Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Memories of Shadow and Light ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

A.N. I have returned with chapter three. ^-^ Thank you so much for reviewing, seeing those made me smile and want to finish this story so everyone will know what I do. ^-^ *rotten fruit is thrown at Lechan* Okay, okay sorry! Anyway, on with the fic!

 

 

Chapter Three

 

The room was silent, cold, and dark. So very different than what it had once, and usually been, but not all that surprising considering how the cheery little light of a boy that usually resided with in the small room, was no longer there.

Thus the feeling of cold-emptiness.

Yami sighed heavily, his crimson eyes roaming over the room slowly, trying to imagine Yugi doing the things he'd normally be doing. It was well past midnight, so in all honesty, Yami knew that Yugi would already be in bed, curled up comfortably asleep, his small hand curled delicately by his face, his features lax with sleep, his form so innocent, so pure, that it would make him want to kill any who would dare to cause harm to the small child.

But not tonight…no. Instead Yugi is trapped with in my memories… and there's not a damn thing I can do about it! Yami's fist clenched tightly by his side, his narrowed eyes thinning with displeasure. …and I don't even remember it!

Yami threw his arm harshly into the pillow at his side, choking back his angered scream, his pent up rage and uselessness clawing to break free from his chest.

There was nothing! Nothing that he could do except to wait. To enter into his own past would leave Yugi's body with out a soul. When the body no longer held a soul it would die, and if that happened, Yugi's spirit would have no place to return to once his time in the past had finished.

Not to mention, that if he left, the terms of his return from the afterlife would be compromised, and his soul would be then taken back to the afterlife for good. Returning before his full resurrection was completed was something Yami did not look forward too.

I never had the chance… to tell him. Yami felt a hot sting in his eyes and snarled at his own weakness. He'd made a deal with the gods just after his memories had been recovered. If they let him stay with Yugi he would devote the rest of this new life to keeping the Shadow realm under control. Of course he'd had no verbal answer from the gods, but when his memories returned, and he was still around Yami assumed that the gods had answered his prayers. Now, he wasn't so certain.

Yami had not brought that issue up with Yugi, not wishing for the boy to go through anymore then what he already had, not wanting to startle or worry the small, gentle boy. That was his reason for wanting to back out of the final “game”. Win or loose, Yugi would have paid the final price. Unable to accept that fact, Yami had run from his fate, and now, his Aibou was suffering again.

I should have left… with Bakura and Marik… we all should have left…

Yami stood from the bed, once again angry with himself, and trudged over to the dresser across the room. A lot of things littered the top of the wooden furniture. A few broken toys, a Yo-Yo, the god cards (safely sealed inside the old Puzzle box) and a lone picture frame with a photo of the group together.

Yugi was in the middle of the picture, his arm looped around Yami's waist as he gave the peace sign with his free hand. Jonouchi was leaning on Yugi's head grinning madly, Honda just to the right, with Anzu on the left. Behind them was Malik and Ryo, both of whom looked rather nervous what with their darker halves standing in a solid form just behind them, obviously arguing. Seto and Mokuba held up the end, Seto looking like he'd just swallowed a dung beetle, and Mokuba looking like he'd just won a million dollars.

Yami smiled lightly, reminded of the day that photo had been taken. It had been only a month after his “deal” with the gods, and nearly a week after he discovered that he could take on a solid form outside of Yugi's body for short periods of time. It was very tiring, taking on a solid form, which explained why the psycho and the thief had not tried to do so earlier, and Yami found he didn't like doing it much, but it was a plus to be able to touch his Aibou outside of their soul rooms.

Though now, I don't think any of that matters any more…

Yami's fingers slid from the frozen image of his light, as he looked out around the room with sullen eyes. Was this all his doing? By not passing on, by not leaving Yugi, not sealing the shadow realm, did he force the gods to take Yugi's soul from the world? Was that his price? His life for Yugi's?

Yami gritted his teeth, burning anger filling him. Yami cursed in hieratic, wishing that he could destroy something, his entire body shaking with the need to strike out, hurt, demolish.

Yami sunk to the floor, leaning back and against the dresser with a groan. He could no longer hear Sugoroku moving around downstairs, indicating that the elderly man had finally retired to his room for the night.

