Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm sorry, I know it's been an insanely long time since I've written anything. I'm not going to sit here and list all my excuses, because I know you would all rather just get to the story anyway. ;) Enjoy, and I'll try to be better about updates.

Chapter 2

Yugi picked absently at his food. Ignoring the idle conversations of his mother and father, Yugi's mind wandered back to the man in his dream. He seemed so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. Had it been any other dream, he would have paid it no mind, but something inside him insisted he'd seen that man before. Yugi bit his lip, his mind going in circles.

"Yugi?"

Maybe it had something to do with that puzzle Ji-chan had given him? No, that couldn't be. Why would a golden puzzle give him wierd dreams? Maybe it was that beef-and-bean burrito he had eaten for lunch. Yugi really needed to start watching his diet.

"Yugi!"

Yugi jerked back to his senses, banging his knee against the table in the process. Wincing, he rubbed his knee vigorously and turned his attention to the others at the table who had been addressing him for the past five minutes. "Huh? Oh, sorry," he apologized, "I guess I was daydreaming."

"Yeah, well, there'll be no more of that once the new term starts," Hishoro commented with a hint of warning. "I'm paying good money to have you sent to that school."

"If it's so much of a bother to you, why don't you send me to a public school? I'm sure it'd be cheaper," Yugi snipped back bitterly.

Hishoro's gray eyes hardened and fixed on Yugi's own defiant orbs. "Don't you take that tone with me, boy."

"All right, that's enough you two!" Tika cut in. She could feel the tension growing between the two for weeks, and knew it was just a matter of time before the line snapped and the hounds of hell broke loose. Hishoro turned to her, angrier than she'd seen him in a long time.

"I will not have my son talk back to me in such a manner," he shouted. "He needs to learn to smarten up, get his act together, and watch his mouth or he'll end up going nowhere. He doesn't have the talent nor the skill to make a career out of music, and I will not have him end up working in a run-down shop like his fool of a grandfather!"

Yugi was livid. He jumped out of his seat and slammed his fists down on the tabletop. "My grandfather is a better man than you'll ever be!" he spat. "At least Ji-chan's happy, doing something that he loves. And frankly, he doesn't give a damn what you think about it!"

Hishoro stood up as well, stalking over and grabbing Yugi by the collar. "You will listen to me boy! I am your father, and you are my son. You will do as I say with respect and without complaint."

Yugi glared right back, his lip pulling back into a snarl. "On a cold day in Hell."

It happened so fast Yugi later wondered if it was what he said that set his father off, or if the man had actually been waiting for a reason to hit him. In an instant Yugi was stumbling back from his father's sudden left hook, clutching the side of his face. He heard his mother scream and vaguely recognized her presence at his side. She shouted something to Hishoro who merely muttered in reply and stormed out of the room. Yugi was still fighting off pain and dizziness, finally dragging himself up to his knees.

"Yugi? Are you all right?"

Yugi nodded in response, not wanting to worry his mother any more than she already was. He stood up and rubbed his cheek furiously. He could feel it beginning to bruise, but was feeling lucky it had been his cheek and not his eye."I can't believe he hit me..." Yugi breathed. He and his father fought all the time, but never had either one of them physically lashed out.

"You need to put some ice on that Yugi," Tika ordered.

Yugi nodded absently, walking to the kitchen and pulling a cold-pack out of the freezer. Holding it to the side of his face, he made his way back to his bedroom, flopping down on the bed with a sigh. Why couldn't his father understand? Why did things have to be this way? Yugi shut his eyes, trying to fight off the depression that was beginning to settle in. Unable to clear his mind of unwanted thoughts, he sighed and rolled off the side of the bed. Tucking his grandfather's puzzle box under his arm, Yugi made his way to the one place he was truly at peace.

The lights flickered on as he entered the studio, illuminating a musician's dream. In the right-hand corner of the room lay an extensive computer network and recording equipment programmed with any and all software needed to mix, splice, download, and record music onto discs. A black leather couch rested on the opposite wall, with a music set up in the center of the room. Sitting patiently on the hardwood floor was an extensive drum set--gleamin in the bright studio lights as if it had just been polished. To the left of the set lay a four-string bass guitar and a keyboard synthesizer, capable of replicating any sound Yugi desired. To the right, lay two six-string guitars; one acoustic, one electric. Microphones stood stationed at various parts of the room to help capture the different effects of sound he might find intriguing.

