I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! YAY! (cries with happiness) God I really missed you guys. Those two long weeks where I didn't have anything to update, absolute torture.
For any of you who have read my other fics. This one is very very very different. It's more serious and mysterious and I think a lot more confusing. There's more plot and it's slower but I think it's awesome. I actually wrote it before HINAFTYCC over the course of two years with lots of editing so be prepared for random changes in writing style. The chapters are also a lot longer (almost twice as much) but so are the number of chapters,
I will only say this once so listen up, THIS STORY HAS SHOUNEN AI STUFF! THAT'S MANxMAN, HOMOSEXUAL STUFF! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DON'T READ!
Japanese terms in this chapter:
Sensei- suffix for doctor or teacher
San- Ms. or Mr.
Chan- cute suffix, usually used for girls or children but Jounouchi actually calls Yami no Malik "Malik-chan" in the Japanese version! AWESOMENESS!
Makeinu- literally means "Loser dog" Kaiba calls Jounouchi that Duelist Kingdom
Aibou- partner, Yami no Yugi calls Yugi this all the time in the anime
Just a note, I will not be using any Japanese words except for names, a few insults and ending suffixes. I only know a limited about of Japanese and when people start having full out conversations in Japanese in their stories I sometimes get very confused. Not that I'm against it or anything!
This story is brought to you by Reflective Spoons: reminding you not to choke on live fish and that I do not own Jell-O or any of the Yuugiou characters.
This chapter is deticated to Hell's Sorrow who sent me many supportive and enthusiastic emails! THANK YOU!
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Chyaputa 1: Timidity
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"You can wait right here, the doctor will see you in a moment," the nurse said as she exited through the door at the other end of the room.
Yugi glanced around nervously at the spotless white walls. The room had no windows and no furniture other than an uncomfortable metal chair, and a desk. Yugi gingerly sat down in the chair in front of the vacant desk, waiting for his inevitable doom.
'Why would they bring me to a place like this?'
Yugi shifted nervously around in his chair, golden bangs swinging, his large purple eyes darting between the floor and the ominous door standing across the room. Everything was so clean and white, and quiet. So silent that not even the distant monotonous ticking of a clock could be heard.
Finally the door opened and an Arabic woman in a long white coat walked in. She had neat long black hair and copper skin; in one hand she carried a clipboard. Her deep blue eyes gave off a cool apathetic expression.
Yugi gulped apprehensively.
"Hello Yugi, my name is Doctor Ishizu Ishtar. I am going to be your personal physiatrist for the remainder of your stay here," The doctor stated as she sat down at the desk in front of Yugi. "I hope we can get to know each other very well," she said trying to keep a small friendly smile on her face, but her eyes remained as indifferent as ever.
"It's nice to meet you too," Yugi answered back, trying to be polite as he shifted nervously in his chair again.
"I want you to understand, Yugi, that anything you reveal in your sessions with me will be completely confidential and that we would never want you to feel like you are being judged. We are only here to help you…"
Yugi gave his wrist a little squeeze and looked down at the floor.
"Are you alright Yugi?" Ishizu asked, peering over the top of her clipboard.
"Oh yes, I'm fine. Just nervous."
"There is no reason to be nervous, we will do everything in our position to make this transaction as easy as possible for you," she answered as though she was reciting it for the hundredth time today.
"Please Ishtar-sensei, how long will I actually have to stay here?" Yugi asked softly. He felt the doctor look up at him but kept his eyes nailed to the floor. There was a pause and Yugi heard her put the clipboard down on the desk.
"Yugi, do you know why you are here?" she asked studying him with her sharp blue eyes. Yugi didn't say anything. He knew the answer but it wasn't what Ishtar-sensei wanted to hear.
"Your grandfather, Mutou-san, has specifically requested you come here. He is worried about you, Yugi. And I will not lie to you," Ishizu explained firmly. "You are a troubled young man who needs help. You have a special case that we have only seen in a selective group of individuals…" she paused. "But there is still hope for you to live a normal life if you get the right treatment."
"Does that require a lot medication, Ishtar-sensei?" Yugi asked cautiously. He suddenly had a horrifying vision of himself laying on a white table with needles and cords sticking into his flesh. Yugi shivered.
Ishizu hesitated again. "I can't give you the exact prescription until I've finished my examination but I imagine there will be some pills, standard medication but nothing more advanced as long as you cooperate, not unless I believe that it is absolutely necessary." Yugi didn't like the sound of that.
