Notes: So, it will become obvious to you very shortly that I'm using the names from the anime instead of the manga. I apologize if this peeves you, but I figured I was better off using what I was familiar with. I also have no idea how to transcribe a Brooklyn accent (though I did read a very interesting article on pronouncing it in my quest to find writers resources for that sort of thing), so if anyone knows somewhere that might be of assistance for that, I'd much appreciate it if you'd drop me a note. Do let me know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated.
And a big thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter one! Your encouragement is much appreciated.
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Two weeks. Two whole agonizing weeks had gone by since my first (and only) real conversation with Mou Hitori No Boku, and I'll freely admit that the silence was starting to drive me a bit nuts. I was well into the paranoid stage, second guessing everything I've ever said to him and wondering where I went wrong. This led to many sleepless nights of panic-induced worrying and ceiling-staring. A part of me was genuinely hoping I'd make Mou Hitori No Boku worried enough with my own worrying to step up and take notice, but I guess not. A bigger part of me is glad, because I really don't want to have another awkward and embarrassing conversation.
Still, at this point, any conversation would be better than the resounding silence I was currently getting. So, throwing all timid caution to the winds, I determined that it was time to act. Time to step up, and do something for myself for once. I was going to see Mou Hitori No Boku myself, and I was going to sit down and talk to him, even if it killed me. And I was going to do all this later, possibly. If I managed to screw up the courage.
"Yug? Hey, Yug, you still in there?"
"Huh?" I grinned apologetically. "Sorry Joey, I was just lost in thought."
"Oh you were lost alright," said Téa, giving me an appraising look. I got the feeling she knew exactly what I'd been thinking about. Though, I often got that feeling. Occasionally, when I go through one of my more paranoid phases, I begin to suspect that Téa can read minds.
I grinned even more apologetically.
"What were you thinking so hard about?" Joey asked in mock concern.
"Yeah, in school too, of all places," Tristan added teasingly.
"I was just thinking of Mou Hitori No Boku."
This got their full attention, as one they moved their chairs around to face me, closing the circle and effectively privatizing our conversation. "What about him Yugi?" asked Téa. She was still staring at me intently, as if to gauge my every reaction.
"Well…" Now that I'd brought it up I was decidedly hesitant to talk about it at all. For some reason the subject of Mou Hitori No Boku seemed oddly personal, and I wasn't quite sure just how to convey how I felt about it all in a way they'd understand.
"I talked to him."
After a short pause Joey piped up, "And? What did he say?"
"He showed me how to communicate with him. Mind to mind."
"Whoa, like telepathy? He can do that?" said Tristan. "That's so Outer Limits."
"Well… Not with other people. At least, I don't think so. He said I could communicate with him because we were connected."
"Connected how exactly?" Téa asked sharply. I was startled by the fierceness of her question.
Something about the way Téa was grilling me started to put me on the defensive. "He's not going to hurt me! I mean, we're obviously connected. He's sharing my body right? As long as I have the puzzle then he's in my mind." I noticed the odd looks I was getting from my friends. "It's not that bad guys, honestly!"
"Oh, Yugi. Be careful! We just don't know anything about him. Who is he? Where did he come from? Why was he in the puzzle at all? Just how much is he capable of?" Téa stressed.
"He doesn't know who he is," I replied, reaching unconsciously to cradle the puzzle with my left hand, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Téa. "He can't remember anything from before I solved the puzzle."
"So he says."
"You think he's lying?" I was angry all of a sudden. Angry at Téa for not trusting me, for not trusting Mou Hitori No Boku. There was a nagging voice in the back of my mind telling me that she had a point, and that I didn't really know what he was capable of, but my defensive anger shoved it aside.
"I didn't… That's not what I meant Yugi. I just think you should be very careful with him. I don't want to see you get hurt." Joey was nodding along with Téa, as Tristan looked on thoughtfully.
"Yeah Yug. We don' know de first thing about dis guy, he could be a nutjob or something!" Joey added.
"Mou Hitori No Boku wouldn't hurt me," I said firmly. And I meant it. I don't know why, and if you asked me to explain why I was trusting so blindly in someone I barely knew, I doubt I could tell you the answer. Yet, I knew it was the right thing. All my instincts were telling me that Mou Hitori No Boku meant me no harm, and I trust my instincts. If only Téa and Joey would understand.
"You're already attached to him. I bet you're not even aware that you're holding the puzzle like that." She gestured to my left hand, which was gently tracing the lines of the puzzle, a habit I'd picked up rather recently. She looked at me triumphantly, my expression enough to tell her that I'd been unaware of what I was doing. "I think you should take it off Yugi."
"What?" I screeched. I jumped up, shoving the desk backwards and staring at Téa in shock. The teacher looked up at the noise I was making and bellowed "quiet!"
