Chapter 2: Lying Eyes

 

Yugi Muto was a normal freshman at Domino High School . He had a very special treasure known as the Millennium Puzzle, which was over 3,000 years old. It was found in Egypt and had some sort of strange power. Because of the puzzle, Yugi was able to make the friend he always wanted.

 

Jounouchi Katsuya and him were walking to school together, being bombarded by other students. “J-Jounouchi....so you watch that video?” Yugi mumbled.

 

“Yup,” he answered. “But y’know....I watched it like this!” He squinted his eyes really tight. “But I still couldn’t make out the censored bits! Damn! All the good stuff was digitized out!” He suddenly grinned and poked Yugi teasingly. “I’ll lend it to you sometime, you pervert!”

 

“Really!” Yugi said excitedly. “Y-Yes!!”

 

Suddenly, Jounouchi stopped in his tracks and gasped. “Huh?! Look! A TV van in front of the school!” he exclaimed.

 

“You’re right!” Yugi agreed.

 

“But why.....?”

 

“M....Maybe someone famous goes to our school!!”

 

“Whoa!” Jou said grinning. “That’s a scoop!”

 

“Yup!” Yugi walked up the van. “I’m gonna take a peek.....”

 

“Hey, Yugi! Is there a star inside?”

 

“Guh.....I can’t see anything. It’s a one way mirror.....”

 

The man inside the van stared at Yugi’s face pressed against the window. “Hn....”

 

“I can’t see anything....” Yugi said again.

 

“This is the face!” the man announced with a wicked smirk. “This is the star of our next project!!”

 

Outside the school, camera equipment was out and a woman was preparing to talk into one of the cameras. “Good morning, everyone,” she said. “It’s time for ‘Survival Morning!’ Today’s exclusive is ‘Caught On Camera! School Violence.’ Bullying is a serious problem at this school. Our undercover agents have discovered the violence students face everyday!”

 

“Make her look sexy,” the director mumbled. “Okay! We’ll fill in the rest with some shots of kids getting beaten up. You can go home now, reporter. Good work! Where’s my A.D.? Hey! Get over here!”

 

A young boy with wild hair and freckles walked up to the director. “Yes?”

 

“Here....this is one of the students. Find him and bring him to me,” he said handing him a picture of Yugi pressing his face against the window.

 

“Okay. Wow, what a wimp,” the assistant director said grinning. “He seems the type to get beat up. He’s the perfect ‘actor’ for this show.”

 

“If we catch him getting beat up on camera, then it’s perfect!” the director stated. “The public wants reality TV....you’ve got a documentary element, and you’ve got violence! It’s perfect! If we can get this on TV, we’ll raise our ratings for sure!”

 

“But how can we get footage of him getting beat up?”

 

“Tch! You don’t get it. How long have you been in this business....?”

 

“Well.....only six months....” the boy rubbed the back of his neck.

 

“Go get a school jacket that fits you!”

 

“A jacket?”

 

“Hehehehehe.....now’s your chance to be on camera! You’re going to play the part of the bully!”

 

***

 

“WHAAAAAT?! A STAR?!”

 

Jounouchi, Yugi, and Anzu were all sitting in class. The loud shriek had been from Anzu, obviously not believing what she had heard. “Yup!” Jounouchi said with a smile. “To prove it, there’s a TV van parked outside the school!”

 

“Y.....Yeah...” Anzu said skeptically. “Oh, I saw that but.....I haven’t heard anything about a star.”

 

“ Moron ! They’re coming to school in disguise!” Jou said. “But it’s really a major movie star!”

 

“J-Jounouchi, we don’t know that.....” Yugi mumbled. This rumor is getting blown out of proportion.....

 

“I’ll make a bundle selling pictures!” the blonde cheered.

 

“That’s illegal!” Anzu hissed. “There’s no ‘star’ going to this school!”

 

“Oh yeah? You wanna bet on it?”

 

“But I wonder about that TV van.....” Yugi said to himself.

