Yuugi and Yami took the receiver off of the landline and punched in the numbers they memorised from the Domino High directory. The phone felt heavier than it should have been. The array of dial tones did not do anything to ease their nerves either. Well, it was mostly Yuugi's nerves, but Yami felt everything he did, so he was arguably just as nervous.
The tones abruptly ended with a crackle. "Ushio residence," spoke a deep and threatening voice.
Yuugi gulped. "U-Ushio?"
"Aah, Yuugi." The voice lightened immediately yet did not lose any of its underlying danger. "Let me guess, troubles with money? Don't worry, I can pay you in return tomorrow at school." The proverbial slime dripping from Ushio's tongue was almost audible.
"No," Yami took the lead. "I have the money."
"Oh?"
"I just wanted to pay where no one could see us." Yuugi couldn't tell if it was Yami or him who said it, so he decided that they both did.
"Ah, I see. Do you have a time and place in mind?"
"School, right now."
"Right now?" Ushio repeated, "I see. I look forward to seeing you. If you're not there... I'll make sure to tell you tomorrow the importance of arriving on time." Suddenly, there was the clack of plastic followed by a continuous robotic note.
They hung up the phone.
Let's go Yuugi, said Yami.
Right.
Yuugi and Yami left the Game Shop, dressed in their school uniform, and wearing the Millennium Puzzle around their neck. The midnight air outside was cool, the wind rustled slightly through their hair. There wasn't a car in sight, and during the entire walk down the darkened parody of the usual route to school, they met no one. Every time Yuugi began to feel nervous, Yami would meticulously go over the plan.
Ushio will be forced to cheat. Yami explained, sending waves of calmness to his partner. He will take the money on his hand and attempt to run off with it. Then we inflict the Penalty Game, and we can take back our money and head back home. We will be fine.
But what if he tries to do something dangerous? Like, stab his own hand or maybe even us!
Yuugi. Breath with me. In. They inhaled slowly through their nose and held it. And out. They slowly exhaled through their mouth. I will not let anyone get hurt. In... You can trust me. I will not do anything that you would disapprove of. And out... If anything happens that you do not like, I will be able to tell.
Yuugi continued to follow Yami's guidance, allowing the calming effect of the slow movement of air going in and out of him to combine with Yami's assurances. He found that breathing with Yami was very easy, as he was using the same lungs as his other self. It reminded him of a thought he had not that long ago.
Why is it so easy for both of us to control our body at the same time?
That is a good point. Yami conceded. I am not entirely sure...
I mean, I can tell that we're both walking, right? It's not just one of us moving our legs. It's both of us, and it's just, Yuugi looked down at their footsteps for emphasis, easy. Like, if two people tried to play a video game with one controller, they'd have to practice for a while to be able to play normally. Not that I'm complaining, but how come we don't need practice? Yuugi felt Yami sort through a few unorganised ideas.
Perhaps, Yami theorised, it is the same as it always has been for you, with moving around with your body, I mean. And I am merely doing it the same way you always do? Similar to how I can remember your memories, but not any of my own, I am using your body and not my own. I am just as used to it as you are.
I guess that makes sense. But, Yami. This isn't just my body anymore. As long as you're here, it's yours as well.
I... He wanted to say that was a trespasser on Yuugi's soul, that he entered his mind without permission, and that he did not deserve the kindness that Yuugi was offering him. Yet, he could feel his partner's sincerity, bright and clear. I hate to sound like a broken record, but... thank you, Yuugi.
Anytime, Yami. And I mean that. You're not a trespasser. I wished for a friend, and I got you. And you're already helping me with so much. I should be thanking you, not the other way round.
Yami was silent for a while until he suddenly planted a smirk on their face. Then how come I have not heard you say "thank you" yet?
Yuugi exclaimed, "What! I haven't!?" Then he felt laughter bubbling in his chest, not coming from himself. Y-Yami! Yuugi could feel the blood rushing to their still smirking face. Don't tease me like that!
Why not? I find you adorable when flustered. And the fact that I can feel your embarrassment makes it all the better!
Yami! Their face only got hotter, which Yuugi felt was very incongruous to the grin that Yami kept planted there. S-Stop!
Yami let out a laugh. Yuugi attempted to stop it but it only resulted in changing the hearty chuckle into an undignified snort.
Yuugi attempted to turn their face into a pout. See if I thank you anytime soon, he thought without any weight behind it.
Eventually, they were able to calm down enough to remember why they were walking through Domino City in the middle of the night to begin with.
Yami?
Yes, Yuugi?
