I don't own Yugioh.
Chapter 12
Anzu looked up as Yugi walked into the class. She ran over and hugged him briefly.
Yugi blinked, startled.
Anzu broke apart, "Yugi…are you alright? How are you feeling?"
Yugi put on a false smile, "I'm okay…"
"If you're hurt'n, then tell us," Jou walked in, "Let us help ya."
Yugi sat down in his seat and let the tears fall, "I…don't know where I'm from. I don't know who my real parents are. I…I know I was…adopted…"
Jou and Anzu went silent.
"My dreams told me," Yugi whispered, then bent his head towards the ground, looking at the floor, "Everything. That my dad was killed saving me from a horrible monster. I was saved, but then…and the Silver Fang…she saved me, too. And then grandpa found me…but I don't know if he really is my grandpa. I'm not sure of anything anymore. I just…want to know who I am."
"That's deep," Jou whispered.
Anzu sniffled, "That's so…sad…"
"Oh, Jou, how did the investigation go?" Yugi turned to his friend.
"Don't try to switch the conversation," Jou shook his head, "But it went fine. The detectives are making court dates now. The arrest warrants went out. Your um, parents and my pops will prob'ly be locked up today. But…Yug, don't you worry bout it so much. I mean, all that deep stuff…"
"I just want to know…," Yugi whispered, "…where did we come from? Where did I come from? Where's my real home? And what happened all those years ago? Why am I just starting to remember it now?"
"Yugi…," Anzu whispered, then gave his shoulder a squeeze, "…you haven't been sleeping well, have you?"
Yugi looked down.
"You're still pale," Anzu continued, "Why didn't you stay back and rest today?"
"I couldn't stand to sit still," Yugi whispered, "I just…have a feeling…that's all. That I can't just sit around." In truth, he didn't feel well at all. He just wanted to go rest, but the questions plaguing him kept him from staying still.
"What about Yami?" Jou asked.
"Getting some things from 'home'," Yugi responded, "And hanging out at the Kaiba mansion." He resisted the urge to cough, not wanting his friends to get concerned.
"Well, we'll help ya," Jou nodded, "Whatever ya need."
"Arigatou," Yugi smiled.
After school, Yugi was stopping by the post office to pick up the mail. As he walked out, he noticed that one of the letters was on faded and old looking paper. He pulled it out and, putting the others in his bag, started to open it and read it.
Yugi stopped walking when he finished, the letter shaking in his hands. Tears ran down his face. He started to run, and didn't stop until he was back at the Kaiba mansion. He burst through the door, startling Yami, Seto, and Mokuba, who were sitting around in the living room.
"Yami!!" Yugi cried, "Yami! Trouble!" He tripped over the rug and fell on his face.
"Yugi…?" Yami went over, helping him up, "Are you alright…?"
Yugi coughed, then held up the letter, "Look!"
Yami took it and read it.
Yugi-
I wanted to just let you know that I love you. Very much. Don't worry about your old man here. But there's something I need to tell you. Something important. Yugi, I know this may be hard for you to understand since you're still young, but you were adopted. I found you one day, floating down the river as a tiny baby. I do believe that we are related, but you have no relation to Shike and Takada. They were two friends of my fishing buddy that offered to take you in. I felt that, since you are ten, you should know. I hope you grow up to be a fine man, Yugi. I'm sure you will. Be strong. As for myself, well, I'm going to enjoy the Rainforest around me, here. They say it's the best. So long, Yugi. Take care.
-Grandpa
Yami looked at Yugi. He recognized what it was. Even at his age. It's…
"What is it?" Seto asked.
"…jiichan's final words," Yugi whispered, tears slipping down his face.
Yami nodded, "Although he doesn't come right out and say it, something's wrong. So he's in the Rainforest…?"
Yugi grabbed onto Yami's sleeve, "We have to save him, Yami! He's in trouble! I know it! We have to!"
"What do you plan to do?" Yami glared at him, "The Rainforest that's 'the best' is in South America. We're in Japan!"
Yugi coughed, crying as well, "There has to be something…! I'll earn the money to fly there! I'll get us passage…!"
"What about the trial?" Yami asked.
"Jiichan's in trouble!" Yugi shouted, sobbing, "I can't abandon him! He saved my life!" He coughed again, then looked at Yami and whispered, "Please, Yami…?"
"Getting there can be a problem," Yami paused.
"No worries," Seto shook his head, "I have a personal plane. I'm sure we can fit in there."
"Can it hold six people?" Yami asked.
"Six?" Seto frowned, "Well…it might be able to…but why six?"
"I want Jou and Anzu to come along," Yami nodded, "We may need their help." He bent down and embraced Yugi, "Stop crying, okay? We're gong after your grandpa."
Yugi sniffled.
"Yugi, call Jou and Anzu and tell them what's going on. Seto, can you and Mokuba prepare some supplies?" Yami started to walk towards the door.
"What about you?" Seto raised an eyebrow.
"I have some…unfinished business to attend to," Yami smirked, and walked out.
Yugi stood up, frowning, "Yami…"
* * *
Yami walked down the street, one hand in his pocket. Sorry, aibou. But criminal justice isn't enough for these two. He continued on to the temporary prison where Shike and Takada were being held.
The man behind the desk didn't even look up from what he was doing, "It's visiting hours. Go right ahead."
Yami smiled and proceeded through the door without a word. He walked down the hall until he reached another door, then went through it. There were a few prison cells there, with different people in them. Yami walked down the cells until he found the one where Shike and Takada were. They were yelling at each other through the bars separating them.
Yami smirked, then laughed.
Shike and Takada glanced at him.
"You two are hopeless!" Yami chuckled, "Even in a situation such as this, you still carry on like infants."
