Chao- Why is it always writer's block? Why can't it be writer's cube or writer's pyramid?
"Talking."
"Thinking."
Chapter 8: An Unsatisfying Match
The pain slowly diminished on Yugi's arm.
"What am I going to do?" he asked himself dolefully as he looked over towards his next challenge.
His whole body trembled in fear as his heart pounded rapidly against his chest. Glancing behind him, he noted the tightly sealed door. Beyond the gateway was his darker half and partner. He longed to be with Yami, who had always given him courage and strength.
"No! I mustn't give up!" he scolded himself.
Boldly, he strolled towards the next game. He gazed around at the giant wall with stone squares. On the blocks were gold and raven markings. The shapes were all even, but one appeared missing.
"Hmm… I wonder if this is a puzzle box." Yugi asked himself out loud. "And if so, how do I solve this if I don't have any references?"
Lifting his hands, he moved around several pieces. Like with his first game, he only needed to point to a square, and the piece relocated on its own, flowing smoothly. The image was distorted, but he continued. He wanted to be with his darker half once more. The picture was blurry yet somehow familiar. He stopped working for a moment and sighed.
He believed he wasn't accomplishing anything. He tried working once more but appeared to be stuck. He had difficulty choosing which strategy to try next. By force of habit, he placed his hands around the area where the Puzzle fell, but he only felt air. Looking down, he frowned upon not seeing his treasure in its usual spot. He wanted to hear comforting words from the pharaoh.
"Am I always relying on Yami?" Yugi pondered sadly. "Is… is that why I can never be able to let go?"
His eyes turned watery. He looked back towards the gateway. He knew the door would not open until the game was over, whether he lost or won. He did not want to hold the pharaoh back. Returning his gaze to the puzzle box, he worked again.
He felt guilty for even thinking it was all right for him to take the Puzzle and the spirit away from finding any information from his past. Fortunately for him, even though the challenge was large, the pieces stirred effortlessly.
"I'm sorry, Yami." Yugi thought to himself as he allowed tears to slide down. "I… I won't hold you back anymore. I'll help you complete what Destiny set before you."
Xxx
Yami glared at the sealed gateway.
"What am I supposed to do," he questioned anxiously. "Will Yugi be all right? What if he…"
He worried about the condition of his lighter half. The smaller boy barely started to feel well, and now he was on his own for a challenge against the Shadows. There was also concern towards the matter of the marks on his arm. If he lost again, blood would trickle down his limb.
Yami shook his head. He knew he had to believe in his partner. The boy had demonstrated great amounts of courage when he needed to, actions that had even surprised him.
"Yugi will make it through!" Yami shouted with hope towards the bitter sky.
Xxx
When the final image appeared, the young boy sighed disheartened. The picture he spent time placing together was the trademark eye from the Millennium Items. Disappointed with his own ignorance, he stared at the ground.
"I should have known…" he sighed annoyed.
One mark on his arm began to glow then vanished.
Yugi possessed no joy upon his victory in completing his task. His mood was consumed with even more depression.
The game he had lost had three stars on the door. He had won the games behind the doors with one and two stars. He now deducted the stars were marks of the challenge level.
He felt stupid for taking on the challenge with three stars first rather than go in numerical order. He was, however, curious as to what led the picture of the mysterious eye appear on the puzzle box challenge.
Behind him, he saw the light from the door opening. He trudged away from his game unsatisfied.
"How did it go," a voice filled with compassion asked.
Yugi didn't bother to look up. He couldn't face the person he knew who asked him the question. Instead, he only showed his arm.
"That's great!" Yami claimed, glad his lighter half had completed the next challenge. His smile faded seeing the expression on the boy's face.
"Yugi, what's wrong," he asked softly, baffled why Yugi was not excited about his victory. His only theory was not all games are satisfying, especially when playing one below a person's skill level.
The teen pulled his arm away and walked a few steps away from his partner. He stared out into the distant. He already knew he was the light for his partner; the pharaoh had told him many times in the past. He wondered what he would become later on in his future.
"What is light without darkness?"
He waited for his next challenge to appear.
Xxx
Outside, the boy's three friends were stunned and mystified upon what they saw.
"Let's not jump to conclusions!" Joey finally yelled, catching the other two's attention.
"How do we know Yug did this?" the blonde suggested, bringing ideas about the small teen's injury to the table.
"You're saying someone else did this?" Tristan joined in. "As though someone were bullying him again?"
Tea gasped upon hearing the theory. She couldn't stand the thought of her childhood friend undergoing physical, and possibly, emotional torture again. She had kept an eye on Yugi after the bond between him and the other two boys were formed. When she saw the genuine friendship between the guys, she allowed herself to be more comfortable around them as well. She had witnessed the small teen's courage grow and thought it would be best to let the past go.
"But is Yugi doing the same thing?" she pondered silently to herself. She snapped her head up hearing the two boys shuffling a bit.
"I'm not sure," Joey answered honesty. "But he hasn't been really acting like himself."
He recalled the duel between him and his friend just before Yugi was dismissed from school for his fever. The slow witted teen had noticed his pal was distracted. At first he truly thought it was because the boy was ill, but perhaps another reason was the true cause. He glanced over towards the Puzzle. The part that caught his attention was the eye.
He reached for the necklace by the chain. The cold, metal connection was what nearly led Yugi to his doom in the burning warehouse. He nearly lost his life for the sake of the Puzzle. Many people would have abandoned the jewelry while those consumed by greed would have burned alive in an attempt to make a quick sale for the piece of gold. However, everyone was aware of the spirit that dwelled within; the main reason why Yugi risked his life to place the pieces back together and refused to let go.
Joey drew his eye towards the center piece; the same piece he took when he saw the boy attempting to place the puzzle together. A part of himself stayed furious at himself for calling Yugi a girl and insulting him. Deep down, he was only jealous how Yugi appeared so happy even when he was always by himself.
"Joey," Tristan called out, breaking through his pals thoughts.
"We need to help him!" Joey yelled with determination.
"But how?" Tea asked, feeling the same desire. "Yugi's asleep right now and doesn't feel well."
"I think this might be worse," Tristan commented. He pulled down the small teen's sleeve.
The other two joined in and saw the bleeding on Yugi's arm had continued. There was another mark as well that allowed the crimson liquid to fall. However, the gash that was in between had vanished.
"He may be right," Joey concurred after giving the situation some thought.
Tea nodded in agreement. She spotted in their eyes the same burning compassion they all shared after the vertically challenged teen fainted in the Shadow Realm at Duelist Kingdom.
The three of them placed their hands over the Puzzle. They had wanted to assist their friend in any way possible. They knew the spirit of the Puzzle was doing all he could to help out his partner.
A flash of light beamed through.
Three bodies in the boy's room hit the ground.
They appeared to have fallen asleep.
To be continued…
Chao- Sometimes in order to have a chapter written, you need to brainstorm, take breaks, and write or read other fan fics. The last part can be tricky as it depends on what you like to read. There seems to be a surplus of Romance… That sure is a big mystery.