AN: Yugioh is owned by Kazuki Takahashi and licensed to Viz Communications and 4Kids Enterprises. It should be known that Dark and any subsequent non Yugioh Characters are mine. So please if you want to use them ask me first. By the way if anyone can give me a better title for this, please let me know.

Start of Something New

Rain, why did it have to rain today? I wondered as I ran to the bus stop. Of course, on the first week back to school, the very first day of my last year at Domino High-school, I have to forget my umbrella, and it starts to rain. Not that I mind the rain, actually I'm glad to have it since it means that springs on the way, but I would rather it not be so cold. I pulled my jacket closer around my neck and dashed through the puddles down the two blocks that separate my house from the bus stop. I can hear thunder rumbling and I sped up. My shoes are soaked, and I can feel my bangs limply hanging against my forehead. I bet I look terrible, and Kaasan is going to notice right away. Maybe I should have gone with Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun to the arcade.

"It looks like there's going to be a thunderstorm," Anzu was saying as we got to school this morning. The winds were whipping hard against us, and the sky was a darker gray then usual. I kept blushing because I had to avert my eyes each time her skit got teased up by a breeze. One thing about Anzu, she hasn't changed since our first year, she's still as pretty as ever.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I should get home early. Jiichan's going to get a new shipment of Duel Monsters in, and I promised I'd sort them for him."

Anzu smiled and nodded as I added, "You wouldn't want to come over would you?"

Her smile shrank some, and she let out a little sigh, "Yugi, I have work today and…"

"Oh," I said and smiled at her even though I knew there was more that she was going to say. "That's okay. I understand."

She went quiet and thought a moment as if figuring out something, then said, "But Yugi I can come over tomorrow."

"Sure thing," I grinned and she smiled as we went up to the board to find our classes. We change our classes every year, and so far I've been lucky enough to be with my best friends, Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun, and Anzu. So I was hoping luck would be with me this year as well. I glanced over at Anzu as I searched the white board, she was trying to look busy but I knew she felt bad. She had been trying to keep her own feelings covered since the winter of last year, when my other self had returned to his rest. She missed him terribly, more then she wanted to admit to, and it had made things tense between us.

"So?" I asked finally after I found my name, "Which room?"

Anzu was staring at the board, as if she didn't hear me. "Anzu?" I reached up to tap her shoulder when I heard a familiar voice go, "Hey!" and I jumped.

Whirling around I found myself face to face with my best friend, Katsuya Jounouchi, who was leaning against the board. His blonde hair was mussed up some; obviously he had run most of the way to the school. "I thought I saw you two here."

"Did you find your class already?" I asked excitedly, hoping that it was going to be the same as mine, 3-B. Jounouchi-kun nodded and pointed to his name on the wall.

"Yup, there ya go, 3-B, and Honda's in there as well."

I grinned brightly, "This is great! Where is Honda-kun?"

Jounouchi gave me a puzzled look, "I don't know. I thought you might have seen him."

I shook my head and was about to ask Anzu if she had seen him.

"Yugi, Jou Anzu," a voice called over the crowd and we scanned about to see a tall boy trying to push through the crowds that were chattering about the classroom they had gotten into. "Excuse me," he was saying then more loudly, "Hey can you get out of the way!"

"Honda?" Jounouchi looked as puzzled as I felt. The boy that came up to us looked a lot like Honda-kun, but he didn't seem the same. His bangs were cut shorter, and he had a tan. The boy nodded and laughed.

"Yeah, who else?"

"What happened to you?" Jounouchi-kun spat out suddenly, then pointed to the bangs. "You cut your hair?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "my mom insisted this year. We made a deal, if I keep up my grades I can grow them back."

Jounouchi chuckled, "Well I guess you're gonna have to say bye to all those hair sprays you used to use."

Honda-kun knocked him into the board covering his mouth, "Shhhh, not so loud would ya."