"But there is no need to start any of this today. Let's wait until you have a chance to settle in," Ishtar suggested and stood up. Yugi wondered if he should follow her.
"I'll get a nurse to take you to your room," Ishizu said and exited through the door she had come in.
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"Here it is," the shapely brunette nurse announced as she threw open the door. The depressing room was much like the rest of the building, small with white walls. There was a small table and chair in the center of the floor and a very uncomfortable bed in the corner, all securely nailed down to the floor. Yugi dropped the few things that he had been allowed to bring on the floor next to his bed.
"We'll get your clothes by tomorrow, but for today just wear what you have," the nurse explained and then looked at her watch. "Oh, look at the time! It's almost 12:15. Come, I'll take you down to the cafeteria and you can go eat lunch with the other patients. You know, get to know them, maybe make a few friends!"
"Well I…" Yugi doubted that he would make any friends here. He would rather stay in his room; he really wasn't in the mood for meeting new people. But before he could say anything else the nurse had already pushed him out of the room and half way down the hall.
"Come on, it will be fun!" she urged.
"Um…ok," Yugi stammered.
"Wonderful! I'll show you the way," she continued in a cheerful voice still pulling him down the hall after her. "Welcome to the Domino Mental Hospital."
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Yugi entered through a pair of mental doors into a long white hall. There were long metal tables lined up around the room with rows of metal chairs surrounding them. As he walked in, Yugi saw lines of white-clothed patients gobbling down their food while nurses and doctors pushed metal carts, delivering food and medication among them.
Yugi hesitated. As soon as he had entered the room stares shifted his way and the whispers and mumblings had increased throughout the tables. What were they saying about him? Yugi suddenly became very self-conscious of how short and scrawny he was. He had always been easy prey for bullies.
"Oh look, there's an empty seat over there," the nurse pointed out to Yugi, pushing him forward.
'Hopefully not next to anyone homicidal,' Yugi pleaded silently. The moment they reached the table it suddenly became quite clear to Yugi why the seat had been empty.
Sitting next to the empty chair was a stocky blonde man with an evil sneering face. The red, white and blue bandana that was tied around his head made look he should have been in an American biker gang. Beside the blond man was a very large teenager with mean little eyes and messy brown hair. Across from him was a small kid who had spiky blue hair and pale skull-like face that twitched excitedly.
"Keith, Kozuka, Ushio, this is Yugi. He's a new patient at the hospital. Would you all be kind enough to take care of him for me?" she asked sweetly.
All three pairs of sinister eyes turned on him. In unison, they all grinned evilly.
"Of course we will. It would be our pleasure," the brown haired teen answered in a harsh voice. The skull boy across from him started making a strange popping hiccuping noise that must have been an evil snicker.
Yugi gulped again. "Mazaki-san, I really don't think-"
"Wonderful!" the nurse exclaimed, oblivious to the psychos' evil intentions. "I'm sure you all will be great friends! Have a good time!" she said and left.
"Um, Mazaki-san-" Yugi called desperately, trying to bring the nurse back to rescue him.
"Oh don't worry, we will take good care of him!" the blond man called over Yugi's small meekly voice, imitating the nurse's cheerful tone as he pulled Yugi into the empty seat next to him. With a sharp eerie twist, the blonde's head swerved dangerously around, staring right into Yugi's face.
"Hello," the man said, grinning mischievously.
"Um, h-hello," Yugi stammered. He wished, very much, to be anywhere else at that moment. The creepy skull faced kid leaned across the table too, still grinning madly.
"So, you're Yugi, huh?" the American blonde asked.
"Y-yes."
"What you in for?" the equally large and scary spiky haired brunette asked.
"Umm… w-what do you mean?" Yugi stammered nervously.
"I mean what have you got! You know, why they sent you here?"
"Oh!" Yugi exclaimed, feeling slightly stupid. "Ummm…"
'What am I in for?' Yugi thought. 'Would would they call it anyway?'
"I-I don't really know…um… yet…" Yugi answered nervously, trying to skid away from the question.
"You don't know?" the blond man laughed harshly.
"You look pretty normal to me," the brunette said nastily and leaned forward too. "Except for this hair…" He grabbed a fist fill of Yugi's abnormally spiky multi colored hair and yanked on it hard. Yugi squeaked in pain and the skull kid twitched excitedly and started his popping snickering imitation again.
"Shut up, idiot!" the teenager growled and the skull kid squeaked and stopped.
