Chapter Text
He hated this.
Yuugi clung onto the rope around his neck, the other hand gently cradling the puzzle to his chest. His treasure. It’s been about a year since he completed it, and became friends with Jonouchi and Honda and close to Anzu again.
But apparently his mother didn’t quite like the amount of life-or-death situations he’s been in since high school started in Domino. So they moved. They moved, and Yuugi had to leave his friends, his grandpa, behind.
He wanted to puke.
…That would make him late, though. And he can’t be late on his first day at the new school. Maybe he can make new friends? Of course he can never replace Jonouchi and the others, but… still. It’d be nice. To have someone nearby.
Hopefully, everything will work out fine.
Unknown to him, the Spirit of the Puzzle stirred, feeling the oncoming Ruin.
Yuugi didn’t know what else he expected.
New school, new people – same. Issue. With. Bullies. Honestly, maybe even worse? Like, a couple of the teachers were in on it too. Especially the P.E. teacher, Kamoshida. Yuugi…. Did not like him. The guy was so condescending, and personally Yuugi doubted it was a coincidence all his athletes always looked bruised and bloody. But he had no evidence, and had no way to get evidence. So all he could do was keep and head down and hope he didn’t run into the guy.
He thought that maybe this would be grounds to move back. His mother thought ‘bullying’ was a step up from ‘almost dying’ all the time. Yuugi also thought that she had this idea that maybe he was just whining for the sake of it, so he dropped it. There was no point in making drama at home, especially when it was just the two of them.
He wanted to go back to Domino.
But he was here. He was cities away, but he was still able to talk to Jonouchi, and Anzu, Honda, his grandpa… Though with his grandpa it had to be mainly through video chats, texting was too hard on his hands. Which was ok. This was ok. He could make it work.
Keep his head down, stay out of trouble.
Then the delinquent appeared. The new transfer student. There were rumors and whispers and chatter. Yuugi ignored them. How bad can this guy be? Seto had tried to kill him multiple times but they still get along. Kind of. Maybe. Well Seto said he tolerated Yuugi so that was the same thing for him.
And besides, it just meant he’d get less attention for a little bit.
OH GOD.
Yuugi helped his face wasn’t as red as it felt. The new student, Ren Amamiya was…PRETTY. Very. Very pretty. And he sat in front of Takamaki. Who was also. Very. Very. Pretty.
Why were they both so pretty?
Oh god why.
Yuugi felt a wave of amusement from the Puzzle. Yuugi respectfully pushed back the equivalent of ‘shut up’. The Puzzle laughed at him.
Yuugi didn’t know Shiho Suzui all that well. But she had always been respectful to him. She always smiled and gave a little wave when Yuugi said hi in the morning.
He hoped they could be friends.
But.
She.
JUMPED.
She jumped. She jumped.
There were other students around him, there were teachers yelling and sirens blaring. Movement. Noise. None of it mattered because she jumped.
Shiho jumped. Shiho tried to kill herself. Why? Why?
Yuugi felt the blood thrum in his ears. He felt the Puzzle’s rage boil. One finger traced the grooves of its surface, smoothing. Him or the Spirit? He didn’t care.
The Spirit stared from Yuugi’s eyes. The boy’s posture shifted, because it was no longer the boy who was there. The Spirit took a moment to breath. Ah yes, air. Fresh air filling lungs. Somehow, a novelty to it. He didn’t know why. He didn’t care.
Because right now, all he knew was someone had trespassed in the Soul of what Yuugi considered a friend. Now then…
The Spirit put his hands in his pockets, turning from the scene and pushing his way out of the still energetic crowd. There were a few students that fled the area quite quickly. Well. One did, two gave chase. He dug through Yuugi’s memories to remember the names.
Ren Amamiya – transfer student. Yuugi’s classmate. Apparently, a criminal.
Yuuki Mishima – quiet and subdued. Also Yuugi’s classmate. On the volleyball team.
Ryuji Sakamoto – not in Yuugi’s class. Reminds him of Jonouchi.
Not a lot to go off of, but good enough. The Spirit followed them and found himself at the P.E. faculty office. Yuugi’s residual unease slowed him down a second, but the Spirit’s rage washed it away. Kamoshida.
His blood boiled and his vision went red.
Because he heard.
Kamoshida had hurt Suzui.
The Spirit’s rage called for it. It called for a GAME.
His tightened Yuugi’s hand into a tight fist, willing the Shadows to heed his command.
A game? They whispered gleefully Are we playing a game?
“…”
The Spirit paused, and in turn so did the Shadows. Yuugi’s silence was louder than his voice could ever be. No. No games, then. But how else would he punish that bastard? Yuugi’s silence didn’t know the answer.
He blinked himself out of his thoughts. Amamiya, Sakamoto, and Mishima were leaving the office. The Spirit stepped into the Shadows, hiding himself in them. He watched them pass. Sakamoto and Amamiya were sticking to each other. Mishima left by himself.
Mishima was irrelevant. The other two….
The Spirit followed.
A world of distorted desires.
A Palace.
That’s what the cat had called this place.
The Spirit stared.
It was the school. But. Twisted. The way Kamoshida saw it? The way he saw everyone in it?
It was… odd. The Shadows here did not belong to him. He didn’t like it. It didn’t matter. The cat – Morgana – had told the other two that ridding this place would rid the distortion – not harm Kamoshida- and make him confess.
It’d be perfect. Kamoshida can wallow in his guilt and won’t be harmed. Justice that satisfied both the Spirit and Yuugi.
Yuugi-
….
The Spirit looked around, confused. Where was Yuugi?
He couldn’t feel the boy’s presence. Not within himself, not in the Puzzle-
…
Ah. So he could come here without the boy. And leave the same way the other three did. Just by walking out? Simple enough.
The Spirit narrowed his eyes. The Shadows here did not belong to him. That didn’t matter. They would bow or they would die.
The Spirit followed the trio. Amamiya saw him first.
“Mutou?”
Morgana and Sakamoto both jumped, turning to face him. Morgana’s ears layed flat against his head.
“Mutou? You know this guy?”
“Dude, there is NO way I could not recognize that hair.” Sakamoto said.
“What are you doing here?” Amamiya said, ignoring the antics of the other two and took a step towards him.
“Kamoshida hurt Suzui.” The Spirit said “I want justice. This seems the best path forward.”
The three of them paused. Sakamoto shuffled his feet.
“Dude, he does not sound like Mutou.”
Morgana hopped up and down “Maybe it’s because we’re in the Metaverse? He may have already awakened to his persona.”
“Dude, for real?” Sakamoto exclaimed.
Amamiya looked at them, then back at the Spirit “How’d you know he hurt Shiho?”
“I eavesdropped. He said it.”
“Ah.”
…
“Dude, can we get GOING!?” Sakamoto groaned, one leg bouncing impatiently “He’s after the same thing or whatever, right? Just let him come along. He’s got a persona so he’ll be fine.”
Morgana seemed to think on this. “Fine. Well, if Joker’s okay with it, I am too.”
Amamiya – or ‘Joker’, as he seemed to be called here- nodded. “Good enough for me.” He gave the Spirit a brief smile “Welcome aboard.”
The Spirit nodded. This game isn’t one he’s played, but he’ll win. The man who trespassed on Suzui’s soul will crumble under the weight of his own sin. And the Spirit will take immense satisfaction in the pain the bastard will wallow in.