A/N
So I have been super inspired the write this for some time now :)
It will be Puzzleshipping, Tendershipping, bronzeshipping and Puppyshipping yey!
Not so much action in the first chapter as im just getting setting all ready :D
No flames please. If you don't like then just don't read! ^^
Yugi groaned, flopping down on one of the plastic chairs sitting on the balcony. The view of the pyramids in the distance was amazing. under the twilight sky but he could hardly take notice with the migraine that was splitting through his skull. Maybe it was all the travelling the previous day or the jet lag he wasn't sure. It could be a bug that's going around even. Ryou and Malik ( Malik who had decided to meet them from the airport and stay in the hotel with them) had gone to bed early feeling ill too.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes feeling the cold air. It was a nice change to the stifling heat of the Egyptian sun throughout the day. This tournament he and his friends had been invited too was held not to far from where they were staying. It not that he wasn't excited for it. It had been quite a while since he had done anything competitive, but he was the king of games in Japan anyway and this competition happened to be a worldwide viewed 'mega'' tournament that elitist from around the world would be competing in. Or that what he was told on the invitation anyway. Held in the country of the origin of games.
He was excited but it had to be this certain time of year ,this month ,this bloody week. He looked at the pyramids sadly and sighed. The week Atem had passed on. The week he returned to the afterlife.
The opening day of this was on the damn two year anniversary of it. It wasn't just himself though, Ryou was missing Bakura and even if he was an evil bastard ,Yugi could still sympathise with him. Even Malik was missing his Yami, Ra knows why. It had been two years and for the first few month once he left, he was devastated but with the help of his friends he pulled through and started to feel better, but he couldn't help feeling down when the anniversary of it came around every year. Everyone could tell he was missing him, hell everyone did. But they didn't understand the extent. They didn't share a body or connected the same way he and Atem did. It physically felt like something as missing, it just simply got easier to cope with over time, except for this time of year obviously.
He was sure this tournament would help him take his mind off it, but it was going be a hard day for him and the rest of the hikaris tomorrow that was certain.
He stood up and stretched ready to open the glass doors to the hotel room the boys were sharing when severe pain thundered through his mind, it felt like it had split open.
Everything started to spin around him, getting faster and faster until the world around him faded to black.
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Everything was really blurry but it seemed to be a white/grey room like some sort of office. but he couldn't really tell. The blurry vision wasn't clearing up and he had to squint to make anything out. There were two figures sat next to him. The furthest seemed really twitchy. It as imposable to make out faces. In front someone behind a desk started talking but it was distorted, like he was hearing it behind a door or they were talking into a pillow. Only a few words were understandable.
"Owe me, Life, Tournament, Win, shock collar, control, insurance, light, killed"
The body he seemed to not be in control of stood up and bolted over the desk grabbing the blurry figure by what he could make out as his shirt.
"TOUCH THEM, RIP YOU APART" He was shouting now apparently, the two figures who were next to him were up shouting threats too , which was obvious from their body language and the way they were slowly walking behind the desk. The figure he was still holding by the collar took out some sort of remote device from his pocket. Pained cries filled the room followed by himself and the two others falling to the ground. He looked up at the man behind the desk who was now laughing, walking from round the desk and standing over him.
"We better start training you. You wont be used to this body." That last sentence was clear as day.
Yugi slowly opened his eyes to see Jou standing over him with a worried expression.
"You okay Yug?"Jou asked helping his best friend sit up.
Yugi smiled, "Sorry Jou, I'm fine really. I must have been more tired than I thought!"
It had seemed he had slept outside as the morning sun was rising. He wondered what the hell that dream was all about but shook it off obviously a side effect from that migraine that thankfully was gone.
The blonde smiled and helped his friend to his feet.
"If your sure! Wanna go get breakfast before we get ready for the tournament?" He asked excitedly.
Walking in the room, he met eyes with Ryou and Malik, none felt like talking to much. Yugi gave a 'good morning' nod which was met by a small smile from the others. Sadness present behind their eyes.
They all grabbed a table in the hotel restaurant before ordering what they wanted for breakfast.
Everyone seemed a little quiet sensing the wistful atmosphere between Yugi, Ryou and Malic, but they all knew what day it was and were giving them as much space as they needed.
"So, do you think this will be duel monsters related them? I mean the invitation didn't really explain." Jou shrugged between mouthfuls of food wanting to lighten up the mood a little.
"I dunno... I mean ' exciting thrilling games to test your skill' isn't really giving much away" Malik shrugged.
"I don't think it will be duel monsters this time, but we should bring our decks just in-case!" Yugi joined in.
"Are you guy's thinking of entering too?" Ryou asked looking towards Honda and Anzu.
"Oh I don't think so we're more of the support type. But we will cheer for you guys!" Anzu smiled.
The group gasped as the walked up to the giant cathedral type building that looked like it could harbour a small towns worth of people. Strange gargoyle creatures sat on the edges contrasting to the light brown sandstone bricks that gave the building a warm friendly feel. Decorated by a array of beautiful stain glass windows with amazing patterns and pictures. The grounds were full of many different variations of people talking and enjoying themselves obviously here to win.