"What," Jounouchi-kun teased, "don't like to admit that you use girl's hairspray?"

"Yeah well, you'd be wise not to say that if you don't want people knowing that you dye your hair." Honda-kun looked annoyed and then glanced at me. "Yug does it look bad? Be honest."

I shook my head and smiled, "It looks nice Honda-kun. We didn't recognize you at first."

He looked relieved, "Well at least I don't look like one of those models." He shivered some, "My sister wanted me to look like that," –he pointed to his face –"Why she took me to get this stupid tan."

I nodded sympathetically, though Jounouchi-kun was having a hard time not exploding into a fit of giggles, and Honda-kun kept giving him annoyed looks. Trying to ease the tension I quickly pointed out that we we're all in the same class room. Honda-kun grinned at this.

"That's great," he was saying and turned to ask Anzu who was talking to a girl near her. "Hey Anzu, what room do you have?"

She glanced over at us, and blinked some, "Well, I…I have 3-A."

I quickly went over to where here name was listed and looked again. There had to be a mistake, there just had to. We we're supposed to go into the same class. That's how it had always been. I ran my finger over the names and paused when I found Mazaki, Anzu in big bold print. Then slid it sideways along the dots to the left, there in the same bold letters was the name of her assigned room. 3-A. I blinked, rubbed my eyes and looked at her. "How?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I guess…"

Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun gazed over my shoulder at it. Jounouchi was scowling, "Hey…what gives. Isn't the A Class the super smart group?"

Honda shook his head, "This can't be. I mean I know Anzu's good in her grades but…"

Anzu put her hands on her hips, "What? You don't think I'm smart enough to be in that class?"

Her glare made Honda-kun shuffle back some, waving his hands, "Naw No, of course not. I just…er…I thought…well…I've never seen you as a brain that's all."

Anzu rolled her eyes at him and Jounouchi gave her a sad look, "Means you won't have classes with us huh?"

"I guess not," she looked down at me. "Yugi…"

I was still staring at the class room. This isn't fair, this so isn't fair. I kept thinking even as I blinked away hot tears. Anzu had always been in my classroom, we'd gone through middle school together. We were supposed to go through high-school. I bit my lip and gave her a grin, "I'm okay. We can see each other at lunch right?"

She smiled and nodded, "And after school too."

"Right," I said and told myself nothing was going to change because of this. It might be a good thing, and give her time to breath. But by the time lunch came I was starting to question that. Jounouchi-kun was talking with Bakura-kun who was also in my class and Honda-kun seemed to be busy talking to a girl named Mayumi Asabi, who is the captain of the girls soccer team, so seeing as I had a free moment I grabbed my lunch in the hopes that I could eat it with Anzu. However when I got to the class room I found her surrounded by a group of girls.

"So is it true that you're dating Jounouchi-kun?" asked one of them. Anzu laughed at this.

"No way," she shook her head and smiled, "We're just friends."

"But what about that cutie Bakura-san?" asked another girl with a blue bow in her hair and Miho Nosaka who was standing near them glared.

"Bakura-kun's not going out with anyone but me," she said with a huff, as if to challenge anyone to disagree with her. I had to giggle at this; she could be very cute without intending to. I stayed by the door, so that Anzu couldn't see me but I could see and hear all she said.

"Well how about Honda-san," another girl with glasses asked leaning on the desk. "Come on Anzu you can't say he's not cute at least."

Anzu chuckled, "Honda's always been nice to me Anna, but, we're just friends, its how I am with all of them."

Anna nodded but didn't seem convinced about this. She crossed her arms and stared hard at Anzu, "Then what about Mutou Yugi?"

"Yugi?" Anzu looked at her with a gently smile, "What about Yugi?"

"Well are you interested in him, or not?" Anna blatenly asked and I blushed. Why did she have to ask Anzu that question; Anzu blushed and looked down some as if considering things.

"Well?" Anna asked again and Anzu replied politely.

