Disclaimer: If they were mine, this would be a real episode, not a fan-
fiction! grumble
Yami: Look at it this way, Macavity: you don't have to plague the world with your crappy drawings! Leave it to the pros.
Me: MY DRAWINGS ARE NOT CRAPPY!
Seto: Yeah, Yami, I saw you drooling over that one she did of Jamie Light.
Yami: blush Shut up.
Me: Look, while I love seeing this display of masculinity and all, we have a fic to write!
Seto: Oh, jeez, no.
Yami: Please, we beg you-
Me: Too late! Let's write!
Author's Notes: Once upon a time, a girl named Macavity decided to write a romance fan-fiction. This is the story of how she failed. Miserably. Unfortunately, this is not a part of the "Shattered" trilogy, but I have so much writers block it's not even funny. Man, do I need some Mountain Dew right about now.
Anyway, in my opinion, it's freakishly long (I set a personal record on it), and the ellipses are screwed up, but just deal with it, okay?
Special Dedication: This fic is dedicated to a good friend of mine here on Fan-Fiction.Net, and while I can't say I know her personally, I am proud to call her my friend. As long as I've known her, she's been supportive of me, so if you're reading this (and you know who you are), this story is dedicated to you. Here's to hoping you have a great birthday. It's not wrapped or tied with a bow, but this is my present to you.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
As the Fog Clears
By Macavity
~*~*~
The new girl stared wistfully out the window of the minivan as it rolled through the streets of Domino City. A strand of ebony hair fluttered as she turned her head to glare at her mother.
"I still don't understand why we had to move here!" she complained, absently stroking the gray tabby cat that sat in her lap. "I was happy back home! Why couldn't Dad have found another job back home?"
"Shemeeka Tsumachiro, you know better than to talk to your father in that tone," her mother cautioned, his voice stern. "And you know very well why we moved."
"Right," Shemeeka said flatly. Then, mockingly: "The job pays better here, and little sweetie has to go to college, and a nice girl like you will make new friends in no time-"
"That's quite enough!" her father exclaimed angrily. "There will be no more talk of it! This is where we live, and that's final."
Shemeeka carefully hid a scowl and stroked the cat once again. 'I don't care what they say,' she thought. 'There's no way I'm going to like it here. It's not fair that I had to leave all my friends!'
Little did she know how wrong she was.
Meanwhile...
Yugi Mutou shuffled through his Duel Monsters deck, staring absently at his Dark Magician card. He was sitting on the window seat in the Turtle Game Shop, thinking about his last duel.
Joey Wheeler, his best friend, had actually come close to beating him that time. While Yugi was proud of his friend, he still couldn't help but feel a little bit annoyed. "Did Joey somehow get really good? Or am I just losing it?" he moaned.
"I doubt Joey is even capable of getting 'really good', aibou, so I guess it must be the second one," a voice from behind him said.
Yugi didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. "Come on, Yami, you know Joey isn't that bad."
"Yes, aibou, but he's not that good, either," Yami replied, running his fingers through his golden bangs.
"And what are you getting all dolled up over?" Yugi inquired, surprised that his Yami actually bothered to brush out his hair.
Yami just grinned at him. "What, you don't like the outfit?" he asked.
In truth, Yugi had to admit that Yami really did look good. Instead of his customary leather, he wore a pale blue button-down shirt with a pair of khaki cargo pants. It seemed, however, that Yami was incapable of not wearing leather, so he'd donned a black leather jacket. Altogether, the Game King looked stunning.
"I didn't say that. I wanted to know where you're going," Yugi replied.
Yami's grin got wider. "Seto wants me to meet his girlfriend. Think I look spiffy enough?"
Yugi groaned. "Yami, please tell me you're not going to try and lure this one away too!"
Yugi was referring to the fact that, the last three times Yami had met Seto's girlfriends, they all ended up spending the entire time drooling over him and ignoring Seto. This fact, of course, annoyed Seto to no end, but he really couldn't be mad at his best friend, so the brunette resigned himself to putting up with it.
Yami shook his head. "Apparently, this one is different."
"How so?" Yugi wanted to know.
"Well, Seto is absolutely positive that she can beat me at Super Smash Brothers, so I'm taking him up on his offer. And by the way, I stand to win ten bucks if I beat her," Yami replied, winking at Yugi as he noted the black limousine drive up.
Yami and Yugi walked out of the Turtle Game Shop to greet Seto. The brunette CEO exited the limo with the same air of natural grace he always possessed. His customary blue trench coat billowed in the wind as he came to stand next to Yami.
Yami looked Seto over for a moment. "Darn you, you've grown another inch since I saw you last!" he complained.
Seto grinned. "Hardly, considering I last saw you yesterday, Yami. Get over it, you're not going to get any taller! You're just jealous."
Yami rolled his eyes. "You and your stupid logic." He wagged a finger at Seto. "So, where is this mystery girl you're so desperate for me to meet?"
