Thanks to Tweak McFreak and Sukara-Nodori for their kind reviews!
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He couldn't take it anymore, he just couldn't. Insults, all those cruel words aim at him . . . was that how Yami truly felt? Was that his dark's opinion of him? Was that that truth?
Was he useless?
He ran, not knowing where he went to, not caring, as long as it was away from his home. He had the vague idea of going to Joey's apartment, but in his confusion he was instantly lost. In the growing darkness, normally placid items seemed to loom up out of the shadows.
Rain poured down from the sky like a waterfall, and he began to cough.
His hands scrambled around his neck until he remembered that he no longer wore a Millennium Puzzle.
Plunging into an unknown alley, he began to drown in nightmares.
A Ryu-Ran popped up out of nowhere.
A Harpy's Pet Dragon stuck its head out into his path.
A La Jinn, Mystic Genie of the Lamp tried to crush him in its grip.
A Blue Eyes White Dragon reared up in front of him, the beginnings of a White Lightning Attack forming in its maw, aimed straight at him.
Suddenly, a voice came out from the darkness, and he crashed into something – no, someone.
"Whoa!"
"S-s-s-s-s-sor-"
"Calm down, kid. Something wrong?" The voice seemed soft, almost comforting. It was a nice voice.
He swallowed and tried to speak again. "I-I think I'm l-l-lost," he started, but was interrupted.
"Lost? You must not be from around here, then. Where do you live?" About to give the name of the Kame Game Shop, he suddenly stopped, remembered why he'd been running in the first place, and stuttered incoherently. "That's ok. We'll help you out, kid. What's your name?"
"Y-y-y-ugi."
Someone had turned on a flashlight, and two faces appeared. They seemed to be boys only a few years older than Yugi. If anyone had asked him at the moment, he might have said they were around eighteen.
The one he'd run into smiled and spoke again. "Here. Take my hand."
He hesitated only a moment before sliding his hand into the older boy's, and they began to walk slowly down the alley.
The whole time, the other boy asked questions. Did Yugi have any family? No. Any friends? Yes, one, but he couldn't find him. Any money? A little . . . Was he hungry? Yes. Did he want a granola bar? Yes, please! Was he feeling alright? A little dizzy.
He soon found out that the one he was talking to was Reki, and the other was Unshai. The latter seemed a bit reluctant about the whole thing, until Yugi pulled out what money he'd taken from his piggy bank, and then he grudgingly accepted the idea of Yugi coming along to wherever they were going.
It turned out to be an old abandoned bar. Several people were sitting or standing around the old, beat-up furniture, and a few were playing pool. The bar was mostly intact, but there was no sign of liquor. A couple of older boys, about Reki and Unshai's age, were standing around the bar, talking in low voices.
"Hey, look what I found! He says he's lost," Reki said, bringing Yugi over to the bar and helping him up onto a stool.
Unshai added, "He got a granola bar," and held up the money.
Glances were exchanged. "How old is he?"
"Fifteen. And he says he's got no family."
More glances, and then murmured discussion between all of the older boys. Still munching on the granola bar, Yugi's head began to clear. As he looked around, he saw that there was a trickle of people coming in and out of a door near the bar. He guessed it was a bathroom, because they went in looking worried and came out looking much better. Then he noticed the long amount of time it took for people to come out after they'd gone in.
Well, he thought to himself, perhaps there's a long line.
The boys seemed to have come to a decision, because Reki came back over. "Hey, Yugi. How're you feeling?"
"Much better . . . thank you very much!" he answered.
Reki nodded. "Good, good . . . listen, Yugi, my friends and I have been talking things out, and we've decided to let you stay here for a while."
"Really? Thank you-"
". . . but you have to do something for us. That okay with you?"
Yugi nodded again and hopped off the stool. Reki took his hand again and led him towards the door by the bar . . .
The front door opened and someone exclaimed, "Hey, Jonouchi! Didn't think we'd see you again so soon!"
TBC . . .