I am so sorry, Motou-san… it's all my fault…

Deep silence drifted over the area, and as he sat there, eyes looking around the room he'd never bothered to look at before, Yami discovered something he'd never noticed before.

The empty room echoed with Yugi's presence, the open drawer that held his socks, decorated with different symbols, hanging out, the messy bed Yugi hadn't bothered to make that morning, the blackened mark on the ceiling that Yami had made when they had played a duel monsters game for fun and his shadow magic accidentally scarred the roof. All of those things, memories, reminders that Yugi was alive that he lived there, made the room feel even more empty than before, and left Yami with a heavy regret.

“Aibou… why have you gone?”

Yami lifted a hand to touch his Millennium Puzzle, hoping that with in it he'd feel the glimmer of his lights presence, but it was cold and lifeless when his fingertips brushed it's surface.

Just as Yami was going to give up and go back to sleep, a sudden pulse echoed from the golden ornament around his neck, and Yami gasped a flash of memory blinding him for a moment, and he stuck a hand to his head, leaning heavily on his free arm.

“What is… going…”

 

The room was heated and tense, lust and passion coated the air as the two bodies shifted together, rubbing, feeling, loving. Grunts and breathless moans escaped the parted lips of the two lovers entangled in the sheets.

Yami was on fire, as his lips caressed the fragile body beneath his own, tasting the skin and sweat that the smaller body gave. A breathless moan was his reward, as his tongue laved over the boy's collar bone, his teeth nipping at the skin lustfully, pressing his lower hips into the soft, tight, heat below him.

He hissed in joy as the one beneath him cried out, arching up and allowing Yami to sink deeper into his body. “Yess…” He groaned, hands pulling the boys hips down sinking deeper yet, into the thrashing body of the shivering, and shaking boy. Yami rolled his hips, loving the way the boys body tensed, squeezing him tighter, and Yami ran his hands up the boys sides, brushing over his sweat laden skin.

“Ah!... Y… Yami!” The boy breathed, and he chuckled at the pet name, sinking low to rub his body against the shivering light under him, feeling himself pull out slightly from the boy's opening and moaned at the sensation as the boy arched once more, panting and crying out. He was so sensitive, it made Yami shiver in pure lust, wanting the boy writhing in pleasure under him until they both came.

He gazed down at the pale face, golden bangs clinging to flushed rounded cheeks, the child's arms sprawled up by his face, now pinned by Yami's hands, and his eyes tightly shut. He smiled and lay a gentle yet hungry kiss to his love's tender lips, biting on the lower lip as he pulled away, drawing the boy's attention to him. “akhu… look at me… akhu.”

Slowly, amethyst eyes opened, glazed with passion, and Yami sighed in bliss arching himself deeper into the boy, watching as the boy's head pressed back baring his throat as the boy cried out for him, because of him.

Yami kissed at the exposed skin, licking and nipping his way across the child's flesh, feeling the delicate tremors that overtook his body. When he reached his ear, yami slipped out of the boy, until only his tip remained buried, and the boy whimpered slightly.

Yami chuckled, “Do you want something, ari akhu?” The boy nodded his head frantically, arching, trying to draw Yami back within his body, but he simply backed away a bit, until the boy was crying out for his touch. “How do you ask for something,” Yami asked kissing the boy's neck sensually, receiving a desperate kiss in return from his small lover.

“Please… onegai… antyw pr-aA!”

Yami grinned, a deep heat spreading through his insides at the pleading note in the boy's voice, and he nipped the lobe of the boy's ear lovingly. “Yes, antyw akhu…” And he slid back into the tight opening with a sharp thrust, grunting at the pleasurable feelings, feeling the boy cry out his name in ecstasy. He pulled out and thrust back in creating a desperate friction that pulsed through his body and echoed on the air from the oh so sensitive boy.

Mind hazy with need, he gripped the boy's erection awkwardly from between them, the boy's legs propped over his arms, and stroked it in time with his thrusts. The boys was screaming now, loud and unrestrained, and Yami nuzzled the underside of the boy's chin with his face and purred as he increased his tempo, pulling and pushing with in the pliable body.