 

“Yeah I know him. He’s Yugi from Class B,” a boy replied to the assistant director who was now disguised as a student.

 

“T....Thank you very much.” Yugi from Class B...huh....I have to call Yugi out behind the gym, get him in front of the cameras, and beat him up or the director will fire me! “Damn. All the bad jobs fall to the A.D. .....”

 

He then passed by Jounouchi and Yugi. “Alright!” Jou said. “Now we have to find that star!”

 

“Whaat?!” Yugi cried.

 

The A.D. stopped and looked over his shoulder. “But....I’ve been thinking.....” Yugi continued. “What if there’s some other reason the TV van was parked outside?”

 

“Yugi! Not you too?!” Jounouchi said angrily.

 

I’ve found him! the A.D. thought.

 

“You’re hopeless!” Jou said turning to walk away. “I thought at least you’d believe me. Fine! I’ll find him on my own! Hmph!”

 

“Hey, Jounouchi!”

 

“Bye!” He stomped away angrily.

 

Yugi sighed to himself. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that....”

 

“Yugi!” the A.D. said bounding up to him, a fake smile on his face. “Hey!”

 

“Um.....who are you....?” Yugi asked curiously.

 

“I’m Fujita.”

 

“P- Pleased to meet you.”

 

“Listen....I know the star who goes to this school. You wanna know who it is, don’t you?”

 

Yugi’s eyes lit up in excitement. “What?! There’s really a star here?!” he cried.

 

“Of course!” Of course not, you idiot!

 

I wonder who she is.....Yugi thought dreamily.

 

“Behind the gym during recess then, okay? You’ve gotta come alone!”

 

“Okay!”

 

***

 

“Are you sure he’s going to come?!”

 

“Y....Yeah....”

 

“He’s late!”

 

“Get over here already, Yugi.....my job’s riding on this....” Fujita said to himself. He suddenly spotted Yugi walking towards them. “Aha....He’s here!”

 

Yugi was happily humming to himself and blushing. “All right!” the director whispered. “Roll camera!”

 

“So you’ve come,” Fujita said to Yugi.

 

“Huh....?! Where’s the star, Fujita....?!”

 

“The truth is.....come closer.....” He then punched Yugi in the jaw, sending the short boy flying.

 

“Ngh...” he grumbled. Huh...?!?! Why is he doing this?!

 

“Haha! Good!” cheered the director. “Now harder!”

 

“Stupid!” Fujita yelled at Yugi as he punched him again. “There’s no star! IT WAS A LIE!!”

 

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” a familiar voice called out. Jounouchi rushed forward, his fists raised. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” he bellowed. “Yugi! Are you all right....?” He then rounded on Fujita. “You! What are you doing to my buddy?! I’m gonna kill you!”

 

“I.....I didn’t want to.....really....but the director....” he mumbled.

 

Jounouchi’s eyes widened. “Director?!”

 

“Cut, cut! Very good!” a tall man with black hair, a goatee, and a hat backwards on his head stepped out with his hands behind his back. He was grinning. “You can go now, Fujita!”

 

“So you’re the guy who put Yugi through this?!” Jou shrieked. The director simply chuckled. “Yugi, are you all right?” Jounouchi said softly as he picked Yugi up.

 

“I.....I’m sorry, Jounouchi.....” he whimpered. “There isn’t a star after all.....”

 

“It wasn’t your fault! These jerks lied to you!”

 

“Stop the camera!” the director ordered. “They’re friends, we get it! This kind of stuff is a waste of tape. Look....it was just bad luck you got picked for the victim....” he said picking at his ear. “Just coincidence.....about the same odds as rolling the die and getting one....hehehe.....But because of that, we’ve taped a good show! The viewers will sympathize with you and send in letters by the dozen! You’re a star, Yugi! The star of our program!”

 

“Are you asking to die?!” Jounouchi snarled, his lip curling.

