Yako and Gekko Tenma

A small kid was sitting on the orphanage court and it was drawing something. He liked doing this. He was feeling better this way. He had greenish hair and green eyes. He didn't know much about himself since he was an orphan till the day he was born…or maybe…later? He didn't even know that! Anyway by all the things he knew that his name was Tenma. Yako Tenma. They had told him many stories in the orphanage but he wasn't that immature to believe all of them! He had a name, a surname…so what? This didn't help him at all. He had learnt that well enough. But even though he was seven years old he was mature enough to be grateful even with that! When you are orphan…you must mature really quickly! But still he was a child! A kid that needed affection! Suddenly someone took his drawing from his hands cutting his thoughts. It was one of the bullies. He hadn't seen those big guys before! They must have been new in there!
"Hay kiddo! What are you drawing?" one of them asked.
"It's personal! Give it back!" Yako whimpered.
The big guy was holding the drawing too high out of reach for poor Yako.
"Oh you hear that? The poor one wants his drawing!"
He torn it in two while the others were laughing. Yako was feeling ready to burst into tears when…something crossed the air and landed on the leader's head.
"Hay!" he turned around. "Who did this?"
He saw no one and turned back to Yako but…Yako was not there anymore.
"Huh? Where did he…"
"Hay! Over here!" Yako yelled from somewhere away waving his arm.
"Hay!" they ran after him…when…
"Hay! Here! Over here!" Yako was waving them from…the other side!
The bullies got confused.
"He's fast!"
"After him!"
This went on for some moments till Yako ran behind a corner. When they ran after him, someone made them trip down. All three of them fell down. They raised their heads to see…two Yakos!
"What's going on in here? Am I seeing double?!"
The two boys giggled.
"Nah! Meet my twin brother Gekko!" Yako said.
Gekko giggled at their surprise.
"T-Twins?!"
"That's right! Now get away from my brother!" Gekko stated!
The bullies were still too shocked to fight back and they ran away.
"Thanks brother!" Yako said.
Gekko raised his thumb up.
"That's what family is for!"
They clapped their hands giving five to each other.
"Did you see their faces?" Gekko giggled.
"Yeah!" Yako giggled back.
Yako had a twin brother. Gekko Tenma. He was born some minutes before him but still they looked alike like two drops of water! They had the same greenish hair, the same green eyes, the same height and almost exactly the same voice! However they were different inside. Yako was timid and quiet. He preferred to be alone drawing something or looking at the pictures of some book. Gekko was always more active. He liked playing outside. This was the only thing that guided the others to distinguish the two boys. Anyway Yako stopped giggling after a while and his little eyes started to water again.
"Hm? Yako? What's wrong?"
"But…my drawing…they…"
"Did they destroy it?"
Yako nodded.
"Hay it's okay Yako. You will make another one even better! You're good at that!"
Yako sniffed.
"If it weren't you…"
"Yako, we're twins! You would do the same thing for me! If I were in your shoes, I would need you to help me! You and I are one! We got born by the same womb! We are more than simple brothers!"
Yako sat down to the stairs of the orphanage, hugging his knees, and Gekko sat beside him.
"I miss them Gekko…I miss mom and dad…"
"Yako…mom died giving birth to us. Remember? We didn't have the chance to meet her…and also dad died in a car accident when we were two…we didn't have the chance to meet them…"
"But still…what if…dad just left us here?"
Gekko shrugged.
"People in here didn't know much about him. They only thing we know for sure is that our name is Tenma. Some people in here say that dad didn't have money so he would give us for adoption anyway even if he hadn't died…but you already know this story! We both know that we must be grateful we even have a surname!"
"Right! Many kids in here don't have one…"
"That's right! And we also have each other!"
"And we made a promise to be adopted together right?"
"Definitely!"
The brothers hugged. Then Gekko pulled back and touched Yako's face.
"Yako…you…you've got the fever! How…? Again?"
Yako lowered his head.
"I liked sitting alone outside and drawing the moon…I…"
"Come on! You must go and lie down!" Gekko pulled his twin brother up.
Later Yako was lieing on his bed with a compress on his forehead. The beds were all placed in orders. Each room was big enough for twenty beds. Yako's and Gekko's were the one near the other. One of the women in the orphanage along with some children came in.
"It's Yako…he got sick again…" some of them were whispering.
"Kids! Be nice! Well…someone must stay with Yako while I'm off for the medicine and some ice…"
"I'll stay with Yako, Miss!" Gekko said with a smile.
"Ah! Okay! I'll be right back! Keep him cool okay?"
"Yes, Miss!"
"Alright come along kids…Yako needs rest now…come on…"
She and the kids left the room. Only two kids, one blond one, a year older than Yako and Gekko named Richie Merked and another brunette one, a year younger than them named Depre Scott, turned their head towards them before following the others and leaving Yako alone with his twin brother. Gekko tried to change Yako's compress but Yako held his wrist. Gekko smiled cause he understood. It wasn't difficult for them to understand each other by just looking into each other's eyes. Gekko climbed on the bed and got under the sheets taking his brother's face in his two palms. Yako took Gekko's face in his own hands and they kept lieing there, foreheads touched. If Yako's face weren't slightly flushed by the fever, you wouldn't be able to say who was who! Gekko or Yako? Yako or Gekko? They were both the same. They came out from the same seed. They came out of the same womb. They had the same appearance…they had the same pain…the same wounds…the same dreams…the same needs…the same hope…
Yako nuzzled on his brother's forehead and giggled slightly. Gekko raised a brow.
"What?"
"You are…so cool…"
"No…you are hot…" Gekko smiled.
"Then…we found something we are not alike to!"
Gekko got the irony and giggled a little.
"Then I guess I have to warm up too so we will be the same again"
Yako and Gekko hugged each other tighter as if they wanted to become one again like they were in theirs mother's womb.
"Gekko…you are me…" Yako whispered with a smile.
"And you are me!" Gekko replied.
"And we'll always be like this forever! Isn't it?"
"Yeah! Forever!"
"Promise me! Promise me Gekko…that we will be the same forever! No matter what!"
"I promise Yako! No matter what happens you and I will remain exactly the same!"
"Because we're twins!"
"Yes, because we're twins!"
The two brothers started to fall asleep. It wasn't the first time. They liked sleeping in the same bed. They were feeling safe. They were feeling close. They were feeling home!


