Memories
Concealed
Author’s note: I’m back with a new crossover! Once again, it’s YGO and Beast Wars, possibly the BEST shows ever! Well, in my opinion anyway. You don’t have to know YGO to read this fic. I’m taking the entire storyline from the manga and anime, so yeah. Anyway, this will be different than my other crossovers. Instead of the usual meeting of characters, the Beast Warriors have been reborn into humans. I’ll show you who will be who shortly. Now, you all probably think I’m crazy for doing this, but this idea has been floating in my mind for awhile, so I HAD to write it down.
Anyway, this is the character list and why I chose them for that particular character and also a link to a picture of what the YGO character looks like:
Yugi Muto – Cheetor http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/littleyugi_01/01/49.jpg
Well, aside from the fact that Yugi’s a complete wimp in the beginning, he soon becomes stronger, much like how Cheetor started off. They both are innocent somewhat and are as cute as can be, lol. He’ll start having flashbacks later on about being Cheetor.
Yami Yugi/Pharaoh Atemu – Optimus Primal http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/yamiyugi_01/01/74.jpg
I know, seems a little farfetched, huh? But Yami and Yugi are extremely close and so are Optimus and Cheetor. In the beginning, Yami is VERY evil, but he becomes nicer later on. Eventually, as the story progresses, Yami will remember being pharaoh along with being the Maximal commander.
Sugoroku Muto – Rhinox http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/sugoroku_01/01/08.jpg
Yugi’s comedic grandfather plays a major role most of the time and I needed Rhinox to at least have some lime light, lol. Their personalities are different, but Rhinox always treated Cheetor with high respect and Sugoroku has very high respect for his grandson.
Jounouchi Katsuya – Rattrap http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/jyoonouchi_01/01/64.jpg
Obvious to anyone. In the dub, Jou has a
Honda Hiroto – Inferno http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/honda_01/01/54.jpg
Now, pretty weird, right? Inferno being friends with Rattrap and Cheetor??? However, he doesn’t remember being a Predacon. His former life is a mystery to him, but soon he’ll figure it out. For the time being, he’s a tough good guy and pretty smart too.
Seto Kaiba – Dinobot green-haired Kaiba: http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/kaiba_01/01/03.jpg and brown-haired Kaiba: http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/kaiba_02/01/100.jpg
Again, pretty obvious. I don’t like making Dinobot one of the main antagonists, but oh well. DB and Kaiba are pretty distant from other people. Plus, Jou and Kaiba always pick fights and so do RT and DB. Also, Kaiba was never really fond of Yugi or his darker side....however, he respects them, just as Dinobot respected Optimus and Cheetor.
Ryou Bakura – Silverbolt http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/bakura_01/01/19.jpg
No, SB will not be in love with BA in this fic, sorry. He is shy, innocent Bakura, the new transfer student at Domino High. Although Ryou is nothing like Silverbolt in strength, he has a very honorable personality. Plus, he’s got the CUTEST puppy dog eyes!
Yami Bakura/Bakura – Tarantulas http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/bakura_01/01/06.jpg
For some reason, I see Terry as Bakura, the evil spirit of Ryou’s Millennium Ring. They’re both sadistic and well, they have these funky laughs. I dunno. Also, Tarantulas and Silverbolt never got along, and Ryou and Bakura are never friends, so I see a connection there. He knows he’s an ancient tomb robber, but he’ll eventually regain his memories of being the scheming spider we all love, lol.
Mokuba Kaiba – Waspinator http://www.janime.net/images/duelists/mokuba_01/01/17.jpg
Now, Moki and Waspy are very different. Moki is pretty smart for a 10 year old. He can outplay people at chess and he understands confusing computer programs, like his older brother. Waspinator isn’t really good at any of that stuff. So when he was reborn, his mind was completely changed from that of a 3-year-old to that of a genius, well, sort of. Waspinator will also regain some of his memories, but not all.
That’s all for now! These are the main characters for this fic for right now. The others will come later. For now, enjoy!
Chapter 1: The Puzzle of the Gods
Ding.......dong. The bell signaling lunch at Domino High rang loudly. Everyone hurriedly rushed to the door. Boys tumbling over one another to get out of class and girls simply took their time. “It’s lunchtime!” one boy called. “Let’s play some basketball!”
“Yeah!” another agreed. “We’ll let the girls play too.”
