1. Birth, Adoption, and Reunification
"It's a girl!" Mrs. Motou cried.
"She's beautiful," Mr. Motou said. "Look, Yuugi. It's your new little sister."
The little toddler came up to the baby girl. He smiled, and with his cup bumped her cheek as if to say 'Hello'. The little girl smiled.
"Awww," Mrs. Motou declared. "They already like each other. What should we call her?"
"Riyou. Riyou Sakura Motou."
Two weeks later, Mr. And Mrs. Motou brought little Riyou home to their game shop. There, she grew happier, and on her first birthday, Yuugi's second, she said her first word.
"Brother. Nii-san."
Riyou smiled at her brother. Yuugi also smiled.
It didn't last, though. Riyou never said that word again, and she began to ignore everyone. Sad, Yuugi in turn began to ignore his sister.
The parents and Grandpa realized this, and one day had a very important discussion on the subject.
"Riyou and Yuugi are completely unhappy!" Mrs. Motou cried.
"Now Shinoske," Grandpa said. "I didn't say it would be easy for them to be together. I told you I sensed the little one was different."
"So different that they would be unable to look at each other, or even be around each other?" Mrs. Motou burst into tears. "I don't want to send her away!"
"We'll have to, for now."
The next day they took Riyou to the adoption agency in California. There, she was given to another family in order to ensure her happiness.
Mrs. Motou cried on the flight back to Domino, Japan. She didn't think it would be like this.
6 Years Later…
"Lissa! It's time for school!"
"Coming!"
But Lissa didn't say that. She thought it; however, her mother heard her perfectly. When she was 5, her parents found out she was completely mute. Her voice had not developed at all when she was a baby, and she only said one word in all of her years. Her parents, instead of spending all the money they had on a mansion they wanted, they instead decided to ensure that they'd always be able to communicate with their daughter.
Lissa went downstairs with a sorrowful look on her face. "Today's not school," she thought.
"It's not. It's the day of the tournament, remember?"
"Oh yeah," she thought. "The duel monsters tournament."
Duel Monsters, a popular card game, had come when Lissa was but 3 years old. She had loved it ever since, and it took her mind off the people who called her a freak.
The tournament was no different.
Although she had beaten every one of her opponents up to the final round so far, all of them called her a freak for having a mind communication device on her head, saying it looked like a stupid hat. Lissa didn't let it stop her. She continued to crush her opponents, despite the fact that most of them were twice her age and thrice her size.
The final round was against a weird, short, spiky-haired kid. He was 7, according to her booklet.
"The final match will now begin. Lissa Hawkins against Yuugi Motou!"
"YEAH! GO LISSA!"
Lissa looked behind her and saw her parents and aunt there, as well as her 2 year old sister Rebecca.
"GO YUUGI!!"
The boy had a little brunette girl rooting for him.
They began.
"I'll play this in defense mode." Yuugi lay down a Gyaku Gire Panda on the table.
"I can do better," Lissa thought. The boy Yuugi looked threatened all of a sudden.
"You're good; I've seen you play in a couple of matches. However," he added, "Don't forget that I've made it this far too."
"Was it tough?"
"No," Yuugi said. "It was easy. Just as easy as it will be to defeat you."
"Well I attack with this, and I switch your monster with Stop Defense."
"Wha-" Yuugi was shocked. He subtracted 300 life points.
"Well, now I attack with this." Lissa subtracted 800 life points.
"Dark Hole!"
"Attack with this!" Yuugi subtracted 500.
"Attack with this!" Lissa subtracted 900. She had 300 left; she began to doubt herself, but it went away quickly. "This is fun!" she said.
"Good. I was aiming at a good time today!"
"I attack with this!" Yuugi subtracted 900. "And this!" Yuugi lost.
"YEAH! Nice duel!" Lissa and Yuugi laughed. They had so much fun that day, and they became friends.
"Yuugi!" The brunette girl walked up to them. "That was awesome!"
"Nice dueling, Lissa!"
"Thanks! What's your name?"
"Anzu. Anzu Mazaki."
Lissa smiled. "Nice to meet you. And Yuugi."
"You were awesome," Yuugi said. "Can you teach me to duel like that?"
"Sure," Lissa thought.
The next day, Lissa went over to Yuugi's house. She decided to meet Yuugi's family, but no one else was there.
"Where is everyone?"
"Anzu and I aren't from here," Yuugi said. "We're from Japan."
"How far away is that?"
"Not that far. It's just across the ocean."
"What'd ya mean, not that far! That's miles!" Lissa thought.
"Well, this is where my sister was born."
"You have a sister?"
"Yep," Yuugi said. "She was born on my birthday, June 4th."
Lissa stared. "That's the same day that I was born."
"One year after I was born. I'm gonna be 8."
"I'm gonna be 7."
Now it was Yuugi's turn to stare. "That's how old she would be!"
"This is weird," Lissa thought. They stood there quietly for a while, then the phone rang.
"Hello? Yes, she's here."
When Lissa got home, she asked her mother about it.
"Mom? I have a question for you. Do I have any brothers?"
Mrs. Hawkins looked worried. She decided to tell her daughter.
"I think it's time that I told you the truth."
"What is it?" Lissa thought.
"First of all, I'm not your real mom." Mrs. Hawkins led Lissa to the couch. "Your real name is Riyou Sakura Motou. You were born here to Shinoske and Riku Motou, and your brother-your REAL brother-is Yuugi Motou. When you were little, I adopted you because you were unhappy in your real home."
"Riyou?" LIssa-Riyou-stared at her foster mom. She didn't cry.
"Mrs. Hawkins. I'm glad you told me. Deep down, I sorta knew I wasn't a part of this family."
The next day, Riyou told Yuugi who she was. Yuugi called his grandfather, and they met at the airport.
"Riyou! Are you sure you're ready to come back home with us?"
"I'm sure," Riyou thought.
"Goodbye, Riyou," Mrs. Hawkins said. "I still love you, even though you're not my daughter."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins," Riyou thought. She hugged her foster mom and went to Yuugi. They boarded the airplane and headed back home.