The Domino Effect // A Yu-Gi-Oh! Puzzleshipping Fanfiction

Chapter 2

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When it comes to dominoes, you start from the beginning, picking one up after another. If you start from the end, they'll just fall back down.

In our early years, we had all been so close. But once Yami left, we fell apart. It was as if he was the first piece of the puzzle - the first domino, if you will. After that, everyone else fell down with him, except for the few he missed. The few who could stand up on their own. That left me and Mana - of course our opinions on the situation are different, though. Ever since the day she saw Yami with his group of jerks, she's despised everything about him. In her mind, there's no coming back from the disaster he's caused within our group, the paths he's detoured and destroyed. But I think a little differently. I think that anyone can come back and make a change, that anyone can have a happy ending. I suppose you could call me a dreamer.

This reason is exactly why Mana can never know what I'm about to do - for mine and Yami's sake. What i'm going to do may cause more chaos than this class has ever seen, more physical and emotional pain than anyone has ever had to stand up to before. But it'll be worth it in the end, i'm sure of it.

For this to work, we need to start from the source - Yami; And i'm certain I know someone who can tell me all about him.

°°°

I scribbled useless jumbles of words into a notebook as I watched across the classroom. Yami sat silently, writing along with the lesson, unlike most. I had been trying to think of ways to confront him the entire week - ways to help him rethink what he had done so long ago. But, even so, nothing came to me. My mind was as blank as ever, and when it wasn't it was just like the paper beneath me - nothing but a page full of mindless scribbles.

I kept thinking, though, maybe he wasn't the target - maybe there's someone else I could ask about all of this, but only one person comes to mind.

Atem.

Yami's slightly younger brother, he was by far the kindest kid in the school. He was quite smart too, and was especially well-educated on history and Egyptian culture. He'd be certain to help me - or, at least, that's what you'd assume. The truth is, Atem refuses to speak about his brother. It's almost as if they aren't related, or like he wishes they weren't. Plenty of people have tried to get to Yami through Atem and failed miserably. Instead, they end up in a world of pain courtesy of the older brother himself - which is ironic, considering that he's defending a person who seems they'd rather not have him in their life whatsoever.

I've tried thinking of other sources, such as Tea, or Miho, but they're no use - they're just obsessive girls who'd do anything to hitch a ride on Yami. I suppose I could see why, though. He's quite the catch when you disregard his jerkish personality.

''Yugi!''

My head shoots up as I spot the teacher, giving me a cold glance before returning to the chalkboard. Students snickered as they watched me put my head down onto the desk before flipping the page in my notebook and following along. My breathing grew sporadic as I tried to recover from my embarrassment, but it only seemed to get worse. I couldn't remember where I had been looking the entirety of my visions, but it was worrying me nonetheless.

That doesn't matter now, I thought to myself as I wrote harshly, snapping the end of my pencil. What matters now is finding Atem - and a way to get him to talk.

°°°

The bell rang as children flocked out of their classrooms and down the stairs. I scrambled to grab my things before quickly glancing out of the doorway just in time to see -

Atem.

''Atem, wait!'' I shouted as I shoved through the classroom doors into the hallway. I was immediately thrown into the school's version of "rush hour," causing me to nearly topple over as I was pushed around throughout the halls.

Where in Ra's name did he go? I stood on my toes, attempting to look over the shoulders of the teens before me -but no luck. Instead, I pushed my way through the crowd until I reached a familiar tan skin tone and quickly grabbed a hold of his arm.

''Atem!'' I shouted, pulling him aside as the hall began to clear. ''Atem, I'm so glad I-''

I loosened my grip on the teen as It grew silent, aside from the harsh breathing above me. Something was... off.

Oh no, I worried, but the damage had already been done. This isn't-

''How pathetic.''

I felt the stranger's hand yank away from my grasp and toss me aside before I looked up to meet his judging gaze.

Marik.

''You must be desperate, Yugi,'' The bully snickered, crouching down to meet my eyes. ''You can't get Yami's attention, so instead you go for his brother?''

I scrambled back onto my feet, brushing myself off before picking up my belongings. Even after all these years, Marik was still trying to be the tough kid- not like it would matter after highschool anyways. For a moment, I felt sorry for him, until I remembered my current situation.

''Shut up, Marik. I don't need you right now.''

The Egyptian teen strolled by, stopping behind me. He grabbed my shoulders and watched my concerned gaze follow him before meeting it directly.

''Oh, sure you don't. You need Atem. Don't you, freak?''

He laughed and shoved me against the staircase, landing me face-first on the stairs. I held onto the now-bruised side of my face as I turned around, the hall growing silent again. But Marik hadn't left - Instead, he had been staring off down the hall behind him, at someone who I couldn't identify. All I could see was what was beneath them - A pair of black leather shoes, standing at a nearby corner, watching.

Yami?

''Yami, I can explain-''

''Come with me, Marik.'' A baritone voice spoke sternly as he took a step back.

''But, Yami,-''

''Now.''

I sat in disbelief as Marik scrambled after him, his fearsome exterior transformed into that of a child. I rose from the staircase, my side and face still aching with pain as I watched them disappear down the hall.

What the heck just happened?

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°°°

September 9th, 2004,

I shoved Marik into the closet, the door slamming behind me as the darkness clouded the room and my mind. He was nervous, his hands shaking at his side as he tried to mask his emotions. I can't believe I let him drag me into this so long ago.

''Marik,'' I mumble under my breath as I pin him against the wall, my face heating up with anger. ''What the fuck were you thinking?''

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