When It's No Longer Clich
That morning, he didn't awaken because he was shivering with the cold. Nor did he wake up because his father or mother was yelling at him or beating him senseless. No, he didn't even wake up that morning because of his constant pain.
And this, in all actuality, never happened to him. Never.
So in every respect imaginable, Yuugi was profoundly shocked when, of all things to awaken him, the unusual sound of melodic snores resounded around the inside of his eardrums.
Snores…snores. Now who did he know snored?
Even more, who did he know ever slept in the same bed as him?
Eyes flying open, Yuugi sucked in a sharp breath, hardly noticing that for the first time in months his diaphragm didn't hurt when he did that, and turned over his bed. Strong arms held him almost lovingly, and as Yuugi looked up at the face of the stranger that was wrapped around him, Yuugi almost squeaked as loud as his ruddy mattress whenever he sat on it.
That handsome person from his dream the night before was sleeping soundly with him. Did I dream him to life? This can't be real at all!
Before Yuugi could even try to think straight, his muscles reacted for him, and he suddenly found himself on the floor, ignoring his hurting hip, and peering over the edge of his bed.
Yami jerked awake instantly, looking around him wildly until his eyes landed on Yuugi on the floor. "Oh…Aibou… What are you doing down there?"
Yuugi blinked once. Then twice. Finally…he blinked again. Now I have a pet name? Partner? Partner in what? Companion? Yeah, a likely companion I'm going to be. I'll be the one saying 'Look out! The sky is going to fall! The axis is going to cease to spin and fire is going to rain from the heavens!' The young teenager took in another long, deep, and slow breath, eyes painfully wide. "Oh…maybe I do need some of that lithium. I think I've got schizophrenia developing."
Yami frowned hard. "Schizo-who?" Sitting up in bed all of the way, he offered a hand to Yuugi to help him up. "You've got to stop doubting yourself, aibou. You'll never be able to get anywhere in life if you do."
Yuugi took the hand, deciding that perhaps this was just one of those things that he wasn't ever going to be able to understand all of the way. Perhaps it would be best if he were to just accept it. Sitting back down on the bed, he looked over at the clock as Yami's arms wrapped around him again. "It's quarter to seven. I have to get ready for school, or I'm going to be late."
Yami looked at him curiously. "I do not understand."
Yuugi looked back at the dark spirit beside him, trying to puzzle together just how old this spirit might be. School had been around for ages, in nearly every industrial society on earth. For heaven's sake, even scholars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries went to University to further their education! "Yami…just how old are you?"
The spirit wrapped around him frowned hard. "How long has Khemmet been around for you? And the Empire? What is the current capital city?"
Yuugi was silent as he searched through the vast memory bank of his mind, searching for that odd word. Where had he heard it before? Yuugi gave an 'oh' sound as comprehension dawned on him. "You must mean Egypt. Well…Egypt has been around as long as anyone can remember. Thousands of years. I think…I think the Old Kingdom is dated to be from 3100 to 2100 B.C.E. I'm not too sure on that. And then there was the Middle Kingdom, and then the New Kingdom. I couldn't tell you for sure what the capital city is now, but I can tell you that the pharaohs have been long since gone. And that the ancient city of Memphis was used as a quarry for building Cairo."
Yami's eyes became wide. "As…as a quarry?"
Yuugi nodded, unbothered by this information.
"Yuugi, how many years ago was the Old Kingdom? What year is it?"
"It's 2004, A.D. The Old Kingdom was over five thousand years ago, Yami."
Yuugi noticed that Yami seemed to be reeling, and there was no mistaking the fact now that Yami was, indeed, from ancient Egypt. He's one damned old spirit.
"Yes…it has been a long time," Yami stated. He said nothing more.