Yugi set the puzzle box down on the computer desk and began booting up the system. Violet eyes scanned through the hundreds of sound files displayed on the screen--most of them unmixed and unfinished tracks--and selected one he had been working on for ages. It happened to be one of the first songs he had written--but lacked words and a set beat. Yugi booted up his recording equipment and stared the track. Grabbing a pair of sticks from the desk drawer, he seated himself behind the drum set, waiting for the music to start. He came in with it, rolling on one of the suspended cymballs before diving into a beat. He had never been able to come up with a set part that satisfied him for this song. He had recorded and mixed dozens of demos, but could never quite find the right match. The intro segment finished, Yugi silenced the cymbals and listened to the recording. Maybe it was best he let the keyboard and guitars hold the lead for now...

-,-'-,-'-

Lightning flashed across a dark sky. A chill wind whipped across the desert landscape, causing the young man's cape to slap at his back and shoulders. He lifted his head, standing to his full height and glaring at his opponent. The sandstone building upon which they stood trembled with the presence of the young lord and the darkness of his foe. Ironic that he was born from this darkness, and had now come back to destroy it. The shadow's icy laughter rang in his ears as he summoned the first creature of darkness.

The young lord mirrored the gesture, summoning the White Wolf in his defense. The monsters clashed in an epic battle of strength and magic. The White Wolf was first to be struck down, one of its legs enclosed in steel teeth while the dark angel launched its attack. A growl bubbled up from within the young lord's chest. He would not give up. This was his time--his chance to rise up against the one man responisble for all the pain in his life. Garnet eyes closed in determination, summoning up his strength to call forth his next creature. A warrior in green armor and an imp-like creature materialized at his side, poised for attack. The other responded in kind, summoning his own second monster to the field.

Neither side showed any sign of relenting. If one monster was destroyed, another rose up almost immediately to take its place. Bursts of magic, spells, and counter-strikes burned through the night sky. The young lord cried out in pain and staggered to his knees. His chest heaved with exertion, the strain of the battle taking its toll, and would soon claim its prize. He had to act now and take control of this battle if he were to succeed.

-,-'-,-

Yugi's world spun with the intensity of the vision. Something stirred inside him; a memory of some kind, one he wasn't entirely sure was his. A single name echoed through the back of his mind--foreign and familiar all the same. Yugi opened his eyes, hammering once on the foot pedal of the bass and once on the snare. With the crash of one of the cymballs, Yugi took up a slow rock beat to the song.

-,-'-,-'-

Garnet eyes glowered at his opponent. The looming shadow of the red-eyed serpent hovered on the battlefield in front of him, waiting to strike. 'No,' the young lord thought. He would not allow this to happen again. He would not fall to the mercy of this demon of a man--he had a promise to keep. Grunting in pain, the prince rose to his feet.

-,-'-,-'-

As the music began to pick up intensity, so did the vision. Yugi's hands flew over the set in perfect rhythm and timing that before today had eluded him. He gasped as two voices rang out in his mind, singing out an essence of the music even he was not aware of. Yugi couldn't hold the words to his memory, he only knew that they were powerful. With newfound vigor, Yugi threw himself into his work, drums roaring and cymballs ringing as the music grew to its peak.

-,-'-,-'-

A mounted warrior and a furry fiend materialized beside the prince. His opponent scoffed at his choice of creatures. They were nothing compared to his dragon's superior might. The prince smirked; his opponent was a fool to judge him so soon. A golden eye glowed upon his forehead, and he began to chant. Tendrils of smoke began to curl methodically in front of him, revealing a pyre of burning inscence and a black cauldron. Both creatures began to glow, intertwining their spirits before being drawn into the ritual cauldron.

The prince smirked as his opponent's eyes grew wide with shock. His chanting grew louder, and flames burst from the cauldron as the ritual was accepted. Lightning flashed across the sky once again as a black armored figure emerged from the flames. The Dark Warrior--the embodiment of the prince's power. He smirked. With this soldier, his enemy would fall. The prince staggered again under the stress of weilding such magics, but held firm. Thrusting his hand forward, the prince ordered his soldier into battle.

A chilling wind swept over the land, unbefitting of the desert environment. The two monsters clashed, their powers unmatched by any other. The young lord could only watch as his warrior dodged another attack; the dragon's claws missing him by mere centimeters. He didn't know how much longer this battle could continue; everything was riding on the strength of his soldier. Finally, after an eternity of close-calls and near-misses, his black soldier siezed his chance. With one mighty thrust of his enormous sword, the warrior slew the great serpent.

-,-'-,-'-

A smile spread across Yugi's face. He was filled with a sense of victory and pride in the prince's success--though he couldn't discern as to why. In his bliss, the musician threw himself further into the song. The warm feelings of the prince in his vision bubbled up in his own chest, spilling over into the lightweight sticks in his hands. Yugi's hands had never flown so gracefully or so surely over the set as they did now. Sweat beaded on his forehead--his mind totally focused and free as a bird at the same time.