As they made their way out the door, one boy stopped. He turned back and stared at a short little boy sitting in the back, fiddling with some contraption. “Hey Yugi!” he said suddenly and the boy looked up. Wide, violet orbs stared at the other boy curiously. “Quit playing games by yourself and come play some basketball for once!” the other boy continued.
The boy called Yugi shook his head, his blonde bangs swung in his face as he did so. He stared at his toy and smiled lightly. “That’s okay....” he mumbled. “My team would just lose anyway.....” The other boy shrugged his shoulders and left.
Yugi waited to make sure everyone was gone. He sighed to himself, running his fingers through his unusual hair. It was spiked up with crimson surrounding the spikes and black inside the crimson. “I wish I could play my kind of games with someone,” he said to no one but himself. “I always bring a lot in my book bag but......I know! I’ll finish that today!” he cried happily, digging into his bag. “The puzzle I always carry around!” He placed a strange golden box onto his desk and smiled warmly. “My greatest treasure is in this box,” he stated. “It’s a secret, and there’s even a riddle to it. It’s something that you see, but have never seen before....Wondering what it is? The answer is....”
Suddenly, the golden box was snatched from Yugi’s grip. “Ah!” Yugi cried staring into the smirking faces of two boys. The one that had snatched his puzzle was very tall, with brown hair ending in a spike and sharp hazel eyes. He grinned wickedly at the smaller boy. “Heh, heh, what are you talking to yourself about, Yugi?” he sneered. “You win the prize for most creepy! ‘Your greatest treasure?!’”
The other boy, who had dirty blonde hair and quizzical brown eyes looked at the box in irritation. “‘Something you see, but have never seen before?!’” he mocked, just as the other boy had.
Yugi stood up angrily and reached for his puzzle. “Give it back, Honda!” he shouted. The brunette boy only smirked and danced around with it, high out of poor Yugi’s reach.
“Looky!” he cheered.
“GIVE IT BACK!” Yugi growled.
“Pass! Jounouchi!” Honda tossed the puzzle to his friend, who was leaning against the classroom doors lazily.
“Ah!” Yugi cried, jumping to grab it. “Be careful!”
Jounouchi, however, caught the puzzle and gave it another irritated look. “Jeez, only a girl would care about a box,” he snarled. He tossed the puzzle in his hand playfully. “Watching you makes me sick!” he said to Yugi. “It really pisses me off! So y’know, Yugi.....
“I’m going to teach you how to be a man!” he said with a wicked grin. Yugi just stared at him blankly. “You want this box back? Then gimme all you got!”
“I HATE FIGHTING!” Yugi shrieked.
Jounouchi’s grin faded and he plugged his ears. “Oww! Shut up!” he hissed. “You got no guts.”
Once he was settled down, Yugi laid out his hand. “Anyway, please give it back,” he said calmly.
“No way!” Honda grinned.
“What’s in here anyway?” Jounouchi said curiously turning the puzzle around. “Let’s take a peek!”
“You can look, but don’t lose anything!” Yugi shouted. “It’s really important to me!”
Taking a peek, Jounouchi scoffed, “How dumb. Here, Honda.” He tossed the puzzle back over to his friend who was about to catch it, but a hand reached over and caught it instead.
“Ah...!” Honda started.
A girl with short, neck-length brown hair and narrowed blue eyes held the puzzle firmly in her hands. “If you think it’s dumb, give it back to Yugi!” she snarled.
“Anzu!” Yugi cheered. “Nice catch!”
“Mazaki!” Jounouchi and Honda cried.
“Bullies who pick on little kids are what’s dumb!” Anzu hissed. “Get out of here!”
“Damn meddling girl!” Honda snarled.
“I’ll get you back!” Jou said angrily as he and Honda raced out of the room. “Don’t you forget!”
Making sure they were gone, Anzu handed the puzzle back to Yugi. “Here you go,” she said. “It’s something special, right?”
“Thank you, Anzu,” Yugi said. “Wow Anzu, one word from you and they ran away!” he added.
“Yeah well, their heads swell if you don’t knock them down once in awhile. You need to be tougher, Yugi.” She sat down and put her face in her palm. “All the guys here are like that,” she continued. “On the basketball court, I thought the guys were passing to the girls a lot.....Found out they were peeking when the girls made their shots! The jerks! So I quit and came in. Never play basketball in a skirt!”
