Despite the many incidents that had occurred in the previous days, especially of recent, Yugi was able to keep a smile on his face. Obviously he was still very bothered by it, but his attitude and spirit maintained its normal state. Yugi failed to disappoint the people around him by doing so. His friends knew he was stronger than his deceiving looks, but they had not expected him to fight through this rough time as strong as he was. Still, they would watch him, just to be sure that he was fine. Yet they knew Yugi had to fight this on his own, and thus far he had been doing terrifically.

After school some days after his mother's departure, Yugi had decided to walk home alone. Fulfilling his request to be by himself for a bit, his friends decided to hang out around the school after the final bell rang. They worried, but understood that he needed time to himself.

In front of the school, the gang discussed on what could be done for Yugi.

"I don't think I've seen anyone so strong," Honda admitted. "He's gone through a lot, possibly to Hell and back, and yet he still stands tall…well he still stands."

"I know," Otogi, and everyone else, agreed. "But you can see it in him. He's still hurt from it."

"Duh, who wouldn't be?" Jounouchi remarked. "What happened was what he was trying to prevent, so he's not just upset because she's gone, but also because he feels he failed in his efforts to stop what he probably foresaw."

Anzu looked away to the exit of the school premises. The gate was still open, and she pictured Yugi walking away from them for some reason.

"I wish we could do something for him," she said. "He's done and been through so much, and now when he needs us, there's nothing we can do."

"The only thing we can do is be there for him, and support him. We know he has to overcome this pain on his own, but we can help him," said Jounouchi. "That's how it's almost always been for everyone: not so much that we pulled each other over the mountain, but that we gave each other the push that helped us to climb over it."

They loved Jounouchi at the time, because he spoke the truth.

"You're right," Honda told him. "I still wish there was something more that we could do."

Almost mysteriously, Bakura approached them. He was aware of the troubles going on at Yugi's home, but unaware of what had happened to him. Curious to know, and acting supportive, Bakura had come to ask them of Yugi's condition.

"Hello," he greeted kindly.

The gang said hello to him as well.

"I don't mean to be nosy, but Yugi, how has he been lately?" he asked them.

They had figured Bakura was a good enough friend for him to know what had occurred. So they all explained the story of Yugi's mother leaving and Yugi being a bit depressed lately.

"Oh my, that's horrible!" Bakura said, but deep inside he could only grin. "I thought I had noticed something terribly wrong with him lately. I am sorry, but I wish I could say that to him."

"It's okay, Bakura," Anzu told him. "I'm sure Yugi knows you support him, too."

Bakura's dark side could only laugh. He knew Yugi possessed a majority of the Millennium items. And he knew now at this time, Yugi was more distracted and fragile than any other time. He figured it would be a perfect time to strip Yugi of the ancient items…

Once again, no one seemed to notice Kaiba walking out the door of where they were talking, and hearing the words said around him.

Yugi arrived at home, where his grandfather was there to greet him. Yugi said hello, ran upstairs, and dropped off any school supplies he had brought from school. As he usually did whenever he went anywhere, he grabbed his deck and duel disk, and ran back downstairs. He decided he would go for a walk and give him some time to think things over. To his hopes, it would make him feel better.

"I'm going to go for a walk for a little bit, Grandpa," he said. "I'll be back in a bit."
He moved to walk out the door, but Sugoroku stopped him.

"Yugi," he was hesitant to let his grandson go, "Should I go with you?"

"No, it's fine," he took his Grandpa's hand off his shoulder. "I just need a bit of alone time. I'll be back before dinner."

Yugi smiled at him, trying to assure him he would be fine. Eventually, his grandpa gave in and let him go. Yugi waved to him and walked down the street, opposite of the direction his mother left. Sugoroku watched him until he could no longer be seen.

He had reached the park near the central of the city. He had been walking around for quite a few hours, passing familiar areas such as the Domino Museum, the dock which Yugi and Jounouchi had dueled nearly to the death, and the building where he first encountered Doma. A bit tired from the long walk, he took a seat on a park bench nearby. He reflected about past events with his friends, and began to feel a little bit better. At that time, his friends were all he thought he had, and so his thoughts concentrated on that. Of course he was looking more for escape from his darker thoughts. It was all he had thought of for the past few days, though it was hidden from everyone else. For a bit, it seemed to work, but each memory began leading to some other dark event.

While sitting, his Yami appeared before him. He had been pretty speechless lately as well, but merely because he did not know how to make his friend feel better. He knew the truth of what Yugi was keeping from everyone else, but was not confronting him about it.

"Aibou, did I ever tell you how sorry I was?" he told him.

"Yeah," Yugi said. "But you don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything. I should apologize to you, for snapping at you like that the other day. It wasn't your fault, and you couldn't do anything about it."

Yami Yugi's spirit sat next to him.

"You're forgiven," he told him.

"Thanks," Yugi paused. "It's just a confusing time right now. Not sure what I'm going to do. I can't hide it forever, and I can't run from it. But at the same time, I don't want to fight it."

"Aibou," he began, "you have overcome life and death, black, and psychological challenges. Emerging victorious through these hardships prove you to be strong. As far as I see it, there is nothing you can't overcome, and the fact that you can stand above all of it in the end shows just how valuable a person like you is to society. And people will realize that the world needs someone like you, Aibou."

Yugi smiled and was in appreciation of his friend's high compliment. But even this compliment led to something depressing he wished not to be reminded of. Other I, you won't be with me in the future, he thought to himself. You will be gone. What will I be once you are?

Being connected with him, Yami Yugi sensed what his friend was feeling, and knew what he was thinking. He was upset at himself at first for reminding Yugi of it, but realized he didn't even hint at it, and it was just Yugi's depression getting to him again.

"You will be everything you are now: an inspirational, strong willed, caring character," Yami Yugi replied to Yugi's thoughts. "It was not me or the puzzle that gave you what you have, but you, and it is because of you I have what I have now. You gave me a light, and therefore give me the ability to fight. Aibou, why must you make me repeat everything, especially the sappy things?"

Yugi couldn't help but laugh. He couldn't have been happier to have Yami Yugi with him. He made him feel so much better, and he spoke the truth to him.

"Thank you, Other I. You make me feel better," he told him.

"Aibou, you know I am always here for you, no matter what," Yami Yugi reminded him.

"Yes, that's why I will restore your memories," he assured him.

The sun was beginning to set and the air was becoming cooler. Yugi figured he should start heading home. His grandfather was probably worried already, and he had told him he would be home for dinner. He lifted himself off the bench as Yami Yugi returned to the puzzle. He turned away and began walking home.

He had thought it had been too quiet and too lonesome, but ignored it the entire trip. But indeed his ignored instinct was correct. Someone had been following him for a majority of his walk. Continuing to avoid his instinct, Yugi kept on walking home, not knowing that the person that someone he sensed stalking him was close behind him. Yugi finally began feeling so uncomfortable that he turned around to see if somebody was there. And right behind him stood a tall, mighty muscular man. That was all he would see however. He did not see his face or any other features, because the second he turned around, he was brutally assaulted with punches and kicks, and then hit with something hard as a boulder in the head. Yugi's sight quickly went blurry until he saw only black. He could remember the blood trickling from his nose and lying on the hard ground. Before he went to unconsciousness, he heard someone whisper a single sentence to him.

"Welcome to Hell…"