Yug crashed violently on the cymballs, hearing unspoken lyrics ringing out through his mind. Scarlet eyes gazed at him through the haze of the fading memory--eyes that spoke volumes. Hidden within their depths was the missing piece Yugi had spent his life searching for. He felt a voice calling out; singing the words he longed to hear. With a final crash, Yugi let the cymballs fade away with the remaining notes of the music.

Silence settled over the room, the only sound Yugi's heavy breathing as he struggled to regain his senses. He was shaking--probably from getting so caught up in his playing--he guessed. Slowly, he pocketed his drumsitcks and stood, looking over the readouts on his computer. These patters were...amazing! Yugi thought he would never find the right drumline to finish this piece, but this was perfect. He frowned in confusion. Before now, he'd worked long hours to figure out a suitable beat, but this had come so easily. He cast a glance at the golden box that sparkled at him from his desk top.

'That...' Yugi thought, 'that's where those visions came from.' He recognized the seal on the box to be the same eye adorning the forehead of the man in his dream. A single, voiceless message echoed through his mind longingly.

/Call my name./

Frowning in confusion, Yugi opened the box and ran his fingers over the golden pieces. Somehow he knew they were connected--that the visions were coming from this puzzle.He sighed, glancing at the clock on the wall. Deciding he'd let everything rest until tomorrow, Yugi closed down the network and shut off the lights before scooping the puzzle box into his arms and returning to his room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darkness shifted silently as it had for the past five milennia. Any source of light that had once been present was swallowed up long ago by the hellish abyss of ice and shadow. Nothing existed within the depths save for one, the Lord of the Darkness--the living god of a once-grand and ruling empire. He had mastered the shadows, commanded them at will and saved existance from a bleak fate.

Ironic that now the same man lay bound in chains within the very darkness he sealed away. The ancient king didn't bother to open his eyes as his latest dream ended, knowing he would only stare into more shadows. Instead he concentrated on the lingering images of the vision. Never had they come so rapidly, never had he recalled them so vividly. The silence was broken with the faint echoes of far-away music. Warmth flooded him at the sound--a feeling he barely remembered. Another memory floated into his mind, another piece of who he was. His soul sang out with the unspoken words of the music, for they brought with them the promise of a love he once thought lost.

A surge of eagerness welled up in his chest, knowing that this could only mean that the time for his release was coming. Finally, after an eternity of suffering, his pain would end! Long-forgotten emotions drove him to do something he hadn't done in milennia.

He smiled.

"Pf mrwt nn wnn smx..."

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"Yugi! You'd better hurry up or you're going to be late!"

Yugi rolled his eyes, hastily buttoning a white dress shirt. He'd never worn something containing so much starch in his entire life--even his pants felt like cardboard!

"I'll be right down, Mom," he answered back. "I'm almost done." He grabbed the tie on his dresser and looped it around his neck, struggling to pull his shoes on at the same time. Pulling the knot snug, Yugi adjusted the collar of his shirt and draped his tailcoat over his shoulders and ran out of the room. 'You think I was going to be sworn in as governer or something...' he thought bitterly. If the dress code as anything to go by, then he was most definitely not going to enjoy this school.

Yugi hopped down the stairs two at a time and grabbed his backpack. He was about to burst out the door when he was suddenly jerked backward.

"Oh, no you don't, Mister," his father growled, grabbing a hold of the straps on his backpack. Yugi had to scramble to stay on his feet. He said nothing to his father, glaring at the man through the corner of his eyes. "You won't be taking this ragged sack to this school. You'll act like a respectable business man and bring a briefcase." Hishoro shoved a black leather briefcase into his son's hands before crossing his arms expectantly. "Go on, boy. Pack up that suitcase and get moving." Yugi frowned.

"Why can't I just take a book bag like a normal person?" he protested. "I'm going to school, not a board meeting."

"Because you are not a normal person, you are a Mouto," Hishoro replied. "You are going to a school with professionals, therefore you will act and dress like a professional. Now empty your books!" Yugi's father tore the knapsack from Yugi's hands and ripped the zipper open, spilling its contents onto the floor. The musician felt his stomach lurch as his golden puzzle box landed on the floor with a metallic 'thunk'.

Hishoro frowned, taking the object in his hands. "W-what the? What's this?" he sputtered. Hastily Yugi gathered his wits and snatched the puzzle box away, holding it close and shielding it from is father's view.

"I-it's nothing," he lied. "Jii-chan asked me to drop it off at the shop on my way home." Hishoro scowled.

"I doubt even your grandfather is foolish enough to entrust you with something as valuable as that," the older man growled. "Now give it here."

"No!" Yugi flinched away from his father's outstretched hand. "Jii-chan gave it to me, and I won't let you take it away!"