Were... Were you teasing me to try to cheer me up?
That may have been my intention.
Well... Then... Thank you, Yami.
Anytime Yuugi.
Yuugi and Yami were sitting on a jumping platform used for P.E. just outside of the school building. The cool spring wind slowly ruffled their hair and carried the scent of fresh paint. They had been sitting there for a while now, holding the Millennium Puzzle in their hand, going over the plan again and again to each other.
They were interrupted by a hulking silhouette lumbering onto the school grounds. The figure wore a trench coat which billowed in the wind. As the light caught the figure's face, Ushio's large eyebrows cast a shadow over his eyes. He seemed to mumble something, but if he had said anything, Yuugi could not hear the words.
Whatever happens Yuugi, just follow my lead and I will not let you get hurt.
Okay, Yami. I trust you.
Suddenly the figure looked over in their direction and approached. "Yuugi," Ushio said silkily. "I gotta hand it to you. I can tell you're going to be a good boy and give me the money. So," he extended a hand to them. "Hand it over now. The cash. The money! Two hundred thousand yen!"
Yuugi was terrified. He could feel sweat dripped down their face and their hands quivering, but he was able to hold his ground and look Ushio in the eye.
Yami could feel Yuugi's fear just as it was his. So, he did what he did on their way to the school grounds to help calm Yuugi down. Step one Yuugi, show the four hundred thousand yen to Ushio.
Step one... Yuugi repeated.
"Thank you for coming, Ushio," said Yami. "I have the money right here." He pulled the money out of the envelope in their jacket pocket. "Raised to four hundred thousand."
"Four hundred thousand yen!" Ushio exclaimed with an almost childlike grin.
Step two, Yami and Yuugi thought in tandem. Offer and declare a Shadow Game.
"However, with this much money, it would not be that much fun to just hand it over," Yami explained nonchalantly. "So, how about we play a game?"
"A game?"
"And not just any game," Yami elaborated. "A Shadow Game. If you win, you get more than the two hundred thousand you were promised. Not a bad deal, huh?"
"Interesting..."
Step three, the knife.
"We just need one tool to play the game. You have that hidden knife you showed me earlier today, right?"
"Heh." Ushio slowly and with a lick of his lips, pulled out a dagger out of his trench coat. He stalked over to the platform and stabbed it, leaving the knife upright as a dull thunk echoed across the grounds. "Money and a knife," he commented. "What sort of game could you play with those?"
Step four, introduce the game. Yuugi continued, And hope that he'll want to play.
He will Yuugi.
"I shall explain the rules." Yami placed his left hand onto the impromptu table and put the stack of bills on top of his hands. He then pulled out the dagger. "Each player takes turns putting the money on top of their hand and stabbing it with the knife." He held the point of the dagger over his other hand to demonstrate. "The player keeps the money that sticks to the knife, and they must always take more than one bill." He placed the money and knife back onto the platform. "The game continues until the last note is gone. The challenge is to take as much money as possible. If a player attempts to take the money by hand, or quit in the middle of the game, they lose and must forfeit all their money to the opponent." Yami tilted his head to the side and smirked. "Are you interested?"
Ushio stood still for a moment. "Heh," he laughed, "Heh heh. It's just a test of courage."
"However!" Yami interrupted, and his smirk turned into a grin. "If one of us breaks the rules, they must play the Penalty Game."
"Interesting," Ushio mused, with a manic grin on his face. "Let's get started, then!"
The wind stilled, creating an eerie silence.
"Before we begin, we will Ro-Sham-Bo to decide who will go first."
He'll go with rock. Yuugi predicted.
What makes you say that?
He's big and violent, so he probably identifies the most with rock. And since he won't have to move his hand into a new pose to play it, it'd be the quickest and easiest to play when not thinking about it. He's distracted by the money.
Then we shall go with paper.
Yuugi was right. Ushio played rock.
Yami took the dagger and the bills and arranged them to play. "Then we will go first."
"We? Who's we?"
Oh, Yuugi thought. Crap.
Don't worry, Yuugi. "I like to imagine friends playing on my side. It makes me feel less alone."
You're not imaginary.
I know, but Ushio does not.
The man in question looked at them with an odd expression. Then after a glance at the platform, he said, "Tch, whatever. Hurry up and go already."
See, Yuugi? He cares not.
Well, that's good. We'll have to make sure we don't mess up like that in the future though.
I think it would be fun to mess with him, keep him on his toes.
Yuugi barely held in a snort. Alright, Yami.
Step five, Yuugi?
Play it safe, but don't make it look that way.