Téa, Tristan and Joey were staring at me in horror.
"You want me to take off my puzzle?" I said frantically, not quite able to believe what I was hearing.
"No. Well, yes. I didn't originally, I just wanted to see how you'd react," she explained quietly, as if she were trying not to upset me further. "But Yugi, you're far too attached to it."
"But I can't take it off Téa. What would happen to Mou Hitori No Boku?"
"Who cares?" she said, raising her voice for the first time since this horrible discussion had begun. "I'm more worried about you, Yugi!"
"I care," I said quietly, before turning away from them and determinedly going back to my work, sending the clear message that this conversation was over. One by one they moved slowly back to their own desks, but I could still feel their gaze on me though-out the rest of the day.
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I ran straight home, giving a curt "good afternoon" to Grandpa as I ran through the shop and made a beeline for the stairs. I dashed straight up to my room, shut the door and tossed myself onto my bed in a heap of conflicting and overwhelming emotions. Slowly I felt a sense of calm override my wave of emotions, soothing my nerves and wrapping my consciousness in peaceful blanket of stillness. I sighed in contentment and relief from the destructive whirlwind I'd been subject to ever since that horrid discussion earlier.
I'd knew he was there. It was, of course, his presence that had calmed my mind so. I was gradually becoming accustomed to his mental 'touch'. I think the closest I can come to describing it would be it having its own flavour, though it didn't really taste, but it was as distinct as an individual taste would be. I should know better than to try to describe it, even to myself. It just sends me in logistical circles.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on focusing my mind, and drawing myself into my centre. When I opened my eyes again I was standing in the middle of my soul room, surrounded by toys. I stepped cautiously over all of these and made my way to the door. I paused at there, gripping the doorknob tightly. I'd never gone this far before. I always just stayed in this room, and I'd never even seen what was on the other side of this door. Still, he came from here unharmed before, didn't he? And I had decided to take matters into my own hands, because he was clearly not going to come to me. Though, his presence in my mind earlier had been a nice reassurance that he was at least still looking out for me. Now if only he would say something...
Steeling up my courage I pulled the door open and stuck my head out into the hallway. Across the hall from me was another door, this one with the same eye that adorned my puzzle on it. I figured that was probably a good place to start.
Should I knock? What exactly is the etiquette when it comes to mind sharing? Oh, why didn't Mou Hitori No Boku come with a handbook or something? I went with knocking, it couldn't hurt and being polite meant I started this on the right foot.
"Mou Hitori No Boku?" I asked cautiously when no-one responded to my gentle knock. "Are you there?" Still no answer. Well, there was nothing for it, I was going to have to open the door.
Slowly I pushed the door open and peered inside. The room was positively ludicrous. I stood there staring at it for a minute, trying to follow the numerous staircases as they inverted themselves in ways that were clearly impossible. Only Mou Hitori No Boku would have contortionist staircases in his soul room. I suppressed a sudden snigger at the thought of him traipsing through here singing "Dance Magic, Dance". One of these days I was going to have to rent Labyrinth for him, though I'd probably get more of a kick out of it than him.
It slowly dawned on me that there was almost no way that I was going to find him in this ridiculous place. It was a wonder that he ever even found me and didn't get eaten by this bizarrely constructed room, doomed to forever wander up staircases that went down two levels, and through doors that led to the ceiling. I took a few tentative steps into the room, careful to avoid the door in the floor to my left.
"Mou Hitori No Boku?" I called again. I got no answer but the faint echoes of my own call coming back to me. I got the sudden impression that the room was mocking me, and was overcome with the desire to run back to my own soul room and cower on the bed there. Briefly I entertained this as a good idea. Unfortunately, my steely determination prevailed.
I wasn't going to do that. Instead, I was going to find Mou Hitori No Boku and then I was going to talk to him, even if it killed me. Which, judging by the architecture, was looking like a genuine possibility. It felt a bit like walking myself to my own execution. The room seemed to grow in size as my own short form seemed to shrink even shorter. There were so many staircases! How on Earth was I supposed to find him in here? He was clearly out of hearing distance, but who knew just how big this place was? Plus, it was bound to be dangerous. I could see doors way up on the ceiling, and I made a mental note to check what was on the other side of any doorway in here before stepping through.
I was stalling now, and I knew it. Prevaricating in my own mind was bound to be unhealthy. It was time to get this over with. The sooner I started the sooner I could find Mou Hitori No Boku and the sooner I could get out of this creepy place.
Alright. I figured I'd just ignore the door in the floor for now, which left me with a choice of going up the staircase to my left, or going straight ahead. I decided that sticking to one floor, at least for now, seemed the safest option. Bravely, I moved forwards and into the mind-bending room that housed my darker self's soul.
"Mou Hitori No Boku?" I called again.
This was going to take a while…
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