Yuki
By: Rogue Fox
Part One… The New Girl
My name is Yuki. It means "lucky." But lucky was the last thing I felt.
I was crying. My tears fell like the rain outside. I wished and wished, but no amount of wishing was going to bring them back to me. I sobbed uncontrollably, my only comfort coming from the fact that my two little brothers couldn't hear me. I had to be strong for them now. They needed me.
I was eleven when my father died. My youngest brother, Yukio, was hardly nine months old, and Yoshi was six. Neither of them could possibly understand that Papa had been in a car accident and would never come home. For the next five years, my mother and I managed Papa's business. We got a lot of help from an old friend of mine, the adopted son of a business partner of Papa's. Seto Kaiba, my lifelong best friend, was an invaluable aid. Neither Mom nor I were any good at business. Seto was a natural.
Then, suddenly, Mom had an aneurysm. There were no warning signs. She was dead before the ambulance even got there. I tried to save her life, I did everything I knew, but nothing could have saved her.
So, there I was, the day after Mom's death, sobbing pathetically. I was the very incarnation of pathetic. My heart felt like it had shattered into a thousand pieces. Mom and I had been supporting the family mostly off of the money Papa had left in the bank. But I knew that money would last too much longer. The contractors wanted the forty acres we lived on to make a new housing development. Some big corporation wanted to buy out our business. And I was barely sixteen, suddenly thrust into the position of a mother and a CEO.
I was alone in the house. Harry, our loyal butler, had sensed my need to be alone and had taken the boys out. I would have to let Harry go to save money. I sobbed again at that realization. As I thought I was totally alone, you can imagine my surprise when a hand landed on my shoulder. I wheeled around, ready to fight. Two hands clamped over my wrists and suddenly I was looking into concerned blue eyes.
" Seto!" I cried, half from astonishment and half from relief. Seto had been the first person I had called after Mom's death. He had comforted me over the phone, from halfway across the world in Japan. I most certainly wasn't expecting him to show up here.
" I came as soon as I got off the phone with you." He whispered to me. Suddenly I was crying again. Just like when we were little kids, Seto had come to make all my fears and nightmares disappear like the vague fantasies they were. Except this time, not even Seto could make all my troubles disappear. Seto was not a naturally touchy person, but he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry and tell him, in halting gasps, all my woes.
For a few long moments after I finished, he sat in silence, holding me gently.
" Is there anyone left? Any of your family?" he asked finally. I shook me head, still leaning against him.
" No one. I'm all alone." I said, letting another sob wrack my body.
" What about your great-grandmother?" Seto asked.
" She died last year, remember?" I said, making a pathetic attempt to stop my tears. Seto paused to tenderly wipe a few tears off my cheeks.
" Then come to Japan with me." He said. I stared at him in disbelief.
" What?" I asked, unsure if I had heard him correctly.
" Come to Japan with me. If you stay here, you and your brothers will be tossed into orphanages, and chances are you'll be separated. The government will probably take whatever money's left and all the land. Come with me to Japan. You're a natural citizen there anyway, right? I'll hire a good lawyer and we'll keep you three together." Seto said, letting me go to stand and pace. He went on in a rush. " We've got plenty of room, and we can enroll the boys in Mokuba's school. There's absolutely no reason it shouldn't work." He said. I stared at him.
" But to Japan? That's one heck of a move, Seto." I said. " Can the boys take that big of a change?"
" Do they have a choice? They'll adapt. Think of the alternatives. Admit it, you're hardly in a peachy situation." Seto said, cocking an eyebrow at me. I put a hand to my head.
" Give us a little time, Seto! This is all happening way too fast!" I cried. I could feel the tears starting again. Seto kneeled down before me where I was sitting.
" Sorry." He said. " You're the only real friend I've ever had, Yuki. I don't want anything to happen to you or your brothers. You know that." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. He wiped my tears again and somehow, I knew it would be all right.
I allowed Seto to guide me into the squat school building by putting his hand on the small of my back and holding the door open for me. I had fussed and fretted long enough, according to him.
" Are you sure they'll be okay?" I asked, my brow furrowed doubtfully.
" I'm positive. With Mokuba watching out for them, they'll be fine. You worry about those boys too much." Seto responded.
" Well, if I don't worry, who will?" I asked crossly.
" Leave the worrying to me. You concentrate on school." Seto said sternly. I patted his cheek.
" You sound like you're my father." I said, wincing only slightly.
" Try big brother." Seto said, nodding politely as a teacher walked by as he guided me to the office.
" Ha! Me, a little sister? That's funny, Seto." I said with a laugh. Seto allowed himself a small smile and ushered me into the office.
" Then go knock 'em dead, Yuki." He said, resolutely closing the door behind him. I stared after him for a long moment. Seto was a sort of big brother to me. I suddenly remembered when Seto had visited our family with his adopted father. I had taken him to the pond that lay in the back of our land to go fishing. But I, being the little showoff that I was, had to go all out. On the way there, there was a creek that one could cross by either walking across an I-beam bridge, or jumping on stepping-stones. Mom and Papa had always told me to never jump on the stepping-stones unless there was an adult there. But I conveniently forgot for a moment and jumped onto a particularly small and dangerous stone. I slipped and fell into the water. There had just been a heavy rain, and the water was swift and deep. I could feel my lungs screaming for air and my body going numb with cold, when all of the sudden, I felt a hand grab mine and haul me to the shore. I gasped, choked, coughed, wretched, and then repeated the process until my breathing returned to normal. I had looked up to see Seto, drenched and gasping, asking me if I was all right. I snapped out of my reverie. Seto had always hauled me out of trouble when I was in over my head. Suddenly I wondered if it was ever tiresome to him, always riding in on a white horse and pulling me out just in the nick of time. I wondered if it was a burden to him. I frowned, even as the secretary greeted me and handed me my schedule on a slip of paper. The thought was disturbing.
That secretary was one of those women who moved people about like chess pieces, I realized as I found myself outside the office door and marveling at how I had gotten there. I looked down at my schedule and sighed. Guess the only thing left to do is find this room and try to get through the day, I thought, somewhat frightened.
*+*+*
I wasn't surprised to find Yugi and Jounouchi late as always. But I was surprised to see a new girl, sitting alone during the lunch period. I had heard about her, she had been seen with Seto Kaiba before school started. Since Kaiba was usually alone, she was classified as the daughter of one of his business partners and therefore rich, thus earning the title of stuck up. I thought that since Kaiba had actually kept her company, the other girls were just jealous. I could have cared less about who this new girl hung out with. All I knew for sure was that Yugi and Jounouchi had disappeared and the new girl seemed to share my lonely plight for the moment. I approached her and she gave me a startled look.
" Hi, is this seat taken?" I asked.
" No, go ahead. I thought for sure I was getting the silent treatment from the female population." She said. I laughed.
" Only most of it. My name's Anzu, what's yours?" I asked.
" Yuki. Nice to meet you." The girl responded. It was easy to see why the Kaiba-worshipers thought they had a reason to be jealous. If I had seen Yuki with Yugi, I would be jealous too. She was pretty. Her hair was just below shoulder length, bright blonde and streaked with blood red. Her eyes reminded me of Yugi's, red and violet melded in. She was slim, but her long legs rippled with muscles that told the exact opposite of the pampered life everyone had presumed she had led. Her hard muscles, tan and weathered skin, and callused hands told of a hard life filled with the outdoors and hard work. She smelled like sweet earth and wind, and her accent suggested a southern past.
" I think the reason you're getting the silent treatment is because you were seen with Kaiba." I explained.
" Seto?" Yuki asked, slightly surprised. " Oh. Let me guess; he's the resident eligible bachelor." She said, her face turning grim.
" Yeah, that pretty much sums it up." I said. " How do you know him?" I asked, my curiosity winning me over.
" He's my best friend. I've known him for years. The man who adopted him was business partners with my father, and we met through them. We've been best friends ever since." Yuki said. I smiled.
" I have a friend like that. Known him for years, trust him more than anyone. So tell me. If Kaiba's your best friend, why are you here?" I asked.
" Oh, um… My father died a long time ago, and my mother died a month ago. So, we came to live with Seto to get away from the people after Papa's business and our house." Yuki explained.
" Oh, I'm so sorry." I said, immediately feeling embarrassed and ashamed.
" It's alright. There's no reason for you to be sorry." Yuki said, her voice never faltering.
" Who's we?" I asked. " You said 'we came to live with Seto.'" I said.
" We are me and my two little brothers, Yoshi and Yukio. They're my buddy boys." Yuki said, smiling.
" Well, I'll introduce you to Yugi and Jounouchi if they ever get here. Those two are so easily distracted, it's sad." I said. Yuki laughed and I thought that she'd be a good new friend.
*+*+*
I had managed to talk Seto out of having me ride in a limo escort home with him. I wanted to stop by the boys' school to pick them up and walk them home. I looked through the fence at the playground. I spied the three I was looking for by the swing set. Mokuba was teaching Yukio how to swing by himself while Yoshi pushed when necessary. It was adorable to see them interacting like that. I pursed my lips and whistled, a simple, high- pitched sound that Yoshi and Yukio had learned to respond to at an early age. Now, Yoshi dragging Mokuba, they came running. I smiled as Yukio latched himself onto my waist.
