Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Innocence ❯ When the light fails ( Chapter 1 )

Yugi grinned triumphantly, setting down his pencil and closing his math text. Dusk was only beginning to fall, and having finished his homework he was free to use the evening as he wanted to. Quickly, he returned his books to his bag and left his room in search of his grandfather.

Sugoroku looked up as Yugi came down the stairs into the Game Shop.

"Ah, Yugi." He set down the box he was carrying and made his way over to his grandson. "I was about to go and see if you were busy; I got a package in the mail today that I need delivered, and I was wondering if you could run it over for me before it got dark."

"Of course," Yugi replied easily. "Where do you want me to go?"

Sugoroku reached behind the counter and withdrew a small brown package tied with string. He placed it on the surface and Yugi picked it up, testing the weight.

"I need you to give this to an old friend of mine. Her name is Futabatei Kunie, and she lives across the street from the fruit store, three streets down." He craned his neck to look out of the window at the sky. "It shouldn't take you long, if you hurry you'll have no trouble getting home before dark."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Yugi promised. He slipped the package into the pocket of his jacket and hurried out of the Game Shop. It was still quite light out, and he had little difficulty finding the house that his grandfather had mentioned. He rang the doorbell and stood back, toying idly with the chain on his puzzle as he waited for the door to open.

"Yes?" The woman who answered was tall, with long greying hair pulled back from her face. Her green eyes looked piercing. "Can I help you?"

"Futabatei Kunie-san?" Yugi asked quickly, folding his hands. The woman nodded, and he smiled. "I'm Mutou Yugi. My grandfather sent me with a package for you." He took it from his jacket and held it out to her. The woman examined it carefully for a moment, then took it from him.

"Thank you," she said. "I was wondering when this would arrive. Tell your grandfather that I hope his previous difficulties have been resolved." Yugi frowned for a moment, confused, and she laughed. "It's a private joke between us," she replied. "He will understand."

"All right," Yugi replied. "I'll be sure to tell him. Have a good evening." The woman nodded and closed the door softly. Yugi turned and began to make his way back to the Game Shop.

Suddenly he heard a noise behind him, and a voice called out.

"Hey, wait!" Yugi spun around to see a dark-haired teen standing on the steps in front of the house. "Wait just a sec!"

"What is it?" Yugi called over. The other youth sprinted away from the steps, coming to a halt just in front of him.

"I'm Sanzo; Kunie-san is my aunt. She just wanted to speak with you for a second; she has something she wants to give to your grandfather, I think. Come back?"

Yugi nodded and followed the other teen up towards the house again. Sanzo opened the door and made a motion with his hand, indicating that he should enter. The door closed sharply behind him, and Sanzo pushed ahead.

"It's just down here," he said, indicating a long, dark hallway. "She won't keep you long."

Yugi followed him down the hall and into a dimly lit room. It smelled of smoke and alcohol, and he could feel other people near him. Surprised, he turned to face the dark-haired youth.

"What -" he began, but was cut off by the sound of laughter.

"We got lucky," a low voice called from a dark corner. Shadows moved and a figure rose, bleached hair reflecting the glow of a cigarette. "Nice work, Sanzo."

"Hey, no problem." Sanzo shrugged off the praise and shoved Yugi forward into the room. "He practically did my job for me. Seriously, kid, you gotta be the easiest catch I ever made."

Yugi blinked, confused. "What's going on?" he demanded, flustered. The teen with the cigarette laughed.

"Man, he hasn't got a clue, does he." He stepped up to Yugi, examining him. "Tiny squirt, too. Ah well, he should be fun, at least."

"Too bad Doi's not here," another voice commented, and Yugi spun around to see a girl not much older than him lounging on a sofa. Her bright blue hair flowed around her shoulders, and her eyes were almost the same shade. It was unsettling. She stood up and prodded Yugi harshly in the back. "He always loved the little ones."

"Yeah, well, that's his problem." The teen with the cigarette took a slow drag, then flicked the ash off contemptuously in Yugi's direction. The smaller boy flinched. "Ooh, and look. He's jumpy."

"Hey," the girl drawled, spinning Yugi around suddenly. "Let's see if he's … proportional, eh?" This was met with snickers from the two males. Yugi tensed as her hands slid slowly down his chest. When she reached the puzzle, the girl clicked her tongue, neon blue eyes twinkling. "Ach, tacky," she pronounced. "The rest of him's not too bad, though."

Suddenly Yugi's brain, which seemed to have frozen with fear, began to work again. Surprising himself, he knocked her hand away from the puzzle and grabbed onto the chain tightly. The girl laughed.

