Keira: Thanks so much to everyone interested! Here is more~

Ami: Now introducing the psychos. *grins*

[DISCLAIMER] We do not own YGO characters!

Memory (1.5) Meeting Place

It was after school when Yami decided to walk around town, which proved to be a grave mistake because that was when he encountered the two psychos that he really did not feel like encountering...

"Heh, well look who it is! It's the mighty Pharaoh!" Came the all too familiar snarky voice and Yami just kept walking, trying his best to ignore the two he passed.

"Aw, he's ignoring us Florence~" The tanned one with crazy spiky platinum blond hair seemed to pout.

"I told you not to call me that!" The other one, the one with crazy spiky silver hair shouted before turning his sights on Yami. "Let's show the Pharaoh why it's a bad idea to ignore us."

"Yes, let's."

So the two creeped up on the retreating form of Yami, and Yami had to quickly dodge their attacks aimed at his back. It was always the same with these two.

"Leave me alone, I don't feel like tending to you two now." Yami told them after he turned around to face them. Bakura and Marik. The two psychos he had the unfortunate consequence of knowing due to the fact that they were all delinquents — except Yami actually went to school whereas the two in front of him lazed about the streets.

"Aw, don't be like that now! We should go and have some fun~" Marik, the ever psychotic one, suggested with a grin.

"There's some new punks in town, why not we go show them who the real kings are huh?" Bakura prompted in a dark voice, nudging Yami with his elbow.

"No thanks, I'm really not interested." Yami told them, why oh why did he have to bump into the two today? They would never leave him alone now!

Marik stood in his way before he could go anywhere while Bakura pulled out a knife and abruptly held it up to Yami's throat. "Now, now, the fun hasn't even started yet. You will come with us. Even if I have to drag you there myself." Bakura spoke in Yami's ear, and he rolled his eyes.

He's been around the two enough to not be intimidated by them. He effortlessly knocked the knife away and stepped back. "Fine. I'll go, but don't expect any work from me."

"So Yams will be dead weight, nothing new there..." Marik trailed off, causing Bakura to laugh.

The three ruffians traversed through town, preferring to travel through dark alleys. They were on the other side of town when they finally stopped.

"There's their scrubby base," Marik pointed out the dingy-looking building.

"Looks like they're preparing to come out." Yami spoke as he noticed movement and then a large number of the gang emerged from the building.

"Let's get the jump on them..." Bakura spoke in a gruff tone, and before Yami had any say in anything, the two psychos jumped forth and startled the gang. Yami sighed before joining them... The sooner this was done, the better.

"Heh, nothing but trash." Bakura laughed as he kicked the last gang member down.

"Are we done here?" Yami asked in a bored tone, and Bakura sneered at him.

"Not quite yet." Bakura brought out a dagger and crouched down toward the supposed 'leader' and raised the dagger. "Now then, shall I carve something nasty into your face for threatening us?"

The leader choked on his bile as he hastily shook his head no.

The silver-haired menace just grinned evilly at this. "Sorry, what was that? I'm afraid I couldn't hear you over the sound of Marik destroying your so-called 'base.'"

Yami looked over at the building when a particularly loud thud! was heard — which would be Psycho #1 overturning all furniture in the place along with smashing anything that looked smash-worthy.

The gang leader was now shaking as he gazed at cruel eyes.

"Tick-tock, I don't have all day. Should I just cut out your tongue as compensation for us coming all the way out here?" Now Bakura held the pointy weapon dangerously close to the man's mouth, causing him to quake under fear even more.

"N-no! I'm sorry! We didn't mean to challenge you in any way!" The guy pleaded, and this made Bakura smirk.

"What was that? Take all of your belongings? Why sure then, we can do that." Bakura's face held a dark look, causing the older man to cower even further.

"No, wait—"

"Too late." And then Bakura raised the heel of the blade he was holding to hit the back of the man's head — making him go limp as unconsciousness settled. "Well that was fun." Bakura uttered as he stood back up, and Yami looked disinterested.

"I trust you two to clean up after yourselves now — I'm heading to the house." Yami said as he kicked off the wall he was leaning against before.

"Yeah, yeah. Go mope somewhere else," Bakura waved him off and Marik yelled his own morbid 'goodbye' as he helped Bakura pick-pocket the unconscious gang.

It's not really 'moping' it's just too boring and tedious dealing with those guys... Everything is like that. Yami thought, but stopped as a sudden image of Yugi's smiling face flashed in his mind. Reminding him that not everything was like that.

He smiled, and headed to where he lived at with his drunken father. He stopped calling it home a long time ago, it was just the place he took shelter in and could occasionally eat at when his dad actually bought groceries.

He lived in a busy neighborhood that had a lot of neighbors — though he never really bothered getting to know any of them.

Just as he stepped up to the front sliding door, he remembered Yugi telling him he lived in the game shop down the road. He remembered passing by there sometimes, but never actually went in. It was strange, but he used to be such a game freak... when did that change?

"You should definitely come by sometime! We've even got some arcade games that are tons of fun to play with!"

Remembering Yugi's happy tone of voice made him smile as he entered the dimly-lit, two-bedroom house.

He walked through the entry way and then saw that his dad was out... Yami saw the note his father left behind, stating he wouldn't be in until tomorrow, and the teen sighed.

He went on ahead into his room and decided to just do homework in homeroom since the class that had required work to do was after lunch period. He was bored, and it was getting late, so he decided to lay down and rest a bit.

He didn't plan on actually falling asleep, but he didn't fight the numbing sensation as his eyes closed.

.

.

.

His dreams always took him back to his childhood days — those days that seemed so faded from his mind, yet he could remember the fondness from that time.

A fondness that came from spending most of his time with a special person — his best friend... The boy had suited him so well that he honestly seemed like an imaginary friend to him now that it's been so long since that time...