" Hiya!" he cried, hugging me tightly. I laughed.
" That's enough, monster, you'll break me." I said. Yoshi and Mokuba grabbed each grabbed one of my hands and proceeded to tell me of their adventures for the day, which consisted of finding an unexplored nook on the playground, telling the class bully to bug off, and protesting when a mean teacher punished another student unjustly and winning. As far as they were concerned, they were heroes. I smiled at their cunning exploits.
" Sissy, can I ride on your shoulders?" Yukio asked. I knelt down to his level.
" Why?" I asked.
" 'Cause I wanna be tall, like you!" the five-year-old cried. I hoisted him onto my shoulders and he sat there, pointing out odds and ends to me as we went. I made him get off and treated the trio to ice cream, after which we headed home. According to Mokuba, Seto was rarely home before eight, so I had time to spare. I watched Mokuba teach his eager pupils, Yoshi and Yukio, how to play a card game called Duel Monsters and picked up on it as they played a mock duel. It was actually pretty fun. Seto came home quietly, sneaking in and scaring the boys. I had seen him coming and didn't flinch.
" Don't do that." Yoshi said, breathing a sigh of relief and clasping a hand to his chest. Yukio watched him and imitated what he did, carefully watching his big brother for his cues.
" And who's gonna stop me, kid?" Seto asked, a small smile teasing his face.
" Me!" Yukio announced loudly. I smiled.
" You and what army?" Seto asked.
" Me and this army!" Yukio said, showing Seto a handful of common Duel Monsters cards.
" Hmm. I surrender, then. There's no way I can win against that." Seto said. Yoshi and Mokuba cheered at Yukio's bravery.
" Alright, monsters, cut the racket and get ready for your baths." I cut in, earning a small chorus of moans. " I don't think so. Get your rears in gear and move." I said, pointing.
" One more duel?" Yoshi asked. That boy never knew when to quit. I glowered at him from my position sitting on the couch. My glare had always been enough to get anyone moving, and this time was no exception. Seto dropped his suitcase and plopped down next to me on the couch. I pulled his legs up so that he was lying with his head on the arm of the couch and his legs were draped over my lap.
" Teach me how to glare like that." Seto said. I laughed.
" You don't need to glare. All you have to do is remind them where their allowance comes from." I said, earning a chuckle from Seto. He continued to doze for another half-hour before Yoshi and Mokuba appeared at the stairs.
" Hey, Yuki! Can we stay up late and watch a movie?" Yoshi called.
" Nope." I called back.
" Why?" Mokuba moaned.
" Cause it's a school night and you need your rest." I called patiently.
" But-" Yoshi began to protest.
" Do what Yuki says. Now." Seto growled, his eyes still closed and his voice low and even. The boys ran off to get into bed.
" Better go tuck the littlest monster in." I said, shoving Seto's legs off of me.
" Hurry back. You make a good foot rest." Seto said. I glared at him and he laughed.
In Yukio's new room, the shrimp greeted me by shoving a book into my hands. It was some Egyptian legend for little kids that Yukio had always loved. I could remember Mom reading it to him on many a dark night. I sighed and shoved memories of Mom away. It was my turn to be mom now. I read the story to him, and by the time I had reached the last few pages, the kid was fast asleep. I pulled the blankets up around him and glanced around the room. It was cute, prefect for a little boy. There were dinosaurs painted on the walls, colorful, smiling and playing soccer. Littering the room were toys of every imaginable shape, size, and color. I had always maintained that Yukio was spoiled, but sometimes Seto didn't know when to stop. A shadow fell across the light from the doorway and I turned to see Seto leaning against the doorframe. He motioned for me to come to him and I came. Seto patted my head, a gesture from our childhood that he used to show affection for me.
" Goodnight, Yuki." Seto said. I smiled up at him.
" G'night, Seto." I said, walking off to my own room, that Seto had had set up just for me.
I closed the door behind me. A habit from my old home. A closed door meant no visitors when it came to me, so I wasn't concerned with anyone walking in on me. Besides, all the boys were in bed and Seto had settled in for a few hours of computer work. I changed into my nightclothes and went about restlessly putting up more of my personal belongings that were still packed from the move. I was restless. My day hadn't been bad. Lonely, but not bad. I didn't get to see Seto, his classes were all different from mine and I hadn't been able to find him during lunch hour. But I had made a friend. Anzu, if I was remembering her name correctly. She had told me about her guy friends she hung out with. The name Yugi Motuo rung a bell in my head, but I couldn't place the familiarity to anything. I had resigned to ask Seto, but had forgotten in the coziness of my new home life.
I wasn't looking forward to school tomorrow, but I figured I didn't have a choice. I had already made up my mind not to complain about anything. My mind was set in steely determination not to let anything get in my way of giving my brothers a healthy, happy family life. After all, that's what the five of us were now. Seto, Mokuba, Yoshi, Yukio, and I were a family now. And I would protect them. From what, I didn't know. I just had a funny feeling. My hand felt something hard in a small bag and I pulled it out. It was an old amulet my great-grandmother had given me many years ago…
*+*+*
" Yuki! Come here, child!" Grandmother called. I ran up to her. I was barely five, and not quite accustomed to being an older sister yet, as Yoshi was about eleven months old. Grandmother, really my great- grandmother, was my father's grandmother and in my mind, was the wisest person who ever lived.
" Yes, Grandmother?" I asked, bowing my head respectfully as Papa and Mamma had always taught me to do when addressing my elders.
" Child, you're a bouncing ball of energy! It's a miracle you can hold still at all." Grandmother said. I smiled.
" Papa says that my energy is good for me. It helps me exercise so I can get big and strong." I said.
" And he's right, of course!" Grandmother said, laughing. " You're such a thoughtful child, Yuki. And a lucky one too. You know that, right?"
" Yes, Grandmother." I replied.
" Well, then, I'll give you this. My papa found it many years ago when he was still and young man. It comes all the way from Egypt." Grandmother said, handing me a small golden ball on a leather cord. I took it and bowed respectful, uttering my thanks, before inspecting it.
" Pretty!" I exclaimed, noticing a small eye engraved on side, the kind of eye ancient Egyptians used in their Pyramids.
" It's a very old artifact, and my papa told me once that when he picked it up for the first time, he saw the image of a beautiful girl with hair of gold streaked with blood-red. Her eyes were violet melded with red, and she stood tall and strong, a light amid darkness. Exactly a year later, on that very day, he met my mother, who looked almost exactly like the girl from his vision. The only difference was in her eyes, which were blue, not red- violet. Papa told me that if I ever met a girl who looked like that one from his vision, I should give this to her. You are that girl, Yuki, I'm sure of it. So, your great-great-grandfather would want you to have this. This amulet has always brought it's owner good fortune, and it will so the same for you." Grandmother explained.
" Wow. Does this really come from Egypt?" I asked.
" Of course. It's very special, so you take good care of it. Some day it will help you when you need it most." Grandmother told me. I nodded solemnly…
*+*+*
I shook myself from my reverie. Dear old Grandmother. I missed her. Seemed like I was missing a lot of people lately. She had once shown me a picture of my great-great-grandmother in her wedding dress. Since she had married at sixteen, I, now at fifteen, was almost her exact image. But somewhere along the line, a freak gene had made my eye color different from the blues and greens of my family. My red-violet eyes were my unique feature that set me off from the rest of them. Unconsciously I gripped the amulet and then, on an impulse, strung it on my neck. It didn't look bad, and besides, a little luck never hurt anyone, granted it was good luck. I most certainly could use some. I sat down on my bed, inspecting the artifact. It was simple, perfectly round with the Egyptian eye engraved on the front. It hung from my neck by a simple leather strip. Somehow, deep in my ponderings, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
The next day after school, I went to pick up the boys, this time with the notion in my head to visit Seto at Kaiba Corp. We walked along together, the boys munching on ice cream and I nibbling on a small cookie simply because I had a ravenous craving for a chocolate chip cookie. Yoshi and Mokuba were discussing Duel Monsters, Yukio adding in his opinions every time the two embattled debaters stopped for a breath, and I was lost in my own thoughts, watching the boys with a wary eye. Anzu had caught me before school right after Seto left me and introduced me to Yugi and Jounouchi. I was formal with them until they insisted I call them by their first names. Yugi was incredibly short, but instead of noting it, I pretended he was the same height as me. I think he likes it better if people don't mention it anyway. Apparently they had yet another friend, who, for unknown reasons, hadn't shown up at school. Jounouchi expressed a desire to go to their friend's house and check on him after school. Jounouchi was a bit of bragger and eager to impress me in any possible way, while Yugi was more interested in learning about me as a person and my past. I made an interesting discovery; my three new friends were all formidable players in Duel Monsters. It seemed to me that Duel Monsters was a fad around here. I decided it wasn't worth puzzling over. It was fun game, I didn't blame them. But still, a part of my mind protested that this was not a trivial fact and insisted on storing it away to be called on if the need arose.