Years passed…
It was a common, sunny day when a huge, black limousine stopped in front of the orphanage's gate. The back door opened to reveal a red dressed man with long, silver hair that was falling like a curtain over his one eye. He stepped out of the car and looked at the sun breathing a deep breath. The in charge came to him.
"Mister Pegasus! It's really an honor to have you with us today!"
"The pleasure is all mine my friend!" Pegasus replied in his cheerful tone.
He was speaking Japanese with his well-known American pronunciation.
"Shall we?" Pegasus suggested.
Both stepped inside the orphanage court. The orphans were all running around playing and laughing. Pegasus stopped to admire them.
"Again thank you for choosing this orphanage to adopt children from!"
Pegasus kept looking when he spotted the two green-haired boys that were dealing with a big bully (again!) He watched in amusement the two ten-year-old children running away from them and then confusing them by changing places! He knew that he had found what he was looking for!
Yako and Gekko clapped their hands giving five watching the bullies running away when they heard applause and turned around to see the tall silver-haired man approaching.
"Bravo! Bravo! What a splendid technique you two! That was really fabulous!"
The twins blinked in confusion but both were feeling pride inside! It was the first time someone stranger actually got THAT enthusiastic about their skills changing places.
"That was the exact form of cooperation I was searching for! What are your names my dear boys?"
"Gekko Tenma"
"Y-Yako Tenma"
"Well my boys…do you want to be adopted by me? I will offer you anything you need and I hope one day to be like a real family to you!"
The twins looked at each other! Family? How could they say 'no'? They yelped happily. Yako though looked up at him. Pegasus was tall and he seemed…so…so… He couldn't describe the respect he was feeling right now! It was as if a savior had come to take him away from loneliness! He couldn't explain it! He just couldn't!

