Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Love- Life and Death ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Love- Life and Death

By: DJ Rodriguez

(Author's Notes: Sorry if this seems a bit dark folks, but I just had this idea popping into my head. It made me think that love can grant both life… and also cause tragic death. Just hear me out, please. This is not a songfic or anything else I may have created. Just something I felt I needed to write. Enjoy.)

A lone red car drove onto the lonely street of Domino City, on Hunter's Street to be more precise. The time was 10:30 p.m., a late hour to many. The driver was 21 year-old Yugi Moto, hard worker and owner of his own store Duel Monster's Card Shop. He had just finished shopping for some presents for his beautiful wife, Mai Moto.

"Ahh! Today is our three-year anniversary, of the day we got married.", the happy young adult told himself. He then remembered on when this all happened.

{Four years ago, Yugi and Yami defeated Marik and sent her and Joey's soul free from the Shadow Realm. Mai was very grateful towards Yugi for setting her free, and both warmed up to each other right there and then. Yami gained possession of his new body, and he and Téa hit it off pretty well.

A year after dating and also getting to know each other better, Yugi proposed to Mai. She accepted, and the two were soon wed. Yugi never felt so much happiness in his life; he had a woman who cared for him as much he did for her, and also his friends approved of it.}

All this time, he showed his love and care to Mai nearly 24/7. He brought her flowers, paid her a lot of compliments, and also put aside work just so he could take her somewhere she liked. Mai's happiness and love was all that Yugi wanted in the whole world.

The others lives had improved too; Yami to Téa, Duke to Miho, Tristen to Serenity, Ishizu to Seto, Mokuba dating Rebecca, and also Bakura engaged to a lovely redhead named Tessa. Joey had remained alone, strange enough. They all kept in contact with one another, and their friendship seemed to be strong.

Yugi and Mai also had a child, a lovely little girl, two years ago. Her name was Anastasia, and the little one was a very sweet and innocent lady whom Yugi adored so much. Practically spoiled her, which was natural for fathers.

He soon arrived home, in one of the little suburbs in Domino City on the east side. He parked the car, exited the vehicle, and opened the side doors to take out all of the presents he had bought for Mai. He saw that Joey's car was there, an orange Lexus, and assumed that he was here to talk to Mai about old times.

"I hope she likes the presents I got.", he told himself. He quietly went to the front door and was about to unlock it, when he saw that it was open slightly. A very foreboding feeling overcame the young lad, something very wrong creeping into his senses and bones.

'That's odd. Why is the door unlocked and open?', he thought. He gently and quietly pushed the door open, and set the presents down on a nearby couch. However, he kept a bouquet of roses in his hand. They were Mai's favorite flowers after all.

He did not hear anything, and the house seemed to be totally dark. Only upstairs were the dim lights on.

"Why do I have this bad feeling inside of me?", he asked himself as he went upstairs. When he arrived at the top, he saw his little girl's door room slightly opened. He peeked in, and let out a small sigh and smile as he saw Anastasia snuggled onto her comforter.

He quietly closed the door, when a peculiar sound caught his ear. It was coming from across the hall… from his room. He curiously and slowly approached the area, where he and Mai slept together in.

'There's that feeling again! The more closer I get to that door, the more I feel something bad is going to happen!', he thought.

As he got closer, the sounds got louder. They were two voices in there; one of them sounded like Mai, and she was moaning something awful. However, her moans were that of pleasure, not pain. The other voice… he knew too well.

'N-No! I-It couldn't be!', he told himself desperately. However, when he flung open the door, what he saw made his frantic-beating heart stop dead. The beautiful, blooming flowers he had in his hands… dropped to the carpeted floor.

Mai was partly under the covers, giggling and also cooing at someone. But, when she saw her husband enter the room, she shrieked in fear and pulled up the covers to hide her upper torso. The blankets were then torn off the other figure, which happened to be… Joey Wheeler.