Mokuba seemed to have won the debate and was a little ahead of the rest of us, Yukio tailing him closely. I'll never know how I knew the black car was there, I just knew. In a flash I was up, pulling the Yoshi and Mokuba behind me. Somehow, Yukio slipped under my searching hand. I saw the big man in the black suit come after him and reacted. My fist flew out and caught him in the jaw while my other hand grabbed Yukio roughly and shoved him behind me. I have no idea how I knew these men were after the boys, again, I just knew. I stood over the boys, a feral snarl twisting my lips as I glared at them. I could see Kaiba Corp. from here. Seto was just over there… Suddenly, Yoshi seemed to regain an ounce of common sense and screamed with all his might, attracting attention the men in black didn't want. Mokuba and Yukio followed his example, and soon, they drew a crowd. I still stood over my boys, embattled and ready to fight to the bitter end to protect them. Then, as suddenly as they came, the men were gone. The unknowing crowd had done its work. I grabbed Yukio up and clutched him to me, grabbing Mokuba's hand and pushing Yoshi with my foot.
" Run! Get into the building!" I barked, terror, panic, and anger seething inside me. Mokuba and Yoshi ran almost blindly, and Yukio clutched me in fear. We made it into the building, and Mokuba led the way to one of the top floors.
" Seto!" Mokuba screamed, tearing out of the elevator. Yoshi followed hot on his trail, screaming the whole way.
" The men in suits! They tried to take Yukio!" he bellowed. Seto was out of his office in a flash and met us half way. Mokuba and Yoshi flung themselves to him, both nearly in tears. Two little boys attached to his waist, Seto reached for me. I shoved Yukio into his arms and, finally satisfied that all the boys were safe, did the last thing my instincts bade me to do. I fainted. I just plopped down where I stood.
I awoke a little while later to Anzu's face. I was surprised, to say the least.
" Wha?" I asked, thoroughly confused. It all came back to me in a sudden, jumbled flash. " The boys! Where are they?!" I asked, somewhere close to panic.
" They're in the other room with Kaiba and Yugi. Yugi's teaching them some Duel Monsters techniques to calm them down and Seto's making sure they're alright." Anzu said, pushing me back down as I tried to get up. " You rest. You took a real scare and gave us all one too. I've never seen Kaiba that scared before. He was really terrified." Anzu said.
" What for?" I asked, still somewhat scared and bewildered.
" You, of course. The way he told the story, you just dropped like a ton of bricks. I told him that was hardly surprising, considering the circumstances." Anzu said. I leaned back and breathed slowly. My heart rate quickened as I realized how close I had come to being run over as the black car had bore down on us, how close one of the men's fist had come to me. They had both missed by a sheer stroke of luck. Anzu left me alone to tell Seto I was awake, leaving me to ponder these happenings.
*+*+*
I sighed as little Yukio fell asleep in my arms. Terror had exhausted him, and me as well. But there was no time for me to sleep. I had to be ready, whatever the situation. Yuki might need me.
Yugi sent the older boys off to play and I carried Yukio to a nearby couch where he curled up and slept.
" Well, who do you think it was?" Yugi asked finally, after a moment of silence. We were still tense around each other, even after a year.
" It's too bold a move to be any of Kaiba Corp.'s competitors. I'm not sure." I said. Yugi knew I was lying.
" Well, personally, I know there are very few absolutes in this world. But one of them is that when goons in black suits come out of no where attacking our friends, it's either you or Pegasus. So, since it can't be you, Kaiba, it has to be Pegasus." He said. I chuckled only slightly.
" Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you get rid of him?" I asked.
" I helped, but it wasn't all me." Yugi answered, unconsciously clutching the strange pendant around his neck. An unspoken message passed between us and I nodded.
" Then something's about to happen." I said. Yugi nodded. " Then that's my cue to start hiring body guards. I don't care what Yuki says, she and the boys are riding in an escort home from school." I said, moving toward the phone. I stopped when Anzu came in, closing the door softly behind her.
" How's Yuki?" Yugi and I asked in unison.
" Awake." Anzu responded. " A little shaken up, but no worse for the wear. If you think about it, she was really incredibly lucky."
" Or just incredibly stupid. That girl is so stubborn! Why didn't she make a run for the building?" I asked, storming out of the room to have a word with Yuki. I could sense Yugi and Anzu exchanging a knowing look behind my back. I barged into the room where Anzu had taken Yuki and she looked up at me, slightly startled.
" Why didn't you run for the building?" I asked, trying to maintain my voice level. " Who knows what kind of weapons those goons had! You could have been killed!"
" I know." Yuki said.
" That doesn't answer the question." I replied. " That car could have hit you, or one of them could've pulled a knife, or worse, a gun!"
" I know." Yuki repeated, refusing to look me in the eye.
" Then why?" I asked.
" Because… I couldn't let anything happen to them. I've already lost so much, Seto. I don't want to add anymore names to the list." Yuki said. I knelt down before her. I didn't know why, but I was close to crying. My heart was thudding in my chest. I pressed my palm against the gentle, delicate curve of her face and forced her to look at me. She didn't really fight me.
" You're way too stubborn." I said after a moment. I closed my eyes and smiled softly. I hugged her tightly, afraid that if I let her go, she would disappear. My heart continued to thud. Anzu was right. Yuki had been lucky. Too lucky.
*+*+*
That night I had a dream. I dreamed that I was curled up into a ball, drifting in a warm light. But the light was no comfort to me. I was crying, very hard. Everything just kept piling up until I just couldn't take it. Then, strangely, a voice reached my ears. It was coming from the necklace Grandmother had given me.
" Please, don't cry. Tell me why you are crying." The voice requested softly.
" I'm scared, alone, and confused. I feel so lost. I can't tell which path is the right path." I whispered back. Somehow, it didn't occur to me that talking back to a voice coming from an ancient artifact might not be a sign of sanity.
" I was once lost and alone, too. I know it hurts. I can help you fight the fear and the confusion." The voice said. I sniffled and wiped my tears away, taking the small orb into my hands and looking at its eye.
" You can?" I asked.
" Yes." The voice confirmed.
" How?" I asked.
" Set me free, and I will show you." The voice said.
" How do I set you free?" I asked.
" When you are scared or upset, call to me." The voice said.
" What should I call you?" I asked, still not recognizing the fact that talking to voices is usually a sign of insanity.
" Call me… Himeko. Call me for what I am." The voice told me.
" A princess? You're a princess?" I asked incredulously. Even in the dream, I was beginning to doubt my sanity.
" I was." The voice replied. Then, the light went dark and I was alone in the darkness, save for the voice, Himeko. " This has been my home for a millennia. Set me free!" she requested. Then I woke up.
I nearly jumped out of bed in cold sweat as I awoke from my dream, unconsciously grasping the orb in my hand. I remembered all of it so well, it was as though it had really happened. I wiped the sweat from my brow and couldn't help but wonder if the dream was real. I shook my head. Now was not the time to turn into a nutcase. I finally managed to soothe my heart and lull myself back to sleep.
The next day was Saturday. I finally dragged myself from bed at about ten o'clock, but the only thing that got me up was the dull pain of hunger in my stomach. The boys were watching cartoons in their play room, which was equipped with a state of the art home entertainment system. I sighed and scrounged in the kitchen for something quick to eat. I didn't feel like bothering the cook, so I ate some cold cereal. Seto had probably gone to the office and would probably be back in a few hours, since it was Saturday. I had a while to hold out without him. I shoved memories of yesterday away. At least the boys had recovered quickly. I dumped my dishes in the sink and walked to the front door, having heard the sound of a limo pulling up to the front. I had been worried that the boys would be traumatized by the incident, but they seemed to be coping fairly well. I smiled at Seto as he strode confidently in, still in my boxer shorts and tee shirt. He, as usually, was dressed up in a fairly casual suit. He smiled back at me.
" Morning. Sleep well?" he asked. I considered telling him about the dream I'd had, but then decided against it.
" Yeah." I said, still slightly groggy from waking up.
" Listen, how about you go out today with Anzu?" Seto asked. I cocked an eyebrow at him.
" Since when do you get plan my life, Seto Kaiba?" I asked, still glaring. Seto smiled.
" Since you don't spend nearly enough time around people our age." He retorted.
" And what about you? You spend more time with the computer than you do with humans." I shot back, not in the mood to be pushed around.
" That's different." Seto said, glaring back at me.
" How is it different?" I asked.
" That's work, to start with." Seto said. Then he sighed. " Yuki, just go, okay? See a movie, shop a little, do something besides take care of the boys. Moving here did not mean you had to give up your right to be a teenage girl." He pleaded.
" What about you?" I repeated stolidly.
" I'll take you out to dinner tonight if you go out today." Seto said. I considered.
" Who'll watch the boys?" I asked.
" There's this wonderful little thing called hired help." Seto cracked. I smiled.
" What about your work?" I asked, throwing his excuse from earlier back at him.
" Work can wait." Seto said.
" For once." I added.
" I'm beginning to see that you are having a problem with my work." Seto noted.