A small excited tingle went through Yugi's body, followed by an nervous flip of the stomach. He loved this feeling before starting a contest, he had missed it greatly it almost felt like it was the beginning of battle city all over again.
"Please state your name and Where your from" The lady smiled behind the desk.
They gasped as they stepped inside, the coiling a breath taking mural that must have taken many years to complete, marvel floors with a grand staircase towards the back of the room. Many small chandeliers hung from the arches that were carved into the stone walls dimly lighting the inside. Light shining through the stain glass windows shone down onto the marble flooring giving it a beautiful rainbow effect. It almost felt magical.
Caught off guard by the almost magical atmosphere Malik suddenly felt a warm shiver run down his spine. He could FEEL someone's eyes on him, no them. of course there was many people in this room, it was a huge room filled with many contestants but none looked menacing and everyone looked interested in their own little conversations, no the feeling was different, intense.
"You okay?" Yugi asked breaking Malik out of his thoughts.
"Y-yeah, its just-"
"Can you please tell me the names of your Team of four followed by the Leader as the invitation instructed."The official interrupted impatiently
"The team is Malik, Jounochi, Ryou and myself, Me being the leader." Yugi pointed to everyone as he explained.
"Great, please make your way inside and at at home. We will be starting soon." She nodded.
"Yeah! We cant lose the ultimate tag team.!" Jou exclaimed excitedly as they walked through the barriers into the room.
A smug almost mocking laugh exploded behind them.
"YOU GOT A PROBLEM-oh great its you." Jou huffed crossing his arms and shooting a glare at Kaiba behind him.
"Don't kid yourself mutt, the top elite of elite are here. Your just a deadbeat, be careful not to bring your team down."He mocked.
"I'll deadbeat you!" Jou growled stomping towards Kiaba. Yugi jumped infront to hold his friend back.
"Are you in this tournament as well Kiaba?" Yugi asked happily to his once rival, once his best friend had calmed down and returned to the death glare he was shooting him.
Kiaba shook his head."My company is partnering up with Aitha Industries to host the competition I'm here to make sure everything runs smoothly" He explained. Suddenly looking at Yugi, Malik and Ryou seriously. " Listen to me carefully Yugi. Your in danger here. No matter what you hear, or think, you must stay away from"He quickly glanced to the corner of the room. The group followed his look. "Them. Do you understand?"
In the corner of the room shaded under one of the stone archways stood a smart looking man with Light brown messy hair, a black shirt, cream dress pants and gloves talking to one of the tournament officials wearing sunglasses. Yugi thought he must have been completely insane to wear all those clothes in this heat and those sunglasses indoors especially when the room wasn't that well lit. Next to him stood three robed/ hooded figures. Unable to see their faces from the shadow the hoods cast. One was wearing white with blue stitching the other was sandy yellow with purple rims and the last one was red and gold laced. The yellow one seemed really restless and the white one seemed to be scolding him with the occasional smack round the head. Which made Ryou giggle a little. The one in red was facing this way, no directly at Yugi. He went turn away but for some reason he couldn't. Almost like he was trapped in a stare down even though he couldn't see this persons eyes. he was certain they were bearing into him. The sounds and images around him seam to blur as the small thump of the migraine returned.
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Kaiba repeated loudly.
"Y-yes sorry" Yugi shook his head. That was weird.
"Forgive me but why would we want to approach them? Aren't they rivals in all this?" Ryou asked.
"Excuse me, I have some business to attend to. " Kiaba avoided walking away, in the direction of the staircase.
"Polite as ever" Anzu groaned.
"I have a really bad feeling about this" Malik sighed.
"Didn't he say we we're in danger?" Ryou frowned nervously.
"I bet he's just trying to scare us. That ass."Jou grumbled
"Im not so sure..." Yugi mumbled, unable to resist the urge to look back, finding they were gone and no-where to be seen.
"Control yourself you damn freak." The white hooded figure roughly pushed the gold member into the stone wall down one of the dark corridors leading off the large room The figure laughed as he rubbed his head.
"Please try telling me what to do again. You stupid thief. Ill break your face." The gold figure laughed.
The white hood raised his fist but the red figure caught it before he could start a fight.
"Have you forgotten we need to work as a team here! Bakura...Marik." The red hooded figure snapped." We need to just restrain ourself and do our job" He continued, controlling the mixture of emotion in his voice.
"Coming from you Pharaoh, I noticed you could keep your eyes of your light." Malik teased.
Yami's jaw noticeable tightened under his red hood.
"What harm would it do? Raiki isn't around, he's gone to deal with his own stuff before everything starts, he will be ages. we have time" Malik pestered.
"You know exactly what harm it would do. You damn idiot. That fact is the only reason what we're doing this bastards work for him. He has eyes everywhere." Bakura hissed.
"Lets just get this over with. Its best they don't know we're alive." Yami swallowed the lump in his throat. Looking towards his light in the crowd who looked like he was laughing at something stupid Jou must have said.
He missed his light more than he could fathom and even if they didn't admit it, he knew the feeling was mutual.