Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Tears ❯ Chapter 1: Origins. ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Blood Tears.

 

Author: Bluephoenix669

 

Classification: PG-13. Sometimes, the classification will raise PG-17 or M, following the content.

 

Pairs: Mainly Seto/Yami.

 

Warning: Introductory chapter. Anguish and character suffering. Applicable for the majority of the chapters in this story.

 

Notes of the author: Before beginning, I want to clarify several extremely vital points:

 

1. This fanfic is a corrected, improved and changed version (in some aspects) of my original Spanish fanfic, which, if you wish to compare, is in the page of FF.net

 

2. The intention to create a more improved version of my original fanfic was to give a slight correction to all the grammatical errors and of course, to also improve it by put it on an English version, because some friends I had convinced me to put it in this language, because they didn't understand Spanish well.

 

3. This fanfic is a dark thematic story, full of anguish, drama and romance. It's a dark Yami fic. Throughout the chapters there will be several extremely bloody scenes. This history is AU (Alter Universe).

 

4. Finally, I want to clarify that nor Yu Gi Oh! , nor one of their characters belongs to me; they're property of their respective creators and directors, etc, etc. Only the original plot and characters are of my invention. I don't gain any type of economic remuneration, only the commentaries and suggestions that you send to me.

 

5. Finally, I'm going to clarify that English is not my best language, because I know that some parts are a little confusing due to my lack of knowledge in this type of language. I'm trying my best to translate for myself, but if you encounter some parts that don't make sense or misspelled words, please forgive me. XD

 

 

Chapter 1: Origins.

 

Wednesday, 3 of October

Domino City

6:30 A.M.

 

The warm sun of the dawn flooded in by the windows of an ample room, falling smoothly on the face of a young boy of spiked hair, which was sleeping peacefully, covered in soft, large sheet beds.

 

In the room, several jumbles of dirty clothes and objects were disorderly piled up in the corners. In the main window hanged a silky white drapery, which was completely displaced, moving smoothly with the daylight breeze, caressing the varnished wood hanger that was placed nearby.

 

Hanging on it was a strange gold object with pyramidal form, a delineated eye just in the center of one of the faces. It was maintained by a heavy silver chain, which often tinkled, being shaken by the breeze.

 

The object hanging in the rack moved in compass with the chain, while the rays of the sun enveloped it, but without taking out one single glint of the gold surface. The object was only moving with the breeze, lacking vitality and brightness.

 

Opaque… Cold… Insensible.

 

The sound of some type of mysterious song extinguished the tranquility of the room, making the boy move between the sheets, trying to avoid the noise. Aware of the fact that he can't battle with it, the boy sluggishly opened his eyes, observing the small radio alarm clock that announced, in big shining red numbers, the hour: 6:30 A.M. The boy pushed the button off, extinguishing the music and again, the peaceful silence filled the room.

 

He slowly rose of the bed, his eyes unfocused by sleep; a golden lock of hair falling on one of his big violet eyes. For a moment, his glance focused in the gold object that hung of the varnished wood hanger, in his sleepy eyes some strange mixture of hope and sadness badly disguised.

 

He stopped staring at the Sennen object and began to walk, a sigh escaping of his lips. He took some clothes of the drawers and got into the shower, leaving after a good time, and dressing with the uniform from the school which he attended.

 

Later, he approached one of the mirrors that he had in his bedroom, which was adhered to the opposed wall, thus, it could be seen the window, the silky billowy drapery and the wood hanger with varnish.

 

He paused in front of it and began to place his usual straps around his neck and waist, fitting them with slow parsimony. For a moment, his eyes stopped watching the mirror, while placing one of his chains to his trousers. When he finished fitting it, Yugi began to take the last leather strap to put it on his neck.

 

He raised his eyes and glanced at the mirror, and for a moment, they got fixed in the crystal surface, surprise and shock lingering in them. The leather strap slipped between his fingers, but he managed to retain it before let them fall to the ground.

 

In the reflection of the ample mirror he saw himself, with his round and violet eyes and his disorderly hair and his features that not yet lost the childhood touch. He could see after him, the ample open window, with the silky white drapery, displaced and billowy; the wood hanger with varnish and the millenarian object hanging of one of the ramifications.

 

But there was something… Or rather “somebody” else.

 

Somebody that was just standing next to the hanger, supported in the wall near the window, his glance put on him… a good natured but at the same time, cruel glance. Torn eyes, of an indecipherable color… A mixture of violet and something similar to crimson, which were joined and intermingled, without knowing what of both colors was in fact the real one.

 

The violet eyed boy turned itself with vertiginous speed, meeting the figure that had seen reflected in the mirror; a ghostly figure that observed him from the other side of the room.

 

A spirit of calm; but inhuman face. A spirit of mysterious crimson orbs.