Yugi doubled over in his chair. A very hentai picture of Anzu appeared in Yugi’s mind. “Basketball! Good!!” he said with a demented look on his face.
Anzu looked over at him with a pensive look. “What are you thinking....?”
Shaking his head, Yugi smiled at Anzu and said, “That’s right. You haven’t seen this yet, Anzu. If you promise to keep it a secret, I’ll show you.”
“Okay.” He opened the box to reveal a bunch of gold pieces to a puzzle. “Wow! It’s pretty!” Anzu stated. “Are these pieces of something? Sparkling gold.....all broken up....”
“It’s a puzzle!” Yugi replied. “I’ve never finished it, so I don’t know what it looks like....so it’s ‘something you see, but have never seen before!’ My family runs a game store, right?” Yugi continued. “We sell unusual games from around the world. Years ago I found this way back on a shelf covered with dust. It seemed to be calling for me, so I took it for myself. This puzzle is a memento of my grandpa, so I like it especially well.”
A memento....Anzu thought desperately. “Your grandpa died, Yugi?! I see.....that really does make it special.....”
“They say this puzzle was found in an Egyptian ruin!” Yugi explained.
“
“Yeah, but I’m not too sure of that. See, there’s these weird markings on the box that COULD be hieroglyphs, but to me.....they look different. But whatever they are, I bed they say something like this....
“‘Whoever solves this puzzle shall be granted one wish....’ Y’know what I mean? Like the Dragonballs.....Ha, ha, maybe I’m dreaming.” He looked over at Anzu, who looked like she was fighting a laugh. “Urk......are you laughing at me? That look? Don’t tell on me....This is a secret....I’ve only told you, Anzu....” he pouted.
“I get it, Yugi!” she said smiling. “Trust me!”
“But this puzzle is major hard....” Yugi sighed putting his face in his palm. “I’ve been working on it for eight years and I’ve never solved it! Kinda depressing.”
“Don’t give up, Yugi,” Anzu said. “Your heart is in it!”
“Yup! I’ll do my best!” he grinned.
“....So what is it? Your wish?” Anzu asked.
“No way....” Yugi said winking. “That is absolutely positively secret! Super top secret! Vacuum sealed for eternal storage!”
***
Meanwhile, Jounouchi and Honda were sulking as they walked down the hallway. “Damn, she makes me mad!” Honda growled with his hands in his pockets.
“Who’s a bully?” Jou snarled.
“Uh....Jounouchi, that would be us. Yup!” The two boys were oblivious to the large form standing in their way.
“Ow...!” Jounouchi said when he hit the figure.
“Dammit!” Honda echoed. The two boys looked up into the glaring face of a tall boy with messy brown hair and cold blue eyes. “Ah....er....erk.....” Honda stuttered.
“What were you saying about bullies....?” the large boy snapped.
“Nothing!” Jounouchi spat. “Keep outta this, you....”
“Ah, no...” Honda said covering his friend’s mouth with his hand. (“Mph!” Jou cried.) “It’s nothing, nothing...” Honda mumbled.
“Picking on people is bad!” the taller boy stated.
“Yes!” agreed Honda. “That is so true!!”
“Mmph....” Jou said again, as his eyes bulged out.
Jounouchi! Who do you think you’re
picking a fight with? That’s that ogre of a hall monitor Ushio! Honda though
angrily as sweat poured down his face. He
makes all the rules at school! Even the teachers are too scared of him to say
anything!
“Mmph....” Jounouchi coughed. Ushio turned to walk away.
“Is he gone?” Honda said. “He’s gone....”
He let go of his friend and Jou gasped from air. “You jerk!” he spat. “I couldn’t breathe!”
“That was close....” Honda stated placing his hand over his heart.
Jounouchi balled his hands into fists. “Ushio! I’m gonna get you someday!!” he bellowed.
“Damn, life is so dull!” Honda muttered as he kicked a door.
“Oh? I’ve got something interesting....” Jou said reaching into his pocket.
“Huh? What?” Jou held out his hand, which had a strange eye piece in the middle of it. “What’s that?” Honda wondered.
“Something I snuck out of Yugi’s treasure box!” the blonde crowed. “I just got a glimpse, but it looked like a puzzle! So if he’s missing this piece, he can’t solve it!” His hand closed around the eye piece tightly.
“Wow! Good work, Jounouchi!” Honda cheered excitedly.
