Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The not to distant future ❯ Chapter 12

The not to distant future
By Yami Kitsune
Now being BetaRead by: Tavi
Chapter twelve: Pain in shadows

Yugi had made it back to his soul room and was now sitting on his bed hugging his knees close. The memory still seemed to be playing itself out in front of him. He let out a bitter laugh, it all made sense to him now. Why, whenever things seemed to be going great, and he was actually happy for a while, it never lasted. Why his life seemed to be falling a part piece by piece.

"Yami..." Yugi said softly as he started rocking back and forth. He wanted nothing more then to have his yami close. His other half had always brought him comfort when nothing else could. Making a decision Yugi disappeared from his soul room so he could wake up.

Yugi could hear voices now. People were in his room. He immediately recognized Ryou and Malik's voices. Yugi slowly opened his eyes turning his head a little so he could see. He stared, his vision blurry. Ryou was standing in the doorway, Bakura by his side, holding his hikari up. Yugi noticed that Ryou looked tired and weak. As if he'd been drained of energy. Shifting his eyes, Yugi spotted Malik and Marik. Marik was looking towards the end of Yugi's bed glaring at something. It was then that Yugi noticed that everyone on the room was looking at something. Looking down Yugi blinked when he saw Jou standing there, bound by ropes that were obviously created from shadow magic. Yugi couldn't help but feel relieved at seeing his friend again. Jou was here. He was alright.

Yugi let his eyes fall closed again, still feeling tired. He shivered as he felt something cold wrap around his body. The image of his mother flashed in front of his eyes and he snapped them open hoping that would get rid of it. But he still felt cold.

"Y-Yami..." Yugi said, his teeth chattering. Everyone seemed to now have their attention on him.

"Yugi! You're awake!" Yami said, kneeling next to the bed and reaching out to touch Yugi. But his hand met with the same barrier it had before and he pulled his hand away before he could get zapped. Yugi didn't seem to notice the barrier though. His eyes widened and tears filled his eyes when he saw Yami pull his hand away before even touching him.

"...Yami..." Yugi whimpered, burying his face in the pillow. Yami stared when he saw the shadowy mist swirling around Yugi. It took shape and was laying on the bed it's arm wrapped around Yugi.

"Poor little Yugi." It hissed into his ear.

Yami narrowed his eyes at the shadow. "Get away from my hikari!" He snapped, the third eye glowing on his forehead. The shadow slowly looked up and smirked before sliding off the bed and standing in front of Yami.

"You think you frighten me Pharaoh? I am made from fear. I know what your greatest fear is. And your greatest pain." The shadow advanced on Yami still smirking. Marik and Bakura were standing next to Yami before the shadow could get any closer.

"What do you want here?" Marik asked his grip tightening on the Millennium Rod. The shadow's eyes drifted down to the item and then looked back at Marik. "What do I want?" He grinned. "You of all people should already know that Marik." The shadow glanced at Ryou and Malik who were slowly making their way around to the bed to see how Yugi was. Marik stared at the shadow, his own eyes widened a little in surprise. Before anyone could react a burst of wind whipped through the room. The three Hikari's screamed as objects started flying around the room nearly hitting them in the head.

Yami covered his face, backing away from the shadow who just looked around frowning. "Damn show off. What the fuck do you want NOW!?"

"Return! IMMEDIATELY!" A voice boomed through the room. Yugi lifted his head a little, that voice sounded slightly familiar. But he didn't have time to register it before he had to duck a flying book. "You disobeyed a direct order!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm coming." The shadow growled. Turning into a mist again he retreated back into Jou.

"Aw man not again!" Jou grumbled as his consciousness was taken over yet again. The ropes disintegrated and the Shadow went back over to the window, opening it. Looking back into the room he waved almost cheerfully at the three Yami's, who were giving him looks that promised a very slow and painful death.
"...until next time!" And with that, he jumped. The wind stopped immediately and objects fell from where they had stopped in the air. Marik yelped as a rather large hard covered book hit him on the head. Malik sat up rubbing his head frowning. He looked down at Yugi and Ryou. Ryou looked ready to pass out. And Yugi looked pale, his eyes wide open. Malik waved a hand in front of Yugi's face. Yugi slowly shifted his eyes to look at Malik.

"...Yugi, what did the shadow do?" Malik asked.

"...he didn't do anything." Yugi said slowly sitting up. As he did he suddenly found two arms wrapped around him pulling him close. Yugi blinked in surprise. "Yami...?" He asked his hands trembling.

//I was so worried for you hikari.// Yami said mentally. Yugi's hands were shaking more but he did not return the pharaoh's embrace.

/I'm not./ Yugi said in return. Yami blinked in confusion and pulled back looking at Yugi who lowered his head.

"You're not what hikari?"

"Don't call me that! I'm not..." Yugi swallowed. He had no right to be called a hikari. A hikari was someone pure and innocent. Yugi let out a small bitter laugh backing away from Yami. Putting a hand on his head.

"Yugi...what's wrong. You're really worrying me." Yami said. Marik and Bakura were also watching the smallest hikari. Even though neither of them could say they really LIKED the boy. They too were worried about what the shadow might have done.