"I wouldn't say that I'm not, but…well I have to get over someone first, I'm not interested in dating right now." She blushed and instantly the other girls had to know about this other guy. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. I may have bumped into the door because one of the girls said, "I think someone's out there."

I stood up fast as Anna came out of the room, her short black hair swinging by her ears. She glowered at me, "Hey what did you hear?"

"Nothing," I lied to her and Anzu came out with two of the other girls and Miho. I think she knew I had heard because as soon as our eyes locked she blushed and looked at me with a bit of guilt.

"Yugi," she started but I didn't want to hear it, and quickly said.

"I-I have to get back to class. I'll see you later Anzu." She nodded as I hurried away. To my back I could hear Anna saying.

"He's so small, he looks like a kid."

Miho was quick to add, "But he's really sweet."

"Still, he's not boyfriend material," Anna pointedly said and I felt my face flush as I walked dejectedly back into my classroom. Jounouchi-kun and Bakura-kun were the first to notice that I was looking sad. Jounouchi nudged me with his elbow during English later that afternoon. I had dozed off and must have looked down because he asked, "So who's the jerk that punched you in the gut, Yug?"

I shook my head and smiled at him, "No one beat me up Jounouchi-kun."

"I think he means it figuratively," Bakura quickly pointed out and patted my shoulder. The teacher, Mataka-san gave us all sharp looks and we pretended to be reading. A moment later Jounouchi flipped me a note that read.

What happened? Didn't you go to see Anzu?

I quickly wrote back, and we sent this between the two of us, Bakura adding in things here and there.

What happened? Didn't you go to see Anzu?

Yes I did, but she was busy talking to some other girls.

Other girls? Like who?

Just girls in her class. It doesn't matter.

Yug, you don't go to see Anzu, then come back looking like someone punched ya in the gut without telling me what happened.

And I told you nothing. I'm fine.

Yugi I just think that Jounouchi is worried about you.

But I'm okay. Really.

Yeah but. Yug, come on. You can't tell me that you're okay.

Beside, I'm sure we can help you. You're always helping us.

I know but, it's not that important. Anzu was just talking to some girls, and they made fun of me. That's all. I shouldn't worry you guys about something silly like that.

Yugi, what did they say?

What does it matter what they said! IF they're makin fun of Yugi then they're on my 'List" and they REALLY Don't want to be on my list.

Jounouchi-kun, please! Don't make a big deal about this. Really, it's okay.

Yug. Come on now. They didn't have a right to make fun of you and you know it!

Please. I'm okay. And we better stop before we get into trouble. I'll talk to you later.

I threw him back the note and quickly looked busy so I didn't get a detention. By the end of the day the clouds had become overcast and the threat of rain seemed imminent. As I threw my shoes on Jounouchi-kun hurried over and shook me by my shoulder.

"Hey, you up for some games at the arcade?" He grinned at me, and I smiled back some.

"Uh…well…" I started to say when I saw Anzu walking towards us.

"Yugi, can I talk to you for a minute please?" she asked me, and I nodded telling Jounouchi I would be right back. We walked around into an empty classroom and I sat down while she stood by the desk. Anzu smiled at me softly. "Yugi…I just…I wanted to say I'm sorry that you heard that. You're one of my best friends ever Yugi."

"But, its true though, isn't it?" I asked her quietly, "That you need time?"

She nodded slowly and I blinked back hot tears. I had always thought that Anzu loved both of us, but maybe that was my mistake. She touched my shoulder softly and smiled at me with so much warmth that I couldn't help but smile back.

"Yugi. You've always been my best friend, more then that to me. But right now, I need to find some closure. I…I never did tell him how I felt, because..."

I nodded and stood up, "I know. It's okay Anzu. I understand."

She hugged me and then hurried out of the room, and I followed. Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun were waiting when I got to the door. Both were scowling and Honda-kun was in a huff.

