The morning wind was brisk, the sky cloudily grey. Through the crowded street he walked, his pace slow, he still had plenty of time to get to the place he needed to be, at least half an hour or so, and he could already see his destination. A tall blue building that was so grand it was clearly visible even on a day like today.
He was fifteen years of age, yet already his eyes and his face held the maturity most would expect an adult to have. He was rather tall in stature and held about him an air of great confidence, though he wouldn't say he was overconfident. He wore a black jacket, and a pair of matching trousers. His shoes were red, to some degree matching his hair, in colour.
Now, with hindsight, it could've been due to a number of reasons that he bumped into the person he did as he continued his walk—but the answer, as grudgingly as he would be to accept it, was fate.
The boy first became aware of the fact that he had bumped into someone when he felt himself fall to the ground, which he hit with a thud, and the duel disk; which he'd been carrying went flying out of his hands and landed on the pavement, his cards spilling everywhere.
How he'd been knocked over whilst walking at the pace he had been he would never know. He would later blame it once again on fate.
"Ouch…" he muttered softly to himself, as he picked himself up, his dark golden eyes quickly searching for his lost cards, and if you looked closely you might've seen a tiny hint of desperation within them.
"Sorry about that," a voice said to him, and upon registering the voice the boy couldn't help but lift an eyebrow in surprise, his heart racing slightly with excitement, though his outward expression showed none of that. "Here, let me help you with that," the voice continued, before the man who he'd bumped into walked over to where his cards had fallen and picked them up quickly, along with the duel disk.
"Thank you, Mr Mutou." The boy said gratefully as his duel disk was passed to him.
Of all the people he could've bumped into, it had to be none other than the King of Games himself, and after looking at him the boy realised that he was definitely shorter in real life, though his pointy, tri-coloured, golden, hair was definitely longer. On further inspection the boy realised he still wore the uniform of a student attending Domino High, it was surprising to say the least. Anyone would've thought he'd of grown out of it.
"Your welcome…" the King of Games began before realising he didn't know the name of the person he was addressing.
"Haru Yuki," the boy supplied in a quiet tone, the thin outline of a smile present upon his face, something that never usually happened around other people, unless of course he was duelling, and even then it was rare.
"… Haru Yuki," the King of Games finished kindly. "I take it you're a duellist?"
The teenage boy nodded silently, as he began looking through his deck, and inwardly letting out a sigh of relief, when he realized all his cards were present and accounted for.
"I take it you're trying out for Duel Academy this year?" Yugi Mutou continued to ask.
Haru Yuki nodded again, as his fingers tightened round his favourite card quickly, before he placed his deck back in his deck box, and strapped his duel disk to his arm, it would stop him from dropping it, should this event, or one similar occur again, besides he would need it for the entrance exam anyways.
"I couldn't help but notice one of the cards in your deck," he began in an offhanded manor, watching the boy's body stiffen ever so slightly, "It definitely seems to belong with you," he continued, and Haru let out a sigh of relief, the man obviously didn't know the rumours about that card, or if he did didn't seem to care.
"However," the man continued and Haru was brought out of his thoughts when he detected the graveness in his voice, "there are those who might try to break the bond you have."
At this Haru couldn't help but roll his eyes, like he didn't already know that. "Be careful," the man finished.
Once again the boy nodded his head, he most definitely would be, no one would ever separate him from his favourite card, and those who tried would regret it.
Yugi Mutou then flicked open his deck box and took out a single card, before handing it to Haru, who upon glancing at it raised an eyebrow in confusion. The man shrugged his shoulders before replying: "It says it wants to be friends with you."
Before Haru could reply Yugi turned around and walked away, quickly being swallowed by the gray morning mist. Haru was left alone, staring at the card in his hand, a light brown Kuriboh with small white wings.
"Winged Kuriboh…" the boy whispered to himself, and almost jumped when he heard a slightly high "cuu" of affirmation, and saw the card wink quickly.
Smiling to himself he took out his deck an added the card, before shuffling, and placing it back in his duel disk.
"So what do you think Yubel?" He asked himself quietly, "think we've found a friend?"