Yami's smirk was gone, and Yuugi's anxiety was multiplied tenfold. Their heartbeat was deafening, and Yuugi could feel the dagger slipping out of his shaking hand from the quickly accumulating sweat. He tasted bile in the back of his throat.
Yuugi, breathe with me. In. Yami slowly held the dagger over the stack of money. Out. He rested the sharp and glinting tip of Ushio's knife on top of his other hand. In. Every nerve in their right hand was working on overdrive. Yuugi could feel the quickly warming rubber of the platform under his palm, the cool still air around his fingertips, and on the back of his hand, the weight of the forty ¥10000 banknotes. He could swear he could even feel the hint of cold metal already piercing his skin.
Out.
Then, together, they pushed, hard.
And they were met with a lot more resistance than they expected. However, as they had already stabbed the stack, they could not push any further. They pulled out the dagger, and four notes followed them.
Yuugi sighed. "We didn't even get ten bills. I thought we put all our strength in it."
"We underestimated how easy it would be to stab them," Yami explained. And a stab is more powerful if you have momentum.
They placed the bills they won to the side of the platform and handed the dagger back to Ushio.
Before they could even utter "your turn," Ushio snatched the dagger, slammed his hand onto the platform and dropped the bills on top, and held the knife over it all. Sweat was pouring down his face.
Step six, provoke the contradiction in Ushio's heart. His greed versus his selfishness.
"If you use too much strength you will only end up with a knife through your hand," Yami explained. "The point of the game is to control your greed."
"Shut your trap!" Ushio yelled, and then violently stabbed the pile of bills. He pulled the knife back out, and about a third of the remaining bills followed. He looked positively elated. "Heh," he exclaimed drunkenly. "Heh heh. Look! Over a hundred thousand yen! And not a mark on my hand! I should have stabbed harder!"
"Not bad," said Yami. "But remember. It becomes harder to control your strength with each turn."
Yuugi and Yami stabbed again, feeling a lot more confident. This time, they were able to pull nine bills. "There is not a lot of money left, the game is almost over."
On Ushio's next turn, he was grinning maniacally as he arranged the money for the stab, but when he raised the dagger, his face faltered.
Seventh and final step, force Ushio to cheat.
Ushio's hand was shaking intensely, all the muscles in his arm where clenched, and Yuugi could hear the strain of the dagger's leather grip. Ushio looked at his tense arm and scowled.
There! said Yami, looking at Ushio's quivering hand to show his partner. We have won the game. His greed is too powerful. If he brings the knife down, he will stab his hand, and he knows this.
He's really going to cheat!
Suddenly, Ushio's grin returned, more insane and maniacal than ever before. His stare turned away from the money in his hand and directly in to Yuugi and Yami's eyes. "Heh, heh. The answer is simple. There's a way I can take a stab, without hurting my left hand and getting all the money!"
Wait, what!?
Don't worry Yuugi!
Ushio raised the dagger, "You let me hold this knife. That's why you lose!" And then he swung.
Ushio screamed. "Die, Yuugi!"
Yuugi froze. The dagger sang as it fell towards his face.
He was going to die.
But Yami disagreed.
Yuugi's body moved against his will. Suddenly, he was five feet in the air, and the dagger was safely away from his body. Once he landed, the once non-existent wind picked up again. Only instead of its originally soft breeze, it was harsh and violent and stank of ozone. Yuugi's loose uniform danced through the air, his hair moved like fire, and the glowing Millennium Puzzle almost seemed to levitate off of his torso.
"Just as I thought," a voice not his own said. "You were unable to follow the rules after all."
Ushio was stunned. Yuugi thought he could hear him saying something about an eye underneath the howling wind.
"This is only seen by those who trespass on our soul," the voice explained. "For instance, those who hurt our friends and attempt to steal from us." Yuugi's body pointed a finger at Ushio. "Now, you face the Penalty Game!"
Greed!
The Illusion Of Avarice!
Yuugi could feel an intense heat on his forehead, he could hear the sound of an aquatic bell, and saw an intense flash of white light directed at the man in front of him.
Ushio flinched away from the light and raised his hands against it. When he opened his eyes, they looked glazed, and his irises appeared to have tiny little insects crawling across them. "Money," he suddenly said. His face transformed into a demented parody of a joyous smile. "Oh my god! It's money! There's money everywhere."
Yuugi could not see any money apart from the bills used in the game. His body walked to the platform, took the money, and left the school grounds and raving lunatic.
The wind slowed, and the smell of fresh paint returned.
Yuugi! A voice inside his head yelled. Are you okay!?