Yuugi wondered about the small reaction. This was all going to blow up sooner or later, and he was curious just to see how the spirit was going to react to this blow. Even he could imagine that it wasn't easy suddenly realizing that everything one once knew was only an ancient memory. "Just think of all of the things you get to learn now. Your mind is going to be so boggled, you won't be able to dwell on the past."
Yami nodded, and gave a firmer squeeze around Yuugi's waist. Yuugi thought of one of his favorite books, and decided to recite some quotes. "When one reads these words of one long gone, one will feel at one with one who was once…"
Yami gave him a confused and lost look. Yuugi continued. "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." He looked at Yami and smiled. "Ulysses, by James Joyce. I swear that man was a genius."
"A nightmare," Yami reflected. "Yes, how true that statement is."
The young teenager began to reflect on the previous night. It is because of you that I can feel and see and think. Yuugi put Yami's hands down, stood and began to dress, thinking about what Yami had told him the night before. If…if he was not aware of what was happening in the outside world, and yet he knew what Yuugi was going through… every tear and every drop of blood brought feelings… Was he…was he like a conduit, allowing Yami to exist in this world? He pulled his shirt over his head, seeing the spirit sitting on his bed from the reflection on his dirty mirror, gazing around the room for what must be the first time. In fact… he was even looking at the clock curiously, pushing on the buttons and puzzled when one of them brought up the time on the un-working alarm, and yet the others seemed to do nothing.
Yuugi moved his hand down his chest, suddenly realizing that there was something there that hadn't been there before. What in the world…
The puzzle was hanging around his neck on a sturdy chain. Funny, he didn't remember putting it on the chain, nor did he remember putting it on.
"Yami," Yuugi started. "Did you put the puzzle on a chain for me? And put it on me?"
"Yes, Yuugi. As long as you wear the puzzle, you will always have my protection. It binds me to you. In the solid confines of the puzzle, you are like a window into the outside world, and it is through you that I can see and feel again after so many years."
So his musings had been correct. "What about now? You have a solid body; do you still need to be with the puzzle? Do you have to go back inside of it later?" Yuugi turned to look at him for his response.
Yami nodded. "Yes, I do."
Yuugi was suddenly struck with an odd realization. He is entirely dependent upon me. His very existence is because of me… It was a strange feeling, and even a little disconcerting, having someone rely on him so heavily. He would never mention this, though. Yami didn't seem the kind to reveal weaknesses. Everything about him screamed regality and strength. His pride would probably not allow such vulnerable behavior.
As Yuugi turned to look at him, Yami stood and walked up to him, slipping an arm around Yuugi's waist. There's something with the touch…always the touch.
"So, where is this school you speak of?"
"A ways…are people going to see you?"
Yami shook his head. "I will go back in the puzzle. I can still speak with you in your mind, all you have to do is think of what you'd like to say to me, and I'll also be able to watch through your eyes if you let me."
Yuugi shrugged. "Oh hell, why not? You're going to be bored stiff, though. School is really not all that exciting, but whatever. Come on, I want to make sure I get there in time to get some breakfast."
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Jou sat in Chemistry, twitching nervously. Yuugi had walked in not but five minutes ago, and Jou couldn't help but take notice. There was also something strange that he noticed, too.
Yuugi did not walk with downcast eyes.
In fact, after trying to recall all of the times he'd ever seen Yuugi walk, he didn't ever recall seeing the short kid's eyes looking down. And it wasn't like he was walking with pride either, it was just…as if he were simply…ah hell. Jou couldn't name it.
And then it hit him. He walks without fear.
For a child who lives with abusive parents, this didn't seem normal. In fact, it was a miracle that Yuugi didn't have a stuttering problem, or shy away from nearly all human contact. Yuugi was very silent, and usually didn't speak unless spoken to. And he tried to stay away from bullies, but hell, everyone did that.
In short, it was practically a miracle that Yuugi wasn't broken by now.
Honda finally walked into the classroom, moving straight past Jou and over to Yuugi's desk.
Now was Honda going insane?