Anyone who hadn't known the boy during childhood would've thought he was talking to himself, but in actual fact he was talking to his only friend—the spirit of a high level Duel Monster card known as Yubel, a hideous monster to everyone but Haru. The sprit's form appeared beside him, the closest thing to a smile she could manage present on our face.
"It only wishes you good intentions," she said, "and besides I sense a time will come when we might need it."
"Well then Winged Kuriboh," Haru began, "it's nice to meet you."
"You're acting differently today, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Yubel asked, mock worry present on her face.
"Oh, do shut up," Haru commented, with a glare and a scowl to accompany it.
"Ah," Yubel sighed in satisfaction, "much better." Before she vanished, and Haru continued heading towards his destination.
When he reached the Kaiba Corporation building where the exams were taking place he was given a number 91, before being told to wait with the other applicants inside the main building.
The room he was now in was filled with duelling fiends, around which were blue-seated stands, though he chose to stand at the very type in a place where he was overlooking all of the duelling fields, though the noise all around him made his head ache ever so slightly.
A few people tried to start up a conversation with him, but when they approached a simple glare stopped them from trying. He didn't need any more friends; he'd got the perfect two. The room quickly became even more crowded and noisy then it already was, a signal telling Haru that the exams would soon get underway.
Glancing to the side Haru realised he was surrounded by people wearing blue uniforms, and advice from Yubel made him walk up to a nearby student, a tall boy with blue hair and a very serious face, and ask.
"These? They're a symbol of the dorm you're in. You can be in one of three dorms. Obelisk Blue, Ra Yellow, and Sliffer Red." He said, though he sounded rather bored.
"So you're in Blue?"
"It's a dorm befitting of the academy's top student."
"I see," Haru said to himself, before conversing quickly with Yubel.
"He should be an interesting opponent," she said.
"Indeed," Haru agreed. "Nothing," he added hastily when he saw the boy looking at him.
"You won't get into Blue if that's what you're thinking, the highest you'll get is Yellow, unless you went to a special Duel Monsters' school beforehand or buy your way in you can not get into Blue."
"So it's basically filled with the greatest snobs the world has ever known."
The other boy smirked, before saying, "Mostly."
It was at the moment that a boy Haru's age walked over to him, looking him over once before a sneer became plastered on his face.
"Trying to get into Obelisk Blue? You'll never make it; a runt like you won't last more then one minute against one of the Proctors. Of course, I'm already going to be in Blue, because not only am I the best duellist out of the new first year class, but I'm also a member of the Princeton family, and their one of the richest families in the world."
"I see what you mean," Haru said to the other boy, before he looked at the newcomer with pity, "I'd watch what you say if I were you, you might regret it," Haru whispered coldly, before he turned and walked away.
Then something rather peculiar happened to the boy who just a few seconds ago had been boasting and making fun of Haru, he clasped to the floor, gasping for breath, to the surprise and concern of those around him, and when Haru next saw the boy he was being carried away on a stretcher.
"Thank you," Haru whispered to his favourite card.
"No one will ever hurt you again Haru," Yubel said softly, "I'll make sure of it."
It was nice to know that at least someone cared for him. He still couldn't understand why his parents had wanted to have Yubel sent away, all she was doing was protecting him from those that tried to hurt him, a job they had never even tried to do.
With that Haru was lost within memories, memories which he would have rather forgotten, and only snapped out of them when a droning and bored voice called his number out over the loud speaker.
"Applicant number 91 to duelling field number 12 please, I repeat applicant number 91 to duelling field number 12."
As he made his way down to his assigned field he was suddenly aware of people looking at him intently, no doubt they were curious to see how good he was. Well he thought, smirking slightly, he'd show them he was the best, and that no one should mess with him.
As he and his opponent squared off he caught a glimpse of the person duelling in the arena next to him, and his eyes burned with hatred. Of all the people that were taking the entrance exams this year, why did one of them have to be him? He was vaguely aware of Yubel agreeing with his thought, before he was snapped out of his musings by the grey uniformed Duel Proctor.
"Applicant, you may begin."
"Right," Haru said, putting his concerns behind him for now and staring at his opponent. "You're going down."
"Duel," they both said in unison, and a duel that would be one of the most memorable duels in the life of Duel Academy began.
All the while Yubel watched over him.