“biAw… akhu… ntk nt wi!” He cried out, shoving into his light harshly, possessively as he came, the boy's own release following shortly after.

“Atemu!”

The pharaoh lay upon his love, still buried deeply, and smiled, kissing the little one's shoulder affectionately, propped up on his elbows, as the smaller one still fought to catch his breath.

“biAw… biAw.”

 

Yami gasped, leaning against the dresser, eyes wide with a deep sense of fear, his heart thundering inside of his chest. “Yugi…”

No… it… no…

He shook desperately, inside recalling Yugi's desperation and fear over his dream, his denial of the thoughts, his feelings of fear and loss. “No, I won't! I would never…” Yami suddenly felt sick to his stomach, knowing that the memory was true, that he would indeed take Yugi, with or with out the boy's agreement. “… because, I won't know him… and I do… I… want him.”

Yami swallowed back bile, as he rushed toward the bathroom suddenly very sick, as new memories began to take shape in his mind.

Aibou…

 

^^^^^^

 

The desert wind blew into the open room, moving the gossamer curtains to billow up and into the large room, like giant spirits, and wispy ghosts. The darkened room was lit by a single candle that outlined the faces of the two men that occupied the room. Firelight flickering off of crimson and brown eyes.

“A Xrd that looks like me, but not like me?” Atemu asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion as he stared up at his most trusted priest. Mahado, nodded slightly, his face a near perfect mask of indifference, though in his eyes Atemu could see his confusion and slight fear. “Mahado, please explain, this doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. How can one be like me but not like me, and how can he have the millennium puzzle if it is here with me now?” Atemu asked, slightly annoyed.

Mahado seemed not the least concerned about his pharaoh's annoyance, knowing full well that Atemu would cause no harm to him and only said so in jest, and it eased Atemu to know that at least one person was unafraid of him, and treated him as a person.

One would think, after being raised as a god, being told that he was above all else aside from the gods themselves, that he would punish any who dared to treat him as mortal, but for Atemu, he knew that he was but a god made flesh, very mortal indeed, and just as his people, he was a person, and he needed friends, ones who did not fear him or his power.

“I don't know how to explain this, pr-aA. All I know is that I awoke from my sleep to find myself dressed in strange attire, standing before a small child with innocent eyes, and skin as pale as moonlight.”

“Strange robes, Mahado?” Atemu asked, and the priest nodded his head once.

“It was as if I was a shadow monster. Dressed in deep purple robes with a staff in one hand. And the boy called me… Dark Magician.”

Atemu, made a face, crossing one arm over his chest, and bringing the other to his chin in thought. An odd sense of dread filling his body.

A shadow monster… a boy who can summon the beasts from the shadow land, could be dangerous.

“Was there any evidence of shadow magic being performed?” Atemu asked, his eyes still boring into an unseen spot on the opposite wall.

“Yes, pr-aA, a strong sense of it. One as powerful as yours I dare say. Which was why I thought it was you at first, until I noticed the bedding in which the child sat. He was a commoner, in strange attire.”

Atemu was looking up at his white priest now with, a stern and nearly frightened look. One as powerful as him, loose among his people, that was a dangerous situation, one he did not like at all. Especially not when his khemt was expecting a visit from the Roman empire, a nation Atemu detested as much as the tomb robber, Bakura.

“And you are certain that he had the millennium puzzle?” Atemu asked, dreading the answer.

“Yes, Atemu. I'm afraid that it could be no other. Though, his did appeared to be worn and old looking, tarnished slightly by time.” Mahado said, while meeting his pharaoh's eyes with a steady look, daring to call his god by name as well as meet him with his eyes.

Atemu shared the look a moment longer before turning away with a heavy sigh. The never ending trials and worries for him kingdom seemed to grow larger with each passing day. Atemu had the feeling that by the time he was finally allowed into the afterlife he'd simply die of happiness, finally able to rest for eternity. Oh yes, the after life was looking extremely appealing to him, and it was only his second year as ruler of upper and lower Kehmet.

“Mahado,” Atemu began, his voice sounding firm and tired. “I want you to take my guards out tomorrow and find this Xrd. I want you to bring him to me immediately.”