The brunette smiled slyly. "She's in the car. Ready to kick your butt, by the way."
"Ha!" Yami scoffed. "No one can beat Link in Super Smash Brothers!"
"She will. And she'll do it as Zelda, too."
Yami graced Seto with another eye-roll. "Like some rich brat in a dress can beat Link. Right. Sure. Mmm-hmm. I believe that."
"You'd be surprised. She beat Mokuba. In fact, she-"
"Hey, look over there!" Yugi interrupted, pointing at the minivan that had pulled into the driveway across the street from the Game Shop. "Looks like someone finally bought that house!"
"Noooooo!" Seto moaned. "I was going to buy that lot, too! Crap!"
Yami snickered, elbowing Seto. "Awww, looks like the master plans for world domination are going to have to wait another day."
"Shut up, Yami."
"Don't you think we should go over and say hello?" Yugi asked pointedly.
Yami and Seto just kind of stared at each other. "Um, no?" Yami offered sheepishly.
"Yami!"
"Okay, okay, aibou. Why don't you go over and say hi, and we'll try and figure out a way to explain why I look exactly like you," Yami said, a touch of sarcasm in his tone.
Yugi groaned. Yami could be so stubborn sometimes. "Fine. I'll-"
He cut off as he noticed the back door opening. Immediately, a streak of gray flew out of the car and up a maple tree in the front yard. A black- haired girl raced out after it. "Teresa, come back here!" she cried.
Yugi didn't bother to think about what he was doing. He immediately sprinted across the road and to the girl's side. "Can I be of some help, miss?"
The girl turned, staring at him with soft aqua eyes. They immediately brightened as she looked at Yugi. "Oh, could you? My cat just ran out of the car and into the tree, and I can't get her down! Teresa usually isn't like this."
"I'll get her down," Yugi said decisively, immediately leaping straight up and pulling himself up to the lowest branch.
Back across the street, Yami and Seto just watched, amused.
"I didn't know Yugi could jump that high," Yami mused.
"Face it, Yami. When you're short, things impress you too much," Seto teased.
Yami just grinned at him. "I'm not short. I'm just vertically challenged."
Seto couldn't help but laugh. "You've got a point there."
"Shhh!" Yami said, turning his eyes back to Yugi. "I want to see what he does."
Yugi had made it up to the branch just below where Teresa sat, hissing. "Don't be afraid, kitty, I'm not going to hurt you," he said in a soft, singsong voice. "I'm just going to help you down, I won't hurt you."
"Be careful!" the girl cried, covering her eyes. "I can't watch."
Tentatively, Yugi reached up and stroked the cat's back. It immediately purred and settled down on the branch, content to let Yugi pet it. Then, with one smooth motion, Yugi grabbed the cat and clutched it to his chest, carefully lowering himself down.
When he reached the bottom, the girl rushed up and snatched the cat out of Yugi's arms. "Oh, Teresa, don't ever do that again," she exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against the cat's soft fur.
Then she looked up at Yugi. "Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me!"
It was then that the girl got her first glimpse of Yugi's incredibly violet eyes. She immediately became tongue-tied and was barely able to stammer, "I- Is there some way I can r-repay you?"
Yugi smiled cheerily. "Just glad to help! Do you live here?"
"Yes," the girl replied. "I just moved here."
"Well, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Yugi Mutou."
The girl's eyes went wide. "Yugi Mutou? The champion of the Duelist Kingdom? Wow, it's so great to meet you!"
Then she blushed. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is Shemeeka Tsumachiro. I just got a little excited. I-I've read so much about you, and I'm a duelist too, you see."
"You're a duelist? Cool! Maybe you can come over my house and duel sometime!" Yugi exclaimed. "Um, if you're not busy, maybe you could come over right now. My, uh, brother and Seto are leaving, and Grandpa isn't home, so."
"Seto?" Shemeeka said, confused. But when Yugi pointed across the street, realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. "Seto Kaiba?! You're on a first-name basis with THE Seto Kaiba?! Wow!"
Yugi blushed. "Well, you know.Seto and Yami are best friends, so he's always around. We're okay friends, but Yami knows him the best of anybody. They're both seventeen, but when they're together, they act like they're both five. Come on, let's go over and say hello, okay?"
"Sure!" Shemeeka said enthusiastically. It was nice to have a friend like Yugi.
Yami and Seto were still goofing around when Yugi and Shemeeka crossed the street. "Yami, Seto, this is Shemeeka. She just moved across the street," Yugi introduced.
"Hello," Shemeeka said politely, offering her hand to both of them.
Yami and Seto each took a turn shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you," Yami said genially.
"A pleasure," Seto agreed. "A friend of Yugi's is a friend of ours."
"Do you really have all three Blue Eyes White Dragons?" Shemeeka asked. Then, realizing what she'd just said, she blushed. "I'm sorry, that's a stupid question."
"No, it's not," Seto replied. "In fact, it happens all the time. Yes, I do have all three Blue Eyes. But they're at home, not here. I didn't bring my deck today."