" Oh, no, of course not. Only that it takes up most of your life." I cracked, turning and storming up the stairs. I was perfectly aware that Seto was following me. I tried to slam the door of my room in his face, but he blocked that by putting his foot in the door and stopping it. I wasn't really angry, and Seto knew it. But I really was having a minor problem with Seto's work hours. Seto followed me into the room and I threw a pillow at him. Unfortunately, he caught it and threw it back. Which evolved into a huge pillow fight.
Finally, gasping, I laid down on the bed next to Seto.
" I… win." Seto said, still gasping hard.
" As if!" I cried through a deep breath.
" Whatever." Seto said, shoving my arm off his chest. I watched him as he got up. He was tall, with an athletic build. Muscle and sinew were stretched tightly over strong bones. His hair was somewhere between short and long. His piercing blue eyes were somewhat mesmerizing, and his smile may have been a rare sight for everyone else, but for me it was like sunlight. Something deep inside my heart twitched, but I ignored it. Seto was my best friend. Nothing more.
Seto did get his way with me. I went out with Anzu that day. We went to see a movie, and then we planned to go shopping afterwards. I was hoping to find myself a pair of sandals to wear in the coming warm weather. Anzu was out to add to her wardrobe. After the movie, and lunch, Anzu and I strolled leisurely down the street, not paying any attention to anything besides each other.
" You're serious?!" I asked. Anzu smiled.
" Yep, and the guy went insane immediately after that." Anzu said.
" Wow." I murmured.
" Yeah. Who would've thought my lil' Yugi could do that to anyone?" Anzu asked. I smiled teasingly.
" I guess when you're in danger, the rules change for him." I teased.
" Not funny!" Anzu cried, pushing me. I laughed as I sprawled into a big, burly man.
" Oh, I'm so sorry!" I cried, trying to stifle my laughter. My laughter caught in my throat when a big, strong hand snagged my shoulder, hard.
" You'll have to come with us, Miss." The big man said. I looked up in fear and recognized the big man that had tried to take Yukio only yesterday. I took a breath to scream, but I was whirled around to see Anzu in the grip of another thug with a gun in her side, her eyes wide and full of fear. I nearly fainted, but managed to remain standing. Suddenly, with incredible force, a voice welled up from deep in my heart. Call me! Now! it screamed at me. I screamed in my head with all my mental ability.
Himeko! Don't ask me why I listened. I just did. But after that, I was barely able to grasp what was going on. All I knew was that I was no longer in control of my body. A far stronger woman had risen in my place.
*+*+*
I had been floating in darkness for… How long? Far too long to ever count. In the loneliness, I finally banished myself to eternal slumber until light fell upon me. So, for the first time in millennia, I opened my eyes and saw light. A beautiful, incredible light shining down from a small break in the darkness. Moving limbs that hadn't moved in so long, I moved toward it. Presently I became aware of crying. A girl crying. I reached with my essence, my soul, as I had been taught so long ago, to the source of the noise and felt out a soul almost identical to my own. There were small differences, but they were few and far between. I realized the owner of the soul was in a dream state and managed to form a picture of her physical appearance. She was young, younger than I had been when I was banished to this dark place. But other than a youthful softness around the face and eyes, she was my mirror image. I reached into the light and caressed her soul with my own.
" Please don't cry. Tell me why you are crying." I pleaded.
" I'm scared, alone, and confused. I feel so lost. I can't tell which path is the right path." The girl responded through her sad tears. Understanding, accompanied by painful memories.
" I was once lost and alone, too. I know it hurts. I can help you fight the pain and confusion." I offered. The girl sniffed and tried to stop her crying.
" You can?" she asked.
" Yes." I confirmed.
" How?" she asked.
" Set me free, and I will show you." I bribed her. She wanted my help, I needed hers. I would do anything rather than be sent back to the darkness.
" When you are scared or upset, call to me." I explained.
" What should I call you?" the girl asked. I faltered and then searched her memory for an appropriate name that she could identify with. I couldn't give her the name my father had given me.
" Call me… Himeko. Call me for what I am." I said. Again memories washed over me.
" A princess? You're a princess?" the girl asked, somewhat incredulous. I didn't blame her. I would be too, in her situation.
" I was." I said sadly. Then, gaining more power with each passing moment, I blocked the light the girl was floating in. " This has been my home for a millennia. Set me free!" I requested. The force of my request must have woken her up, for suddenly the darkness I knew so well incased me again.
It seemed to be only moments later that I was suddenly aware. I was seeing! Seeing through human eyes! What I saw was not very comforting. I saw a girl in the clutches of a very mean-looking man in black holding a weapon of some sort to her side. It wasn't the girl from the light, but I could feel her presence. Suddenly afraid and fearless all at once, I ordered her to call to me. She did, and I rose into control of the girl's body. She slipped back to the far depths of her own mind, conscious, but only just. As I took control, I sifted through her memories, and in a sense, I became her. I became the girl called Yuki. Her pain was mine, and mine was hers. And suddenly I wanted to protect her friend, Anzu, as much as she did. Yuki's body molded and changed ever so slightly. Her shoulders narrowed, she shrank a few inches, and the kind softness of her face and eyes faded into my own hard features. I had emerged from the depths of the darkness to which I was banished so long ago. I was no longer able to distinguish the difference between her and myself. I was Yuki, and Yuki was me. We were the same person. I had died a millennia ago, but now I lived again. And my vengeance would fall upon those who had hurt me and the people I loved.
A small smirk played on my lips. Yes, the Queen of Luck was back. And all hell was about to rise at her whim.
*+*+*
When the Yuki turned and saw me with a gun in my side, her eyes flew wide. She looked at me in the eye, and I could see her terror. Yet, somehow, her eyes became glazed over, as I had seen Yugi's sometimes do, as though she were listening to another voice that only she could hear. Then the changes began. They were small, barely notable. But I caught them. Her shoulders became slightly more narrow, a few inches melted from her height. The changes were subtle in her face, but her eyes were no longer the warm caring eyes that I knew. They had become cold and hard. Her outfit also morphed. She had stolen a boy's school uniform from Kaiba to make him mad and had been wearing that around. Now, it changed. The pants melted away to reveal long, shapely legs. The tail of the over coat lengthened until they almost dragged on the ground. Her hair color became more vivid, and almost seemed to stand up a little bit more, but it was still shoulder length. The collar was high and a black choker with silver studs formed around her neck. The jacket was tight and stopped at her hips, revealing what looked like a black bathing suit bottom that left her legs bare. In short, she looked like Yami Yugi, as a girl. I gawked, unsure as to what had just happened. Yuki smirked at our attackers.
" I do believe that's my friend you're threatening there." She said, then tsked the thugs. " That's a no-no. I'm afraid you'll have to let Anzu go." She continued. I noticed something was off about her. Her voice was hard and cocky. It contained a certain smugness that didn't belong in humble Yuki, yet sounded all too familiar. I suddenly recalled Yami Yugi, Yugi's alter ego who had been at rest, useless for the time being. Yet this person that had replaced Yuki was clearly a girl, and there were small differences between her and Yami. She was at least a few inches taller, although just as narrow and skinny. Her hair was gold where his was crimson, crimson where his was golden. Her hair also laid down.
" And what if we decide not to?" one thug asked Yuki. Yuki smiled.
" That would not be a smart decision." She said.
" Well, we're not letting either of you go. You have to come with us." The thug said, not in the least intimidated. Yuki's smirk grew.
" Oh, is that so? And why do we have to go with you?" she asked.
" The Boss said so." The apparently not too bright thug responded.
" Oh? And who is your boss?" Yuki asked, growing more confident by the minute.
" That's a secret." The thug responded.
" Ah, that's too bad. Oh well. I'll know all your secrets if you don't let Anzu and I go right now." Yuki said, pausing to crack her knuckles. I looked desperately around the alley where Yuki and I had been drug. There was no one to call for help. No one would hear us.
" Huh?" the big oaf muttered, suddenly afraid. I didn't blame him. I was too.
" I summon the power granted to me by the contract sealed by the hand of Anubis! Dark Eternity!" Yuki called, her voice deep and commanding. Not the Yuki I had met on a lonely lunch break at all. Both thugs fell like a ton of bricks. Yuki stood over them for one silent moment, looking almost sad, then she collapsed. So did I.
I awoke later and was relieved to find the thugs still unconscious. I was surprised to realize I had known exactly where I was the second I woke up. I was glad though, because I instantly remembered Yuki and crawled over to her.
" Yuki! Are you okay?" I asked, shaking her shoulder. I was relieved to see her normal clothes in the place of the weird ones. Yuki opened her eyes and sat up. The hard, cold eyes were gone, and Yuki was truly in her own body again.
" Uh… What happened? Why are we in an alley?" Yuki asked. I blinked at her.
" You don't remember?" I asked.
" Um, no. Should I?" Yuki asked, staring at me blankly.
" Never mind. Call Kaiba on your cell phone and tell him to send a ride." I told her. Yuki obediently took out her cell and dialed, leaving me to wonder what had happened to her.