Mahado bowed low with a, “It will be done, pr-aA.” And stood to leave when Atemu, called him back. The man froze at his door and turned back to face the young pharaoh with a steady stare. “Yes, Atemu?” Mahado asked, dropping the honorific title at the look in Atemu's eyes.

There was a moment's pause as the wind brushed in through the window singing the desert's melody gently before it was interrupted by Atemu's question. “… Do you feel that he is dangerous?”

Another pause, and then, “No. But, I do not know him, Atemu.”

The pharaoh nodded, his worries only barely repressed as he turned his burning crimson eyes to the window watching his thin curtains billow and dance lazily in the wind.

“You should sleep, Atemu, I'm sorry I interrupted your sleep before.” Mahado said, worriedly, and Atemu smiled amused.

“Sure, now you're sorry.” Atemu rolled his eyes and stood moving to his window to look out over his land, the silver light of the moon ghosting over the sands of the desert beyond his city. The Nile glowing brightly as it fed the green growth on the edges of the river, now a bluish tinge in the fading night. “It's fine Mahado, thank you for waking me, I needed to know of this before it became an issue.”

His friend seemed unhappy with his response and tried again to coax Atemu back into the comfort of his silk sheets. “Atemu, you really need rest, tomorrow—“

“Can wait. Besides, my friend, I can not sleep. Not now.”

A heavy sigh of regret was his only response, as his priest finally left him to his solitude. Atemu sighed looking up at the stars, wishing that his father had not passed away so swiftly, leaving him with Kehmet, and now this new threat, and impending doom from Rome.

“Father, what does this mean?” Atemu closed his eyes leaning on the railing that was provided on his balcony, bowing his head wishing that he knew the answer to the questions his father would never reply to. After all, the living and the dead could no longer communicate.

Whether you where a god or not.

 

^^^^^^

 

Warm sunlight brushed against his face as the chill breath of spring air passed by, cooling his skin and moving his bangs. Yugi was aware of the redness behind his closed eyes, dark splotches revealing the dappled light from the Sakura tree that he rested underneath, and he breathed in deeply, revealing in the soft gentle scent that was the Sakura blossom.

Distantly he was aware of his friend's laughter and cries of excitement as they all played in the falling blossoms enjoying the Festival of the Sakura trees. It was amazing how normal everything was, after all the hardships, the countless battles and time travel, finally it was all over, and everything had settled back to the way it had been before except so much brighter.

Yugi smiled, relaxing, intending to allow sleep to take him away again when a soft stroke to his cheek forced is eyes to open. He met crimson and smiled at the tanned face above his own.

“Ohaiyo, Yami.” Yugi yawned, and the solid spirit chuckled, pushing Yugi's bangs from his eyes.

“Konbonwa, Aibou.” Yami stated, lightly teasing Yugi for his late afternoon nap. Yugi joined in the laughter simply enjoying his closeness with his dark. His head snuggled into the other's lap as they sat beneath the Sakura tree, tired from their earlier activities. “Did you sleep well, Aibou?”

“Aa, I did. But I had a strange dream.”

“What was it about?” Yami asked, sounding concerned and Yugi looked away trying to recall it, but it flickered just past his reach, and his mind gently told him not to search for it.

“I… don't remember… I just know, that it was very sad.” Yugi replied meeting his dark's stare and his other smiled gently, turning to watch their friends.

“Well then, it must not be important, if you can't remember it.”

Yugi nodded in slight agreement, though feeling a bit ignored, but that was quickly mended when Yami poked him in the side making him squirm, and when Yugi looked up at his dark, he found the pharaoh winking at him playfully, “Besides, Aibou, it's just a dream. It can not hurt you.”

Yugi grinned, suddenly feeling much better, “You're right Yami. Thank you.” Yugi grinned and felt Yami smile as well.

“But Aibou, as happy that I am that you're feeling better, I still need you to do something.”

Yugi blinked in confusion. “What is that Yami?”

“Move! I can't feel my legs anymore.” Yami cried in a teasing voice and Yugi sat up apologizing before noticing the playful glint in his shadows eyes.

“Wait! Are you implying that I am heavy?!”