What had been his name? It was something he had spoken so constantly that there was really no way Yami could have forgotten it...

"Wow, I can't believe you caught it!" Bright eyes and voice was enamored as the boy looked at him after he caught a lizard they had seen. Everything about the boy was bright.

Why couldn't he pinpoint his looks those?

They would play together all the time — whether inside or outside. Though they loved to explore the woods together; the forest that made up most of their town. It was always so tranquil, and nice to escape their separate lives at home. The two had met each other because they lived close-by in the same neighborhood. Even though they went to separate schools, they would spend their free time running around together.

Through all the chaos at his home, the boy had been the one bright thing in his life — able to smile and laugh his troubles away and just be himself...

Bright amethyst eyes, staring at him as the shorter boy got up to leave. The day was ending, and it was time for them to go their separate ways.

It had been the last time they saw each other. How could he have forgotten that time? With the sky turning as evening set in, casting them in orange hues as the sun started to fade...

It hadn't just been a dream, or an imaginary friend. He... that boy was very real. And now he was remembering everything so clearly.

That boy was Yugi. And they had a special place where they could always meet... There was a promise made that day.

.

"Hey, Yugi..."

The smaller boy turned back around at the sound of his friend calling fading sunlight catching on his eyes and made them glitter slightly.

"Don't forget, okay? Meet at our special place. Promise?" Yami felt preemptive that day for some reason... like he really needed this reassurance.

The boy just nodded while smiling, closing his large purple eyes. "Yeah! Promise!"

.

Yami ran faster and faster until his lungs were burning for air and his legs were aching at the intense action. He was already out of his room and house when he remembered.

It was Yugi. It was the same boy from his childhood, the one light from back then! How could he have forgotten that smiling face? His cheerful best friend?

"Let's go there together! To the special secret place!" The sound of giggling and Yugi's childish tone surged through him as more and more memories came.

His feet pounded against the pavement as the bitter cold night bit into his skin that was visible. He kept running until he reached it — stopping right under the bright neon sign that read 'Kame Game Shop.' He doubled over, bracing his hands against his knees as he panted for breath. He hadn't run like this in a while...

When he recovered, he went inside, so eager to see his old best friend. Properly this time.

And that was when the thought came to him... Why didn't Yugi remember him upon meeting? Of course, Yami didn't hold it against him since he didn't fully remember him either, but why would they both not seem to recognize the other?

"Hello, and welcome to—" The old man's voice halted upon sight of the teenager, his eyes widened as he gasped out, "Yami!"

Yami blinked, startled to see someone else from back then... This was Yugi's grandpa, he remembered him well since it was Solomon that first taught them both how to play card games. "Grandpa?"

The smiling old man came up to him and, to Yami's surprise, pulled him into a hug. "It's so good to see you again after all these years."

Yami felt himself smile and returned the embrace whole-heartedly. "You too," When they pulled back, Yami felt his excitement rising. "I never thought I would meet both you and Yugi again — we, me and Yugi, go to the same school and I just remembered him so I have to tell him and remind him and—"

Grandpa stopped his ramble, first looking surprised before his face grew grave. "Have you and Yugi already met at school?"

"Yes, that's why I'm here now to tell him—"

"And he didn't recognize you?"

Yami stopped at Grandpa's sudden seriousness. "No, but I didn't either until now... He had seemed familiar to me, but it didn't hit me that he was my best friend until now."

"Listen to me—"

"Grandpa?"

Solomon was abruptly cut off by the sound of an innocent teen's voice. The two in conversation turned their heads to see Yugi standing at the back door entry that led up to the apartment area. He had been confused before recognition dawned on him at seeing Yami.

Yami's heart beat faster when he saw the boy light up and grin so easily at him. "Hey, Yami! So you decided to visit? It's so late though... won't your parents worry?"

Yugi was so genuine that the excitement bubbled up in him and Yami took those steps to stand in front of him, his own eyes alight as he started talking. "Yugi, I just remembered! I had a dream just now — I know it sounds crazy — and it helped me remember who you are! You seemed so familiar to me, don't you remember how we grew up together and played when we were younger?"

Yugi's face was contorted as he tried to do as Yami asked. "I... we..."

"Remember how close we were?" Yami continued, his excitement clear on his face. He remembered everything so clearly... And how all he ever needed to be happy was the boy in front of him.

Yugi's face continued to scrunch up even more as he tried so hard to remember. Yes, Yami was familiar to him. He's always felt that since first meeting him, and for some reason he always felt happy when around the other boy... "I remember... we made a promise? And it was important?"

Yami took a step closer and nodded his head eagerly. "That's right, and do you remember what it was?"

Yugi was starting to get a massive headache and it hurt to think anymore... It's like a barrier had been put up in his mind, and he sighed. "No, I don't... I'm sorry." He apologized at Yami's deflated look and decided to explain why. "You see... I was in an accident years ago and my memory has been really bad since then. I'm really sorry. I do know that what we had together was important though!" he tried to salvage what he could, but Yami was still shocked by what he heard.

Accident? When?

Yami felt a hand on his shoulder then and looked back to see Grandpa staring at him intently. "Yugi, I'll be up soon. Why don't you go ahead and get ready for bed now while I talk to Yami." He offered a smile to Yugi.

The boy was confused, but nodded anyway. "See you later, Yami!" He left with a wave and smile, and Yami felt himself get struck by that. His smile... was both familiar and off. He felt like he was in a daze, even as Grandpa ushered him to follow him to a more private room for explanation.

This was just too unreal... He found his friend, but also felt like he didn't.

. * .

Ami: And now begins the feels train for this.

Keira: Still though, it does get better and will move along~ Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and be sure to tell us your thoughts!