Jou looked behind him, seeing Yuugi concentrating on his notepad that he was furiously scribbling away on, oblivious of Honda's arrival.
"Uh…hey bud," Honda started. "How's it go 'in?"
Yuugi moved his eyes upward, unfazed and apparently unbothered by the intrusion. "Fine," he stated flatly. "Can I help you?"
"Oh, ah…no. I just saw you get beat up by Ushiro a couple of days ago…and, well…I know he took your money from you. So…here, I got it back for you." The tall brunette slapped three hundred crinkled yen on Yuugi's desk.
Yuugi looked down at the money utterly shocked. "Um…thank you." He looked rather speechless. "I don't know what to say." He picked the money up and didn't count it, but rather looked at it. He suddenly looked up at Honda skeptically. "Why? Is there a favor that you want me to do, or something? If there is, you can keep the money. I'll go without my dinner for the next few nights." He put the money back down on the table.
Honda had a look that was a cross between anger and shock. "No! I was jus' try 'in to be nice! Can't a guy do that these days?"
"Oh, there's nothing stopping the old code of chivalry, but surely you can understand my wariness on the account that I've never been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness." Yuugi looked up at Honda, unnerved that a male twice his size was starring him down.
Again, Honda was a little speechless. "Uh, sure bud. Whatever. Just…stay out of Ushiro's way, all right?"
"Yeah…thanks Honda. I really appreciate it."
Jou was surprised that Yuugi actually knew Honda's name.
Honda came and sat down next to him, severely ruffled. "That kid…jeez, there's something off about him."
Jou snickered. "It's that fact that he outsmarted you in normal conversation."
Honda looked indignant. "Hey, shut up!"
Jou rubbed his chin. "You know…I'm really curious 'bout that little guy. I think I can get a copy of his grades…I wanna see jus' how smart he is."
"Jou," Honda warned. "Isn't that an invasion of privacy? The kid would probably be able to plot our murders and never get caught!"
Jou waved him off. "You're paranoid, pal! Forget about dat! And besides…what he doesn't know doesn't hurt him."
Honda shook his head. "One of these days, you're going to get us both killed."
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Yuugi wanted to cry as he looked down at his math homework. He hated math. He really hated math. The Pythagorean theorem. The square on a hypotenuse of a right-angled square is equal to the sum of squares on the other two sides.
He was never going to be able to understand this. The numbers blurred in front of him and made his head hurt. I'm so lost! I hate math!
There was a strange pressure behind his eyes, not painful, not aggravating, but it was just letting him know that the spirit now inside of him was looking at the work set out in front of him through his eyes.
: Yuugi, what is this,: he asked.
: The Pythagorean theorem,: Yuugi replied. : According to the dictionary, Pythagoras was a Greek mathematician and philosopher who founded a school that believed in metempsychosis. That's the thought that the soul imprisoned in the body could be purified by study and following a strict discipline of purity and self-examination. He also discovered the numerical ratios of intervals in the musical scale, and believed that the elements of numbers were the elements of the world.:
Yuugi didn't know if he should be bothered by the fact that he could actually feel Yami digesting that information.
: May I use your body and give it a try,: Yami asked him, the faintest hint of eagerness slipping through the mental link.
: Be my guest!: Yuugi cried. : I hate this stuff! Numbers make no sense to me, nor have they ever.:
Yuugi felt a part of himself slip back into his mind and body, so now all he could do was see through his eyes, and yet not move his muscles on his own. It's like he was just along for the ride, and he suddenly felt very out of control.
Yami seemed to realize this, and sent waves of emotion that soothed him, and Yuugi realized that he had nothing to worry about.
Yami held the pencil for a moment, feeling off balance for a reason. It didn't feel right. Switching the pencil to his left hand, he tested it out, and found it to be much more comfortable. Isn't that funny, Yuugi mused just to himself. I'm right handed, he's left- handed.