Later they had arrived to Pegasus's home. Well…to his mansion to be exact! Pegasus had adopted four children from that orphanage. Yako, Gekko, Richie and Depre. The four kids were looking at the enormous mansion with eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"Wow! Look at this!" Depre commented.
"Wow!" Gekko agreed.
"It is huge" Yako murmured.
"Phew!" Richie whistled in admiration.
The limousine stopped.
"Well come on kids!" Pegasus said cheerfully. "Let's get inside"
The enormous mansion they got in was full with some other children playing around.
"Who…are all those?" Gekko asked.
"Oh those are other kids I adopted! They are training to become duelists or game designers!"
"Emm…will we too…?" Yako asked pulling Pegasus's jacket.
"Oh yes my dear boy! You will be trained and educated here! You'll miss out of nothing! I assure you!" he replied ruffling Yako's hair.
Children saw him and gathered around him happily while some others were talking to the four new children! Yako, then, noticed Pegasus's eye…was…gold!
"Emm…sir…your eye…what…"
Pegasus covered his eye with his hand.
"It's a long story. I will tell you eventually…and you don't need to call me sir! None of you my boys! I'm not your boss! I brought you here to become your family!"
Yako though was feeling so much gratefulness towards him that he felt the need to call him with just a specific name.
"Master Pegasus…"

"Yako! Gekko! Come here my boys! I have something for you!" Pegasus called them one day.
Both ran to him.
"What is it Master Pegasus? What is it?" both were asking almost in union.
Pegasus chuckled.
"I have a present for you my boys" he said handing to them two packs.
"What is it?"
"Yeah…"
Both of them torn the paper around it and open their small boxes to reveal…duel monsters' cards!
"It's cards!" Gekko said.
"Cool…" Yako commented.
"They are Duel Monsters' Cards! It is the game I created! I want you two to start practicing together! Like you always did!"
"But…Master Pegasus…we don't know how to play…"
"Oh, but I'll teach you Yako boy! I will teach you and then you will keep practicing together like a team!"
"Yes!" both nodded.

"Now I attack you with Angel 07 directly and I win!" Gekko said.
"Dammit! I lose again!" Yako complained.
"Hay Yako it's okay! It was just a game. You might win next time!"
"Yeah! You always say that and you always win!" Yako spat and stood up.
"Yako!" Gekko followed him "Why are you mad now? It was just a game! If you practice you'll get better"
"Easy for you to say! You always win! You win everyone! I never won against anyone! I always lose!"
"Yako you just need practice…"
"I never get any better!"
"That's not true…"
"Well…I never win! I want to win for once!"
"Yako is not the point to win or lose…it is the fact that you're trying to get better!"
He tried to touch Yako but Yako hit his hand away yelling
"Then why can't I be as good as you are?" his eyes were teary.
"Yako…"
Yako then sat on the bed crying.
"I'm sorry…" he mumbled. "I…I just…"
"It's okay Yako…but there is no need to be so upset and frustrated. It is just a game!"
Yako sniffed.
"Children are making fun of me! They say that I can't beat even a monkey!"
"Who said that?"
"A-All of them…"
"Yako! It is not true! You just need practice okay? Don't pay attention to them! Besides you're great designer. You're doing better than any of them! Master Pegasus is really happy for this…"
"Then why is he complimenting only you…?" Yako mumbled through clenched teeth.
"What? What did you say?"
"N-Nothing…"
"It's alright Yako…don't pay attention to what they are saying!" Gekko hugged him.
Yako hugged him back…
"Okay…"

"Tag duels?" all four of them asked.
"That's right!" Pegasus said. "Tenma twins against Depre and Richie at the same time! It is a test to see your teamwork. The rules are almost the same with one condition: The two players will support each other but when one of them loses then all team loses. If one's life points reach zero the duel ends! Let's start!"
"DUEL!" all four of them said.
It took the some time to get used to it but soon they were really good! Suddenly Richie attacked Yako leaving his field empty and his Life Points down to 500!
"Heh! You're doomed Tenma twins!" Depre said. "Zeta Reticulant attack Yako directly!"
Yako was prepared for the team's defeat but…
"I won't let that happen! I activate Mirror Force! Your monsters are destroyed!" Gekko yelled!
All monsters got destroyed.
"Oh no!" Depre and Richie said together.
"Now Angel 07 attacks!"
"Noooo!" Depre screamed his Life Points dropping to zero and the team lost.
Pegasus started to applaud.
"Magnificent! Great! Splendid! Fabulous! Great job Gekko!"
Yako expected to hear his name too but instead…
"The way you saved your partner and saved the day was great! Fabulous!"
"Ah! Thank you Master Pegasus!" Gekko blushed.
Yako remained silent biting his lip. He knew that. Gekko was good in dueling! He wasn't! He was fighting not to cry.