 

- Yami? - The violet eyed boy whispered, surprised.

 

The spirit outlined a slight threat of smile, which obtained that Yugi Motou felt still more disturbed.

 

It had passed about eight months since the Battle City tournament, organized by Seto Kaiba and his Corporation. Eight months that had served to rest and to forget all the strange things that had happened in the interval of the match.

 

Eight long months in which Yami, the resident spirit of the Sennen Puzzle, had not communicated with him. Eight months of only listening “I'm fine” and nothing else. Eight months in which the spirit had locked itself in that labyrinth, without allowing him to enter.

 

Months in which he had become taciturn, distant… Cold.

 

He doesn't want to speak, he doesn't want to listen to anybody, and he didn't care for the pleas of his friends, urging him to get out of his confinement.

 

And the tone he whereupon refuted was more distant, more tired every time.

 

No one of his friends understands his drastic change of behavior, but Yugi, in spite of everything, intuited that something burdens was happening to him.

 

He had spoken with Ishizu Ishtar, which right away showed a genuine preoccupation. But in spite of the attempts of the Egyptian, they never obtained, in those eight months, some advice or word from the spirit; apart of “I'm fine”.

 

And in the end the Egyptian, after investigating, looking and verifying, had announced to Yugi, with tremulous voice, that… Simple and level… The spirit was ill.

 

The cause? It was still unknown.

 

The disease and its severity? … Impossible to know at the moment.

 

Ishizu investigated… And the months passed… And eight months had been run out, day after day.

 

And now, after so much time, Yugi Motou wake up in a normal day, in a normal week, to follow his usual routine heading to school and, when he was simply putting a strap in his neck, he pulled his eyes to the mirror and saw the reflection of the man he consider his friend, guardian, brother; saw his torn eyes, his almost transparent body and his beautiful but at the same time cruel face.

 

And that, that was something that disturbed him, in a mysterious and twisted form.

 

- Hello- Whispered the spirit, with his strangely ghostly voice.

 

Yugi smiled weakly.

 

- I didn't see you in a good time, Yami. - There was a reproaching touch in the voice of the young one that the spirit noticed.

 

- I never went away... I was always there. - The spirit whispered, pointing with an almost invisible finger the puzzle.

 

Yugi noticed the almost absolute transparency of the spirit's body and that made him feel suddenly worried.

 

- What happened to you? Why you didn't even speak to us in all this months? Everyone is worried about you… I'm worried about you.-

 

Everyone already knew the existence of the spirit like a being aside from Yugi, and not like one of the personalities of the violet eyed boy, since many had suspected previously. At the beginning it had arisen some confusion, but then, all had accepted the fact like something normal, accepting Yami as one more of the crew.

 

Silence…

 

- You don't have to worry about me… I'm fine.-

 

- I'm many things, but I'm not idiot, Yami. I know something is happening with you.-

 

- I'm fine. - The spirit repeated, mechanically.

 

- Eight months, Yami! Eight months without speaking, without doing anything except to say “I'm fine”! Something is happening and I want to know what it is! - Exclaimed Yugi, exasperated.

 

The spirit observed him fixedly, his torn eyes darkening almost imperceptibly.

 

They remained without saying anything.

 

- You can't see it… Yugi? - Yami whispered.

 

The violet eyed boy remained in silence, confused. He observed the spirit and a sudden thought assaulted his mind, while observing one of the almost invisible hands.

 

- You… You are vanishing? - Yugi murmured, without managing to contain a chill.

 

A bitter smile was drawn in the ghostly face of the spirit.

 

- You will arrive late at school, Yugi- Was the last thing the spirit said before closing his torn eyes and disappear in the daylight breeze.

 

- No! Wait! - The violet eyed boy shouted, but it was too late. The spirit had entered the puzzle again.

 

Yugi remained where he was, completely absorbed, observing the puzzle that hung of the wood hanger, which continued being shaken by the breeze.

 

Feeling suddenly alone… surrounded by darkness.

 

The voice of his grandfather, announcing that he will be late for school if he didn't hurry, removed him from that horrifying state of doze.

 

With slow cadences, Yugi take his jacket, his knapsack and a book that had left on the writing-desk to finally take from the hanger the puzzle and adjust it in his neck, feeling instantaneously the peculiar tremor granted by the cold metal when touching the lukewarm skin.

 

He closed his eyes, loosens a sigh and, after remaining in silence, without thinking in anything in particular, he left the room, walking into a new day that apparently, didn't augur to be like the others.

 

Domino High School

9:30 A.M

 

They were in the middle of one of the morning classes. All the students seated in his or her respective writing desks, completely in silence, answering the printed paper in which apparently, was written one of the most hard exams of the course.

 

Several students were concentrated and relaxed, with the confidence of knowing the material. Others, on the contrary, were on the verge of an attack of anxiety, watching in all directions, squeezing the paper between their fingers.