“Oh, no Aibou, only your head.” Yami moved out of the way as Yugi made to hit him and dashed away as Yugi made chase.

“Take that back Yami!” Yugi cried out laughing as he followed his darkness through the woods. It barely registered in his mind that the woods seemed much too large to be apart of the park, his mind telling him not to think of it.

“Yami!” Yugi cried out when the other seemed to move farther and farther away from him, as if he was disappearing. A very deep fear pulsed through him and Yugi cried out trying to move faster, as the light vanished and Yugi was left chasing Yami into the blackness of nothing. Terrified eyes watching in horror as his other half drifted farther and farther away from him. “Yami, matte!”

The darkness consumed Yami's figure and left Yugi crying out, his arms outstretched and pleading. “Yami!” He tripped in the darkness falling to the floor, tumbling down, down, down.

When Yugi opened his eyes he found himself laying on his back on soft darkness, deep crimson eyes staring at him with hungry intent. Yugi gasped as the being pressed closer to him, burning his skin with his body.

“ntk nt wi… akhu biAw.” The voice whispered into his ear and Yugi jumped, his heart thundering in his ears.

“No! n-No Yami, wait no… don't—“ Lips crashed against his, and Yugi cried out as he was burned from the inside at the man's touch, Yami's claim to owning him ringing in his ears.

“You belong to me…”

 

It was the soft touch of cold shadow magic that woke Yugi from his deep sleep. Opening bleary eyes, Yugi was glad to see that he was no longer pinned beneath his darkness, but confused as to where he was.

“Yami?” Yugi asked rubbing at his eyes as he sat up, aware that he was still in his clothes from school and made a face wondering why Yami hadn't changed him when he was asleep like he usually did when Yugi fell asleep in them. That is, he wondered it until the cold silence from his link reminded him of where he was and he shivered, feeling more tears rise to his eyes. I'm still trapped in ancient Egypt…

“Master?” The voice startled Yugi and he turned to face the Dark Magician, eyes wide a moment, before relaxing with a sigh.

“What's wrong, magician?”

The Dark Magician, shook the question off with a movement of his head and Yugi tilted his own in question, wondering why the dark magician would come to him while he was sleeping. Unless he never left and woke me feeling my distress.

Yugi was about to ask that when the shadow monster beat him to it. “How is it that you can summon me?”

That spun him. Yugi blinked unsure how to answer that. Well, I pull a card and call you out… like always. Though Yami is usually the only one who can call the real you, not just an image displayed by the holographic game of Duel Monsters. But… shouldn't he know that?

The dark Magician seemed serious about his question so Yugi pulled out his cards showing them to the Dark Magician. “These of course.”

The Shadow Monster seemed taken aback by the cards and reached out as if to touch them, but drew away at the last moment. Yugi smiled, reaching out and placing them in The Dark Magician's grasp.

He seemed startled by Yugi's action, and watched him carefully before flipping through them slowly. Eyes showing more concern as each second passed until he was holding his own card, his face now a pasty white.

“Dark Magician-san, Daijoubu ka?” Concern for the other evident in his voice. Dark Magician looked up at met Yugi's eyes with a hard stare, one that Yugi had become accustomed to when dealing with the duel monster.

“So, you are my master then.” His voice sounded clipped, and slightly angered, and Yugi blinked a bit, before laughing slightly. The dark Magician looked startled at Yugi's sudden humor and his expression forced more giggles from him.

“What is so funny?” The dark Magician asked indignantly and Yugi sat up rubbing at his eyes, quieting, when he remembered Anuksu was just outside of his “room”.

“You. Master? Are you kidding? It's me, Yugi, you're my friend, dark Magician, not my servant. Unless…” Suddenly, Yugi felt rather vulnerable and looked at his hands that rested I his lap. “… you don't want to be my friend.”

 

Mahado blinked his eyes, looking at the small boy who was currently cowering under him, fear that he would not return his friendship holding the boy powerless. How is this possible? That he can hold, and wield such power and not notice it?

“Dark Magician?” The boy asked pityingly and Mahado felt his heart go out to the small boy and he reached out to embrace him, knowing what would calm the child's fears. “Gomen nasai.”