By: Rogue Fox
Part One… The New Girl
My name is Yuki. It means "lucky." But lucky was the last thing I felt.
I was crying. My tears fell like the rain outside. I wished and wished, but no amount of wishing was going to bring them back to me. I sobbed uncontrollably, my only comfort coming from the fact that my two little brothers couldn't hear me. I had to be strong for them now. They needed me.
I was eleven when my father died. My youngest brother, Yukio, was hardly nine months old, and Yoshi was six. Neither of them could possibly understand that Papa had been in a car accident and would never come home. For the next five years, my mother and I managed Papa's business. We got a lot of help from an old friend of mine, the adopted son of a business partner of Papa's. Seto Kaiba, my lifelong best friend, was an invaluable aid. Neither Mom nor I were any good at business. Seto was a natural.
Then, suddenly, Mom had an aneurysm. There were no warning signs. She was dead before the ambulance even got there. I tried to save her life, I did everything I knew, but nothing could have saved her.
So, there I was, the day after Mom's death, sobbing pathetically. I was the very incarnation of pathetic. My heart felt like it had shattered into a thousand pieces. Mom and I had been supporting the family mostly off of the money Papa had left in the bank. But I knew that money would last too much longer. The contractors wanted the forty acres we lived on to make a new housing development. Some big corporation wanted to buy out our business. And I was barely sixteen, suddenly thrust into the position of a mother and a CEO.
I was alone in the house. Harry, our loyal butler, had sensed my need to be alone and had taken the boys out. I would have to let Harry go to save money. I sobbed again at that realization. As I thought I was totally alone, you can imagine my surprise when a hand landed on my shoulder. I wheeled around, ready to fight. Two hands clamped over my wrists and suddenly I was looking into concerned blue eyes.
" Seto!" I cried, half from astonishment and half from relief. Seto had been the first person I had called after Mom's death. He had comforted me over the phone, from halfway across the world in Japan. I most certainly wasn't expecting him to show up here.
" I came as soon as I got off the phone with you." He whispered to me. Suddenly I was crying again. Just like when we were little kids, Seto had come to make all my fears and nightmares disappear like the vague fantasies they were. Except this time, not even Seto could make all my troubles disappear. Seto was not a naturally touchy person, but he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry and tell him, in halting gasps, all my woes.
For a few long moments after I finished, he sat in silence, holding me gently.
" Is there anyone left? Any of your family?" he asked finally. I shook me head, still leaning against him.
" No one. I'm all alone." I said, letting another sob wrack my body.
" What about your great-grandmother?" Seto asked.
" She died last year, remember?" I said, making a pathetic attempt to stop my tears. Seto paused to tenderly wipe a few tears off my cheeks.
" Then come to Japan with me." He said. I stared at him in disbelief.
" What?" I asked, unsure if I had heard him correctly.
" Come to Japan with me. If you stay here, you and your brothers will be tossed into orphanages, and chances are you'll be separated. The government will probably take whatever money's left and all the land. Come with me to Japan. You're a natural citizen there anyway, right? I'll hire a good lawyer and we'll keep you three together." Seto said, letting me go to stand and pace. He went on in a rush. " We've got plenty of room, and we can enroll the boys in Mokuba's school. There's absolutely no reason it shouldn't work." He said. I stared at him.
" But to Japan? That's one heck of a move, Seto." I said. " Can the boys take that big of a change?"
" Do they have a choice? They'll adapt. Think of the alternatives. Admit it, you're hardly in a peachy situation." Seto said, cocking an eyebrow at me. I put a hand to my head.
" Give us a little time, Seto! This is all happening way too fast!" I cried. I could feel the tears starting again. Seto kneeled down before me where I was sitting.
" Sorry." He said. " You're the only real friend I've ever had, Yuki. I don't want anything to happen to you or your brothers. You know that." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. He wiped my tears again and somehow, I knew it would be all right.
I allowed Seto to guide me into the squat school building by putting his hand on the small of my back and holding the door open for me. I had fussed and fretted long enough, according to him.
" Are you sure they'll be okay?" I asked, my brow furrowed doubtfully.
" I'm positive. With Mokuba watching out for them, they'll be fine. You worry about those boys too much." Seto responded.
" Well, if I don't worry, who will?" I asked crossly.
" Leave the worrying to me. You concentrate on school." Seto said sternly. I patted his cheek.
" You sound like you're my father." I said, wincing only slightly.
" Try big brother." Seto said, nodding politely as a teacher walked by as he guided me to the office.
" Ha! Me, a little sister? That's funny, Seto." I said with a laugh. Seto allowed himself a small smile and ushered me into the office.
" Then go knock 'em dead, Yuki." He said, resolutely closing the door behind him. I stared after him for a long moment. Seto was a sort of big brother to me. I suddenly remembered when Seto had visited our family with his adopted father. I had taken him to the pond that lay in the back of our land to go fishing. But I, being the little showoff that I was, had to go all out. On the way there, there was a creek that one could cross by either walking across an I-beam bridge, or jumping on stepping-stones. Mom and Papa had always told me to never jump on the stepping-stones unless there was an adult there. But I conveniently forgot for a moment and jumped onto a particularly small and dangerous stone. I slipped and fell into the water. There had just been a heavy rain, and the water was swift and deep. I could feel my lungs screaming for air and my body going numb with cold, when all of the sudden, I felt a hand grab mine and haul me to the shore. I gasped, choked, coughed, wretched, and then repeated the process until my breathing returned to normal. I had looked up to see Seto, drenched and gasping, asking me if I was all right. I snapped out of my reverie. Seto had always hauled me out of trouble when I was in over my head. Suddenly I wondered if it was ever tiresome to him, always riding in on a white horse and pulling me out just in the nick of time. I wondered if it was a burden to him. I frowned, even as the secretary greeted me and handed me my schedule on a slip of paper. The thought was disturbing.
That secretary was one of those women who moved people about like chess pieces, I realized as I found myself outside the office door and marveling at how I had gotten there. I looked down at my schedule and sighed. Guess the only thing left to do is find this room and try to get through the day, I thought, somewhat frightened.
*+*+*
I wasn't surprised to find Yugi and Jounouchi late as always. But I was surprised to see a new girl, sitting alone during the lunch period. I had heard about her, she had been seen with Seto Kaiba before school started. Since Kaiba was usually alone, she was classified as the daughter of one of his business partners and therefore rich, thus earning the title of stuck up. I thought that since Kaiba had actually kept her company, the other girls were just jealous. I could have cared less about who this new girl hung out with. All I knew for sure was that Yugi and Jounouchi had disappeared and the new girl seemed to share my lonely plight for the moment. I approached her and she gave me a startled look.
" Hi, is this seat taken?" I asked.
" No, go ahead. I thought for sure I was getting the silent treatment from the female population." She said. I laughed.
" Only most of it. My name's Anzu, what's yours?" I asked.
" Yuki. Nice to meet you." The girl responded. It was easy to see why the Kaiba-worshipers thought they had a reason to be jealous. If I had seen Yuki with Yugi, I would be jealous too. She was pretty. Her hair was just below shoulder length, bright blonde and streaked with blood red. Her eyes reminded me of Yugi's, red and violet melded in. She was slim, but her long legs rippled with muscles that told the exact opposite of the pampered life everyone had presumed she had led. Her hard muscles, tan and weathered skin, and callused hands told of a hard life filled with the outdoors and hard work. She smelled like sweet earth and wind, and her accent suggested a southern past.
" I think the reason you're getting the silent treatment is because you were seen with Kaiba." I explained.
" Seto?" Yuki asked, slightly surprised. " Oh. Let me guess; he's the resident eligible bachelor." She said, her face turning grim.
" Yeah, that pretty much sums it up." I said. " How do you know him?" I asked, my curiosity winning me over.
" He's my best friend. I've known him for years. The man who adopted him was business partners with my father, and we met through them. We've been best friends ever since." Yuki said. I smiled.
" I have a friend like that. Known him for years, trust him more than anyone. So tell me. If Kaiba's your best friend, why are you here?" I asked.
" Oh, um… My father died a long time ago, and my mother died a month ago. So, we came to live with Seto to get away from the people after Papa's business and our house." Yuki explained.
" Oh, I'm so sorry." I said, immediately feeling embarrassed and ashamed.
" It's alright. There's no reason for you to be sorry." Yuki said, her voice never faltering.
" Who's we?" I asked. " You said 'we came to live with Seto.'" I said.
" We are me and my two little brothers, Yoshi and Yukio. They're my buddy boys." Yuki said, smiling.
" Well, I'll introduce you to Yugi and Jounouchi if they ever get here. Those two are so easily distracted, it's sad." I said. Yuki laughed and I thought that she'd be a good new friend.
*+*+*
I had managed to talk Seto out of having me ride in a limo escort home with him. I wanted to stop by the boys' school to pick them up and walk them home. I looked through the fence at the playground. I spied the three I was looking for by the swing set. Mokuba was teaching Yukio how to swing by himself while Yoshi pushed when necessary. It was adorable to see them interacting like that. I pursed my lips and whistled, a simple, high- pitched sound that Yoshi and Yukio had learned to respond to at an early age. Now, Yoshi dragging Mokuba, they came running. I smiled as Yukio latched himself onto my waist.