 

Between the students of that ample hall, was a young boy, who watched absent-mindedly the scenery in the window near his writing desk, his lost eyes in some type of mysterious digression.

 

- Psss, Psss! Yugi… - The urgent, but at the same time whispering voice of a boy removed him from his self absorption.

 

He turned his face in all directions, observing all of the students who were calmly immersed in their exams. Soon his face turned towards the right, seeing a boy with honey eyes and disorderly blond hair.

 

Yugi blinked, confused.

 

- Joey? What happens? - He whispered in a low voice, his glance put in the professor, who at those moments was reading some papers.

 

- Yugi, my friend. Help me. This exam is killing me. - The blonde murmured his voice desperate.

 

In another moment, in another day, Yugi would have declined to give the answers to Joey, arguing that it was trap to make that in the middle of an exam and that he had to study more…

 

But that day, at that moment in which he felt that everything had begun horribly, the unique thing that hit upon to do was to loosen a sigh, while he superficially showed the answers to his friend.

 

He could hear the alleviated “thanks” of Joey, but within his dulled mind, he didn't find too much sense on it.

 

Domino High School

11:00 A.M.

 

- Thanks Yug, thanks Yug… You're the best friend I had. I don't know what I will do without your help, man. You're the best, man… the best. - Continued Joey for the fifth time in the day, his eyes shinning with emotion. The group composed by Yugi, Tea, Tristan and Joey were walking down the school alley, heading for the dinning room.

 

- Enough, Joey! You're choking him! - Exclaimed Tea, a young girl with brownish hair and vivid blue eyes. - And nowadays, I'm still wondering about your behavior in the exam, Wheeler. How can you be so crazy to copy in the middle of a final exam? And you, Yugi, you who always make the correct moves, you were cheating too by giving him the answers!!- Tea's voice faltered a bit when she saw the expressionless face of his shorter friend.

 

- Yugi… Are you ok? - Tea whispered, suddenly concerned.

 

- Uh? What? - Murmured the violet eyed boy, suddenly snapped out of his wanderings.

 

- What's going on, Yug? Ever since this morning you seem so strange. You're like in another planet. It's something wrong, pal? - Joey murmured, stopping in his tracks and observing the violet eyed boy with a frown.

 

- No, everything is… fine. I'm… well. I'm fine. - Yugi whispered, slightly touching the gold metal of his chain puzzle.

 

- You're not a good liar, Yugi. You have a problem? - Tea murmured, genuinely concerned.

 

- Someone is bothering you, Yug? Say it to us and we will find the asshole and crush all of his bones! - Murmured Joey, crushing his knuckles. Tristan frowned, also ready for a good fight.

 

- Shut up you two! You are acting like two idiots without brains! - Tea whispered angrily. After that, the girl turned towards Yugi, who had glanced distantly the exchange of words between them.

 

- What's wrong, Yugi? Something's bothering you? - The young girl murmured, being surrounded by the other two boys.

 

- No…- Yugi whispered. He keep the silence for a while, but on a blow, he felt the desperate urge to say it and added, almost frantically.- He's vanishing, Tea…

 

Tea, Joey and Tristan looked at him, surprised.

 

- What are you talking about, Yug? I can see you. - Joey exclaimed, confused.

 

- No… I'm not the one… Is… Is… him. - The boy whispered.

 

- Who? - Tristan murmured.

 

Answering the question, Yugi silently indicated the Sennen Puzzle hanging on his neck. Everyone looked the puzzle, surprised and shocked frowns on their faces.

 

- I don't know what's happening to him. Today I saw him; and I saw him so… strange. So different. He's vanishing… he's disappearing. - Yugi whispered his eyes dampened.

 

- But… But… - Tea was stunned, unable to find an appropriate answer.

 

- We have to get out of here; we're calling the attention of everyone. Let's go to the lunch room; we'll be able to talk more in calm there. - Tristan murmured.

 

Everyone agreed and continue walking, occasionally glancing at each other.

 

Moments later they arrived to the school lunch room, took their utensils and began to make the row for their dinner.

 

A little far away, they saw Bakura seated in a corner reading a magazine; Duke Devlin was in another table, teaching his dice tricks to a big group of youngsters.

 

In another table; more separated from the student chattering, were the Kaiba brothers; Mokuba Kaiba, with his long black hair and his grayish eyes, eating something indecipherable and speaking animatedly with his older brother, Seto Kaiba, with his silky brown hair, his attractive well formed face and his glacial blue eyes; who was reading a heavy book and speaking from time to time with his little brother.

 

The others were the normal thing: Hundreds of students shouting, speaking and doing isolated food wars.

 

They took the dinner and make their way towards a table a little separated from the other students.