He didn't know how he knew the language, or even how he knew that it would calm the child, hell, he couldn't explain how he'd even managed to return to the boys side, he simply did, and as he'd suspected, the boy calmed, holding him tightly, whimpering out his fears and hurts to him.

Mahado wrapped his arms securely around the child as his crying continued, sounding soulfully broken and wounded and it pulled painfully on Mahado's heart to hear him. He is an innocent, with the powers of darkness… what can this mean?

“I'm sorry, Dark Magician, I just… can't stop… crying. Everything just keeps happening and… and… I'm just so lost!” Yugi clutched at his robes and sobbed harder, coughing and choking on his fears, and Mahado quickly began to run his hand over the small one's back, attempting to sooth him before he could cause harm to himself, or make himself sick.

“Hush, it's all right, Yugi. I'm here and things are going to be fine, all right? Now, you are not normally this weak, right?” Mahado asked, hoping that he came off sounding normal. He knew nothing of the child, aside from the fact that he was infinitely pure and innocent, and that he knew simply from the way his shadow magic sizzled awkwardly as he held the small boy, proof of a clean and bright soul. Yet… he carries the millennium puzzle…

“You're right, I shouldn't be acting this way, when Yami's counting on me to find him.” Yugi pulled from the embrace rubbing at the last of his tears and swallowing back a sniffle, presenting Mahado with a bright smile.

The priest was taken aback by the carefree expression, and almost had to look away from the boy, but blinked away his startlement to nod toward the boy, not really understanding him, but he'd come only to see if Yugi was a threat or not, and of course he had no idea how he'd even found himself back with the boy. He had merely closed his eyes wishing he knew more about his pharaoh's double and the next thing he knew he was standing over the sleeping boy as he thrashed around in the throws of a nightmare.

Yugi had been so different, yet so much like Atemu, that Mahado couldn't help but reach out and touch the sleeping figure to make sure that he was real.

And then Yugi had opened his eyes.

“Thank you, Dark Magician, you're the best.” Yugi said with a grateful smile, looking strong and brave in Mahado's eyes, and he felt rather sick with himself for what was to come of him the following morning if he left the security of his home.

“There is no need to thank me… Yugi. Really.”

Yugi yawned, rubbing his eyes sleepily and Mahado smiled, reminded of his Pharaoh when Atemu had been small, and he reached over tucking Yugi in before he'd even thought of his actions. What am I doing?! I'm acting like… like a woman.

Yugi giggled sleepily at him snuggling into his blankets, flashing him a wide smile. “You and Yami both take such good care of me… like Okaa-san.” Mahado had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the comment and stood to leave when the last of Yugi's words drifted to his ears, “I guess that's why… you're… Yami's… guardian… thank you… Mahado… for… everything…” Soft snoring took over as Yugi slipped back into a deep sleep, as Mahado turned wide startled eyes to Yugi fearfully. He knows… who I am?

Mahado turned to stare at Yugi, watching as the boy's chest rose and fell as he breathed, his cheeks tinged pink from his earlier tears, and slowly, Mahado backed away.

Atemu was right.

They needed to know more about the boy, but they need not be so drastic with how they do things. Too much of a shock might seriously wound the boy mentally or emotionally. No, I'll have to talk to Atemu tomorrow, before he sends out his men. Something's not right with this…

With that, Mahado turned around, closing his eyes and in a flicker of shadows, he was gone.

 

^^^^^^

 

“It's fricken' hot, Anuksu!” Yugi whined piteously at the two stood in front of a vender in the middle of the town. The sun blared down from the sky, like a furnace, slowly cooking the sweltering Yugi who was currently wrapped up in some thick, brown sack-like cloak that covered his hair and most of his body from view, and actually made him invisible in the crowds, it which, Yugi was grateful, but it was really hot!

The Egyptian girl simply shrugged shoving yet another item into his arms making him slouch further, and causing more heat to well up inside of his clothes at the movement. “Anuksu… I'm dying! I'm cooking Christmas turkey!” Yugi wined as the girl continued to ignore him cheerfully telling yet another vender what she needed and bargaining with them for a lower price. Yugi had seen that kind of behavior from Anzu once when she'd asked him along on a shopping trip (one that ended with her hoping that Yami would show up, and recklessly running into the danger that appeared just so that Yami could save her. Which of course, he did…).

