The cold was the first thing he felt, then after the initial shock he felt the pain as his nerves erupted and were set on fire. He cried out in pain and crumbled to the ground as his body gave out from the attack. He couldn't see his attacker but he could hear his distinguishable voice as he laughed and smell his rancid breath from behind him. The knife had been pulled out of his back already and as he looked up he saw the unusual blade that glinted from the street light. The hilt had a hole for the index finger and the blade slightly curved at the point, the blade itself was sharp double-edged with his blood dripping from it. It was no pocket knife or even a knife that a mugger would carry. This was a hunting knife and he had just become the hunted. The overloading pain was causing his vision to blur and his body to shut down to protect itself. He had to try and identify the attacker first, he had to or else he knew he would live in fear. His body did not agree with his mind and the last thing he saw was the knife lowering to his chest as he fell into blissful darkness.

Present Time-Five Years Later

It was time to celebrate and Yugi was trying to get into the happy mood like the rest of his friends. Honda and Jounochi had graduated from the academies and would start their new jobs within the next week and everyone was having a good time at the graduation party, all except Yugi. He didn't know why he wasn't getting into the party mood, maybe he was just tired. After all Jounochi and Honda had surprised them all by announcing they would be enrolling in the fire and police academy after they graduated high school. Jounochi, choosing the fire academy, felt that he needed to have a job where he could be useful to the community and he wouldn't have to sit at a desk. Honda… Honda was a mystery, even to Jounochi as to why he had chosen the Police Academy.

"Fifty bucks it's so he looks good to Serenity." Jounochi had said when they found out four years ago. It still remained a mystery to everyone but Honda and he didn't feel like sharing. It had taken four years of training and school degrees to become lieutenants, but it was worth it as Jounochi and Honda flashed the degrees and graduation letters to everyone.

Duke, who had graciously offered to host the party, had his apartment wild and loud as more and more people showed up, people that Yugi had never met and others that Yugi had known for years. One in particular was waving at him from across the room.

"YUGI! Darling, it's been so long!" Mai was outgoing and rambunctious as ever and proved it when she didn't even wait for Yugi to respond as she dragged him into a hug.

"It's only been a week Mai," Yugi smiled a crooked smile when Mai released him from her grasp.

"Not long enough? Ok then, it's been a week since I've seen you last." Her voice almost sounded accusatory and maybe it was. Yugi usually saw her every day with Jounochi and Honda, but for the past week he had let himself fall off the map. The nightmares were getting more current and more frightening every night for a while now. His friends had believed that was behind him and he wanted them to, but lately sleep had become impossible and him being alone made it worse. He hated waking up in the dark and being alone in his apartment, it made him feel like he was completely abandoned. Yet he pressed on and pretended to be fine and smile for everyone while inside he was in utter fear and turmoil.

"I've just been busy with work lately," Mai nodded, looked concerned, decided to do what Mai did best. Make a joke out of it.

"Tell Kaiba to lean off cracking the work whip, you're not a corporate slave you know." Yugi laughed and for the first time in a while he was content.

"I'll be sure to tell Kaiba, he needs a good shove here and there. Keeps his head from getting too big," Mai laughed. Yugi had been offered by Kaiba to work for his gaming corporation after he graduated high school. Yugi had offered to work for free and Kaiba would have none of it. Kaiba would be damned if he did charity for Yugi.

Or so he claimed.

Since Yugi started to work with Kaiba the people who bought Kaiba's merchandise had almost quadrupled and the Duelist Schools had been opened. Yugi would give lectures occasionally around the newly opened schools around the world, but Domino City would always be his home. If you wanted the Great Yugi Mouto to teach you, you had to go to Domino. Yugi was constantly challenged before and after his classes, some by his students, some strangers of all ages, and a few weirdo's'. Life was never dull at KaibaCorp for Yugi.

The noise in the room seemed to double as a few more people came in. These two Yugi did know, one of which he worked with and seemingly befriended after years of rivalry.

"Speak of the devil," Yugi said smiling.

Kaiba and Mokuba had stolen the show with their glorious entrance which included Kaiba and his aura of superiority and thousand dollar clothes and Mokuba holding a small red box with a bow. It would have been laughable if Kaiba walked in with it.

Honda greeted Kaiba with a slap on the back that Kaiba didn't appreciate as he glared in response. Jounochi had made a few comments and had already started the almost daily, semi-friendly, word war with Kaiba. Kaiba usually won.

Yugi let himself slide out on the balcony where he was alone. He needed time to clear his head and he didn't want to be around when Jounochi got mad enough to want to throw punches. Yugi let out a sigh and let it all out. The week was behind him and the weekend was promised to have a barbecue with the guys and maybe a few duels for old time sake.

He started to think about Anzu and how much he missed her and wished that he could talk to her, but like Yugi had done for the last week, Anzu had simply fallen off the map.

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