 

- Hey, Yug! I know something that can cheer you up! - Murmured Joey, looking at the Kaiba's table with a devilish grin.

 

- No, Joey. Please… I don't want you to… - But before Yugi was finished, the blonde headed to the table were the Kaiba brothers were sitting.

 

- It's impossible to stop, Joey, Yug. It's natural on him to try bothering Kaiba. - Tristan whispered giving Yugi a little pat in the back.

 

- Poor Joey. Kaiba's going to humiliate him badly. He always crushes him. - Murmured Tea, sighing. The group approached Joey, who was already standing next to the table of the Kaiba brothers.

 

- Hello everyone! How are you, guys? - Exclaimed Mokuba, smiling at them.

 

- Fine, Mokuba. And you? - Tea asked, smiling.

 

- Fine, thanks.

 

- What are you reading, rich boy? - Joey asked suddenly, trying to see the cover of the book that the CEO was reading.

 

- Something that your reduced mind could not understand- whispered Kaiba, without distracting his attention out of his book.

 

- Here we go. - Tea sighed, slapping her own forehead.

 

Tristan rolled his eyes and Yugi's face transfigured into a dull, distant one.

 

- You're calling me retard or something like that, Kaiba? - murmured Joey, clenching his fists.

 

- You guessed right. - The CEO answered.

 

- You goddammed bastard! Do you think you're the best, don't you? You always think of you as the most intelligent, and prosperous of everyone, but you know something? You're nothing more than a little piece of shit!-

 

Most of the students who were in the dining room where looking at the fight, their eyes full of excitement, concern, surprise.

 

- Shut up, Wheeler! I'm not going to fall for that stupid attempt of making me angry. Go to your seat and leave me in peace.-

 

- Go to your seat and leave me in peace. - Repeated Joey in a ridiculous tone.

 

Kaiba carefully left the book on the table and glanced at the group; his icy and emotionless blue eyes fixed on Joey, who gulped a little.

 

- I know you were a retard, Wheeler. But I didn't know that you were such a stupid joker. You have talent. I will do you a favor and call someone to give you a job in a circus: You will do a great function in a clown attire… or jumping hoops like the dog you are.-

 

Tea closed her eyes; Tristan whispered something like “fucked” and Yugi remained distant, his expression dull and emotionless.

 

All the students in the room whispered a collective “Ouch”, hearing the sharp and cold words that the CEO spoke.

 

- If you repeat that again, I'm going to crush your face with my hands! - Joey shouted his fists prepared.

 

- Well, then I will call you a joker. I believe joker is better than clown or… circus dog. - Said Kaiba, smirking cruelly.

 

- Kaiba! I'm going to kill you, bastard! - Joey shouted, enraged.

 

At that moment, Tristan and Tea grabbed both of Joey's arms to retain him in place.

 

- It's enough! Calm down, Joey! - Tea shouted hardly.

 

- Calm down! I'm not going to fucking calm down! I'm not going to tolerate that bastard's humiliations. He's going to receive a good kick in the ass today! - Joey shouted fiercely.

 

After a few minutes of shouting, struggling and a lot of wasted tantrum, the others managed to calm down the honey eyed boy, whose breathing was ragged by hatred.

 

- Ok, Ok! Let me go! I'm calm now! - Whispered Joey, who directed his gaze towards Kaiba, who was simply smirking at him, apparently enjoying the struggling between the friends.

 

- Well see you later, Mokuba. Take care. Good to meet you, Seto Kaiba. - Tea whispered, taking Joey and Yugi by the arms. Joey followed her almost reluctantly, but Yugi simply closed his eyes, and let the girl pull him.

 

The CEO returned his attention to his book, but Mokuba followed with his gaze the group, a little hint of concern in his grayish eyes.

 

Everyone in the dinning room returned to his or her own business, seeing that the fight was already over.

 

- Seto, I think Yugi is in a problem. - Mokuba whispered, looking his brother.

 

- Why do you think something like that, Mokuba?-

 

- I don't know, but… Did you saw him? He was so distant and… he seems in trouble, brother.-

 

Kaiba looked at his brother with an arched eyebrow, and then, looked toward the group where Yugi was. He began to observe the little boy, who was surrounded by his idiotic friends. Motou seemed a lot smaller than Kaiba ever remembered and his violet gaze, always full of shinning and childish joy, was now full of sorrow and unhappiness.

 

He looked at Yugi, frowned a little, and then returned his gaze to the book.

 

He didn't know why but Motou; “that” childish Motou… Was pathetic.

 

He was so different from the “Other One”

 

Different from that other entity who was always in the duels. The one with fierce, piercing and dominant glance; the one that he doesn't even saw since their last duel on Battle City; eight months ago.

 

- I don't care about him. It's his problem.-

 

Mokuba looked at his nii-sama and sighed. His brother was never interested in something related to that group. Nothing apart of challenging Yugi (or to be more specific, the “Other Yugi”) to a duel for the “better duelist” title.