" Hiya!" he cried, hugging me tightly. I laughed.
" That's enough, monster, you'll break me." I said. Yoshi and Mokuba grabbed each grabbed one of my hands and proceeded to tell me of their adventures for the day, which consisted of finding an unexplored nook on the playground, telling the class bully to bug off, and protesting when a mean teacher punished another student unjustly and winning. As far as they were concerned, they were heroes. I smiled at their cunning exploits.
" Sissy, can I ride on your shoulders?" Yukio asked. I knelt down to his level.
" Why?" I asked.
" 'Cause I wanna be tall, like you!" the five-year-old cried. I hoisted him onto my shoulders and he sat there, pointing out odds and ends to me as we went. I made him get off and treated the trio to ice cream, after which we headed home. According to Mokuba, Seto was rarely home before eight, so I had time to spare. I watched Mokuba teach his eager pupils, Yoshi and Yukio, how to play a card game called Duel Monsters and picked up on it as they played a mock duel. It was actually pretty fun. Seto came home quietly, sneaking in and scaring the boys. I had seen him coming and didn't flinch.
" Don't do that." Yoshi said, breathing a sigh of relief and clasping a hand to his chest. Yukio watched him and imitated what he did, carefully watching his big brother for his cues.
" And who's gonna stop me, kid?" Seto asked, a small smile teasing his face.
" Me!" Yukio announced loudly. I smiled.
" You and what army?" Seto asked.
" Me and this army!" Yukio said, showing Seto a handful of common Duel Monsters cards.
" Hmm. I surrender, then. There's no way I can win against that." Seto said. Yoshi and Mokuba cheered at Yukio's bravery.
" Alright, monsters, cut the racket and get ready for your baths." I cut in, earning a small chorus of moans. " I don't think so. Get your rears in gear and move." I said, pointing.
" One more duel?" Yoshi asked. That boy never knew when to quit. I glowered at him from my position sitting on the couch. My glare had always been enough to get anyone moving, and this time was no exception. Seto dropped his suitcase and plopped down next to me on the couch. I pulled his legs up so that he was lying with his head on the arm of the couch and his legs were draped over my lap.
" Teach me how to glare like that." Seto said. I laughed.
" You don't need to glare. All you have to do is remind them where their allowance comes from." I said, earning a chuckle from Seto. He continued to doze for another half-hour before Yoshi and Mokuba appeared at the stairs.
" Hey, Yuki! Can we stay up late and watch a movie?" Yoshi called.
" Nope." I called back.
" Why?" Mokuba moaned.
" Cause it's a school night and you need your rest." I called patiently.
" But-" Yoshi began to protest.
" Do what Yuki says. Now." Seto growled, his eyes still closed and his voice low and even. The boys ran off to get into bed.
" Better go tuck the littlest monster in." I said, shoving Seto's legs off of me.
" Hurry back. You make a good foot rest." Seto said. I glared at him and he laughed.
In Yukio's new room, the shrimp greeted me by shoving a book into my hands. It was some Egyptian legend for little kids that Yukio had always loved. I could remember Mom reading it to him on many a dark night. I sighed and shoved memories of Mom away. It was my turn to be mom now. I read the story to him, and by the time I had reached the last few pages, the kid was fast asleep. I pulled the blankets up around him and glanced around the room. It was cute, prefect for a little boy. There were dinosaurs painted on the walls, colorful, smiling and playing soccer. Littering the room were toys of every imaginable shape, size, and color. I had always maintained that Yukio was spoiled, but sometimes Seto didn't know when to stop. A shadow fell across the light from the doorway and I turned to see Seto leaning against the doorframe. He motioned for me to come to him and I came. Seto patted my head, a gesture from our childhood that he used to show affection for me.
" Goodnight, Yuki." Seto said. I smiled up at him.
" G'night, Seto." I said, walking off to my own room, that Seto had had set up just for me.
I closed the door behind me. A habit from my old home. A closed door meant no visitors when it came to me, so I wasn't concerned with anyone walking in on me. Besides, all the boys were in bed and Seto had settled in for a few hours of computer work. I changed into my nightclothes and went about restlessly putting up more of my personal belongings that were still packed from the move. I was restless. My day hadn't been bad. Lonely, but not bad. I didn't get to see Seto, his classes were all different from mine and I hadn't been able to find him during lunch hour. But I had made a friend. Anzu, if I was remembering her name correctly. She had told me about her guy friends she hung out with. The name Yugi Motuo rung a bell in my head, but I couldn't place the familiarity to anything. I had resigned to ask Seto, but had forgotten in the coziness of my new home life.
I wasn't looking forward to school tomorrow, but I figured I didn't have a choice. I had already made up my mind not to complain about anything. My mind was set in steely determination not to let anything get in my way of giving my brothers a healthy, happy family life. After all, that's what the five of us were now. Seto, Mokuba, Yoshi, Yukio, and I were a family now. And I would protect them. From what, I didn't know. I just had a funny feeling. My hand felt something hard in a small bag and I pulled it out. It was an old amulet my great-grandmother had given me many years ago…
*+*+*
" Yuki! Come here, child!" Grandmother called. I ran up to her. I was barely five, and not quite accustomed to being an older sister yet, as Yoshi was about eleven months old. Grandmother, really my great- grandmother, was my father's grandmother and in my mind, was the wisest person who ever lived.
" Yes, Grandmother?" I asked, bowing my head respectfully as Papa and Mamma had always taught me to do when addressing my elders.
" Child, you're a bouncing ball of energy! It's a miracle you can hold still at all." Grandmother said. I smiled.
" Papa says that my energy is good for me. It helps me exercise so I can get big and strong." I said.
" And he's right, of course!" Grandmother said, laughing. " You're such a thoughtful child, Yuki. And a lucky one too. You know that, right?"
" Yes, Grandmother." I replied.
" Well, then, I'll give you this. My papa found it many years ago when he was still and young man. It comes all the way from Egypt." Grandmother said, handing me a small golden ball on a leather cord. I took it and bowed respectful, uttering my thanks, before inspecting it.
" Pretty!" I exclaimed, noticing a small eye engraved on side, the kind of eye ancient Egyptians used in their Pyramids.
" It's a very old artifact, and my papa told me once that when he picked it up for the first time, he saw the image of a beautiful girl with hair of gold streaked with blood-red. Her eyes were violet melded with red, and she stood tall and strong, a light amid darkness. Exactly a year later, on that very day, he met my mother, who looked almost exactly like the girl from his vision. The only difference was in her eyes, which were blue, not red- violet. Papa told me that if I ever met a girl who looked like that one from his vision, I should give this to her. You are that girl, Yuki, I'm sure of it. So, your great-great-grandfather would want you to have this. This amulet has always brought it's owner good fortune, and it will so the same for you." Grandmother explained.
" Wow. Does this really come from Egypt?" I asked.
" Of course. It's very special, so you take good care of it. Some day it will help you when you need it most." Grandmother told me. I nodded solemnly…
*+*+*
I shook myself from my reverie. Dear old Grandmother. I missed her. Seemed like I was missing a lot of people lately. She had once shown me a picture of my great-great-grandmother in her wedding dress. Since she had married at sixteen, I, now at fifteen, was almost her exact image. But somewhere along the line, a freak gene had made my eye color different from the blues and greens of my family. My red-violet eyes were my unique feature that set me off from the rest of them. Unconsciously I gripped the amulet and then, on an impulse, strung it on my neck. It didn't look bad, and besides, a little luck never hurt anyone, granted it was good luck. I most certainly could use some. I sat down on my bed, inspecting the artifact. It was simple, perfectly round with the Egyptian eye engraved on the front. It hung from my neck by a simple leather strip. Somehow, deep in my ponderings, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
The next day after school, I went to pick up the boys, this time with the notion in my head to visit Seto at Kaiba Corp. We walked along together, the boys munching on ice cream and I nibbling on a small cookie simply because I had a ravenous craving for a chocolate chip cookie. Yoshi and Mokuba were discussing Duel Monsters, Yukio adding in his opinions every time the two embattled debaters stopped for a breath, and I was lost in my own thoughts, watching the boys with a wary eye. Anzu had caught me before school right after Seto left me and introduced me to Yugi and Jounouchi. I was formal with them until they insisted I call them by their first names. Yugi was incredibly short, but instead of noting it, I pretended he was the same height as me. I think he likes it better if people don't mention it anyway. Apparently they had yet another friend, who, for unknown reasons, hadn't shown up at school. Jounouchi expressed a desire to go to their friend's house and check on him after school. Jounouchi was a bit of bragger and eager to impress me in any possible way, while Yugi was more interested in learning about me as a person and my past. I made an interesting discovery; my three new friends were all formidable players in Duel Monsters. It seemed to me that Duel Monsters was a fad around here. I decided it wasn't worth puzzling over. It was fun game, I didn't blame them. But still, a part of my mind protested that this was not a trivial fact and insisted on storing it away to be called on if the need arose.