"You see, Ushio here has an anger management problem," the blonde man explained, putting a threatening arm round Yugi's shoulders, the brunette finally letting go of Yugi's red and black locks. "Doesn't know how to control his temper. Totally unstable. Sometimes he just has to take it out on something…" he said suggestively.
Yugi tried to gulp again but found there was no long any moisture in his mouth.
"And Kozuka… well, you can see him. He's all messed up in the head," he explained tapping his forehead. The skull kid grinned showing lots of yellowing sharp teeth. Yugi shivered.
"But don't worry, we'll take good care of you," Ushio said grinning too.
"Yeah, we'll make you feel right at home…" Keith sneered. Yugi shrunk under his sharp stare, intimidated.
'Someone help me!' Yugi wanted to scream.
"There you are, Yugi!" a voice said and a friendly hand clapped him on the shoulder. Yugi and Keith turned around. Standing there was a tall teenager with thick blond hair and rich brown eyes that Yugi had certainly had never seen before.
'How does he know my name?' Yugi wondered, puzzled yet extremely grateful.
"You're not welcome here, dog-boy!" Ushio mocked, grinning. Then other members of the table burst out laughing.
The blond teen's eye twitched.
"THAT'S IT USHIO! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" the teenager snarled putting up his fists, about to lunge forward but another hand shot out and pulled him back.
"Hey, calm down Jounouchi!" urged another teen behind him with dark brown hair. He had one arm around the blonde's neck and the other restraining one the blonde's arms.
"Hey let go of me Honda! Ow! That hurts!" the blonde struggled.
"Do you want all the nurses to come over here?" the teen holding him back hissed urgently.
"Well excuse me, for trying to look out for my roommate's safety!" Jounouchi snapped furiously.
"Roommate?" Keith asked surprised, looking from the blond teen to Yugi. Yugi was just as taken aback as Keith was. He was pretty sure there had been only one bed in his room.
"Yeah, you heard me! Yugi's MY roommate! Got a problem with that, asshole!" the blonde hissed back. He leaned forward giving Yugi a tiny wink out of the corner of his eye. Yugi blinked, very confused.
"Why you little…" Ushio snarled and stood up.
"You want a fight, Ushio. Come and get it!" the blonde teenager named Jounouchi motioned, still struggling against the arms that restrained him.
"What's going on here!" a voiced snapped. The group turned around and saw the pretty brown haired nurse who had shown Yugi to the lunchroom. Her normally cheerful voice suddenly contained a sharp edge, her light blue eyes flashing with responsibility. "Now, now, break it up. We are all just trying to have a peaceful lunch here, right?" she said walking over to them and pushing Ushio back into his seat with the air of mother lecturing her children.
"Aww, we weren't doing anything wrong, Anzu-san, we were just talking, that's all. It was Jounouchi who's making up all the trouble," Keith explained smoothly.
"Excuse me!" Jounouchi growled trying to lunge at him again.
"Cool it, Jounouchi!" Honda hissed barely managing to hold him back.
"That's enough!" Mazaki said sternly. "Now, it is easy to see that feelings have been hurt here. I believe some apologies are in order," she instructed expectantly as though she was talking to a group of kindergartners. "From both of you," she ordered sternly, looking from Jounouchi to Ushio.
"Sorry," they both grumbled reluctantly, avoiding eye contact with each other.
"Good! Now, don't you feel better about yourselves!" she said, back to her old cheerful self.
"Yeah whatever," Jounouchi mumbled "Hey Honda! Let go of me already!" the blonde hissed at his friend. The brown haired teenager reluctantly released him. "Heh, you guys were lucky this time, but next time you better watch out," Jounouchi sneered as he pulled the still very confused Yugi to his feet. "See you later, girls!" The blonde teenager said giving them a small mock bow and the coolly striding away, taking Yugi and the other teen with him.
"Jounouchi! Now what did we just talk about!" the nurse called glaring at his retreating back as Keith sneered and Ushio cracking his knuckles nastily in retort.
"Come on, Yugi. You can sit at our table," Jounouchi said giving the psychos table one last ugly glare.
"Thanks," Yugi said smiling relived. "I didn't know how I was going to get away from them." The golden haired teen laughed.
"No problem! Those guys are real jerks. You wouldn't have lasted a day here with them. But don't worry!" he boasted, grinning stupidly, "I, Jounouchi-sama, will look after you!"
