Author's Note: blink blink Holy crap...I actually finished it! Sadly, this chapter is pitifully short and uneventful, and I feel bad because I know I've made you all wait so long. But now the bridge is crossed, and it's all downhill from here. The rest of the story should be written in a more timely manner. Thank you all for your reviews and your patience. Shades of Dawn is probably up next, though I do have a holiday fic in mind that might go up first. We'll see. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
By the time the lunch bell rang, Yugi had received a total of six assignments from four classes--all due within the next week. He was glad to finally get a chance to relax as he bought a small sandwich and a juice box from the cafeteria. Deciding he needed a bit of fresh air, Yugi took his lunch outside and sat on one of the benches.
"Finally establishing yourself among the ranks, Mutou?"
Startled, Yugi whirled around to face the source of voice addressing him. He caught the gaze of a pair of cold blue eyes.
"Kaiba?" he managed to sputter. "What are you doing here?"
The brunette stared down at him in distaste. "I've been attending classes here my whole life," Seto Kaiba replied. "I find it amusing to see you here, however."
Yugi frowned. "Why is that?"
"Please," Kaiba scoffed. "I know you better than to think you have the spine to succeed in the business world. You have too much of your worthless grandfather in you."
"My grandfather is a great man," Yugi snapped. Rage filled him at this pompous idiot's disrespect of the man Yugi looked up to above all else. 'Who does this bastard think he is?'
"Keep telling yourself that, and one day you might actually believe it." Kaiba picked up his suitcase and turned to leave. "Whatever, I've wasted enough of my time on you. See you in class, Mutou."
Yugi glared at the retreating back of Seto Kaiba, swearing under his breath. If coming to this school hadn't been bad enough, he now had to share it with the only person he despised more than his father. He sighed, the anger suddenly fading away to sadness. Why did things have to be this way? Why was it so hard for people to understand him; accept him for who he was? Yugi glanced at his backpack--thrown carelessly on the ground in his desperation to find a bit of peace. His thoughts drifted back to the gold puzzle box he kept inside.
A small smile made its way onto his youthful features. The small golden pieces had brought him a sense of solace over the last few days that not even his music could provide. Yugi absently retrieved the heavy box and opened it gently. Running his fingers delicately over the pieces, he began working on the small portion he had already assembled. The familiar feeling of warmth and peace overtook him once again as he fiddled with the pieces between small fingers.
Almost unconsciously Yugi's hands began flying over the pieces, fitting them together flawlessly. The puzzle felt warm in his hands, encouraging him to make them one. Yugi hummed subconsciously and his eyes glazed over as if in a trance. Gold pieces clicked into place at a set rhythm, matching Yugi's soft humming as if it were an accompaniment. Yugi paused and held the half-completed puzzle in his hands, gazing at it. Flashes of imagery raced across his mind--a sleek black dog, golden sands, and intense cerise eyes.
Riiiiiing!
Yugi nearly jumped out of his skin at being so abruptly shaken from his trance. The other students were beginning to file back into their classes. Yugi sighed, placing his puzzle back into its box and slinging his backpack over his shoulders. This was the second time he'd had visions while piecing together the contents of the puzzle box. Glancing down, he recalled the hieroglyphs written underneath the lid. Sure his grandfather had taught him a few of the basics of ancient text, but Yugi had been able to decipher the glyphs as if he'd read them his entire life. There was something about this puzzle...
"Hey, watch it!" someone snapped as Yugi's shoulder collided with theirs. The student shot Yugi a dirty look and kept walking. Yugi snorted and shook his head. Such a wonderful day this was turning out to be.
"I'm telling you, they're all a bunch of stiffs," Yugi insisted, clicking another golden piece into place. He arched an eyebrow at the old man sitting across the kitchen table from him. "And you expect them to welcome me with open arms?"
"I'm just saying that you could at least try to make the best of your situation, Yugi," Sugoroku Mutou explained.
The said boy arched an eyebrow. "I'm not entirely sure my 'situation' can be made any better."
Sugoroku sighed. Yugi hadn't been this cynical for a long time. Things between the boy and his father were worse than Sugoroku had originally thought. "Think of it..." he trailed off for a moment, searching for the right words. "Think of it like that puzzle, Yugi," he said finally, gesturing to the object in Yugi's hands. "At first, everything seems scattered and disconnected. But once you take some time to think about things and work your way through it, the pieces start to take shape."
Yugi's shoulders slouched. "I guess so," he sighed.
"You've been making quite some progress on that thing, my boy," the old man commented.
"Yeah," Yugi replied, his mood somewhat brightened. "I can't stop thinking about it. Every now and then I space out and have these dreams..."