Mokuba seemed to have won the debate and was a little ahead of the rest of us, Yukio tailing him closely. I'll never know how I knew the black car was there, I just knew. In a flash I was up, pulling the Yoshi and Mokuba behind me. Somehow, Yukio slipped under my searching hand. I saw the big man in the black suit come after him and reacted. My fist flew out and caught him in the jaw while my other hand grabbed Yukio roughly and shoved him behind me. I have no idea how I knew these men were after the boys, again, I just knew. I stood over the boys, a feral snarl twisting my lips as I glared at them. I could see Kaiba Corp. from here. Seto was just over there… Suddenly, Yoshi seemed to regain an ounce of common sense and screamed with all his might, attracting attention the men in black didn't want. Mokuba and Yukio followed his example, and soon, they drew a crowd. I still stood over my boys, embattled and ready to fight to the bitter end to protect them. Then, as suddenly as they came, the men were gone. The unknowing crowd had done its work. I grabbed Yukio up and clutched him to me, grabbing Mokuba's hand and pushing Yoshi with my foot.
" Run! Get into the building!" I barked, terror, panic, and anger seething inside me. Mokuba and Yoshi ran almost blindly, and Yukio clutched me in fear. We made it into the building, and Mokuba led the way to one of the top floors.
" Seto!" Mokuba screamed, tearing out of the elevator. Yoshi followed hot on his trail, screaming the whole way.
" The men in suits! They tried to take Yukio!" he bellowed. Seto was out of his office in a flash and met us half way. Mokuba and Yoshi flung themselves to him, both nearly in tears. Two little boys attached to his waist, Seto reached for me. I shoved Yukio into his arms and, finally satisfied that all the boys were safe, did the last thing my instincts bade me to do. I fainted. I just plopped down where I stood.
I awoke a little while later to Anzu's face. I was surprised, to say the least.
" Wha?" I asked, thoroughly confused. It all came back to me in a sudden, jumbled flash. " The boys! Where are they?!" I asked, somewhere close to panic.
" They're in the other room with Kaiba and Yugi. Yugi's teaching them some Duel Monsters techniques to calm them down and Seto's making sure they're alright." Anzu said, pushing me back down as I tried to get up. " You rest. You took a real scare and gave us all one too. I've never seen Kaiba that scared before. He was really terrified." Anzu said.
" What for?" I asked, still somewhat scared and bewildered.
" You, of course. The way he told the story, you just dropped like a ton of bricks. I told him that was hardly surprising, considering the circumstances." Anzu said. I leaned back and breathed slowly. My heart rate quickened as I realized how close I had come to being run over as the black car had bore down on us, how close one of the men's fist had come to me. They had both missed by a sheer stroke of luck. Anzu left me alone to tell Seto I was awake, leaving me to ponder these happenings.
*+*+*
I sighed as little Yukio fell asleep in my arms. Terror had exhausted him, and me as well. But there was no time for me to sleep. I had to be ready, whatever the situation. Yuki might need me.
Yugi sent the older boys off to play and I carried Yukio to a nearby couch where he curled up and slept.
" Well, who do you think it was?" Yugi asked finally, after a moment of silence. We were still tense around each other, even after a year.
" It's too bold a move to be any of Kaiba Corp.'s competitors. I'm not sure." I said. Yugi knew I was lying.
" Well, personally, I know there are very few absolutes in this world. But one of them is that when goons in black suits come out of no where attacking our friends, it's either you or Pegasus. So, since it can't be you, Kaiba, it has to be Pegasus." He said. I chuckled only slightly.
" Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you get rid of him?" I asked.
" I helped, but it wasn't all me." Yugi answered, unconsciously clutching the strange pendant around his neck. An unspoken message passed between us and I nodded.
" Then something's about to happen." I said. Yugi nodded. " Then that's my cue to start hiring body guards. I don't care what Yuki says, she and the boys are riding in an escort home from school." I said, moving toward the phone. I stopped when Anzu came in, closing the door softly behind her.
" How's Yuki?" Yugi and I asked in unison.
" Awake." Anzu responded. " A little shaken up, but no worse for the wear. If you think about it, she was really incredibly lucky."
" Or just incredibly stupid. That girl is so stubborn! Why didn't she make a run for the building?" I asked, storming out of the room to have a word with Yuki. I could sense Yugi and Anzu exchanging a knowing look behind my back. I barged into the room where Anzu had taken Yuki and she looked up at me, slightly startled.
" Why didn't you run for the building?" I asked, trying to maintain my voice level. " Who knows what kind of weapons those goons had! You could have been killed!"
" I know." Yuki said.
" That doesn't answer the question." I replied. " That car could have hit you, or one of them could've pulled a knife, or worse, a gun!"
" I know." Yuki repeated, refusing to look me in the eye.
" Then why?" I asked.
" Because… I couldn't let anything happen to them. I've already lost so much, Seto. I don't want to add anymore names to the list." Yuki said. I knelt down before her. I didn't know why, but I was close to crying. My heart was thudding in my chest. I pressed my palm against the gentle, delicate curve of her face and forced her to look at me. She didn't really fight me.
" You're way too stubborn." I said after a moment. I closed my eyes and smiled softly. I hugged her tightly, afraid that if I let her go, she would disappear. My heart continued to thud. Anzu was right. Yuki had been lucky. Too lucky.
*+*+*
That night I had a dream. I dreamed that I was curled up into a ball, drifting in a warm light. But the light was no comfort to me. I was crying, very hard. Everything just kept piling up until I just couldn't take it. Then, strangely, a voice reached my ears. It was coming from the necklace Grandmother had given me.
" Please, don't cry. Tell me why you are crying." The voice requested softly.
" I'm scared, alone, and confused. I feel so lost. I can't tell which path is the right path." I whispered back. Somehow, it didn't occur to me that talking back to a voice coming from an ancient artifact might not be a sign of sanity.
" I was once lost and alone, too. I know it hurts. I can help you fight the fear and the confusion." The voice said. I sniffled and wiped my tears away, taking the small orb into my hands and looking at its eye.
" You can?" I asked.
" Yes." The voice confirmed.
" How?" I asked.
" Set me free, and I will show you." The voice said.
" How do I set you free?" I asked.
" When you are scared or upset, call to me." The voice said.
" What should I call you?" I asked, still not recognizing the fact that talking to voices is usually a sign of insanity.
" Call me… Himeko. Call me for what I am." The voice told me.
" A princess? You're a princess?" I asked incredulously. Even in the dream, I was beginning to doubt my sanity.
" I was." The voice replied. Then, the light went dark and I was alone in the darkness, save for the voice, Himeko. " This has been my home for a millennia. Set me free!" she requested. Then I woke up.
I nearly jumped out of bed in cold sweat as I awoke from my dream, unconsciously grasping the orb in my hand. I remembered all of it so well, it was as though it had really happened. I wiped the sweat from my brow and couldn't help but wonder if the dream was real. I shook my head. Now was not the time to turn into a nutcase. I finally managed to soothe my heart and lull myself back to sleep.
The next day was Saturday. I finally dragged myself from bed at about ten o'clock, but the only thing that got me up was the dull pain of hunger in my stomach. The boys were watching cartoons in their play room, which was equipped with a state of the art home entertainment system. I sighed and scrounged in the kitchen for something quick to eat. I didn't feel like bothering the cook, so I ate some cold cereal. Seto had probably gone to the office and would probably be back in a few hours, since it was Saturday. I had a while to hold out without him. I shoved memories of yesterday away. At least the boys had recovered quickly. I dumped my dishes in the sink and walked to the front door, having heard the sound of a limo pulling up to the front. I had been worried that the boys would be traumatized by the incident, but they seemed to be coping fairly well. I smiled at Seto as he strode confidently in, still in my boxer shorts and tee shirt. He, as usually, was dressed up in a fairly casual suit. He smiled back at me.
" Morning. Sleep well?" he asked. I considered telling him about the dream I'd had, but then decided against it.
" Yeah." I said, still slightly groggy from waking up.
" Listen, how about you go out today with Anzu?" Seto asked. I cocked an eyebrow at him.
" Since when do you get plan my life, Seto Kaiba?" I asked, still glaring. Seto smiled.
" Since you don't spend nearly enough time around people our age." He retorted.
" And what about you? You spend more time with the computer than you do with humans." I shot back, not in the mood to be pushed around.
" That's different." Seto said, glaring back at me.
" How is it different?" I asked.
" That's work, to start with." Seto said. Then he sighed. " Yuki, just go, okay? See a movie, shop a little, do something besides take care of the boys. Moving here did not mean you had to give up your right to be a teenage girl." He pleaded.
" What about you?" I repeated stolidly.
" I'll take you out to dinner tonight if you go out today." Seto said. I considered.
" Who'll watch the boys?" I asked.
" There's this wonderful little thing called hired help." Seto cracked. I smiled.
" What about your work?" I asked, throwing his excuse from earlier back at him.
" Work can wait." Seto said.
" For once." I added.
" I'm beginning to see that you are having a problem with my work." Seto noted.