"Ahh…." Yugi paused not knowing how to respond to this.
The brown haired teen whacked his friend on the back of the head. "Yeah right! You can't even keep yourself out of trouble!" Jounouchi mumbled darkly at him, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
Yugi grinned. 'Jounouchi doesn't seem that bad.'
"Look, Otogi nabbed us a table," Honda said pointing over to another teenager about the same age as Honda and Jounouchi with glossy black hair tied into a high ponytail in the back of his head. The three of them walked over to the table and he looked up.
"What took you guys so long?" he asked scooting over to let Jounouchi sit down beside him. "I had to scare off a Haga and Ryuzaki to get this spot! Huh? Who's he?" Otogi asked his bright green eyes finally spotting Yugi.
"Oh, he's Yugi," Jounouchi explained. "I rescued him from the three gorillas."
"Stirring up trouble again?" Otogi asked mildly, tucking a long strand of black hair behind his ear.
"I was not!" Jounouchi cried outraged.
"You're going to get yourself killed one day," the black haired teenager said sighing disappointedly. "By the way I'm Otogi, nice to meet you," he said holding out his hand.
Yugi shook it. "Nice to meet you too."
"Food's here!" Honda cried as the nurse, Mazaki, stopped her cart full of trays of food and medication at their table.
"Sheesh, you guys are such pigs," Mazaki said as she passed out trays containing fried rice, carrot sticks, a juice box and Jell-O to everybody.
"But that's why you love us, Anzu-chan!" Jounouchi said innocently. Mazaki rolled her eyes but smiled.
"And here are your meds," she handing out small plastic cups to Honda, Jounouchi and Otogi. "Yugi, you just got here so Ishtar-sensei will prescribe you your medication tomorrow."
"Aw yes! Drugs!" Jounouchi sighed enthusiastically and swallowed four or five pills in one huge gulp. Mazaki sighed but she was smiling as she pushed her cart away.
"Mazaki-san seems nice," Yugi said picking up his chopsticks.
"Yeah, she's okay, a little bossy at times but she's better than most," Honda agreed.
"You're having sessions with Ishtar-sensei?" Otogi asked. Yugi nodded.
"Really? She usually only handles the really serious patients," Honda said shoving fried rice into his mouth.
"She does?" Yugi asked surprised.
"Oh yeah, she usual only takes Red patients, barely even bothers with Yellow," Honda explained.
"Red? Yellow?" Yugi asked curiously.
"Level of patients," Otogi explained. "Green, that's us, can roam around the hospitals and have lunch together. Yellows can walk around too but they have to be constantly watched and don't do any group sessions and Red… well, they've been judged too dangerous to be with other patients. They're not allowed to come out at all."
"Oh," Yugi said staring at his food; suddenly feeling a little depressed.
'Do they think I'm dangerous?' Yugi wondered.
"I wonder why she's working with you. She usually never even leaves the Red wing," Honda pondered his mouth over flowing with bits of carrot and rice.
"That's cause she's the one who works with the aliens," Jounouchi said seriously, nodding in understanding. Honda and Otogi stared at their friend for a second and then suddenly burst out laughing.
"What?" Yugi asked blinking, maybe he had heard him wrong.
"It's true!" Jounouchi cried angrily. "This hospital is just a cover but the government is really funding them to do experiments on the aliens!" he explained leaning closer to Yugi, who was the only one not laughing. "That's why you can always hear screams coming from that hallway at night," he said as his voice dropped and he pointed to a pair of electric doors in a back corner of the lunchroom. "They're in there right now. Cutting open their flesh, looking at their insides."
"And I guess their spaceships are in here too?" Honda asked trying to suppress giggles.
"Naw, they would be too close by if the aliens accidentally escaped. They're in that pet store a few blocks down," Jounouchi explained, still very serious. Honda and Otogi doubled over laughing again and Honda even fell off the side of his chair onto the floor. Jounouchi growled.
"You may laugh now but when they escape you'll be sorry, you non-believers! They'll take over this world one day!" he snarled but Honda and Otogi were too paralyzed by their laughter to respond. "You believe me, don't you Yugi?"
"Um... Of course I do, Jounouchi-kun," Yugi answered uncertainly. Jounouchi beamed at him.
"Don't encourage him, Yugi," Otogi warned wiping tears from his eyes. "I've heard he suffers from severe paranoia."
"And a powerful imagination," Honda added.
"I'm not imagining things! You'll see! You'll all see, one day! There are aliens in this hospital!"
