~Mind Games~

"For those who feel like they're searching."

OC x Atem

Yu-gi-oh © Kazuki Takahashi

Mind Games © Iland Girl

~Opening Theme~

"CHEMISTRY- Period"

CHAPTER 1

"The First Encounter"

It's almost comical really.

This strange desire that's holding my heart. There's something that refuses to let go of me.

I feel like, my life has been going for a lot longer than fifteen years. Almost as if a portion has been forgotten, a hole if you will. I don't feel like a teenager, I don't normally act like one either.

Don't get me wrong, I'd be the first in the line up for the sake of fun, but I can't quite sit still when it comes to teenagers acting like idiots. I find the whole power struggle of high school comical, ridiculous actually. The desire to be popular, to wear name brands and dress a certain way, it's absolutely frustrating!

Why wear this or that when you should be happy you've got clothing on your back?

Perhaps it's just my upbringing, my parents are quite weird. Instead of doting on my like traditional parents of a single child, they were very realistic. They taught me that each step you make is important, that the color of you skin or the size of you waist doesn't matter in heaven. They told me that when in doubt, follow your heart. I love my parents because they aren't crude, but they're completely honest.

Sometimes I wondered if I was really adopted, they and I looked so much alike it was pitiful. I gained an older sister when I turned eight, she was already twice my age. We didn't see eye to eye for a while, mostly because of her crude behavior- just like a typical teen- but as I grew she did mentally too. We bonded over things only sisters could, like talking of future goals and- to my dismay- boys.

I loved Kanna, my sister, much like my parents. For eight years she was my best friend and rival. I wasn't pretty naturally like her, she was half Italian, quarter Swedish, and a quarter Japanese. She was really pretty, but I didn't even know where I came from. I was found on the steps of my parents one night, Kanna had lived with her mother for a few years before shipping off to other homes. From what we could tell, I was half Asian, possibly English too.

Unlike Kanna, if I wanted to be pretty I had to wear make up, but the stuff always took too long to apply properly, so most days I just ignored it all together. What was the point? I didn't like anybody, besides, I'd rather not wear a mask when I meet this crush.

Unfortunately, because we do see each other everyday, we do get into fights quite a bit. It's usually stupid things too, Kanna insisted I wore my skirt too long, that nobody would look twice at such a plain girl, but I just ignored her and hiked it lower on purpose. Of course we ended up cursing back and forth, so I simply sauntered out the door. There was no such thing as arguing and winning with Kanna, she'd go until you were both on the floor, blue in the face.

"Damn that stupid witch! Leave my stupid skirt alone!" I growled, fixing it up so that it wasn't incredibly short anymore. Why did she have to mess with it? I thought it looked fine since it hid my chicken legs. Stomping down the street, I decided to blow off some steam with a nice long walk.

We have just moved to Japan again, I hadn't been here since I was small. Our parents loved traveling, often going off on adventures, they encouraged Kanna and I to do the same as much as we liked. Their only rule is that we had to get an education, but the school was completely up to us. My parents weren't rich, but they did have money, and I know they would use every penny on us if we asked.

Which is why we don't, the thought feels nicer than the gift.

Anyway, I didn't remember any of the streets, or the names of places. I figured venturing out on my own would be good once I begun school next week. The sky was grey, but it wasn't too bad outside right now. With a soft sigh, I walked down some more populated streets, heading in God knows what direction. Without the sun, I was absolutely horrible with directions.

I frowned a little bit when I passed some boys in uniform, they looked over at me with leery eyes. With a frown, I ebbed my skirt lower on my waist. It had come to mind that I'd never worn a uniform, let alone a skirt before, so I had resolved to... practice. If I could walk outside like this, school would be a cake walk. Still, there were those creeps around every corner, driving me nuts!

I managed to find my salvation, a game shop that had just opened. Nobody was inside, so I figured stopping in there until those boys left was a good idea. When I entered, I immediately noticed the long wall of puzzles. A smile drifted onto my face, I liked puzzles, brain teasers, things that made me think. A step up from normal simplicities. In a way it was relaxing.

"Hello Miss, how may I help you?"

I glanced over at the voice, giving a soft bow.

"Hello, I'm just browsing, Sir." I said to the elderly man standing by the front desk. He gave me a nod and a smile.

"If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask."

I gave a soft thank you, but after a short while I decided not to window shop anymore, it was kind of mean. So I turned to walk out the door, but something stopped me.

"Bye Gramps! Seeya late-oof!"

"Owwww!" I groaned as I fell onto the floor. My head hurt, this was just not my day, now was it? I opened my shut eyes to glance at what it was I ran into. Turned out to be a boy, he barely looked twelve, who was also sprawled out onto the floor. My head hurt, but I had to admit, he looked so cute sitting there rubbing his own head.

He reminded me of a stuffed panda doll.

...Yeah...

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" I asked, standing up before offering him a hand. He looekd a little surprised, but took it and let me help him to his feet. He was almost a whole foot shorter than me, but my lord his hair was even bigger than my own!

"Ah no, that was my fault." He paused, a look of shock running over him. "Oh no! I'm late! Excuse me Miss!" He shouted before running out the door. The old man behind the counter was laughing as I gave him a bewildered look. Just what was going on there?

"Ah that's my Yuugi!" He said, though I had a feeling it was just meant for his own ears.

Deciding to scram before I got bowled over by a larger offender, I made my way back to my house on the other side of town. It was a nice, long, refreshing walk back, only once I got there did I realize I had a rather large bump on my head.

"I'm home!" I called, sliding off my shoes and heading upstairs to my room. It was more like a nest really, it didn't have an actual door, the stairs just stopped and a small path that looped back over the hallway below showed my room and Kanna's. In essence we shared the flat, our closet and beds on separate ends behind a wall, but still no doors. Didn't matter to me, I was fine wherever they stuffed me, Kanna was quite prissy about her stuff being touched though.

It seemed to have been built in by her original mother, she even taped off sections of the room I was not permitted to pass. When she stole the only sink though, I stole the TV and couch. oddly enough she didn't argue. Didn't matter to me anyways, I never brushed my hair and I brushed my teeth in the shower, why would I need the sink?

When I took my first step on the stairs, I glanced up and saw Kanna through the small, guarded path that looped over the lower hall. She was in her pj's and had a towel wrapped around her head. She waved down at me.

"Bath's open." She said casually, I shrugged, a bath sounded nice right now. I walked up the twisted stairs and passed my older sister until I got to the bathroom that had the only door upstairs. We had two bathrooms, one up and one down. Kanna practically dominated ours so much that I had to sneak in to take a shower. She could be awful sometimes when I touched her shampoo.

It did smell so delicious though...

I locked the door behind me, not chancing her barging in and grabbing her stuff to run. Now was my time, and mine only! I gave a yawn before shedding my clothes and stepping on them to-

"OW!"

What the Devil was that?! It felt like I stepped on a rock! Why on Earth would a rock be in my clothes?!

Shifting through them, I found the source of my pain. It was small, fitting into the palm of my hand quite nicely, and smooth. It looked rather old, dirty even, with a strange symbol carved into the front. Whatever it was, it was all Greek to me!

Where did this come from?

Ending Theme Song

"Let it Out" By Fukuharu Miho

Hello there, I'm restarting some old projects, this is one of them. I haven't rewritten this story, but have altered a few small things. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review if you did to let me know that I should continue.

Cheers!

"Iland Girl"