“I’ll take this and....” He reared back like a pitcher and threw the piece out the window. “Do this!” The piece landed in the pool with a splash.
“Bwahahahaha! That’s great!!” Honda cried.
“Hmph! ‘Treasure....!’” Jounouchi mocked. “He talks like a girl!” That’s what annoys me! he thought. “Let’s go, Honda.”
***
School was over for the day and Yugi was happily making his way off the school grounds, when a booming voice said, “Okay! Let’s get home and finish that puzzle.”
Yugi turned around in shock and came face to face.....well actually, face to thigh with Ushio. “You’re Yugi.....aren’t you?” he said.
“...?! Yes?” Yugi answered.
“I’m Ushio, the hall monitor....” he said proudly with his arms folded. “I want to ask you something.”
“Uh....”
“Are you being bullied by certain students in your class?”
Yugi was taken completely off guard. “Whaaaaa? Nothing like that happens to me.”
“Hold on! Victims often defend their attackers! I’ve been investigating!” Yugi just stared back in confusion. “Heh heh! You can stop worrying, Yugi! I’ll be your bodyguard from now on!!” he said patting him on the shoulder.
“Huh.....uh....er....I...there’s really nothing going on so....See you later....Thanks though....”
Heh, heh....I’ve found a good dupe...! Ushio thought with a grin.
“What was that about....” Yugi said aloud as he walked away. “Weirdo....”
***
“I’m......” Yugi began as he opened the door to the game shop.
“Yugi!” Anzu greeted.
“.....home....” Yugi finished.
“Hn?”
“Wha! Anzu?!” Yugi cried.
“Hey!” she waved. “Heh, heh, thought I’d come over and play.”
All of a sudden, an old man with a bandana around his graying hair appeared before the two. “Come on in!” he greeted.
“YEEEEEK!” Anzu screamed.
“Here now, Anzu!” the old man, now recognized as Yugi’s grandfather, Sugoroku. “It’s rude to scream at people.
“Hey Yugi! What’s going on here!” Anzu growled. “You said that puzzle was a memento of your grandpa!”
“Oh, that,” Yugi blushed. “I meant it’s going to be a memento!”
“I’m not dead yet!” Sugoroku hissed. “You’ve grown since I saw you last, Anzu....Especially your bust! Almost to the 32” mark?!”
“Ha...ha...” she mumbled. What’s with this old geezer...?
“Anzu, let’s work on puzzles in my room!” Yugi said. “Iced tea for us, Grandpa!”
“What’s this, Yugi?” Sugoroku said. “You still haven’t given up on that puzzle?”
“Who’d give up?” Yugi snarled.
“The Millennium Puzzle is beyond human understanding! It’s too hard for you.. And it had all sorts of unsavory rumors attached to it.” A strange grin came to the old man’s face.
“Rumors.....?” Anzu mumbled nervously.
“The Millennium Puzzle was discovered at the beginning of the
20th century. A team of British archeologists took out of a pharaoh’s
crypt in the
“And the last one said with his dying breath.....‘The Shadow Games’....”
“Yugi....that puzzle is dangerous....” Anzu said.
“What are ‘Shadow Games’? Sounds cool!” Yugi stated.
Sugoroku pointed to the words on the box. “They say the ancient writing carved into the box say this.....‘The one who solves me shall gain the powers and knowledge of darkness....’”
“It does grant your wish!” Yugi cheered. “Now I’m really fired up! I’ll finish it no matter what!”
“Give that back!” Sugoroku snarled
while chasing him. “The price that would bring!!”
“You just want to sell it!” Yugi cried shielding the puzzle from view.
“Give it back!”
“No way! This is my memento of grandpa!”
“I’m not dead yet!”
Anzu sweat dropped in annoyance. Later that night, Yugi was hastily putting the puzzle together. He paused for a moment. “Ummm.....I always get stuck here....” he pouted. He placed a few more pieces in and suddenly fell asleep.
The next day at school, Yugi was tiredly sitting at his desk. He yawned and covered his mouth. “I’m so tired,” he mumbled. “I stayed up late working on the puzzle.”
Suddenly, Ushio appeared in the doorway. “Yugi!” he said.
“Hn....?”
“Could I have a moment...?”
“Ah!” Yugi muttered. As they rounded a corner, Yugi asked, “Ushio....what did you want to show me?”
“Heh heh.....Just come with me. I know you’ll like it.......”
