they went over to the designated area.
Yami looked back at Ushiro when they left, "We're all alone, now."
"Why'd ya tell 'em to leave?" Ushiro demanded.
Yami smirked, "Jounochi and Yugi are too young to view this sort of game."
Yugi and Jou stopped at the bench.
"Okay…what's all this about…?!" Jou groaned, "Who was that guy…?!"
"I'll explain l-later," Yugi shook his head, "Jounochi-kun, why are you s-stealing?"
Jou looked down, "I can't get the money for my sister's operation…nobody'll hire a kid who's only 11 years old. It's the only way I know."
Yugi looked at the ground, "I u-understand that y-you need the money. B-but I think y-you should find another w-way to get it. I'm s-sure your s-sister wouldn't want the operation if she f-found out how y-you got the money for it. She'd p-probably feel bad."
Jou looked at the ground, "I never thoughtta that…you're right, Yugi. She wouldn't like it at all. Man, I can't believe I didn't think 'o that. Course she'd ask where I got the money from!"
"Jounochi-kun…," Yugi looked up at him, "I d-don't really have any m-money, but I'll help you g-get some in an h-honest way."
Jou looked up, "You'd do that? We jes' met today, really…"
"Yea," Yugi shrugged, "B-but you stood up for me earlier…"
"Then you stood up for me," Jou pointed out, "Nearly got yerself clobbered with that bogus story. We should be even. Why'd you wanna help?"
"Well…we…we can be f-f-f-friends……can't w-we?" Yugi looked up tentatively, "It's what f-f-friends do for one a-another."
Jou looked at him, then smiled, "A real friend, huh? I'd like that. I haven't really ever had a friend before…"
"Neither have I," Yugi admitted, "Aside f-from Anzu…"
As if on cue, the girl walked up to them.
"Yugi!" Anzu waved, "What are you doing here by the bench?"
"Waiting," Yugi smiled at her.
Anzu blinked, "Jounochi?!"
Jou held up a hand in greeting, "Yo."
"Yugi, are you friends with this big softie?" Anzu gave Jou a nuggie.
"Hey!" Jou swatted her hands away gently, "Knock that off!"
"Well, we're j-just becoming f-friends," Yugi replied.
"And we're wait'n for some guy named 'Yami'…who is that guy, anyway?" Jou blinked.
"T-to be h-honest…I'm n-not sure, myself," Yugi shook his head, "We'll h-have to a-ask him."
"Yami, ka…?"
Yami, meanwhile, had a small pile of money by his side while Ushiro had a large one.
"This game is too easy!" Ushiro grabbed another bundle and started to stick the knife through. He blinked, "What…what's happening…!? My hand…I can't stop it!"
"That's because of your greed," Yami smirked, "Your greed wants all of the money you stacked up on your hand, there."
"B-but I don't have to worry!" Ushiro recovered, "As long as I don't stick the knife into my hand…"
Yami grinned and pointed.
Ushiro looked down, and his eyes widened, "Masaka…!" there was a small trial of blood coming from his hand.
"Looks like you just pierced the skin," Yami said, "You lose the money. Also, you can not bully anybody for money anymore…"
"Screw that!" Ushiro grabbed the money by him, "I c'n at least get this…!"
Yami glowed, and the eye appeared on his forehead. He held out his hand.
Ushiro struggled, "I…I can't move…! What did you do…!?"
"You broke the rules," Yami's eyes narrowed, unblinkingly staring at Ushiro, "I told you that you would be punished. Your soul will be punished."
"Wha-wha-wha…?!" Ushiro struggled, but found that he still couldn't move.
"You want money?!" Yami shouted, "Then all you shall see from now on is money! KYAA!" The eye on his forehead glowed brightly, engulfing Ushiro.
"Wha…noooooooo!" Ushiro shouted, then went silent.
Yugi looked up, then waved at the approaching figure, "Yami!"
Jou and Anzu looked up as well.
Yami walked over and grinned, "Everything's just fine."
"That's great!" Yugi smiled.
"So…er…what's going on?" Jou slowly asked.
"I'd really like to know that, too," Anzu nodded.
"I solved the p-puzzle," Yugi held up the upside down pyramid around his neck, "And Yami came out."
Yami nodded.
"He looks just like you, Yugi," Anzu pointed.
Yami and Yugi exchanged looks, as if realizing it for the first time.
"Hmm…she's got a point," Yami stated, "Yugi. Are you going to introduce me to your friends, or what?"
"Oh, r-right!" Yugi nodded, "Yami, this is Anzu Mazaki. She's in my class."
"Hi!" Anzu smiled, "I'm ten going on eleven soon!"
"Huh?" Yami blinked as they shook hands.
"Her age," Yugi whispered.
"Oh," Yami nodded, releasing her hand.
"And this is Jounochi-kun," Yugi indicated his other friend, "Also in m-my class."
"Thanks for save'n me and Yug back there, Yami," Jou grinned, "But as fer my name, just 'Jou' is fine. 'swat everyone else calls me. You can call me 'Jou', too, Yug."
Yugi nodded, "Okay, Jou."
"It's good to know that Yugi has friends," Yami nodded.
"Hey, we're becoming a group!" Jou realized, "Yea! A group of friends! Awesome! Hey, I gots an idea! To celebrate it, let's go over to the arcade! They're have'n a free day today! Free tokens 'n everything!"
"Sounds like fun!" Anzu nodded, "You two coming?"
"Really…?" Yugi gasped.
Jou nodded.
"I have to be back before mom comes home at six," Yugi nodded, "But I'd l-like to come!"
"Great! And mebbe we can work on that stammer'n thing," Jou whispered to him.
Yugi laughed nervously.
"You coming, Yami?" Jou asked.
"What's an 'arcade'…?"
"We'll show you!" Yugi took the taller boy's hand, "Come on…please?"
"Alright, alright. Just…don't give me that pathetic look."
Yugi laughed. They headed off to the arcade.
Meanwhile…
A tall, muscular boy by the name of Ushiro Tenrio was running around the school yard, gathering up leaves. He was laughing insanely and holding them to him like they were the most precious things. He would also make a grab at thin air.
"Money…! Money! Lots of it! Hahahaha! I'm rich! Hahaha!" Ushiro laughed as he gathered up the leaves.
A couple kids passed by and glanced over, then hurried along, deciding it wouldn't be a good idea to talk to the boy who was mistaking leaves for money…
TO BE CONTINUED…
Japanese – English
Ohayou Gozaimasu – Good morning