As the men of is time had done, the Egyptian vender, softened under her large blue eyes and sold her the silver golden dancing bells at half price, and Yugi rolled his eyes as he was once again dragged off and through the crowded people, his packages nearly blocking his view.

“Anuksu!” Yugi tried to get her attention, and felt the girl tug on his arm harshly nearly knocking Yugi off of his feet as he attempted to balance his own weight as well as those of the several items he carried. How is it that one girl can buy so much in such an era? Yugi wondered briefly as he regained his footing only to get a face full of annoyed Anuksu.

Yugi swallowed stepping back slightly, eyes as big and wide as they could get. “A… Anuksu—“

“Look, stop complaining! You're the one who refused to get out of those weird clothes and wear something normal. So just stop acting like a child.”

Yugi sighed, quieting. How was he supposed to explain to her that where he came from it was the worse kind of humiliation to wear a skirt, especially for someone of his small and, already considered, feminine stature. Her original idea to hide his hair (after several scrubbing sessions had finally convinced her that Yugi's hair was natural), placing it in a turban simply didn't work when Yugi refused to wear the rest of the clothing, and Yugi was even more adamant about her cutting his hair, then he was about the skirt, that left him with the cloak. Besides, my school uniform is all I have left from home. It feels like its my last connection… if I lose that…

Yugi caught a blur of color as Anuksu jerked him harshly to the left, and felt his foot twist slowly, his balance now compromised.

“A—Anuksu… wait, you're going too—“ Yugi cried out as he tripped sending all of the girl's stuff to the floor, and causing his hood to flip back and allowing his hair free from the cloak.

“Yugi!” The girl cried from above him and Yugi cringed while sitting up rubbing the dirt from his cheeks, before noticing the disrepair of some of her more fragile purchases, such as a small scrap of Egyptian silk, that seemed to be fairly cheep compared to the prices of the twenty-first century.

“I'm so sorry, Anuksu!” Yugi cried scurrying to pick up the cloth and scattered food that they had purchased, unaware of the startled gasps and the quickly bowing people as Yugi quickly stood up trying to dust off the garment in his arms, pouting lightly, as he fretted over the cloth.

He heard Anuksu gasp and cringed again. “I'm really sorry Anuksu, I didn't mean to… honestly… I'll… I'll try to fix it. I can—“

“Yugi…”

Yugi looked up at Anuksu's frightened tone, and met her wide eyes as she stared at him pointedly, before looking down at his chest. Yugi tilted his head confused, shifting to hold the cloth to him only then realizing that the crowd was now lowered to the ground at his feet. Again? But I'm hidden today under this stupid…

The cool lick of a breeze made Yugi freeze as he felt his hair dance in the wind, finally aware that his cover was no longer over him. Amethyst eyes widened as he looked down worriedly, catching sight of the Puzzle shining for all its glory out in the open. Shimatta!

Yugi gasped dropping the bundle in his arms, carelessly, as he quickly tried to cover and hide his precious treasure and put his hood back over his face before they caused anymore trouble. He had just covered his head, when he saw Anuksu pale and shrink away diminutively, so unlike the brash and head strong girl he'd seen only moments before.

“Anuk—“ Yugi was cut short as a large hand gripped him harshly by the shoulder and spun him around harshly causing Yugi to trip once more, crashing into the ground, this time with his arm held above his head at an odd angle in a tight grip.

His heart pounded in his ears loudly and Yugi looked up fearfully, his body automatically preparing for a beating, for the bullies fists and kicks. Yugi looked up fearfully, feeling the lack of his hood and audibly gasped when he met the cold, enraged stare of none other than Jonouchi, though his skin was darker, near bronze, and his hair looked as though it had once been a darker shade but years in the sun had bleached it gold.

“Jo… Jonouchi-kun?” Yugi squeaked out, a choking bubble of sadness welling up when his friend gave him a disgusted look and struck him harshly across his face knocking him to the ground in a painful heap.

“Do not show such disrespect you imposter! You are lower then a slave, you have no right to look at me, nor speak!” Jonouchi's voice was hard and clipped, so very different than what Yugi knew to be his friend's voice.