 

It was always like that… And Mokuba knew that maybe, it will be forever like that.

 

****************************

 

- You're an idiot, Joey! An idiot! - Tea screamed giving the honey eyed boy a slap in the head.

 

- Ouch! Hey, Kaiba called me a clown!-

 

- Joey, you where the one that looked for that insult. Why did you go to bother him, when you know that he always finish you? - Tristan murmured, containing the laughter.

 

Joey laughed sarcastically; rolling his eyes.

 

- Stop arguing! We're here to help Yugi, you don't remember? - Tea murmured, looking at Yugi, who had his face lowered down.

 

- That's right! Forgive me, Yug! - Joey whispered, uncomfortably.

 

- It's Ok. It doesn't matter, Joey. - Yugi whispered, blinking several times.

 

- Now, tell us. What's happening with the spirit? - Tea asked, concerned.

 

Yugi, with a slight nervousness in his voice, began to tell everyone about all the events that happened earlier in the morning. The three friends watched him curiously, hearing everything.

 

-… and he only said that I will be late for school and then disappeared. - He finished, his hands trembling.

 

- How did you see him? He was alright? - Joey asked.

 

- There's the problem, Joey. I can't even “see” him clearly. I don't know he was so different. He was so cold and serious; and his eyes… his eyes were full of inhumanity. Everything in him was strange, almost foreign. -

 

- You must speak with Ishizu. I think she could help you. - Tea suggested.

 

- Perhaps… But I don't really don't know what to do. I'm so scared that something happened to him.-

 

- It's he listening? - Asked Tristan, observing the puzzle.

 

- I don't know. I can't feel him.-

 

- You had to go today to the museum. Ishizu is the best for that type of problems. She will help you more than us, Yugi. If you want, we can go with you. - Suggested Tea, with a slight smile.

 

- Thanks Tea but… I want to go alone. Thank you everyone for your help. You're the best friends in here. - Whispered Yugi, gratefully.

 

- Well, no problem, Yugi. But you have to tell us later what Ishizu told you. Ok?-

 

- Ok. -

 

The four teenagers finally sat on their table, and began to have their lunch, trying to talk about some banal thing to distract Yugi. But unfortunately, neither one of them can even get along with a decent conversation without feeling guilty, nor frustrated.

 

Finally, the bell rang and they almost hurry to their home room for the next class. Yugi sat at the end of the classroom and took almost all the teaching hour simply observing the table in front of him, lost in his thoughts. It was as if he was paralyzed, almost dumb.

 

Time seemed to pass slowly; the tick tack of the clock getting to his nerves.

 

An in that hour, the only thing on Yugi's mind was that incessant clock sound that was freaking him out, and a slight, almost imperceptible image of a pair of eyes: The eyes of his protector, his best fried, almost his brother. The image of those torn crimson eyes, which observed him without any trace of emotion; reflected his gaze on the mirror; a gaze full of dread and inhumanity…

 

****************

 

Domino High School

3:00 PM

 

- Are you sure that you don't want us to go with you, Yug? - Joey asked the violet eyed boy, concern in his honey eyes.

 

They finally had got out of school, and Yugi was now heading to the museum, his backpack hanging gracefully in one of his shoulders.

 

- Yes, I'm sure. But thanks anyway. See you tomorrow, guys. - Yugi whispered and then, headed to the alleyway; running madly.

 

The Domino Museum was located several streets away, and Yugi, who got a little exhausted by the run, slowed down a little, observing the streets and the stores. He was anxious.

 

No… that was a lie. He was scared to death. So fucking scared that he almost wanted to piss his pants. But he wanted to ignore that, seeing the things in the stores, not thinking about Yami.

 

Finally, after a long walk, he arrived at the ample doors that adorned the museum entrance. The long stairs where in front of him and he simply run, anxious to get to the entrance faster. He stopped a little when he was finally at the entrance to catch some breath, and then slightly recomposed, he entered to the museum.

When he was inside, he stopped in his tracks, looking to all directions; a little confused. How will he know where Ishizu was?

 

Luckily, at that moment, a man with a silk gauze appeared in front of him, giving immediately his greetings.

 

Visibly relieved, Yugi explained to the man the urgency of seeing the young Egyptian woman and the man, nodding understandably, guided him towards Ishizu's office, which was located at the end of a large corridor decorated with several pictures and some old sculptures.

 

The guide left Yugi in front of an enormous oak door and the boy simply stared at it, without knowing what to do. Yugi breathed several times and then, after seconds of hesitation, stroked the door.

 

A smooth feminine voice answered him from the other side:

 

- You can come in. -

 

Yugi opened the door and entered to the huge office, decorated with sandy colored walls and a large oak desk. Sitting behind it was a beautiful young woman with bronze skin, delicate features and beautiful blue eyes, which shined with joviality when seeing him enter.