Little Yugi peaked behind Ushio and gasped. “Heh heh! Look, Yugi!” he laughed. Jounouchi and Honda were sitting up against a wall, all beat up and bruised.
“It hurts.....” Honda mumbled.
“JOUNOUCHI!! HONDA!” Yugi cried. “W-What in the world...?!?!”
“I told you, Yugi....I’m your bodyguard!” Ushio sneered. “I decided to teach these bullies a lesson! One they wouldn’t forget!”
“T...That’s....! Ushio! This is too much!” He knelt down to Jou’s eye level. “A...Are you all right, Jounouchi? Honda?”
“Yugi.....you bastard....are you happy now.....” Jounouchi choked out.
“.....?! It’s not true! You think I asked him to do this....?!” Yugi shouted.
“Move it, Yugi!” Ushio spat, kicking Yugi out of the way. “I’m not finished punishing them yet!” He kicked Jounouchi in the gut.
“STOP!” Yugi thundered, stepping in front of Ushio before he could kick Jou and Honda again.
“What’s this?! Are you protecting them, Yugi?” Ushio said. “You’re a strange one. This is your chance to get back for everything. Hit them! Kick them!”
“I can’t do that to my friends!” Yugi cried.
“....!!” Jou looked up in surprise.
“Hahahaha.....you’re a real winner. You call them your friends.....? Are you serious? These are the guys who pick on you everyday!”
“They weren’t picking on me.....” Yugi mumbled. “They were teaching me to be a man....”
“Well, whatever. But remember, Yugi! You still have to pay what you owe! Bodyguard charges.....200,000 yen!”
“What?! 200,000 yen?”
“Heh, heh....for 200,000 yen you can hit these guys all you want.....You can take out your daily troubles on them. I think it’s a good deal....”
Yugi sighed in defeat. “What’s this?” Ushio sneered. “You aren’t satisfied until I hurt them even more?”
“.....!” Yugi looked up. “Don’t touch these two any more!” he growled. “If you’re going to hurt someone, hurt me!”
Jounouchi’s eyes widened. “You’re beyond strange, you’re crazy....” Ushio stated. “All right then. As you wish....” He gripped Yugi’s shirt collar. “Normally, I hate picking on people.....But this isn’t ‘bullying,’ this is ‘warning!’ I’ll show you what will happen if you don’t pay up!” He punched Yugi in the face, sending the young boy flying. Ushio kneed him in the gut next and threw him against a wall.
W-Why....Why are you doing this? Jounouchi thought angrily. If you stayed quiet like always.....if you didn’t resist....you wouldn’t get hurt....You’re protecting us....?! Yugi...! Suddenly, a flash of memories came through his mind. He saw a rat helping out a cheetah. It confused him, naturally, but he stared wide-eyed at the scene. What is this? Who are that rat and cheetah? It seems so familiar to me, but why?
Yugi winced in pain. “I made a wish on the puzzle....” he muttered. “I wish for friends”....Friends I can count on...! Friends who could count on me...No matter what...!!! Friends who could count on me...! he thought.
Ushio kicked Yugi in the guy again, and he curled up in a ball. “Well, I’ll leave it at this,” the bully snarled. “Bring the money tomorrow! Got it?! 200,000 yen!! Break your promise and that won’t be all you get.....I’ll teach you even more pain! With this....” He took out a knife and licked it. He walked away laughing.
Damn....Ushio...He’s the worst of the worst! Yugi thought. “But there’s nothing I can do....he’s so big and powerful...I couldn’t touch him in a hundred years...Damn. Is giving him the money all I can do...?”
Back at home, Yugi was in his room. “Ow, ow, ow...” he whined as he felt the bruises on his face. “1,666 yen....” he counted. “Aaaahhh....what should I do...200,000 yen....That’s way too much money....What should I do...?” He put a piece of the puzzle in place. “If I don’t pay, he’ll beat me up again....” He put another piece in. “Ah! What am I doing working on a puzzle?” he said putting it down. “There isn’t time for that....But I can’t think of anything to do....working on a puzzle at least makes me feel better...”
He started putting more pieces together. “Ah! It went in...I get it....after you put this piece in, you give it a half turn....Then this one has to go in too....See! It’s strange....solving the puzzle is easy today.....even though I feel awful....” He suddenly gasped, having almost completed the puzzle. Only one piece left! “I....I....I did it...?!” he cried. He reached into the box for the last piece, only to find that it was empty. “Huh....?! It’s gone....It’s gone! The last piece isn’t there....!! Gone...!”