"Mai! What's going-?", Joey exclaimed when he saw what Mai saw too. Right in front of them was a very shocked, very hurt man. His violet eyes were wide as ever, the emotion shock and hurt reflecting in them clearly.

Mai's face showed pure shock, her eyes wide and afraid. Her hand covered her mouth in shock as well, a bit of shame in it as well for what she had done. Joey's eyes were also wide with fear and shock too. He backed up against the bed's headboard, but Mai did not move at all.

"M-Mai! P-Please tell me that…", Yugi was saying, but he stopped to see that it was true. His wife and best friend… were making love to one another, and right on their anniversary. Plus, in the middle of his own bed, with whom he made love to his wife each night. And with their child a mere 10ft. across from them!

"Y-Yugi! Oh, dear God, no!", the shocked blonde whispered. Her mind was now racing, trying desperately on how to explain this to her husband.

Yugi's head then looked down, a few silver teardrops falling to soak the carpet. He trembled violently, and his bangs did a good job of obscuring his eyes. He asked, "W-When did t-t-this happen? And, for h-how long?".

Mai felt tears flowing freely down her cheeks, but she paid no heed to it. She answered brokenly, "F-For about s-six months now.".

Yugi's hands clenched into fists tightly as she continued, "J-Joey was all alone, he had no one to turn to… no one to love. S-So, he came to me. We talked, spent some time together, and it just evolved into one big m-mess.".

Yugi then whispered bitterly, "W-Why?".

Joey spoke up, "Yugi, believe me, buddy! I didn't-!". Before he could even continued, Yugi raised his head and just glared hard at Joey. He, nor Mai, had ever seen him this angry. That shut Joseph up quick.

"Yugi, please! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! Please!", Mai exclaimed out, half-hysterical and also giving off great, gulping sobs. She really didn't want to lose her husband.

Yugi just stood there, trembling in anger and hurt. "Was I not good enough for you, Mai? Was there something I did wrong to make you go to him?", he asked in a bitter, hollow voice.

Mai was no struck dumb, wondering on why Yugi would ever think of such a thing. Then, something hit her. She saw the flowers on the floor by his feet, and she quickly remembered that it was their anniversary.

"Oh, dear God! Please, please! This isn't happening!", she whispered to herself. She had just committed adultery, and in the very worse possible way.

Joey felt bad as she did; he betrayed his best friend's trust, slept with the woman he loved, and was caught in the act on their anniversary. He felt lower then slime, wanting right now to sink into the carpet floor.

Yugi shed a few more tears before saying, "Well, if this is what you want…". He then bolted out of the room, flying back down the stairs fast.

Mai called out to him, screaming for him to stop. She quickly put on a purple robe, and dashed out there after him. Joey would have followed, but he had no clothes on. They were scattered all over the entire room.

"Yugi! Wait! Please, stop! Please!", she screamed out after him. Yugi was now outside, dashing into his car. He ignored Mai's pleas, too much in pain and angry to listen. He got in, slammed the car door shut, revved up the engine, and took off from the driveway.

Mai was outside now, screaming and pleading to Yugi to stop and listen to her. When the car peeled out of there fast, she sunk to her knees on the grass in the lawn. It slowly started to drizzle now, as if the heavens themselves were slowly grieving on what had just transpired. She had her face buried in the green grass, moaning and crying for all she was worth. She had lost something precious… something special.

Joey had gotten his clothes back on, but when he went outside in the hallway, he came face-to-face with a sleeping Anastasia. She rubbed her eyes cutely and asked innocently, "Why all noise? Where Daddy?".

Joey really felt bad now. He now felt that he drove her father away, and it was all his fault. He didn't know what to say to the child, except slip past her and go downstairs. 'I have no right to comfort Mai, but I have to try.', he told himself. The sight before him, when he stepped outside, was more then he could bare to see.