Someone chuckled softly behind them.
"Scaring little kids again, Jounouchi," said a cool voice. Jounouchi whirled around in his chair, growling.
"Kaiba!" Jounouchi snarled as yet another teenager with neatly trimmed brown hair and cold blue eyes approached their table. He had a slenderfigurethat gave off a powerful yetarrogant unapproachable air. He threw Jounouchi a cool smirk.
"Is that all you can do, makeinu? Growl?" Kaiba's smirk widening as he walked away.
"Oh Kaiba, that bastard! I'll get him some day, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!" Jounouchi yelled after him shaking with anger.
"I should hope so," Honda snickered
"He's Jounouchi's real roommate" Otogi explained to Yugi. "Know matter how much he tries to deny it."
"Would you like to trade?" Jounouchi threatened darkly.
"No thanks," Otogi said grinning. Jounouchi grumbled darkly crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.
"I heard that outside the hospital Kaiba's really rich, like a billionaire or something," Honda said shoveling food into his mouth.
"Really?" Yugi asked curious.
"Yeah, he owns his own company and everything!" Honda explained.
"Doesn't stop him from being an ass," Jounouchi snarled, eyes glaring moodily down at his food.
"So, who is your roommate Yugi?" Otogi asked Yugi curiously.
"I don't know, I don't think I have one…" Yugi admitted. Jounouchi gaped at him.
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeease switch with me!" Jounouchi whined grabbing the front of Yugi's shirt and pulling the smaller teenager across the table towards him. "Please Yugi, I'm desperate! You have no idea what its like waking up to the bastard's ugly face every morning! Pleeeeeeease!"
"Sorry Jounouchi-kun, I don't think they would let us trade," Yugi answered, smiling apologetically.
"Yeah, I guess your right…" Jounouchi pouted, letting go of Yugi's shirt.
"Oh come on Jounouchi, it can't be that bad," Otogi said trying to fix his hair in the reflection of his spoon.
"Yeah, now you two have a chance to bond," Honda reminded him cheesily with a sly grin. Jounouchi made a sound of revulsion like he was choking on a live fish.
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"Thank you, Mazaki-san, for showing me back to my room," Yugi said standing in the doorway to his prison.
"Oh please, call me Anzu," she insisted, smiling warmly and waving away his formality. "I'll come wake you up tomorrow at 8:00 and bring you to breakfast, okay?" she said. Yugi nodded.
"Well, good night, Anzu-chan."
"Good night, Yugi."
He closed the door and turned on the light switch. Someone had laid a pair of neatly folded white pajamas on the bed.Yugi sighed and picked them up.He soon spotted a door in the corner of hiscell that lead to a small cramped bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror and a tiny shower. After taking his newly acquired pajamas and his toothbrush and toothpaste he went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and took a short shower. He was walking out of the bathroom drying his hair when something out of the corner of his eye made him look around.
'That's funny, I thought I saw…' Yugi pondered, looking around.
"I'm just getting sleepy," he muttered yawning again and turned off the light and climbed in bed.
"Good night," he muttered to no one in particular and fell asleep.
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Pair of dark red eyes watched the boy as he turned out the light and climbed into bed. They twinkled with amusement as Yugi muttered goodnight to the dark room and lay asleep. A transparent hand landed on the boy's head.
How was you're day?
"Pretty... good..." the semi unconscious Yugi mumbled, rolling over in his bed trying to get comfortable. "Wasn't as bad... as I expected..."
The owner of the eyes smiled.
"Still..." Yugi continued barely whispering, his eyes still closed. "Wish I was home..."
The eyes stared thoughtfully down at the boy, not a flicker of emotion could be seen behind their surface.
Good night, aibou...
Yugi smiled in his sleep and curled his arm around his pillow.
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END OF THE FIRST OF MANY CHAPTERS! YAHOOOOOO!
For all who don't know Mazaki is Anzu's last name. Japanese people call people by their last names a lot that's why Ishizu is usually referred to as Ishtar-sensei.
This chapter has changed a lot. In my first draft of the first scene (which I quickly disposed of) Kaiba was the doctor but you'll see why Ishizu makes a much better doctor and Kaiba a patient.
I realized well into the writing of this story that it could have been easily placed at a prison instead of a Mental Hospital. (shrug) But I think I like it better in mental hospital anyway.
I will update again in two weeks, not necessarily on the same day though.
REVIEW PLEASE AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!