The taste of iron filled Yugi's mouth as he raised himself up on shaky arms, one hand raising to his mouth, feeling the thick liquid slipped past his lips and over his chin dripping off thickly. Yugi shook in a state of mild shock. Jonouchi… Jonouchi just… he just…

Yugi bit back a cry as tears of denial and bitter betrayal glittered in his eyes. As much as he knew the man was not Jonouchi, but perhaps a past incarnation of sorts, it still hurt far worse to be hit by his best friend, his first friend aside from Anzu.

“For impersonating the pr-aA… You will die.” The words cut through Yugi's hazed mind filled with pain, and he flung around meeting the steal tipped eyes of his friend as he moved forward grabbing Yugi by his hair and yanking him painfully to his feet.

“Ah!” Yugi cried out, his smaller hands lifting to the offending hand that threatened to tear the chunk of hair straight from his skull. The tears leaked from his eyes now, unbidden and Yugi's eyes flung desperately around the faces that surrounded him. Anuksu's eyes were glazed with guilt and sadness as she watched him leave ad Yugi cried out again earning a sharp jerk from Jonouchi's doppelganger. Wake up! I have to wake up now! This is all a nightmare! Please god, let this be a nightmare. Please god, Please!

Harsh tears tracked down his cheeks drying quickly as his prayers where unanswered as they had always been before Yami had appeared. A sort of numbness took over his body as Yugi struggled slightly. It was just like before, his every wish that the bullies where not real, that the knife that cut into his arm was just a scary dream, that the bruises were what he'd gotten while playing with the other boys at school, and not from fists and feet.

No, this was just the same. Yami was not there, and so, his nightmare would continue. As the palace grew ever closer, Yugi realized that he was silently crying, and that he had already been wondering how painful death would be. I should deny the accusation… prove that this is my natural hair… but they'd never believe me… they'll kill me anyway… yami… Yami where are you, please, help me… please.

Yugi felt eyes on him and looked in the direction, lost and defeated, and met terrified brown. The eyes eerily familiar, set on a sharp face full of worry. Yugi blinked sadly at him, wondering if the man even knew who he was, or if he was yet another who thought of him as the Pharaoh. Yugi felt his lower lip tremble and he turned from the eyes as fresh tears fell over his cheeks, fear consuming his last rational thought, that he knew that man from Yami's past, that that man, would know him the best. I don't want to die… Yami… Yami…

YAMI!

 

~~~~~~

(Ending Theme: “Night Flower”)

 

ai no kuni wo samayou

watashi wo mitsuke dashite

tsubasa ni wa mada

surikireta hazu no kokoro   kakushite

 

watashi no mune wo someta

ikusen no hanabira wa

kanashii kurai   anata wo koishiku saseru

mou ichido

 

sugaritsuku shunkan

surinukeru maboroshi

anata no subete wo ubai saritai

 

itetsuita   NAIFU kazashi

ai wa mau   yoru no hana wo chirashite

 

aishite, iyasarete, tokihanatsu - kokoro sae...

motto hageshiku kanjite

 

sadame nara

yasuragi mo, nukumori mo iranai

 

itetsuita   NAIFU kazashi

ai wa mau   yoru no hana wo chirashite

 

kowashite, kizutsukete, tojikomete - kokoro sae...

motto hageshiku aishite

 

 

A.N. Well, there is chapter 3. Yeah I know, still no good Yami x Yugi, or as things would have it Atemu x Yugi. ^-^ But don't worry they meet in the next chapter. What do you think will happen?

Anyway, please review, I do love them so, and I check them everyday. ^-^ Here are the translations for this chapter:

 

akhu: Light

 

ari akhu: Partner light. (ari= Aibou… basically)

 

antyw pr-aA: My Pharaoh

 

antyw akhu: My Light

 

biAw… akhu… ntk nt wi: Mine… light… You belong to me.

 

biAw: Mine

 

ntk nt wi… akhu biAw: You belong to me… light mine.

 

All right, that about does it for this chapter. Let me know what you think and please remember to review. ^-^ I tend to write faster that way. ^-^

 

Lechan