Mai still was in that position on the lawn, not caring that the drizzle was steadily growing into a downpour. She was still sobbing and crying loudly, the rain mixing in with her own tears. She soon felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and when she looked up, even though her vision was blurred from all the crying she had done, she saw that it was Joey.

She growled loudly, and smacked his hand off of her shoulder harshly. "Get away from me!", she screamed loudly. Joey flinched and stepped back some, but still remained near her. Mai started to cry once again, a bit harder this time. However, Joey took the initiative and dragged her back inside. She was kicking, screaming, and thrashing to escape his grip.

"Let me go! Let me go, now!", she shrieked as she struggled. Joey put her back inside, closed the door, and was about to talk to Mai when she fled back upstairs. Joey was about to follow, but soon realized he had no right to even speak to her now. He had done a hideous crime, and now needed to see on what could be done to repair the damage.

'I need to leave. I'm no longer welcome here.', he told himself as he went back outside. He got into his car, turned it on, and drove back to his bachelor pad.

Mai was on her bed, sobbing like a little child who had just lost her favorite toy. "Why?! Why?! WHY DID I HAVE TO BE SO STUPID!!!", she screamed to herself as she started to punch away at the pillows. She had forsaken what she had; a good, devoted husband, a well-meaningful life… for a few quick screws with Joey.

She soon heard the door open slightly, and in came her treasure. Anastasia yawned sleepily and asked, "Mommy, why you cry? Where Daddy?".

Mai shook even more, disturbed to the core on how she was going to explain this to her little daughter. She admired and loved her father greatly, and would be devastated to know that it was she that drove him away. She beckoned her little jewel to come forth, needing a hug. She did so, and Mai embraced her little girl tightly.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart! I'm so very sorry!", she whispered to her daughter as she tightened her hug slightly, tears coming in torrents. Anastasia did not know why her mother was so upset, or apologizing, but decided to comfort her mother as best she could. She hugged back as tight as she possibly could.

~At the edge of a cliff in Domino City Forest~

A lone red car was parked at the edge of a steep cliff, the driver outside and sitting on top of the hood. Yugi was now at the very place where he used to take Mai on, on dates before they got married.

{Yugi was sitting on a larger boulder with Mai, both hand-in-hand and watching the stars and moon in the deep-violet sky. Both of them loved to come here, to see the ocean and also the entire lot of Domino City. It was like the city was spread out at their feet.

"Mai, I really hope that you and I stay together. Even if we can't, all I care about is your happiness.", he told his girlfriend truthfully.

Mai giggled and smirked. She replied, "Don't worry, Yugi. I'm planning to stick by your side to the end, just like you did for me and Joey back at Battle City.".

He smiled, feeling happy and also confident for the first time outside of the dueling arena. He sighed, and leaned his head on Mai's shoulder. Mai did the same thing, but her chin rested atop his head.

"I won't ever hurt you, Yugi.", she whispered to him.}

Now, he was back in the present. He sighed heavily, now realizing that Mai lied to him. All this time, she went behind his back to 'comfort' his best friend. His heart was full of pain, as he replayed on seeing the terrible event in his own home. Slowly, he looked down and looked at the wedding band that was on his right hand.

He took it off, studying it some before carefully placing it on the driver seat inside his car. "If being with Joey makes you happy, Mai…", he stated softly before reaching into the dashboard and pulling out a little pocketknife. He took out the small blade, studying it carefully. Yugi then looked back out towards the ocean, for one last time.

Raising the silver blade high in the air, he declared coldly, "Remember Mai, I'm doing this so you could be happy.". He plunged the blade into his heart deeply, death instantaneous. He slumped to the ground, his life force flowing from him like a river. It seeped down the cliff, where it fell into the ocean below.

~Two days later~

It was 12:45 p.m., and policemen scoured the area around Domino City. A search had begun for Yugi, when he did not return back to his home in the morning yesterday. Mai was distraught big time, a sinking feeling in her heart when Yugi did not return home. 'Please, Yugi. Please be alright… and forgive me.', she pleaded to herself.