He began to frantically search his room, turning over things and looking under things. “W-Where is it? I must have dropped it somewhere...No way...No way...! No way! It’s gone!!” He sat back in his chair and stared at the puzzle for a long time. The puzzle....the puzzle....I can never solve this puzzle...! I’ll never get my wish!!” he thought as tears came to his eyes.
Sugoroku walked into his grandson’s room. He stared at Yugi and suddenly noticed the almost finished puzzle. “Whoa ho....I’m amazed! You finished the Millennium Puzzle!”
“No...” Yugi whispered. “I couldn’t finish it after all, Grandpa.....”
“Let’s see. Ho, ho....Yugi.....you’ve poured your heart into this puzzle for the last eight years.....You should have more faith!”
“Huh....?!”
“Your wish will be granted!” He held out his hand and in it was the last piece of the puzzle!
“G....Grandpa....THANK YOU!!” Yugi cried jumping into his grandfather’s arms. “You found it for me!”
“Here now. Yugi....I wasn’t the one who found it....”
“Huh?!”
“A friend of yours just came by....he asked me to give that to you. Even though it wasn’t raining, he was soaking wet....”
Who could that have been? Yugi thought. Oh well, thank you anyway!
He threw the puzzle piece in the air in happiness. Sugoroku looked back at his now happy grandson. He told me everything.....said he was Jounouchi...asked me not to tell you his name...I was worried about the bruises on your face but....He told me a thug named Ushio is threatening you. Yugi....the money is in your bag....If this can help you stay out of trouble.... he placed an envelope into Yugi’s bag. “Good night, Yugi!”
“Thank you, Grandpa. Good night.”
Yugi excitedly prepared to place the last piece into the puzzle. I’m finally going to complete the Millennium Puzzle! he thought.
Sugoroku walked away with a pleased look on his face. “Ho, ho, ho....I’m amazed that he finished the Millennium Puzzle....but, that’s my grandson...It’s written in the Book of the Dead that the one who solves that puzzle inherits the Shadow Games. He becomes the guardian of the right and passes judgment on evil.”
Finally, the puzzle was complete! Yugi stared in admiration at his finished work. Suddenly, the puzzle began to glow and the eye on the front glowed brighter. The same eye symbol appeared on Yugi’s forehead and he was knocked unconscious. He suddenly reawakened and said in a deep voice, “Ho, ho....I think that thug, Ushio, might be getting in trouble....”
***
Ushio was impatiently waiting at the school. “I can’t believe that Yugi
called me out...! And to the school at
He looked up and suddenly, he saw who he was looking for. “Yugi...!!” he said. But this didn’t look like Yugi. He seemed taller....his hair was spikier, if that was possible....and he wore a malicious grin.
“Thanks for coming, Ushio...” he said sardonically.
“Well, I gotta hand it to you! I can tell you’re going to be a good boy and give me the money like I asked. Don’t like that weird costume....but that’s okay! Hand it over now....the cash! The money! 200,000 yen!” He held out his hand expectantly.
“It’s right here....and I’ve raised it to 400,000....”
“400,000 yen!”
“But this is much money....” Yugi grinned evilly. “It wouldn’t be any fun to just hand it over....so....How about you play a game with me!”
“A game...?”
“Right....not just any game....a Shadow Game! How about it? If you win, you get more than 200,000 yen! Not bad, huh?”
“Interesting....”
“We need just one tool to play this game. That knife you’ve got hidden, Ushio!”
“Heh....” Ushio took it out and put it on a table allow with the money.
“Okay. Everything’s prepared!” Yugi said.
“Money and knife....?!” Ushio gasped. What game can we play with these....
“I’ll explain the rules!” Yugi grinned once again and placed the money over his left hand and took the knife in his right. “The players take turns putting the money on top of their hand and stabbing it with the knife. The player keeps only the money that the knife stabs. And he must always take more than one bill.
“The game continues until the last bill is gone! The challenge is to take as much money as possible. If a player tries to take the money by hand, or quit the game in the middle, he loses and forfeits all of his money to the opponent. Doesn’t that sound interesting?”
“Heh...heh heh....Huh! It’s just a test of courage....” I-is this really Yugi...?!
Yugi’s eyes narrowed and his smirk widened. “But if you break the rules, as punishment the penalty game decides your fate!”