"Dreams?"
"They're more like visions, actually," Yugi corrected himself. "It almost feels like I've forgotten something important."
"Well," Sugoroku began as he rose from his chair. He made his way over to a bookshelf and selected a thick, hard-bound reference book. "According to my research those are pieces of some kind of Egyptian holy token. It was said that a pharaoh used it to seal away the evil of the world." Yugi peeked over his grandfather's shoulder as he placed the book on the table and began to flip through its pages. "There," he said, pointing to a large illustration. "These hieroglyphics depict that there were seven of these golden pieces, each one securing another level over the power they contained. These powers were so great, the pharaoh had to offer his soul to the gods to complete the ritual. Each of the seven relics was buried in this chamber. Only that puzzle was left when I found it years ago."
"Wow," Yugi replied. "What else do you know about this pharaoh?" He recalled all the dreams he'd had, trying to pick out a name or face. Unfortunately, the dreams themselves had been vague and out of sequence. There was nothing useful he could derive from them.
"Absolutely nothing, that's the strangest part," Sugoroku sighed, flipping the book shut. "Whatever records remain of this pharaoh's reign were all either destroyed or still buried beneath the pyramids."
Yugi frowned. No records? How was that possible? Those hieroglyphics couldn't just have been pulled out of the sky. They had to come from somewhere, why would any other information be missing if the items had been found in the same place? 'Missing, or kept hidden?' He shook his head. Whatever this puzzle was, perhaps he could find out more about it once it was solved.
"I should probably be going, Ji-chan," Yugi said, packing up his puzzle and slipping his bookbag over his shoulder. "Mom's making dinner, and I've got a truck load of assignments I have to get done."
"Alright." Sugoroku walked his grandson to the door. "Let me know if you finish that puzzle, Yugi. I'm interested to see how it comes out."
"Okay, Jii-chan. Bye!"
Yugi left and made his way home, his mind swirling with everything from school to ancient pharaohs to his freaky dreams at night. Since when had life become so complicated? 'Yeah right,' he thought sardonically after the question had formed in his mind. 'Since when has my life ever been simple?' Yugi braced himself as he made his way to the front door. He hadn't been stupid enough to forget his grand exit this morning, and he'd probably never hear the end of it tonight. With a deep breath, Yugi slowly opened the door and stepped inside. He slipped off his shoes and left them by the door in the foyer. Making his way up the stairs, he could smell dinner cooking in the other room. It sounded like his mom and dad were having a discussion again. Yugi shook his head, hoping to make it to his room without being noticed.
The voices suddenly rose to a disturbing level. Yugi froze on the stairs in fear. His parents never shouted, yet he could here them as if they were screaming in his ears. Squeezing his eyes shut, Yugi struggled to calm his pounding heart. If his father walked in and saw him crying, it would only make things worse. His parents' voices were almost unrecognizable. Yugi could hear the slamming of fists on table tops and the banging of thrown objects. He sat down on the stairs next to the wall, curled up in fear with his hands pressed to his ears. He wanted nothing more than to run away and pretend nothing had happened, but found himself unable to even stand.
The voices suddenly stopped. Yugi's eyes opened; he uncovered his ears to absolute silence. Honestly, Yugi couldn't decide which was worse.
"Where the blazes have you been, boy?"
Startled, Yugi leapt to his feet. Shakily he picked up his bag and wiped away the tears he hadn't noticed before.
Mr. Mutou stood at the bottom of the stairs, still in his work suit, with his arms folded. Although his expression was one of indifference, Yugi could see his father's discontent burning just beneath the surface. He knew that, right now, the man was not to be crossed.
"I-I stopped by Jii-chan's on the way home," he replied, turning around to face the top of the stairs. Mr. Mutou's frown deepened.
"Why?" he demanded. "Did you get in trouble at school?"
"No, I just wanted to see him today, that's all." Sudden fury boiled from the deep recesses of his mind. Yugi turned to glare at his father. "Do I need a reason to see my grandfather after school?" He couldn't explain the origin of the emotion. Perhaps it was the fact he'd shouted so cruelly at Yugi's mother, perhaps it was his frustration with his classes. He didn't really know, but right now for the first time in his life, he wanted so desperately to hit his father.
"Watch your mouth, boy," Mr. Mutou warned, "or you won't be seeing anyone for the next two weeks."
Yugi's gaze hardened. "Permission to be excused now, sir," he gritted out. "I have work to do." If he didn't leave now, Yugi was sure he'd do something he would regret later.
"Fine," Mr. Mutou grunted. Yugi sighed and quickly turned to leave. "But you come right back home after school tomorrow, understand? I'm going to have a talk with your grandfather about distracting you when you should be studying!" he called after Yugi's retreating form.