She took Anastasia to and from school, the little one obviously a little confused and scared on why her father was not around the house. She asked on where he was, but Mai told her she didn't know, either.

Mai was now sitting inside the living room, wondering on how she was going to fix this. "I gained nothing, and now… I feel as if I lost everything. All because of my stupid mistake.", she told herself. She took a picture from a table stand, and it was the picture of her and Yugi on their wedding day. Her hand slowly and carefully glided over the photo, tears threating to come forth.

The telephone ringing brought her back to reality, and she answered it. "Hello, Moto residence. This is Mai, speaking.", she said. A male voice from the other end answered, "Mrs. Moto, Lieutenant Carmen here. We've… we've found your husband.".

Mai shot up quickly and exclaimed, "Where is he?! Where?!". Carmen was silent for a moment before answering, "He's at… Domino City Forest. You better come and take a look yourself.".

Mai was puzzled for a moment, asking herself, 'Why would he be at Domino-?'. It the hit her that was the place where he took her on dates. She said, "Thanks! I'll be right there!". Hanging up the phone, she grabbed her coat from the rack near the doorway and headed out.

~At the cliff area~

Mai parked her blue sports car by some police cars, the police already sealing off the scene. She ducked past the yellow restriction tape, and found her husband's car parked at the edge of the cliff. Two tall, male officers were talking to one another near the vehicle.

"Excuse me.", she called out softly as she walked to them. They turned around, and immediately put on sober, very sad faces. She was slightly scared on why they looked like that. "Which one of you is Lt. Carman?", she asked.

The tall, blonde policeman slowly approached her and answered, "I am, Mrs. Moto.". Mai then asked, "Please, where is my husband?". He looked very distraught at first, and that made Mai's heart race. He then pulled something out from his pocket, saying, "We've found it here fifteen minutes ago, ma'am. This was found on the driver's seat.".

He then opened up his closed fist, and revealed a golden ring. Mai gasped in shock, for it was Yugi's wedding band. Tears started to come forth, as she slowly reached for the golden trinket. "B-But, where's Yugi?", she asked fearfully. Carmen shook his head sadly, and motioned for her to follow.

Mai did follow the officer, and when they passed the car to the other side, what she saw made her heart stop and her blood turn ice-cold. On the ground was a body, covered in a white sheet. It meant only one thing…

"No… no! No, please God, don't let be true.", she whispered fearfully as she kneeled down to the sheet. Tentatively, slowly, she pulled back the sheet that showed the head. It revealed to be… the head of one dead Yugi Moto.

Mai started to tremble badly, then she started to sob loudly. She wrapped her arms around Yugi's head, holding him for all she was worth. She bawled like a baby, saying over and over again, "Please, God no! No, this can't be happening!". She prayed to the heavens that this was merely a dream, a bad one on which she would wake up soon.

"We've found a small knife in his hand when we found him, Mrs. Moto. It seems… he stabbed himself through the heart.", Carmen told her softly. It was really a trying time for the woman, as she paid little attention and just continued to cry. The officer just shook his head, as he turned to look out at the ocean.

"Sir, why do you think he killed himself?", his subordinate asked. Carmen sighed and answered, "For the same reason he lived, Kepler. Love.". The rookie officer was confused by this, but not Carmen. He said to no one in particular, "He lived by love, and he died by it.".

(Author's Notes: Well, this was it. I'm sorry if it seemed a bit dark, but that is what went through my mind after reading a particular fanfic. Now, here are the questions:

1.) How do you think the others will handle the news, once they get wind of it?

2.) How do you think Anastasia will feel towards her mom and Joey when she find out?

3.) You feel pity for Yugi, for him seeing what he saw and his actions?

4.) How do you judge Mai, on her actions throughout the entire scene? What would you say or do to her?

R&R, no flames, enjoy, and leave long reviews.)