Hishoro opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off at the entrance of Yugi's mother. "That's enough. Hishoro, leave him alone, or he's going to be late for school and you're going to be late for work. You two can settle this later."

Yugi seized his chance, stuffing the puzzle box and his books back into his knapsack and bolting out the door. "Bye Mom! I'll be at the shop after school!" He slammed the door behind him and sprinted down the street. Great...now what was he going to do? There was no way he could hide the puzzle from his father now that the man knew he had it. Yugi cursed under his breath, sprinting towards the bus stop as the vehicle pulled up to the curb. He managed to leap inside the door just as it started to close and dropped a coin into the tin box next to the driver's seat.

Struggling to catch his breath, Yugi straightened his clothes and dropped into a seat. He needed to focus on getting through today before worrying about what would happen once he got home. By the looks of things, he wasn't the only student on this bus. A dozen or so other students sat in groups of two or threes, dressed in the same stiff suits Yugi himself had been forced into, chatting aimiably. 'Well,' he thought with a sigh, 'at least if I get beat up I'll have an excuse to go back to public school.'

Dejectedly, Yugi sat back in his seat and stared blankly out the window. He had received his class schedule the other day in the mail, and it was not promising. Yugi dug through his bag and pulled out the sheet of paper. Intro to Economics, Marketing, Sales and Finance, Entrepreneurship, Business Management...oh boy, this looked exciting. Yugi shook his head.

"Is this seat taken?"

Yugi jumped, startled by the softspoken request. He looked up to see a boy with soft brown eyes and snowy white hair standing in the isle beside him.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" the boy repeated as Yugi stared at him blankly. Yugi snapped himself out of his surprised daze and came back to reality.

"Oh, no please!" he answered, motioning for the other boy to sit down. "Have a seat."

"Thanks," the other replied. "I'm Ryou, by the way. I haven't seen you on this bus before."

Yugi chuckled. "Yeah, my father wants me to go to some stuffy, high-class business school halfway across the city. Name's Yugi Mouto."

"Mouto?" Ryou repeated, raising an eyebrow. "No wonder." Yugi snorted, earning a chuckle from the white-haired boy. "I take it you're not into the whole 'family business' thing?"

Yugi winced. "Not really. Business is all well and good, but I refuse to spend ten hours a day locked in an office."

The bus pulled to a stop in front of a two story building. Yugi looked about him and noticed the other students rising from their seats. He sighed. "I guess this is my stop."

"It was nice talking to you, Yugi," Ryou said, holding out his hand. Yugi looked stunned for a minute, then broke out into a smile and returned the handshake.

"Same here. Will you be riding the bus tomorrow?" he asked.

Ryou nodded. "I just moved here from England with my father, and I have to take the bus to get to school," he replied.

"Maybe I'll see you then?" Yugi asked hopefully. Ryou smiled and nodded happily. A grin broke out over Yugi's face as he gathered up his bags and climbed off the bus. He paused as the bus drove away from the curve, staring after it. It had been so long since he'd had a friend, yet he had made one so easily just a few moments ago. He turned and made his way into the schoolyard.

After a quick check-in at the office, Yugi received his schedule and made his way to class. Somehow he felt like he were in a detention center; everything was just so impersonal. The walls were a stark white, devoid of any student artwork or bulletin boards. Everyone dressed the same, acted the same, and was treated the same. He entered his classroom and blinked in surprise. It was set up like a small auditorium--the professor's area in the front, and rows of long desks seating three chairs extended towards the back of the room. The seats were numbered, with a laptop propped open at each.

Yugi took a glance at his schedule, checking the student identification number in the top corner. 'Seat 126,' he noted. Shrugging his backpack up slightly, he took his seat in one of the middle rows and logged into the computer as his papers instructed. He sat quietly and watched as the classroom began to fill up. Not a word was said. Two students took up the seats beside him, and Yugi waited for them to finish logging in before attempting to introduce himself. Yugi opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the entrance of the professor.

"Open your texts to page 125," the graying man ordered in a harsh monotonous voice.

Yugi hesitantly obeyed. The professor's gruff and abrupt manner threw him off slightly. Wasn't he going to introduce himself? What about going over classroom proceedure? Yugi was shocked as the man started reading from the book in a droning manner. He noticed the other students jotting down notes in loose-leaf notebooks. 'That's it?' he thought. The professor stopped reading and began a power point presentation outlining the lecture. Yugi sighed and picked up his pen. He had a feeling it would be a long day.

Author's Note: I know the song sequence may seem a little confusing, but I swear that it has a point. I was going to wait until further chapters to do translations of Egyptian words, but I think it would be more helpful for me to do them now. Thanks for reading, and I hope I'll be able to post more chapters in a more timely manner. Until next time!

Pf mrwt nn wnn smx- That love won't be forgotten