"Terrific," Honda-kun was saying as he held his hand out, and felt the rain drops pour down. He shook out his hand and glanced over at Jounouchi, "You still up for the arcade?"

Jounouchi-kun nodded, "Yeah." Then he noticed me coming over and smiled, "Hey Yug, you comin' with us? I hear they got some new fighting games with Bruce Lee."

I gave him a smile and shook my head. "No thanks. I have to help Jiichan. Maybe tomorrow okay?"

"But Yug," Honda-kun started to stay and I smiled, waved, and ran out into the rain shouting that I'd see them tomorrow. As I ran away I could hear Jounouchi-kun's voice say to Honda-kun. "Let 'im go for now. He needs to sort things out on his own. When he's ready we'll come to him."

On my ride home I stared out the bus window and my mind wander back to the weeks following the departure of my other self. I had promised myself after that day I was going to live my life, tell my story. But having him so long in my mind it was weird having my own thoughts back to myself. Somehow my friends rallied around me and brought me out of my state of mourning. Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun were always ready to go out with me, and just hang out. We'd talk about Atem as if he was still there, and I can remember what Honda-kun once said to me.

"You know, if it weren't for you Yugi, he couldn't have done half of what he did. You were the key to giving him his power, even though he stood out; you were the real power to him."

I had never looked at it like that; most of the time I had tried to become stronger to protect my friends, so I didn't need to rely on Mou hitori no boku. Jounouchi-kun said it best to me one night as we were watched the stars from my room. He was thinking of his sister who was going to be moving in with him as he spoke, "You know Yug. I always said that I wanted to get strong enough to beat him, but to tell the truth, it's you that I wanted to get strong enough to beat. I mean it would have been great to actually get past him, but I think that, well…" he looked at me with a serious gleam to his brown eyes, "You were the one to get me into the game in the first place. And hell, if it wasn't for you standing up for me, showing me that I wasn't as much of a punk that I thought I was, well, I might have never been able to get as far as I have. Heck, I think even Kaiba respects you, even if that jerk doesn't say it. It's been all you this time, not him. Don't forget that. There's only one Yugi in this world."

I smiled at that, and nodded. But even knowing this, knowing who I am, that doesn't mean that Anzu will just love me for me. She felt a connection to Mou hitori no boku, and even I can't deny that fact. He didn't go out with her because he knew how I felt for her, though he never said that to me. Still I should try; I have to try at least to be someone that she could be happy going out with. I can't help how I feel for her, and if I don't at least find out if she can feel for me the same way, then I'm always going to wonder about it.

I got off at my stop and plunged through the storm, catching a glimpse of myself in a store window as I ran. My tri-colored hair is limp and I try to straighten it. I'd like to say I grew a few inches, though I don't think so, and my eyes are still as wide and innocent as they were when I left Egypt. But I like to think that I've gotten stronger since then. That I can take on anything that's thrown my way.

"Jiichan!" I shouted coming into the shop, rain drenched, and a bit chilly. I squeaked across the floor, the lights were dimmed, and I heard music and some light singing coming from the back room. I called again just to be sure, "Jiichan, is that you?"

The singing stopped as I tiptoed across the wood floor to the counter and push up the small flip top to go inside. I slipped around to the stockroom where all the cards were kept. It was dark, but I saw someone on the ladder fiddling with the cards. Their head was bopping back and forth, and I could tell from the silhouette that it wasn't Jiichan. The person seemed to be looking through the cards, and for a moment I thought they were a burglar.

I have to get Jiichan, I thought and turned to go, but then stopped, what if the person was gone by the time I went to find him. I didn't even know where he was. As far as I could tell the person didn't look like they were armed, so I screwed up my nerve and jumped out, blocking the door and yelled, "Hey! What do you think you're doing in here!"