"It's ironic..." Yugi said, laughing again as he looked up at Yami his eyes shining with tears. "That someone like ME would be a hikari." Yugi said ignoring the bewildered looks he was getting. He knew he was sounding a little hysterical at the moment. But he couldn't bring himself to care. Not any more. "I mean, why me? Why was I chosen?"

"Because you have a kind heart Yugi. And you'd never hurt any-"

"HA!" Yugi cut Yami off so quickly pointing his finger at Yami. "That, Yami, is where you're wrong." Yugi said. "I have hurt people!" When it looked like Yami was going to say something Yugi continued quickly. "Before I put the puzzle together." Yugi started. "Jou and Honda got beat up at school because of me."

"That wasn't your fault." Yami said. "You weren't the one who beat them up." Yugi actually narrowed his eyes.

"But I might as well have been! Duelist Kingdom! Battle City!"

"Actually, that was mostly my handiwork." Marik said crossing his arms. "I won't let you take credit for that one kid."

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!!!" Yugi shouted. "You don't get it! NONE OF YOU DO!"

"Yugi, you're not making any sense!" Malik said taking his friend by the shoulders. Yugi pushed him away and fisted his hands in his hair. Yami looked on with sad eyes, watching Yugi struggling with himself.

"I hurt people, every where I go. And now Jou...Jou is..." Yugi collapsed to his knees and slammed his fists on the floor. "She should have killed me! She should have..." Bakura glared as he watched Yugi. He moved over and reached down grabbing Yugi by the back of the shirt and pulling him none to gently back to his feet.

"Bakura!" Yami and Ryou said at once. But Bakura ignored them as he forced Yugi to look at him.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" Bakura snapped. "Life sucks, deal with it. I don't know what the hell you have been talking about but it's pissing me off. If you think you should die I would be more then happy too help you with that!" Yugi looked at Bakura eyes wide. This had always worked on Ryou when the silver haired hikari had been feeling sorry for himself. And had actually stopped him a few times from killing himself. Because, all in all, Bakura knew that Ryou was actually afraid to die. This however, Bakura was actually worried when he saw a slight bit of hope in Yugi's eyes at the thought of someone killing him. He let Yugi go and immediately got a fist in the face from Yami.

"Don't you EVER treat my hikari like that again!" Bakura stumbled back from the force of the punch wiping his lip he glared back at Yami. He didn't say anything as he walked over taking Ryou by the wrist he led him out of the room.

"Come on Malik." Marik said leaving Yami and Yugi alone. Yami watched them close the door and looked back at Yugi who had moved back over to the bed and was now laying down again, hugging a pillow tightly. Yami sat down next to him and ran his fingers through Yugi's hair. Yugi closed his eyes and let his tears fall. Yami didn't say anything, because he didn't know what to say. Yugi was in so much pain, Yami could feel it. But he didn't know what the cause of it was. And as he felt Yugi's barriers sliding up, he knew he was not going to be getting the answer any time soon.

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A loud scream echoed through the room before the shadow fell to the floor. Honda stood over him glaring. "What possessed you to confront the yami's like that!? Do you know how close you were to revealing everything!"

"I wouldn't have told them a damn thing and you know it." The shadow hissed. "I'm still under your command, unless you have forgotten that. And if you have then I might as well just leave." The shadow stood, glaring at Honda.

"I don't forget things that easily. And if you are still under my command then how do you explain how you disobeyed me?"

"I was hungry. And I found something rather tasty and couldn't resist." The shadow said with a shrug.

"Really?" Honda asked sounding interested now. "And what is it that you saw that was just to tasty that you couldn't resist?"

"In simple terms that even you can understand? An all you can eat buffet."

"Who?" Honda asked. "Ryou? Malik maybe?" He asked frowning when the shadow shook his head.

"The pharaoh's light." Honda raised an eyebrow at this. "That kid has more locked up in that mind of his then even his yami knows. His mind is a maze of pain."

"A maze? Like Yami's?" Honda asked remembering when he had seen inside the pharaoh's soul room.

"No, Yugi's maze is worse then that. Similar to the pharaoh's. But picture the pharaoh's maze in complete darkness."

"Alright, now you've got ME curious." Anzu said coming to stand next to Honda. "What is it that Yugi is hiding in that maze of his?" The shadow narrowed his eyes at Anzu. He had no intention of telling them. Unless he was outright ordered to. But there was one major difference between Honda and Anzu. The shadow could at least lie to her.

"I don't know. I didn't get to see before he woke up." The shadow said with another shrug.

"Then tell us." Honda said. "What DID you see?" The shadow narrowed his eyes at Honda silently cursing him. Oh this boy would regret the day he ever tried to command the shadows. The shadow would make sure of that.

"He killed his mother." The shadow said in a low hiss. His voice full of loathing for the two in front of him.

"Hmm. Now that is very interesting. Very interesting indeed." Honda turned and started pacing, his mind working out a new plan of action. "I think, it is time to put our plan into action." He said stopping and turning to look at Anzu. "Anzu. I think you should prepare the 'guest rooms'." Honda said watching Anzu's face light up before she nodded and hurried off. Honda looked back at the shadow.

"And as for you. I don't care how you do it. Bring all three of the Hikari's here. WITHOUT their annoying yami's."

The shadow bowed and disappeared going back to Jou's body. He would have to return to Seto's and think of a plan of action there.

TBC>>>