 

“Hehehe....hit me then....” Jounouchi gripped his shirt tightly. “Just remember, I’m recording the whole thing.”

 

“Ulk....!!”

 

“Hehehe....stop the cameras!” He then kneed Jou in the gut, and the blonde doubled over in pain.

 

“Hurrk.....uhh....” He fell unconscious.

 

“JOUNOUCHI!” Yugi shouted.

 

“Don’t you get it?” the director sneered. “You can’t fight the power of the media! If I want, I can make you the laughingstock of the world! Hehehehehehe!”

 

Yugi’s Millennium item glowed as he leaned down to pick up his friend. The director walked away.....not noticing Yugi’s sudden change in appearance. “Hehehe....but don’t worry!” the director continued. “I’ll hide your face with a digital mosaic. At least no one will know it’s you. Hahaha!”

 

***

 

ZTV Broadcasting......in the parking lot

 

“I hear that show had quite some response, director,” a man said to the director.

 

“Hahaha....of course if the slop is good, the pigs will eat! See you later then,” he replied. “Hehehe.....maybe next time I’ll kill someone in front of the cameras.....hn....” He suddenly looked into his car window and saw Yugi grinning evilly. “Ah....!”

 

“I’ve been waiting for you, director,” he answered coldly.

 

“Y-You’re that brat, Yugi.....What are you doing here?! Come to get paid?”

 

“You have trespassed in my soul! For that, you must play with me!”

 

“.....”

 

“Play a game that is....”

 

“A game....?” He seems different from before.....

 

“It’s nothing to be afraid of....just a simple game of dice!” He held out a die in his hand as he grinned even more. “People have been staking their fate on dice since ancient times! In Egypt , we used ‘Astragali’—the uneven heel bones of calves and sheep....Now let me explain the rules to this game of fate....

 

“The rules are simple! We both roll the die. I roll first. Whoever rolls the lowest number wins. I’ll even let you win in case of a tie! Sound good? However, if I win, then you have to play a penalty game as punishment.”

 

“Ridiculous! Why do I have to play around with you?!”

 

“Game start.” He threw the dice into the air.

 

“Give me a break....”

 

The dice rolled a few times before landing on a six. “Hahahahaha! It’s a six! A six!!” the director chortled. “No matter what number comes up, I win! I don’t even need to roll the die!”

 

“The odds are in your favor.....but the game’s not over until you roll.”

 

“Damn! Don’t you ever shut up?” he growled picking up the die. “Then I’ll do what you want! And put a hole in your head at the same time!” He threw the die at Yugi’s head, but it simply landed on the floor, face up with the Eye of Ra on it. “Hahahaha! It’s a one! I win!”

 

“No....You have to play a penalty game,” Yugi said calmly. He raised his puzzle with a smirk.

 

“Wha....” The director looked down and saw that the die was cut in half. One with the eye symbol and the other with a six, making the roll seven. “Th-The die split in two?! A seven?!!”

 

“PENALTY GAME!! Mosaic Illusion!!”

 

“AAAGGGHHH!! Ah....ah.....wha? W....What?! That brat’s face is covered in mosaic...?!?! Everything is turning into mosaic...?! AAAGGGHHHH!!!”

 

Yugi turned and smiled grimly. “Director.....for bending the truth in front of the cameras...then all you see shall be censored! Hehehehe.....”

 

***

 

The next day....

 

“Hehehe....Yugi!” Jounouchi grinned as he waved a tape around with the words ‘Video Girl’ on it. “Thank me! This is the tape!” He tossed it to Yugi.

 

“Yahoo! Thank you, Jounouchi!”

 

But before Yugi caught it, a hand reached out and grabbed it. “AACK!!” the two boys cried.

 

Anzu stared at the tape in her hands. “What’s this? A good movie? Is it really that interesting? Then I’ll borrow it.” She walked away smiling.

 

Jounouchi and Yugi ran after her. “AACK!! Give it back, Anzu!” Jou cried.