" Oh, no, of course not. Only that it takes up most of your life." I cracked, turning and storming up the stairs. I was perfectly aware that Seto was following me. I tried to slam the door of my room in his face, but he blocked that by putting his foot in the door and stopping it. I wasn't really angry, and Seto knew it. But I really was having a minor problem with Seto's work hours. Seto followed me into the room and I threw a pillow at him. Unfortunately, he caught it and threw it back. Which evolved into a huge pillow fight.
Finally, gasping, I laid down on the bed next to Seto.
" I… win." Seto said, still gasping hard.
" As if!" I cried through a deep breath.
" Whatever." Seto said, shoving my arm off his chest. I watched him as he got up. He was tall, with an athletic build. Muscle and sinew were stretched tightly over strong bones. His hair was somewhere between short and long. His piercing blue eyes were somewhat mesmerizing, and his smile may have been a rare sight for everyone else, but for me it was like sunlight. Something deep inside my heart twitched, but I ignored it. Seto was my best friend. Nothing more.
Seto did get his way with me. I went out with Anzu that day. We went to see a movie, and then we planned to go shopping afterwards. I was hoping to find myself a pair of sandals to wear in the coming warm weather. Anzu was out to add to her wardrobe. After the movie, and lunch, Anzu and I strolled leisurely down the street, not paying any attention to anything besides each other.
" You're serious?!" I asked. Anzu smiled.
" Yep, and the guy went insane immediately after that." Anzu said.
" Wow." I murmured.
" Yeah. Who would've thought my lil' Yugi could do that to anyone?" Anzu asked. I smiled teasingly.
" I guess when you're in danger, the rules change for him." I teased.
" Not funny!" Anzu cried, pushing me. I laughed as I sprawled into a big, burly man.
" Oh, I'm so sorry!" I cried, trying to stifle my laughter. My laughter caught in my throat when a big, strong hand snagged my shoulder, hard.
" You'll have to come with us, Miss." The big man said. I looked up in fear and recognized the big man that had tried to take Yukio only yesterday. I took a breath to scream, but I was whirled around to see Anzu in the grip of another thug with a gun in her side, her eyes wide and full of fear. I nearly fainted, but managed to remain standing. Suddenly, with incredible force, a voice welled up from deep in my heart. Call me! Now! it screamed at me. I screamed in my head with all my mental ability.
Himeko! Don't ask me why I listened. I just did. But after that, I was barely able to grasp what was going on. All I knew was that I was no longer in control of my body. A far stronger woman had risen in my place.
*+*+*
I had been floating in darkness for… How long? Far too long to ever count. In the loneliness, I finally banished myself to eternal slumber until light fell upon me. So, for the first time in millennia, I opened my eyes and saw light. A beautiful, incredible light shining down from a small break in the darkness. Moving limbs that hadn't moved in so long, I moved toward it. Presently I became aware of crying. A girl crying. I reached with my essence, my soul, as I had been taught so long ago, to the source of the noise and felt out a soul almost identical to my own. There were small differences, but they were few and far between. I realized the owner of the soul was in a dream state and managed to form a picture of her physical appearance. She was young, younger than I had been when I was banished to this dark place. But other than a youthful softness around the face and eyes, she was my mirror image. I reached into the light and caressed her soul with my own.
" Please don't cry. Tell me why you are crying." I pleaded.
" I'm scared, alone, and confused. I feel so lost. I can't tell which path is the right path." The girl responded through her sad tears. Understanding, accompanied by painful memories.
" I was once lost and alone, too. I know it hurts. I can help you fight the pain and confusion." I offered. The girl sniffed and tried to stop her crying.
" You can?" she asked.
" Yes." I confirmed.
" How?" she asked.
" Set me free, and I will show you." I bribed her. She wanted my help, I needed hers. I would do anything rather than be sent back to the darkness.
" When you are scared or upset, call to me." I explained.
" What should I call you?" the girl asked. I faltered and then searched her memory for an appropriate name that she could identify with. I couldn't give her the name my father had given me.
" Call me… Himeko. Call me for what I am." I said. Again memories washed over me.
" A princess? You're a princess?" the girl asked, somewhat incredulous. I didn't blame her. I would be too, in her situation.
" I was." I said sadly. Then, gaining more power with each passing moment, I blocked the light the girl was floating in. " This has been my home for a millennia. Set me free!" I requested. The force of my request must have woken her up, for suddenly the darkness I knew so well incased me again.
It seemed to be only moments later that I was suddenly aware. I was seeing! Seeing through human eyes! What I saw was not very comforting. I saw a girl in the clutches of a very mean-looking man in black holding a weapon of some sort to her side. It wasn't the girl from the light, but I could feel her presence. Suddenly afraid and fearless all at once, I ordered her to call to me. She did, and I rose into control of the girl's body. She slipped back to the far depths of her own mind, conscious, but only just. As I took control, I sifted through her memories, and in a sense, I became her. I became the girl called Yuki. Her pain was mine, and mine was hers. And suddenly I wanted to protect her friend, Anzu, as much as she did. Yuki's body molded and changed ever so slightly. Her shoulders narrowed, she shrank a few inches, and the kind softness of her face and eyes faded into my own hard features. I had emerged from the depths of the darkness to which I was banished so long ago. I was no longer able to distinguish the difference between her and myself. I was Yuki, and Yuki was me. We were the same person. I had died a millennia ago, but now I lived again. And my vengeance would fall upon those who had hurt me and the people I loved.
A small smirk played on my lips. Yes, the Queen of Luck was back. And all hell was about to rise at her whim.
*+*+*
When the Yuki turned and saw me with a gun in my side, her eyes flew wide. She looked at me in the eye, and I could see her terror. Yet, somehow, her eyes became glazed over, as I had seen Yugi's sometimes do, as though she were listening to another voice that only she could hear. Then the changes began. They were small, barely notable. But I caught them. Her shoulders became slightly more narrow, a few inches melted from her height. The changes were subtle in her face, but her eyes were no longer the warm caring eyes that I knew. They had become cold and hard. Her outfit also morphed. She had stolen a boy's school uniform from Kaiba to make him mad and had been wearing that around. Now, it changed. The pants melted away to reveal long, shapely legs. The tail of the over coat lengthened until they almost dragged on the ground. Her hair color became more vivid, and almost seemed to stand up a little bit more, but it was still shoulder length. The collar was high and a black choker with silver studs formed around her neck. The jacket was tight and stopped at her hips, revealing what looked like a black bathing suit bottom that left her legs bare. In short, she looked like Yami Yugi, as a girl. I gawked, unsure as to what had just happened. Yuki smirked at our attackers.
" I do believe that's my friend you're threatening there." She said, then tsked the thugs. " That's a no-no. I'm afraid you'll have to let Anzu go." She continued. I noticed something was off about her. Her voice was hard and cocky. It contained a certain smugness that didn't belong in humble Yuki, yet sounded all too familiar. I suddenly recalled Yami Yugi, Yugi's alter ego who had been at rest, useless for the time being. Yet this person that had replaced Yuki was clearly a girl, and there were small differences between her and Yami. She was at least a few inches taller, although just as narrow and skinny. Her hair was gold where his was crimson, crimson where his was golden. Her hair also laid down.
" And what if we decide not to?" one thug asked Yuki. Yuki smiled.
" That would not be a smart decision." She said.
" Well, we're not letting either of you go. You have to come with us." The thug said, not in the least intimidated. Yuki's smirk grew.
" Oh, is that so? And why do we have to go with you?" she asked.
" The Boss said so." The apparently not too bright thug responded.
" Oh? And who is your boss?" Yuki asked, growing more confident by the minute.
" That's a secret." The thug responded.
" Ah, that's too bad. Oh well. I'll know all your secrets if you don't let Anzu and I go right now." Yuki said, pausing to crack her knuckles. I looked desperately around the alley where Yuki and I had been drug. There was no one to call for help. No one would hear us.
" Huh?" the big oaf muttered, suddenly afraid. I didn't blame him. I was too.
" I summon the power granted to me by the contract sealed by the hand of Anubis! Dark Eternity!" Yuki called, her voice deep and commanding. Not the Yuki I had met on a lonely lunch break at all. Both thugs fell like a ton of bricks. Yuki stood over them for one silent moment, looking almost sad, then she collapsed. So did I.
I awoke later and was relieved to find the thugs still unconscious. I was surprised to realize I had known exactly where I was the second I woke up. I was glad though, because I instantly remembered Yuki and crawled over to her.
" Yuki! Are you okay?" I asked, shaking her shoulder. I was relieved to see her normal clothes in the place of the weird ones. Yuki opened her eyes and sat up. The hard, cold eyes were gone, and Yuki was truly in her own body again.
" Uh… What happened? Why are we in an alley?" Yuki asked. I blinked at her.
" You don't remember?" I asked.
" Um, no. Should I?" Yuki asked, staring at me blankly.
" Never mind. Call Kaiba on your cell phone and tell him to send a ride." I told her. Yuki obediently took out her cell and dialed, leaving me to wonder what had happened to her.