“Heh heh....interesting....”
“We’ll Ro-Sham-Bo for it.....paper!”
“Rock!”
“Then I’ll start,” Yugi said taking the money and knife.
“D....Damn,” Ushio cursed.
Yugi carefully stabbed the money. “Phew! I didn’t even get ten bills....I thought I’d put my strength in it, but they’re not easy to stab....Okay, your turn!”
Ushio did as he was told and began sweating as he held the knife over his hand. “If you use too much strength you’ll stab yourself,” Yugi stated. “The point of this game is to control your greed!”
“Shut your trap!” He then stabbed the money and sighed in relief. “Heh....heh heh....Look! Over 100,000 yen! And not a mark on my hand! I should have stabbed harder!”
“Not bad!” Yugi commented. “But it gets harder to control your strength with each turn. Heh, heh, heh.....”
As the game progressed, Yugi said, “There’s not a lot of money left....the game is almost over!”
“There’s nothing to this game!” Ushio crowed. “The rest of this money is mine! Heh heh....” Suddenly, as he was about to stab the money, his hand stopped. “Ah....ah...ah....What’s wrong...I’m using too much strength! M-My arm....I can’t relax my right arm...!?? My right are isn’t listening to my brain!”
This is bad...! My right arm is trying to swing down with all its strength! I’m aiming for the money and my left hand together! he thought.
Yugi only grinned even more. In the Shadow Games, a person’s true nature is revealed to decide their fate!! Ushio! Your right arm is controlled by your own greed. You can no longer stop it. What will you do? Will you sacrifice your left hand to get money, or...
“Hehehehehehehe.....the answer is simple!” Ushio said wickedly. “There is a way I can take a stab, without hurting my left hand and getting all of the money!! You let me hold this knife!! That’s why you lose!! DIE YUGIII!!”
But at the last minute, Yugi jumped out of the way, landing away from Ushio. “Just as I thought,” he said. “You weren’t able to follow the rules after all!” His forehead glowed.
“W-What the....? His forehead....that eye....!!”
“This is only seen by those who ‘trespass in my soul!’” Yugi snarled as his forehead glowed even brighter. “Like those who hurt my friends and try to steal my money!! PENALTY GAME!!! The Illusion of Avarice!”
“Ah....ah....ah...money.....Oh my god! It’s money!! There’s money everywhere!! Money! Money! This is great! Money!” Ushio cried.
“They say money can make your head spin but....now the only thing in your mind is the Illusion of Avarice!” Yugi said walking away.
“Yahoo! Money! It’s all mine!”
“For as greedy as you are, this might be a happy end for you. Hehehehehe....and I’ve gotten all my money back.....”
***
The next day at school....
“Hey, look! Look!”
“Weird!”
“W...What’s with him....”
Yugi yawned tiredly as he walked onto the school grounds. Most of the students at Domino were crowded around Ushio, who was rolling around in trash and leaves. “Mine...mine...All of this money is mine! I won’t let anyone have it!”
“Could it be....he thinks those leaves are money?!”
“Yuck! It’s not just leaves! There’s garbage in there too...!”
“But he looks happy...!”
Yugi ran his fingers through his hair and he walked down the hallway. “Mmm....I can’t remember what happened after I finished the puzzle last night....Hn! The puzzle! That’s right! I finally finished the Millennium Puzzle! Yay!” He happily threw it up in the air. “My treasure....” he mumbled.
He passed by Jounouchi who was leaning against the wall. “Yo, Yugi....” he said.
“Ah, Jounouchi!”
“How are you doin’...?”
“Fine. And you, Jounouchi....?” He indicated the bumps and bruises all on his face.
“This is nothing,” Jou said with a wave of his hand. “Happens all the time. Yugi! If you can keep a treasure, so can I! Want to see?”
“Yup.”
“Hahaha....you can’t! I’ll give you a hint! It’s ‘something you can show, but can’t see’!”
“Something you can show, but can’t see....? What is it....?!”
“You give up? C’mon....it’s friendship!” he said smiling. “Thanks for showing me that we’re friends.”
Yugi was stunned. “Okay!” he said happily.
“Well....later! See you in class!” Jounouchi said rushing off. “Ugh....how can I say such corny stuff....”
“Ah! Jounouchi, your shoe! You dropped your shoe!” Yugi called holding the sneaker in his hand.