 

- Yugi! I didn't see you for ages! You finally come to see me, eh? I'm very glad. How are you, little one?-

 

- Fine, Ishizu. Thank you. - Yugi whispered, looking shyly at the woman.

 

- Where's my courtesy, for Ra's sake! Please, take a seat, Yugi. Do you want something to drink?-

 

- No, thanks. - Whispered the boy. The young woman looked at him noticing the fainted expression in his face. Her face wrinkled a little, eyes showing a slight concern.

 

- Something bad is happening to you Yugi, I can see. I don't have the power of the millennium necklace, but I can see in your eyes a great anxiety and sorrow. And… You're not a good liar. - Ishizu whispered with a hint of a smile. - I was longing for your visit; I had some news that I have to tell you.

 

- Ishizu. I… I need to talk to you first about something. - Yugi whispered.

 

- Go ahead. Tell me whatever you want, little one. - Answered the woman, looking him with a hint of curiosity.

 

- He appeared again, Ishizu. This morning.-

 

At first, the woman furrowed her brows, slightly confused, but then, understanding the statement, one of her delicate hands covered her mouth, her eyes full of surprise.

 

- How is he? How did you see him? - She asked, anxious.

 

- Different… He seems… like a stranger to me. I can't even recognize him, Ishizu. - Whispered the violet eyed boy, sobbing a little.

 

After that, he began to tell Ishizu all the things that happened that morning. When he finished, he saw the concerned face of the woman.

 

- Is he listening? - She asked, whispering. Yugi denied.

 

- I think that he's locked in that place… In that huge place full of stairs, doors and darkness. - Yugi answered.

 

- Apart of this morning… he had speak to you in any other moment? - She asked.

 

- No. I can't even feel him normally. I know that he's here, in the puzzle… but at the same time I feel as if… he had disappeared. And… I think that even if I wanted to talk to him, he will not answer me; he's so stubborn.-

 

- The pharaoh was a very temperamental man. Seth was the only one with the guts to talk to him when he was in a bad mood. They loved to fight with each other for meaningless things. - Ishizu whispered; a note of melancholy in his voice.

 

Yugi seemed a little confused by that revelation, but decided not to deepen too much in that type of things.

 

- What we can do, Ishizu? -

 

The Egyptian smiled.

 

- Now I'm gladder to have you here, Yugi. I believe I had the answer to all your problems.-

 

- Really? And what is it?-

 

- Months ago, I discovered something about the pharaoh's past and history. And when I was researching, I found something that (based in that new discoveries that I have founded)… can bring the pharaoh back to us.-

 

-… W… What? - Whispered Yugi, almost in a shock.

 

- Yes, Yugi. I think the answer is in our hands. The pharaoh is ill, and we have to find the solution for that illness. And simply, that solution is in a body. He needs it in order to survive. And we can give him that body.-

 

Yugi dropped his mouth in utter disbelief, his eyes shining with hope and surprise.

 

- Ishizu… Are you telling me the truth?-

 

- Of course, Yugi. I don't joke with these things and you know it. I knew this time ago, but I wanted to confirm it in order to give you a real hope, and not an imaginary one.-

 

- And… that body. That means Yami's going to be… human again? - Whispered Yugi, his breath erratic due the anxiety.

 

- Yes Yugi. If we granted the pharaoh with a body, he will heal and his soul will not vanish. He will be cured… and he will be bone and flesh; a human being and not a spirit anymore.-

 

- But… I can't understand. How we can construct a body for Yami? That's impossible. No one had ever make a real body out of nowhere.-

 

- But now we can, Yugi. These last months have served me to look for all type of options and due to a lot of hard work and researching, I think I founded the most reasonable: A reconstructive DNA machine. This machine was created about two years ago by a British company. With that, and the DNA of a particular being, it's possible to reconstruct a body, based on the genetic information granted by the DNA source. Of course, this machine is being perfected and tests have not become too well in some of the experiments. Thus, if we're successful, the pharaoh will be the first human being created by that machine.-

 

- That would be fantastic, Ishizu. But… how we could use it if the machine it's still a prototype? -

 

- That's the difficult part of this. To obtain the machine is not a simple job. And apart of it, we have to look for other necessary things, like some DNA of the pharaoh, which is in his tomb in The Valley of the Kings and another type of objects.-

 

- What type of objects?-

 

- The Sennen Items and the blood of at least, two of the pharaoh's priests.-

 

- The blood of two of his priests?

 

- I can give mine, because in that past life, I was one of his priestesses, but we need another blood source… and apart of that, we only have six of the seven Sennen Items, which takes us irremediably towards…

 

- Seto Kaiba- Yugi concluded, understanding the point.

