Sigh Okay, this probably isn't the best chapter and the plot really hasn't picked up just yet, but it will! I promise you! This one's pretty boring if you ask me, but it's needed to put things in place. And so to relieve you of your boredom, I'll probably be updating quickly so that everyone will forget this chapter and move on ...

---

Deep inside the mind of Yugi Moto, the spirit of the small boy huddled in a corner, trying to hide from the intrusion that just happened on his mind. The door to his soul room was locked. No matter how much he tried, he could not open the door, and no matter how loud he cried for help, his guardian could not hear him. Tears were flowing down the small boy's face. He had been running from his intruder for a long time. He had no idea how much time had actually passed, but he guessed it had not been as much as he felt. He was shivering, being clothed in only a long white shirt. He had no idea why he was wearing that shirt, but he figured it had to have something to do with Marik. Suddenly, there was a loud crash. From his hiding place, Yugi slowly peeked to see Marik standing in front of the door to his soul room. He seemed to be looking for the small boy. Yugi silently gasped and quickly turned back to his hiding place.

"Oh, Little Yugi," Yugi was shivering beyond belief. Marik held out the rod and a blast of lightning shot out, destroying everything that it was aimed it, "Come out, come out where ever you are!" The giant, psychotic Rod Holder called in a singing voice. Yugi was terrified. This was the first time in so long that he did not have the Pharaoh to protect him. The boy continued to shiver with his arms covering his head. He now began to whimper silently so that Marik could not find him. Not too long after, he began to hear large feet moving around. "I command you to come out, my slave." Yugi could not stay in one place; he had to move. He got down on his hands and knees and skittered to a new hiding place. As he moved, a toy on the ground made a sound, attracting Marik's attention. In doing so, the tall sandy-blonde forced another lightning bolt out of the rod. He stomped over to the spot where the toy squeaked, but did not find the boy. "You will obey me, Little One. I am your master now. As such, I demand complete obedience from you." Yugi's breathing was labored as he began to cry, but also tried to keep it in. Yugi hugged his legs and began to rock back and forth.

"No … he's not my master … I have no master … I need"--- He looked up only to see the most terrifying sight: Marik with an eerie smirk on his face, looking down on him.

"Hello, Little Yugi." The psychotic Egyptian destroyed the dresser that Yugi was hiding behind with one swing of his arm. Yugi screamed as Marik pulled him by his hair and dragged him to the small bed in the corner.

"No, no please!" Yugi screamed, trying to struggle. Marik slapped the boy across his face and kicked him in the stomach three times. He grabbed Yugi by his face, forcing the boy to look him in his psychotic lavender eyes.

"Silence, you tiny speck! How dare you disobey me! I AM YOUR MASTER NOW!"

"No …" Marik hit Yugi in the back of his head with the sharp edge of the Rod.

"You will soon come to know me as your master, Little Yugi. Your soul is trapped in your own mind." Even though Yugi was scared, he still tried to fight back.

"I have no master … the Pharaoh will stop you!" Marik snickered evilly.

"He can try, but he will not be successful. You are under a spell." Yugi was still hyperventilating.

"W-we've broken y-your s-sp-spells before …"

"You mean what happened with your idiot lackey, Joey?" Yugi's pride seemed to come back into play.

"He is not a lackey! He's my best friend!"

"Well here's a newsflash for you; I never put an actual 'spell' on your friend. You were able to get through to him because I was careless!" Yugi flinched as Marik raised his voice. He used his free hand to run his fingers through Yugi's hair, which caused the boy to freeze up. "But with you … I took extra precaution. The spell I placed on you will force you to lose every memory you have of your life." Yugi's eyes widened.

"No … no, I-I don't wanna forget!" Marik threw Yugi across the room, causing the boy to hit the wall and scream in agony. He walked over and took Yugi by the neck and lifted him up in the air.

"You have no choice. Your soul will stay here in your own mind, cut off from the outside world, slowly forgetting every memory in here, while I control your body. All you will know are my commands. And as for the Pharaoh, only when I am ready will he and your … passé know of your … condition." Yugi could not believe it. Marik really thought this one out.

"How could you?" All Marik did was snicker.

"I'll leave you to think about things for a while … as long as you can." With that, he left Yugi there as he began to sob himself into a hold yet again.

---

On the outside world, while Marik was nowhere near his newest slave, he was able to enter Yugi's mind by astral projecting with help from the Millennium Rod. With Yugi's mind under his spell, Marik could contact Yugi from anywhere in the world. Right now, he sat in his hide out, admiring his work.

In the Moto household, Solomon was downstairs, cooking breakfast for his grandson and himself.

"Yugi, breakfast is ready!" Upstairs, the boy in the bed continued to sleep soundly. On the end table, the Millennium Puzzle began to glow before the entity of Yami, the spirit of the Puzzle manifested.

"Yugi come on, get up; it's time for breakfast." Yugi made no move. Yami thought this strange, since Yugi was a very light sleeper, and the lightest of touches would normally wake him up. "Yugi … Yugi, are you alright?" No response came. Then suddenly, the boy shot up right in his bed, but he still had a sleepy look in his eyes. "Yugi, you startled me." The sleepy-eyed boy made no sound. The dead Pharaoh was really beginning to worry for his charge. "Yugi, please answer me."

" … I must eat breakfast …" Slowly, and a bit drowsily, he stood up and, very slowly, walked downstairs. Yami raised a brow. Yugi was sure acting strange ever since he came home last night.

"Hmm … perhaps he was more tired then I anticipated." Yami shrugged and retreated back into the puzzle for now. He thought that Yugi just needed some time alone for right now. He would wait for him to come and get the puzzle before going off to school.

Downstairs, Yugi did not even eat breakfast. In fact, all he did was walk straight out the door, not even saying a 'good morning' to his grandfather.

Come to me, my slave.

"Yes … I will come to you … Master …" Yugi muttered quietly. The hypnotized boy walked drowsily where his master commanded him. He was nothing but a puppet. Marik pulled his strings twenty-four/seven now. Yugi could make no thought, move no muscle unless his master had given him a command to do so. He always had to obey his master. Disobedience would never be tolerated. That was all he knew. Soon, he came to an old warehouse that was guarded by two Rare Hunters. (Work with me on this one) The two guards spotted Yugi coming towards them.

"Hey kid, what do you think you're doing?" One of them asked. It took a while for Yugi to answer.

"… I must find my master …" The two hunters looked at each other.

"Should we let him in?" The second hunter punched the first one in the stomach.

"You idiot! Can't you see that this kid is the Pharaoh's puny runt?"

"And can't you two idiots see that this boy is under my control?" A dark voice interrupted. The two hunters bowed to Marik as he came out.

"S-sorry, Sir!" Marik ignored them and put his attention on Yugi.

"Welcome to your new life, Young One. Show respect: bow to me."

" … As you … command … Master …" Yugi literally fell to his knees and lowered his chest to the ground to bow to his new master. Marik could not help but smirk at the work he had done.

"Very good; now come, Slave. You can entertain me until I send you back in the morning." (Don't worry, it's not what you think. I would not do that to my baby while he's still hypnotized.)

"… Yes … Master …" Once again, Yugi slowly followed his master into the warehouse.

---

End of Chapter