The person on the ladder turned too fast, I heard a scream and saw them topple over into the box behind them. I was running then, hoping that they weren't hurt.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay…" I stopped when I got close and turned on the lamp that Jiichan had set up on a shelf. The person was a girl, who was splayed out in the box on her back. Her knees were bent over the edge and she was rubbing her head. In the light I could see she was wearing jeans with sneakers, a pink short sleeved shirt, and a butterfly clip in her purple hair. She glanced up at me with a pair of dark blue eyes, and I took a step back blushing out of embarrassment.

"I think so," she said sitting up, then her hand slipped and she landed back in the cards. "Just give me a minute."

"I'm really sorry," I mumbled and held out my hand, she took it, smiling.

"That's okay, you just spooked me." She sat up and rubbed her back. "Well at least I know now that Duel Monster cards can be used as an air mattress."

I chuckled some lightly, and she stood up dusting her pants off. Standing up we were almost of equal height and she reached up to fix the light. "Well we do have a mess here don't we."

"Yeah I guess we do," I bent down and she followed suit picking up the card packets.

"Thanks, I'm Dark by the way, and you must be Mutou-san's grandson right?"

I nodded, "Yes I'm Yugi, Pleased to meet you Dark-san."

"Pleasures all mine," she dumped them back in the box. "By the way, who were you looking for when you came in? I heard you shouting something but I wasn't sure what name you were saying."

"Oh I was calling for my Jiichan," I started to explain, when I heard feet hurrying down the stairs. We peeked out around the door to see Jiichan standing at the bottom step huffing, and puffing. "Yugi? Oh my boy, don't scare me like that. I heard a scream. Is everything okay?"

Dark-san raised her hand and looked down, "That would be me Mutou-san. I'm so sorry; I thought I saw a mouse and I fell off the ladder. Your grandson was just helping me up."

A mouse? I glanced at her and she gave me a look that read 'Don't disagree'. I guess she thought I would be in trouble, but I quickly explained to him that I had come in and scared her off the ladder. Jiichan chuckled and smiled at me, "Yugi, why don't you come up with me and get changed out of those wet cloths. Dark-san, when you're done with the cards come up for some hot chocolate okay?"

Dark-san grinned and nodded, "Sure thing Mutou-san." She grinned at me as I followed Jiichan up the stairs. "Nice meeting you Yugi."

"Um..same here, " was all I could think to say, it made sense now. Jiichan had been looking for additional help, and this girl must have gotten the job. He smiled at her. As we walked up the stairs I asked. "Jiichan, just exactly who is she?"

"Who? Speltman-san?"

"Is that her last name?" I inquired and he nodded.

"She's a college student from America." He opened the door to our apartment as he spoke. "She came in this morning just after you left. Remember I had put out that "Help wanted sign?"

I nodded, of course I did, Kaasan had been bugging him for weeks to get additional help after the situation with his back in the Grand Prix. I could remember my mother's face when we got back; she crossed her arms and gave my grandfather a long lecture on how older men should be careful with their bodies because they're only going to get worse as time went on.

"You should spend more time worrying about your back and heart, and less time chasing after young girls with short skirts," she had told him. Of course Jiichan certainly listens to Kaasan, just in his own way.

"So you put out the sign and…?" I inquired as I took off my shoes.

"And she came in, and asked if she could apply for it. You're not disappointed by this Yugi? Are you?" He asked me as I headed for the stairs to our bedrooms. I shook my head, "No, I'm not. I just wish you would have told me that you were going to hire some one. I thought I was going to be helping you out this year."

"But of course you are," he said to me with a laugh watching me carefully for a reaction. To say that I was disappointed wouldn't be true, but I was hoping that this would let me spend more time with him. And now I would have to share that with a girl I didn't even know. The whole thing seemed just a tad bit unfair to me, after all he was my grandfather first. "And I'm sure that you and Dark-san will get along quite nicely. She's going to need your help getting acquainted with the shop you know."

I just nodded, "I'm going to change, be back in a minute."