Yami looked at the page filled with half-complete solutions and theory analysis sketches, and started to work.
Yuugi was spell bound watching his own hands work, amazed as Yami moved through the assignment as if it were second nature for him. And isn't if funny…I'm right brained…he's left brained. Complete opposites.
: Yuugi, I don't suppose I could do this more often?: Yami asked him.
: I don't see any problem. I don't consider it cheating, either. The teachers say that we can use any information that we can stuff into our brain. You've basically become integrated into my very being…so I don't see it as cheating…what about you?:
Yami was silent for a moment, and Yuugi suddenly felt himself thrust back in the driver's seat. : No, I see no problem either, so long as you're okay with it.:
Yuugi could have laughed out loud. Some deity up there was taking pity on him and cutting him some slack, for the first time in his life! Praise Sakinah!
"Mr. Motou, I don't see what's so funny about Calculus homework, would you mind explaining?"
Yuugi looked up surprised at the math teacher, Mr. Tsuki. The man was always grumpy, and didn't like Yuugi too much to begin with, considering the fact that Yuugi usually did very poorly in his class. "I get it," Yuugi stated.
"Excuse me," the teacher asked.
"I get it," Yuugi repeated, holding up his paper a little. "It makes sense to me now."
"Indeed," Mr. Tsuki drawled, walking swiftly up to Yuugi's desk. Oh, this was bad. : Yami, if he asks about this stuff, you're going to have to answer.:
The voice inside of him growled darkly. : I'd be happy to.:
Yuugi shivered a bit when he felt a mental grin.
Mr. Tsuki looked over the work, his eyebrows moving further and further up the more he read. "Where're your notes, Mr. Motou? There isn't any way you could suddenly get it now."
"I
have no notes," Yami suddenly spoke, crossing his arms. "If you like, I can go
and do my problems on the board for you."
The class 'oooohed' after Yami said this, and the teacher visibly
frowned. "Why don't you do that, Mr. Motou?"
Yami stood, (proudly) and walked up to the blackboard. It seemed that the rest of the class was just as mesmerized by his ability to whip through the problems as Yuugi.
When Yami sat down, the teacher was glaring daggers at him. "Speak with me after class, Motou."
The whole class began to whisper to each other, and Yuugi wondered just what was in store for him.
The bell rang, and Yuugi realized that the whole ordeal had taken the entire period. Yami sat in the desk calmly as everyone filed out.
"Good luck, man," one boy whispered on his way out, giving Yami a sympathetic look and a week thumbs up.
The class was gone. The room was empty but for two people.
"Mr. Motou," Mr. Tsuki said. "We have a problem."
"We do?" Yami raised an eyebrow.
The
teacher snarled. "I will not be made a fool of in my class! If order is not
kept, chaos will break loose. And as punishment, you are to attend detention
for the next two days, and there will be a thirty percent grade reduction for
you in this class."
Yami heard Yuugi cry out from within. : No! He can't do that! I didn't do
anything wrong! He's just an arrogant old man who doesn't like to be wrong!
He's a skeptical old fool! Please! I can't loose anything else in the class, or
I won't pass!:
Yuugi was almost panicking, and Yami was very, very angry. "Yes, chaos will break loose, won't it?" He gave a dark ghost of a smile, tilting his head upward ever so slightly. "An eye for an eye."
Turning quickly and grabbing Yuugi's things, he walked out the door.
Yuugi was a trifle worried at the last statement. : I should tell you, that it's no longer an eye for an eye. Now, people preach for you to turn the other cheek.:
: Sometimes, aibou, balances should not be tampered with. When something has been trespassed upon, according to the gods vengeance must be served.:
The way Yami said it, Yuugi almost believed that there were multiple gods up there, waiting to seek vengeance upon their mortal underlings.
Inside, he shivered, but Yami acted as if he hadn't noticed.
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Must stop here, otherwise I'm going to give away the good part far too soon.