The words stung for a reason Yugi couldn't explain. His father hadn't insulted him or lashed out or anything, but somehow everything the man had said seemed to have chipped away at his spirit. What did this mean? Were his mother and father breaking apart? Yugi ran a hand back through his hair, blinking away unbidden tears. 'Stop it,' he told himself. He was overreacting. Why was this upsetting him? Everyone gets angry….everyone shouts.
'Not like this…' a voice whispered in his head. Something inside told him that whatever caused the argument between his mother and father had to do largely with him. He growled softly and rubbed his face vigorously a few times. 'Whatever...' He needed to focus. Taking a seat at his desk, Yugi pulled out a textbook and began to work.
It was dark out by the time Yugi looked up at the clock again. Some three hours had passed since he'd sat down. Deciding he was well overdue for a break, Yugi tossed down his pen and began shaking the writer's cramp out of his hands. He leaned back to rest when there came a soft knock at his door.
"Come in," he called tiredly. He stretched and yawned, peeking an eye open to glance at his mother who had just walked into the room. She was carrying a plate of food in one hand and a glass of milk in the other.
"I brought you up some dinner, Yugi," she said with a smile. "I thought you might be hungry."
"Thanks," Yugi replied.
He felt a burst of gratitude for his mother at that moment. How was it moms always seemed to know just what you needed to make you feel better? Yugi stood up and took the plate and glass from her, motioning towards his bed as he sat down. He set the glass of milk on his night stand, picked up the fork on the plate and started eating. Mrs. Mutou sat next to him.
"Did you finish your homework?" she asked.
Yugi shook his head, swallowing a mouthful of baked fish. "I finished one essay, and now I'm halfway through a second. They're not due until later this week, but if this is the workload after the first day, I really don't want to fall behind. I was just taking a break when you came in."
Mrs. Mutou nodded in understanding. A glint of gold caught her attention, and she noticed Yugi's book bag lying on the floor. Inside it, she could see the puzzle box he had dropped that morning.
"What's in that gold box, Yugi?" she asked. Yugi looked up from his meal and spotted the puzzle in his backpack..
"It's some kind of ancient puzzle..." He set his plate aside and retrieved the puzzle. "Jii-chan says its an old Egyptian relic. He thinks it was used to seal away some great evil. I'm almost finished with it."
"It looks like something he found on one of his digs," she commented, running her fingers over the lid before gently lifting the top open. "It's beautiful. Can you read these hieroglyphs?"
"Not really," Yugi replied hesitantly. He didn't want to lie to his mother, but he didn't think she'd react to kindly to the ominous meaning written under the lid. "I can get the gist of what they say, but I haven't looked them up and I could be wrong." A smile wormed its way across his features. "I've almost got it solved. I can't wait!"
"Don't let your father see it," Mrs. Mutou warned.
Yugi's mood sobered immediately. "If he finds out Jii-chan gave it to me he'll take it away." He sighed. "He hates Jii-chan."
"Yugi," his mother consoled, "I don't think your father hates Sugoroku. They just disagree on certain things."
"Maybe," Yugi conceded, but he didn't sound convinced. Hesitantly, Yugi looked up from his plate. "What were you guys fighting about earlier?" he asked, unusually quiet.
Tika Mutou stared down at her folded hands for a moment. Twice she opened her mouth to speak, but the words never came. She sighed and shook her head.
"Your father and I have some differences in opinion we need to work out," she said finally. She forced a smile and wrapped Yugi in a comforting embrace. "It's nothing. I don't want you to worry about it."
Yugi frowned. Something was obviously wrong, but he didn't pursue the point any further.
He finished off his supper and stretched. The pile of books on his desk were a testament to the amount of work he still had to do. "I should probably get back to work. I want to have that essay finished."
"Very well," she replied, taking his finished plate. "Just don't stay up too late."
Yugi smiled slightly and watched his mom leave. Though he was once again alone in his room, he sensed another comforting presence. His eyes fell on the golden box and the pieces inside it. There was something about this puzzle...something Yugi knew he'd never experienced before but felt familiar all the same. What mystery would unfold once he solved it? Sadly, Yugi found no answers in the silence of his room, only the insistent stare of the unfinished paper beckoning him on his desk.
Unfortunately tonight, the puzzle would have to wait.
Breakfast was meager and rushed the next morning, as Yugi hoped to leave for the bus station before his father had a chance to catch up with him. He shrugged his book bag up higher onto his shoulder and boarded the bus, searching the occupants for a head of snowy white hair.
"Over here Yugi," Ryou Bakura called to him, waving a hand. Yugi smiled and made his way over.