I think that something in my voice must have sounded a bit let down because he was quick to add. "She's very nice, Yugi."

"I'm sure she is," I said and shut my door. I pulled off my wet uniform then slipped into a blue t-shirt and warm sweat pants and socks. I picked a towel out of my linen basket and dried my hair going back down to the kitchen. I sniffed the air and licked my lips, "Cookies?"

Jiichan nodded, "You're mother made some." He pointed to the hot tray of peanut butter cookies and I happily took two. Then sat down at the table as Jiichan made the hot chocolate, he glanced up at me and I kept my eyes down. I was still feeling bad about scaring Dark-san, but more about Anzu and her new friends. Clearing his throat he said quickly.

"Do you want to hear where she came from?"

I blinked, "Sure."

He smiled at me and poured a mug of the chocolate for me, then sat down. "Well I had just put out the sign when it started to rain a few minutes later Dark-san came in quiet wet and looking rather nervous. Now I thought she was just looking for a place to get in out of the rain, but she said she saw the sign out in my window and was walking back and forth trying to work up the nerve to come in and ask to apply for the job. Well how could I turn down a young woman in distress?"

I covered a laugh by taking a big bite of my cookie, thinking; you just thought she had a pretty face, Jiichan. But I nodded and let him continue his story.

"Well, she's not an expert at games, but she certainly knows her card games, and I think she's into magic."

"Huh? Why?" I asked and he grinned.

"Well while I gave her a test to see if she knew different card games, she shuffled in an unusual way." He demonstrated with his hands showing that she seemed to move the cards between her fingers in a way that made them climb down from her index finger to her pinky. "It's the same style as some magicians use when performing their tricks. But when I asked her about it, she just sort of clamed up, I guess she didn't want to explain where she learned it. But I talk too much…" he glanced up and I followed him. Dark-san was standing at the door way, smiling softly. I wonder if she heard us, though if she had she certainly didn't say so.

"I finished with the cards, Mutou-san," she said and looked at the cookies. Jiichan held the tray up for her.

"Cookie?"

"Yes please, I'm starving," she walked over and grabbed two, eating one quickly, then glanced at me and swallowed. I guess I must have been staring at her because she looked away and sat down as Jiichan got her some hot chocolate.

"So what were you two talking about?" she inquired and I shrugged.

"Jiichan was just telling me how you came to work for him."

"Oh," she said and tapped the mug when he gave it to her. "Well it's not that interesting. I just needed work."

"You're from America?" I asked, trying to make conversation, even though I didn't really feel like it, what was I supposed to say to her? Just a few minutes ago I had scared her off a ladder, and now she was eating cookies with us. I guess she was just as nervous as I was because she didn't say much, just nodded.

"Yeah, I'm from Oak Park, in Illinois, but I've been living with my Dad in California for the past seven years." She said softly and dunked her cookie in the hot chocolate. I had to smile at this; my Tousan does the same thing with his cookies. Only with hot chocolate, he tells me all the time, does it taste as good.

"Dark-san, didn't you say you were studying at the university?" Jiichan said and sat down. She nodded again as if trying to wiggle out of the conversation.

"Well yes, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be my major, but I wanted to learn outside of the states for a while." She glanced at the clock, and stood up. "I should really be going."

"Oh, you don't want to stay for dinner?" Jiichan asked, and she shook her head.

"Thank you, but I really need to get my homework done. It was really nice to meet you Yugi," she picked up another cookie and grinned. "For the road; I like chocolate chip the best, but peanut butter is always good. See you."

With that she headed down the stairs. Jiichan followed, probably to let her out of the shop. I got up and walked to the doorway, and listened. He was telling her what time to come to work during the week, and, to my surprise, that I'd help her learn about the games. She thanked him and went out the door. I moved back to the table and finished my cookie. My mind was on too much that evening during dinner, as Jiichan told Kaasan about Dark-san, so I excused myself and went to my room to go to bed.