 

- Exactly. He had the Sennen Rod with him and he was one of the most valuable priests in the Pharaoh's Order.-

 

- Well… In order to give Yami a body so he wont die, we have to ask Kaiba for the Sennen Rod and some of his blood?-

 

Ishizu shake her head affirmatively, silently answering Yugi's question.

 

- We will never do it, Ishizu… Kaiba is… is…

 

- Kaiba. - Ishizu concluded.

 

- Exactly. -

 

- Don't worry, little one. I'm sure Kaiba will help us. We only have to pinch in the right place. - Ishizu whispered, a mysterious smile forming in her lips.

 

- And… if we managed to obtain all the resources for the experiment. How much positive probabilities we have?-

 

- I'm not sure, Yugi. The probabilities are fifty- fifty, so to speak. The machine is quite effective, although, as I before explained to you, it's only a prototype… And with a prototype one can't be sure of the results. - Ishizu explained.

 

- What would happen if the process failed? - Yugi asked with apprehension.

 

- I don't want to think about it, Yugi. It can be a catastrophe. Perhaps at the end nothing bad happened but exist the same possibility of all messing up badly. We can end constructing a perfect body, or losing the Pharaoh's soul forever.

 

Yugi remained in silence, without knowing what to say or ask.

 

He was in some type of internal debate: A part of him wished to say to Ishizu that she had his complete approval with the experiment, but another part (his most vulnerable and sentimentalist part) wanted to go away from that museum and look for another option, less dangerous than that one.

 

After all, it was not something that could be taken so lightly. It was Yami's life who was in danger. The life of his more beloved friend, the one that always had been supporting and protecting him in the most dangerous and hopeless moments. Yugi was scared to lose him… to lose someone that has been like his older brother all this time.

 

- We have to speak with Kaiba first. We can't do anything without his help. - Yugi whispered, evading at the moment to give a definite answer.

 

- Don't worry, Yugi. I'm in charge of that. If everyone agreed we'll be able to make all in a month or so.

 

- One more question, Ishizu… You know Yami's illness? What is it? Why he's vanishing?-

 

- I only can give you conjectured answers, Yugi.-

 

- It doesn't matter. I want to know everything.-

 

- Well… In ancient times, the Pharaoh was the most powerful living being in Egypt. He was called “The son of the Gods” by everyone not only because his great intelligence, nor his natural leadership capacity or his striking beauty, but because he was granted with supernatural capacities. In this era we can call them “powers” but in that time, they were “divine gifts”. Well, as a result of his tragic death, his spirit along with all his powers, were locked in the Sennen Puzzle; and then, five thousand years later, you'd became his vessel. And there resides the real problem.-

 

- Why? -

 

- The Pharaoh is amazingly powerful; but right now, his spirit is living in a reduced space of your mind and soul; apart of that, your body is not the same as his body was, so his powers cannot move freely. The Pharaoh knows that and he had to maneuver all his might in that reduced space, because he doesn't want you to be hurt.

 

- And… why he doesn't let them flow?-

 

- Because your body isn't the appropriate for resisting that type of power. No human body can resist it. If the Pharaoh leaves his powers to run wild inside your body, you will not support that devastating wave of energy and you will be destroyed. The Pharaoh doesn't want to hurt you, Yugi; and there's the problem. Contain such a great power, in a so small space cause him to suffer, to weaken, because he's overworking all of him to have his powers in control and that causes his essence to be absorbed by the overwhelming strain.

 

Yugi gulped, tears shinning in his eyes.

 

- And… If he had his own body he can heal?

 

- Yes. -

 

- But… What if Kaiba refuse to help us?-

 

- He will not refuse, Yugi. He's going to help us; I have a total confidence in that matter. Tomorrow I will speak to him. Everything is going to be alright, Yugi. Don't worry, we will help the Pharaoh. - Ishizu whispered with a slight smile.

 

- I don't know how to thank you for this, Ishizu. I'm so grateful for your help. And so Yami, I think.-

 

- You don't have to, little one. I want to help my Pharaoh with all I can do. He had done so much for me… for all of us.-

 

Yugi smiled and rose from his seat, looking as Ishizu did the same thing. He smiled a little more at the Egyptian and then leaved, not before making the woman to promise contacting him as soon as she has Kaiba's answer.

 

After the greetings and salutations, Yugi left the museum, heading to his home. His mind was simply wandering; thinking… thinking about all Ishizu told him today.

 

It was incredible that something so complicated as Yami's illness could be answered with something as easy as a body. They only needed that machine, some other things and finally… Yami will be cured.

 

But the dilemma was not how to obtain that things needed… is from “whom” they will have to obtain them. They needed the help of Seto Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corp and Yugi's (or to be more specific, Yami's) Nemesis.

