Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Tainted Angel ❯ Prologue

A/N: This takes a whole new perspective on one of my favorite pairings. The whole story is one character's memory, until the last chapter. Later this chapter the character names will be revealed.

I don't own YuGiOh, but this is a really cool original idea, so please don't take it from me. Oh yes, warnings! Blood (of course) and there are no yamis/hikaris in this fic. They are all just separate people.

/…/ = thought

*~*~*~*~*~* = scene change

Ok, now that that is all said and done, you may read the awaiting prologue.

Tainted Angel

I remember the first time I saw her… How could I not? That night was the turning point of when my life would take a whole new path…

*~*~*~*~*~*

I walked along the barren streets alone. It was ten after 11; I didn't expect there to be anyone else out. This was the first time in a while I was breathing the cool spring air as it brushed by. I had taken to staying inside, not caring to even look out the window. My mind finally said that tonight was a good night for a walk.

I walked into a familiar alleyway and stood, just staring. This was the place my dad had left me… At least, that's what I've been told. I was only 5 when he left me alone in this world, just to go venture off on some expedition and never come back. The police don't even care that I'm managing my own apartment room. They don't care that my dad's been gone for 11 years…

I looked up to the sky, hoping to get a good view of the nighttime clouds. As I turned to face the light of the moon, a dark figure caught my eye. The shadow and I seemed to lock views, and it immediately jumped away.

With such speed it ran. I tried following it along the buildings but soon found myself lost and out of breath. Holding the wall, I moved into the nearest alley to rest. Just before I sat down, I saw the mysterious figure huddled in the corner. Slowly I made my way over, trying not to scare it.

"Are you lost?" I asked it.

/It's not like I can help; I don't know where I am either./

It slowly shook its head no. Just then, the shadow stood up. It was only a few inches shorter than I, and it seemed to take the form of a human. The figure then stepped forwards a bit, into the light.

My eyes laid upon a young girl, adorned with a black shirt, black pants, black combat boots, and a long black hooded cloak. Her eyes were of an odd hue. They seemed to reflect every color of the spectrum in one. Shoulder-length black hair framed her pale skin from under her hood.

"Don't be afraid; I won't hurt you." I cooed.

/She looks so… fragile. Like a small child…/

The girl pulled off her hood to reveal that her eyes expressed great fear and pain. Her arm fell forwards and she immediately pulled it back. She didn't catch it before I saw that her sleeve was ripped and stained.

"What happened to you? Are you hurt?" I asked, apparent concern in my voice.

She stumbled forwards and held out her arm. Along it was a deep gash that went from just below her elbow to the middle of her palm. I gasped as the crimson liquid continued to pour from the open wound.

"Would you like me to show you to the hospital?"

Again, she didn't speak. Just a mere headshake led me to understand that she didn't want to be seen. Just something about her told me that I had met a friend. I had met someone who knows what I've been through and can relate to it. Someone who can share the pain. Someone to just be there for me.

"Would you like to come back to my place?"

Her head nodded slowly, as if it pained her. I took the hand that wasn't wounded and tried to find my way back trough the streets I had taken. After a few wrong turns and a bit of backtracking, we reached the apartment building. We took the stairs up to the third floor and walked into the second door. I turned on the lights and sat down on the couch. The apartment was only composed of a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room. She followed and sat down next to me.

"Can I look at your wound once more?" I asked, looking into her still frightened eyes.

She held out her arm and let me look more closely at the cut. Her eyes fixated on me as I examined it.

/It's almost as if she's scared I'll rip her arm off or something…/

"Would you like me to bandage it?"

She nodded, drawing her arm back to her body. I walked off to get something to wrap her arm with. I returned with a gauze roll to find her laying down on the couch. I walked over and got down on my knees, in order to be eye level with her.

"Are you tired?" I asked.

She opened her eyes slowly, nodded, and sat up. The girl then extended her arm towards me so I could wrap it. After I was finished, I stood up.

"If you want, you can stay here the night. My bed is much more comfortable than the couch, so you can sleep there."

She looked up at me, eyes wide. The expression inside them immediately changed to happy, though a bit of fear still lingered. She followed me to my room and laid down on top of the sheets.

"Oyasumi," I said as I started to walk back to the living room.

"Arigatou," I heard her whisper before drifting off into a deep slumber.

/That is the first time all night she's said a word. Her voice is like one of an angel… Yet she seems so sad…/

I smiled at her sleeping figure and walked off to my own temporary bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*

I awoke as the sun did. The one I found yesterday was standing in front of me, looking down with happy eyes.

"Ohayo!" She said and smiled at me.

"Good morning to you too," I smiled weakly, as I was still a bit sleepy.

"It healed. Arigatou!"

"Y-you mean, your arm is already done?!" I shouted, becoming alert.

As I sat up, the blankets fell to the floor in a disorganized pile. She smiled again and extended her arm, the way she had the night before. I only saw a scar left, no blood or scab. Now that her arm was clear, I noticed several other scars were present.

"How did you get all those?!"

She didn't answer me; she just pulled her arm back and looked the other way.

"By the way, I never asked for your name. What is it?"

"Rikoh. I used to have a last name, but that was so long ago that I don't even remember it."

"Well how old are you?"

"I-I'm… 16. 16 years old."

"Wow, so am I! My name is Ryou."

Rikoh smiled as she turned back to face me.

"Nice to meet you, Ryou."

/She seems so cheery as compared to yesterday… I guess it just took her a while to warm up around me, even though I'm not frightening at all./

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Ok, that is the prologue! Tell me if it's interesting or not by reviewing! Please?