For another time Gekko won.
"Oh! What a splendid technique! Just what I'd expect from my brother Gekko! You're great!" Pegasus said happily and cheerfully as always.
Gekko blushed.
"Th-thank you so much, Master Pegasus!" he said, "You were watching me weren't you?"
"Of course I was Gekko. As a duelist you've reached perfection!"
Gekko smiled happily! Only one was sitting behind in the shadows. Yako. Jealousy was biting his soul. Gekko. Gekko. Always it was Gekko! While he was just his copy! Just his assistant! And now…Gekko was the perfect duelist! He didn't let his feelings to be shown! Just his face was dark. He left the room. Later he found Pegasus. He had done that many times! He was always asking for more attention, always hoping to get a different answer.
"Master Pegasus…?"
Pegasus turned around.
"Yes Yako?"
"Me too? Have I reached perfection too? Can I be part of the strong duelists?"
And then he got the answer he was getting most of the time.
"You're still a diamond in the rough, Yako. You're not quite ready yet!"
Yako knew this answer really well but…it was always hurting him inside!
"Yes…Master…Pegasus…" his voice trembling slightly.
He ran away.
"You promised me! You promised me that we would be the same Gekko! You promised me that we would remain the same no matter what! You promised me! You promised me Gekko!"
Wherever he went they were making fun of him!
"Oh here's the non-perfect duelist!…You're just a bad copy of Gekko's!…You're a loser!…You second-rated duelist!…"
He was biting his lip to hold his tears back but as usually…they fell…

Years later Yako and Gekko were on top of Kaiba corporation building…looking to Yugi and his friends leaving. It was over! The Wicked gods were destroyed! Darkness had left Yako's soul! Yako looked at his twin brother.
"Thank you…Gekko…"
"You don't have to thank me…it was Yugi Muto who opened your eyes."
"But you made me realize what Master Pegasus truly meant! You opened my eyes!"
Gekko smiled.
"Yako…I always admired you!"
"Me too…I wanted to be as active and strong as you were!"
"I wanted to be as good artist as you were!"
The two nineteen-year-old men looked at each other.
"In the end…we never changed…" Yako said.
"That's what I was trying to say to you! Each of us has a different skill but together…we are one!"
"We are one…in the end…we are the same!"


"Yako…Yako…Yako!"
Yako raised his head from his desk.
"Ah! Yes…? Gekko…?"
"What are you doing?"
The nineteen-year-old man smiled.
"Nothing really…I was checking our old photos!"
His twin came close and looked at them with a smile.
"We were cute back then! I sometimes miss that orphanage!"
"I was so foolish back then…"
"No Yako…we both made mistakes! But now everything is over…"
"Yes! Ironic that we are both presidents of Industrial Illusions after Master Pegasus's death! I remember that I was accusing Yugi Muto…"
"Don't think about it anymore! It's over!"
"Yes…by the way did Richie and Depre finish that project we were talking about?"
"Yes. Almost. I think it will be ready by tomorrow!"
"Ah…good…"
Yako caressed a small photo with him and Gekko in the orphanage.
"Gekko…?"
"Yes?"
"Do you remember the promise we made back then when we were kids?"
"Always…"
"Gekko…you are me…" Yako whispered with a smile.
"And you are me!" Gekko replied.
"And we'll always be like this forever! Isn't it?"
"Yeah! Forever!"
"Promise me! Promise me Gekko…that we will be the same forever! No matter what!"
"I promise Yako! No matter what happens you and I will remain exactly the same!"
"Because we're twins!"
"Yes, because we're twins!"