 

For Yugi Motou, Seto Kaiba was simply a young man with reticence to establish friendship bonds. Someone who needed to be understood.

 

But for Yami “the spirit”, called by everyone the “dark side” of Yugi, Seto Kaiba was sort of a deathly enemy.

 

Yugi Motou and Seto Kaiba had some distant friendship, if it's necessary to put a name on it… But Seto Kaiba and Yami the Pharaoh were different. They were rivals, enemies, the Nemesis of the other.

 

It was true that they have some type of “respectful admiration” for each other. But also was something between them, something that doesn't looked like hatred to Yugi's opinion… but that owned almost the same fiery intensity of that emotion.

 

They don't hate each other, but neither have they considered themselves as “friends”. They respect each other, but at the same time, it looked like they were going to destroy the other one.

 

They have an eternal and destructive fight… an eternal competition that sometimes, neither Yugi nor the others understood. It was like they wanted to prove who the best was; who had the domain on the other; no matter what it cost.

 

Between Yami and Kaiba was only a fiery spirit of fighting.

 

And Yugi was scared for that reason. Because Seto Kaiba was one of the most enigmatic people that the boy have ever know (aside from Yami). It was impossible to know what the blue eyed boy was scheming in his mind.

 

Sometimes, he seemed to want to help them, in his odd way. But sometimes, he simply had this reaction… as if he wanted only to destroy every piece of you, also in his odd way.

 

He didn't know how Ishizu will convince Kaiba to help them… He didn't have a fucking idea how the Egyptian will do something as difficult as that. He only hoped that, by once, Seto Kaiba can left out his cold machinations, and can help them. Because sincerely, if he lost Yami, he didn't know what he will be able to do. He will go crazy because if the pain.

 

He blinked several times when he noticed that was already standing in front of his house. Yugi shook his head a little, trying to move away his thoughts, and entered the house in which he live with his grandfather, Salomon Motou.

 

He got directly to his bedroom, left his jacket and backpacks on a corner of the room and hung the cold and opaque puzzle in one of the ramifications of the wood hanger. Yugi looked the Sennen Item a moment and then, with a sigh, he sited down in a comfortable chair in front of his desk, to dedicate entirely to his homework.

 

He spend several minutes trying to read from the voluminous book that the teacher had assigned to the class, but after keep reading the second line for the fifth time, he closed the book and tried with his math homework. He tried, and tried, but after an hour of only seeing the blur images of the numbers of his mathematical operations dancing in front of him like ladies in a cabaret, he give up of making them. He was only wasting time, only causing himself a good headache and trying to evade something that was hitting his thoughts.

 

Yugi tried to calm himself, putting his hands on his face, sighing in annoyance and irritation. He can't study, he can't think, he can't do anything.

 

It was so fucking depressing for him.

 

In a blow, he threw one of his books against a wall and hides his face between his hands, his breathing erratic.

 

He was so depressed, so hopeless… He needed someone to talk, to comfort him. It was childish, almost stupid… but in that moment he didn't give a shit about that.

 

- Yami… Why, Yami? - Yugi whispered, in a low, cracking voice.

 

Silence.

 

Yugi closed his eyes and sobbed a little.

 

- Why you accepted to be helped by him, Yugi? Why him... aibou?-

 

The violet eyed boy abruptly opened his eyes, shooting upright his face and looking to every side of his room; a look of hope in his childish features. He had heard his voice questioning him.

 

He had heard Yami.

 

He looked everywhere, but didn't find anything. He was alone in that big and disordered room.

 

- Yami... Are you there, Yami?-

 

No one answered. No single sound escaped from Yugi's lips. Only the slight whisper of the wind, hitting against the leaves of the trees interrupted the silent atmosphere.

 

After a minute or so, Yugi's face sink again between his arms; an urgent desire to scream and cry tugging his soul.

 

Minutes passed; hours passed, but the young boy never cared about that. He only was looking the windows distractedly, seeing the sun hiding slowly behind the big buildings, for the night to take place in the celestial sky, wrapping with its weightless mantle the city; and engulfing the world with darkness.

 

He closed his eyes, ready to throw himself in the dream world, but the distant voice of his grandfather entered his brain… he was calling him to dinner.

 

At first, he didn't find any sense on that voice, sounding almost foreign to him. But after several minutes, he slowly rose from the chair, his features adorned with despair and sleepiness.

 

But the thing he didn't know was that someone was watching him leave; hidden behind the silky surface of the curtain that hanged from the window.

An almost transparent figure; a pair of torn, ghostly and bleeding crimson eyes, looking at Yugi with some type of painful, inhuman emotion.

 

But the violet eyed boy didn't notice that gaze and simply left.

 

… and that pair of eyes shinned the color of blood in the dim light of the moon; closing after a few seconds and vanishing from sight, engulfed by the cold breeze that entered the room…

 

End of Chapter 1