Quickly, Yugi looked around. He was in trouble, he knew. He suddenly realised what the three of them intended to do, and desperately tried to think of how he could escape. He was tiny; if it came down to a matter of brute strength they would trample him. He could, of course, summon Yami, but something inside him resisted. Shame arose when he realised how easily they had caught him; he couldn't bear to be caught in a place like this.

His eyes settled for a moment on the door. The path was clear, and it didn't look like it was locked. Sanzo saw him and chuckled.

"Looks like he wants out," he laughed. "Well, don't worry, kid. We won't keep you forever. Consider this a lesson; never trust strangers."

Yugi tensed again, and the blue-haired girl continued to trace a path down his chest. Suddenly, with a burst of strength that he didn't quite know he had, Yugi pulled away from her and raced for the door.

Mercifully, it was unlocked. He didn't know what he would have done if it hadn't been; as it was, he tore it open and sprinted as quickly as he could down the hallway towards the front door. As much faster has he had gotten lately, he knew that once the three teens had gotten over the minor shock they would be able to overtake him easily.

Yugi reached the front door and threw it open, slamming it behind him and bolting down the street as fast as he could. He worried for a moment about leading them back to the game shop, but he didn't think that the three of them would bother to put up a real chase after him; he wouldn't really be worth their trouble. Yugi heard sounds of cursing behind him, and the door opened and shut.

"Hey, kid, get back here, for bloody -" the speaker degenerated into a flowing stream of swearing.

"Should we follow?" the girl asked, and Yugi ran faster, hoping.

"Nah." The voice was low and indifferent. "Not unless you really want to, I mean -" Yugi stopped listening. He concentrated on moving as quickly as he could as the sky darkened. It would be completely dark soon, and he wanted to be home before then.

When he saw the Game Shop in the distance, Yugi stopped. He waited for a moment while he regained his breath, and stopped to make sure that his face had lost its flush. Then, when he was certain that he looked perfectly normal, he made his way into the shop.

Sugoroku looked up when he entered, a slight frown on his face.

"That took you a while, Yugi, are you okay?" Yugi forced a grin onto his face.

"Of course, grandpa. I just got a bit lost on the way back, that's all. It's getting dark." Sugoroku nodded agreeably.

"So you delivered the package all right, then?" he asked. Yugi nodded.

"Yup, she told me to tell you that … that she hoped your previous difficulties were resolved?"

His grandfather chucked. "She would," he replied. "Hasn't changed a bit since I last saw her." He looked up. "Thank you Yugi. I think that's all; unless there's anything that you need, I'm going to bed."

"All right," Yugi smiled at him. "I'm fine, grandpa. Have a good night." Sugoroku nodded, and Yugi made his way up the stairs to his room.

When he got there, he kicked off his shoes and sat down heavily on his bed. It was still early, but he didn't want to do anything. He was filled with fury and shame. He had been stupid, and he had gotten lured into the most basic trap imaginable. He would really have had no one to blame except himself if he hadn't managed to escape in time.

Yugi sighed, driving a fist into his pillow. Innocent. That was how everyone perceived him including himself, truth be told. Innocence was his virtue; his innocence was what made him so special to others. He had always been a little bit proud of it, as much as he had been aware. Light to Yami's dark, it was natural.

But his innocence had almost gotten him hurt today. His blind, trusting stupidity had allowed him to walk into a trap with a smile on his face. He would never forgive himself; never forget.

Shaking his head angrily, Yugi lay down on his bed, hands in fists at his side. He closed his eyes and let himself drift away from his body until he found himself in his soul room.

He looked around. The walls were bright yellow, the carpeting a cheery blue. The bed on the far side of the room was neatly made, covered with stuffed animals and toys. The rest of the room was scattered full of them. Puzzles, bricks, robots, bears, the amusing trinkets all seemed to look up at him. A room for his innocence, a room where he could amuse himself with his little toys.

He remembered when Shadi had entered his mind, how he had entered this room and dismissed it, deeming Yugi not a threat by virtue of the chamber. Slowly, his anger began to grow. He was tired of being seen as young and childish. His height didn't help, but he realised now that that wasn't it. Part of what he admired in Yami was his strength and courage. His darker half was barely taller, but he had a presence. He didn't seem weak; no one would think to lure him into a house.

Jealousy that never existed was crushed before it could be born, but Yugi shook his head. The time for innocence was past. At sixteen years old, he no longer had the luxury. He looked around him at his soul room. The toys had to go. The walls had to go. The plush blue carpeting. He had had enough of innocence.