"Good morning, Ryou," Yugi greeted as he took a seat.
"Hi Yugi," he replied. "Yugi this is a friend of mine from my school." Ryou indicated the blonde teen he'd been conversing with as Yugi was boarding the bus. Bright honey eyes looked up and he smiled in greeting.
"Hey there Yugi," he greeted in a heavily accented voice. "I'm Katsuya Jounounchi. You can call me Jou."
"It's nice to meet you Jou," Yugi replied. "How come I didn't see you here yesterday?"
"I just got back into town last night," he replied, folding his arms behind his head. "Been off visiting my sister in Kyoto. Do you go to Domino High too?"
Yugi sighed. "No, my father has me enrolled in a private school for business," he replied. "He says it's to 'whip me into shape for the real world'."
Jou winced. "Man, sorry dude. You gotta put up with all them yuppies all day long."
"Tell me about it," Yugi chuckled at Jou's choice of words.
The three of them spent the entire bus ride chatting about school, families, and the newest Duel Monsters craze. Yugi found himself enjoying the company of his new acquaintances. He silently prayed that this would be the baby steps on the road to his first friendships. He got off the bus that morning in a considerably better mood than he could ever remember. Yugi wondered idly if either of them had any musical talent--it would be nice to have someone to jam with every now and then. He made a mental note to ask them tomorrow morning.
Classes oozed by like molasses in January. More than once, Yugi found himself nodding off during lectures. He didn't understand how the other students around him could pay attention all day long. It wasn't as if Yugi wasn't trying. He knew all his classes would be miserable if he approached them with a negative attitude, so he tried not to be too judgmental before coming into them. Still, Yugi couldn't even force himself to be interested in whatever the professor was drabbling on about. The fight between his parents did nothing to improve his concentration either, as it occupied his every stray thought.
The lunch bell was a godsend. As quickly as possible, he gathered his books and made his way to the cafeteria, desperate for a change of scenery and some peace and quiet.
He purchased a lunch an sat in a corner table by himself, throwing his book bag onto the seat next to him. Yugi propped open his economics book and began outlining the chapter, having fallen asleep during the actual class. Absorbed into his work, he jumped as a newspaper was suddenly slammed atop his notebook. Purple eyes glanced up at a grinning brunette that stood with his arm folded.
"What do you want, Kaiba?" he groaned.
"I just thought you'd like to read the latest headlines about the Kame Game Shop before your grandfather has to face the shame of telling you himself," Kaiba replied smugly.
Yugi continued to scowl, but glanced down nonetheless. A rock settled into the pit of his stomach as he read the headline printed on one of the columns.
Original Kame Game Shop Facing Foreclosure?
"I had no idea..." he trailed off in absolute shock. Could this be what his parents were shouting over? "Why didn't he tell me?"
Seto Kaiba laughed maliciously. "See Mutou?" he sneered. "Your grandfather is a washed up old fool." He shoved the paper into Yugi's face and stalked off, still laughing like a maniac.
Yugi watched him leave with a sour taste in his mouth. Kaiba disappeared into the crowd, never once looking back to notice Yugi's poisonous gaze. Deciding that dealing with Kaiba would have to wait, Yugi looked back at the paper in his hands. He sighed worriedly and ran his fingers through his hair. He had had no idea his grandfather was having financial trouble. No one ever said anything and his parents had never talked about it. Yugi frowned. He made a decision to stop by the shop on his way home to talk to his grandfather, despite what his father thought. He flipped the paper over and tossed it to the side so he could continue taking his notes.
Pulling up his pen, Yugi began working again. He reached the end of the page when something in the newspaper happened to catch his eye. With a double-take, Yugi lunged across the table and grasped the paper tightly.
"No way..." he breathed.
At the top of the page was a small ad set in the corner column:
Open Mic Night!
Looking for a place to show off your musical talent, maybe hook up a gig?
Bring your band on down and show us your stuff. Five bands will be chosen
to enter the upcoming rising artist competition for a cash prize!
Yugi gaped. This was it! This was exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for. If he could get together two or three people to perform with him, they could enter the competition. Yugi scanned the rest of the ad, taking in some of the minor details. The entry fee would be no problem, and the contest winnings would be enough to pay off the Kame Shop's debts. All he needed to do was throw together a band by next month.
The bell rang for class, snapping Yugi out of his rapid thoughts. Stuffing the newspaper and his books back into his bag, he bolted from the lunch table, eager for the last three periods to end. If he could convince Ryou and Jou to take part, Yugi knew he could do it. Excitement bubbled up inside him. This was his dream! It's what he'd always wanted, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.