"Who the hell're you?!" Takada demanded.
"Butt out!" Shike shouted.
"Well, I was going to offer you a chance to get out of here," Yami shrugged, "But if you're not interested…"
"What do we have to do?" Takada was at the bars instantly.
Shike was standing there, too. "Tell us."
"Now you want my help?" Yami smirked, "Fine. We play a game."
"That's it?" Takada blinked, then laughed, "That's it?!"
"Simple," Shike agreed with a sly grin.
"Yes…normally," the third eye on Yami's forehead glowed and he snapped his fingers.
The plane around them shifted, so it was just the three of them standing in a field of purple and black, with no definite bottom or top.
Shike and Takada looked around.
"…except in this game," Yami smirked, "You play for your lives."
Yami smirked.
Shike and Takada looked around.
"What the hell are you up to, kid?! Who the fuck are you?!" Takada demanded.
"I'm sure you won't be around much longer to remember my name," Yami responded.
"What?!" Shike and Takada exclaimed.
Yami laughed.
"I thought you said we are playing a game…," Shike huffed at him.
"We are," Yami pointed.
A field appeared, leading into a rocky outcropping that led to three separate rock bridges, that were very thin and fragile. Under them was a boiling pool of black goo, bubbling and waiting to swallow whoever fell in it up.
"What the hell kinda trick is this?!" Takada demanded.
"It's no trick," Yami responded calmly, "You chickening out? Even if you do, it's too late to back out now. You can either play, or automatically lose. Your choice."
"Fine. We'll play your fucking game," Takada growled.
"What do we gotta do? Cross those fucking thin things?" Shike pointed.
Yami stood calmly, "Rules? Alright. We each stand at the beginning of one of the bridges. It doesn't matter which one because they're all the same. We'll see the same illusion at the other end of the bridge. We move across the bridge as fast as we can without falling. The first one to the opposite end where the illusion is will be the winner."
"That's it?" Shike blinked.
"Of course it's not 'it'," Yami replied, "The bridge will crumble if your intentions are that of evil. It will remain solid if they are good. It all depends on the image you will see."
"I still don't see the point," Shike grunted.
"It's so damn easy…"
Yami chuckled, "Think so? You want to try it?"
"What do we get when we win?" Takada demanded.
"If you win," Yami started to walk over, "I'll make sure that all charges against you are cleared, and you go free. However…if I win, or should you fall into the Immobilizing Goo, your souls will take the punishment."
"I dunno what the hell all that shit was you just said," Takada stood at the beginning of his chosen bridge, "But I'm winning."
Shike stood by hers.
"Well, then, let's begin," Yami stated, "I'll go first." He stepped onto the rocky bridge.
Shike followed, then Takada.
Suddenly, the path behind them vanished, and the only thing they could see was the rest of the bridge, the Immobilizing Goo below, and something shimmering on the opposite side.
"Hey…what gives…?!" Takada shouted.
"Once begun you can not stop," Yami replied, "You have to move forward. You have no choice."
"Bastard." Takada growled.
Yami glanced up, "Now…look up. The image is coming into focus. The first one to get there wins."
Shike and Takada prepared to dash across the rock as fast as they dared to do so, while Yami just stood there calmly.
The illusion formed into a person. Small, with spiky hair and an orange sweatshirt…
"Yugi!" Shike and Takada growled at the same time.
Yami smirked, "Let the games begin." He started forward at a casual pace.
Shike and Takada were practically falling off the bridge to reach the illusion, which they thought was real.
"When I get my hands on ya for blabb'n…!" Takada was shouting.
"I'm going to do more then what I did last time!" Shike shouted, dashing forward.
Takada took a moment to look around as he went. The strange boy was far behind him and Shike. He smirked, "We're gonna win. No way that punk kid can catch up to us now." He grinned maliciously at the image of Yugi, "Time for a beat'n, kid!"
Suddenly, the rock around Shike and Takada started to rumble, causing them to stop running.
Shike fell to her knees, trying to stay stable as the ground shook around her. "What the hell's going on…!?"
"It's a fucking earth quake!" Takada tried to regain his balance. He turned to go back the way he came, but found nothing but empty space and the goo underneath, "Wha…what the hell…?!"
Just then, the ground under both Shike and Takada opened up, and they went flying towards the Immobilizing Goo. As soon as they touched it, they stopped, unable to move a muscle.
Yami stopped walking, and everything disappeared. The two were still frozen, but standing back in the purple void.
"I told you," Yami smiled, walking up to them, "What would happen should you have evil intent upon the mirage. Now, I shall enjoy destroying your souls. Much harsher then my original punishment. But…after what you two did to Yugi and all those times that I was unable to help out upon his request that I not hurt you…this is my only time to do this. It's not revenge…it's punishment. Punishment for your sick behavior and harming of an innocent child. Now, then…" He held out his hand, and the third eye glowed on his forehead, emitting waves of energy. Suddenly, the waves flew into the two just standing there, unable to move.
"Soul Break!" Yami shouted.
Shike and Takada didn't even have time to gasp as their souls were ripped from their bodies and sent down to the very pits of Hell. The two soulless husks fell over, no longer requiring a spell to keep them from moving.
Yami wiped his forehead. Purging two souls at the same time sure takes it out of you. At least it's over. He sighed, and the scene changed back to the prison cages. The two soulless husks that used to be Shike and Takada were just sitting up against the wall, not moving or talking. Their eyes stared blankly ahead, not seeing anything.
They're just living puppets now, Yami thought. Nothing more to do here. With that, he turned and walked away, his deeds unknown to even the security cameras. For, to them, it appeared that he just stood there, staring at the two prisoners the entire time.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Japanese – English
Jiichan – Grandpa