"Liar," Yami snickered. "You've got it in that fancy-schmancy trench coat of yours, O Master Duelist. I know you as well as you know yourself, and I know for a fact you never go anywhere without that deck. It's not nice to lie, Seto."
"Remind me to never bring you to my staff meetings," Seto groaned, pulling out his deck. "With you pointing out all my lies, my company would go down the tubes."
Just then, a brown-haired girl got out of the limo and walked over to them. "Seto, am I allowed out of the car now? Or am I sitting in there just to look pretty?"
Seto grinned, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head affectionately. "You've already got the 'look pretty' part down, Jamie."
"Flatterer," she replied, elbowing him.
"And darn proud of it," Seto replied. "Jamie Light, this is Yami Mutou, Yugi Mutou, and Shemeeka."
"Tsumachiro," Shemeeka offered. "Nice to meet you, Jamie."
"Girl, it is SO great to have another girl around here!" Jamie exclaimed, smiling at Shemeeka. "I love your hair! Is that natural?"
Shemeeka patted her ebony hair self-consciously, making the blonde highlights shine in the afternoon sun. "Yes, it is." She smiled at Jamie, already deciding that the brunette girl was a great friend. Her warm smile and kind words instantly put Shemeeka at ease.
"That's awesome! I wish I had your hair. Mine is just drab and brown. Just like Seto's, actually, but his is so silky soft and so much fun to play with-"
"Okay, Jamie, we get the idea about my hair," Seto interrupted, trying to hide a blush.
"But your hair is so cute, Seto!" Jamie replied innocently.
Yami groaned. "Dare I ask why she knows so much about your hair?"
"Ask and die," Seto replied instantly.
"We have GOT to go to the mall together sometime!" Jamie enthused. "That is, when you have some free time," she added after a moment.
"Um.I have to help my parents settle in this afternoon, but I think I'm free tomorrow," Shemeeka said slowly. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I can't accept your duel today."
Shemeeka was truly disappointed. This was probably going to ruin everything! Here were these people, being so nice to her, and she turned them down the moment they suggested something fun to do together.
But Yugi just smiled understandingly. "That's okay. Some other time, then. Are you going to Domino High School?"
"Yes!" Shemeeka exclaimed, a sudden wave of relief washing over her. "I start tomorrow."
"Cool! Then I'll see you there!" Yugi replied. "Sophomore, right?"
Shemeeka nodded. "Yup. I'm sixteen."
"Great! Then you'll be in our class! Oh, we have so much fun, I'm sure you'll fit right in."
Jamie smiled. "And don't worry about the classes. They're really easy."
"How old are you, Jamie?" Shemeeka asked, smiling at the slightly taller girl.
"Fifteen," Jamie replied. "But I'm in the same grade. I got skipped up because of some stupid IQ test I took last year. They decided I couldn't be a freshman, so by default, I'm a sophomore." She sighed. "And consequently, I'm the youngest in the class."
"Yet you're taller than all the other girls," Seto added, slipping an arm around her waist. "Don't worry, little girl, I wouldn't trade you for the world."
"You better not," Jamie replied, winking. "Or I may just have to go out with Yami here."
Yami, who had been in the process of eating a candy bar, immediately choked. "Excuse me?" he gasped out between coughs.
"What?!" Jamie protested, throwing up her hands. "It's a compliment! I think you're cute! So sue me!"
Seto purred. "I may just have to do that. No hitting on my best friend, Jamie."
"As if," she replied with a groan.
After a few more minutes of happy chatter, Shemeeka regretfully crossed the street and entered the house. "Wow," she said quietly, walking into her room and flopping down on the bed. She stared at the pale blue walls of her new room, thinking. These walls were like her new life here in Domino City. Blank, ready to be decorated and personalized to her liking. Soon they'd be filled with pictures and artwork, just as her new life was slowly filling with new friends.
Seto and Yami were very nice, and obviously very loyal to each other. Jamie seemed like best-friend material: kind, caring, warm, and friendly. But Yugi.
For some reason, Shemeeka was most intrigued by Yugi. Just what secrets lurked behind those gorgeous violet orbs? And while he was very open and polite, Shemeeka couldn't help but think there was some kind of mystery surrounding the little spike-haired boy.
She got up and looked out the window at the Game Shop, seeing Yugi, Yami, Seto, and Jamie enter the building. "He's really cute," she murmured.
Shemeeka walked over to her backpack full of personal belongings she'd insisted on taking with her in the minivan. Inside, among other things, were a sketchbook and an assortment of pencils. Sitting down cross-legged on the bed, she began to sketch Yugi's face from memory.
The ebony-haired girl was a talented artist; soon Yugi's face had been reproduced on the paper. But try as she might, Shemeeka couldn't seem to get Yugi's eyes right. One time they were too narrow, the next, too wide. Even if she got the shape perfect, she couldn't seem to make the eyes on the page worthy of Yugi's face. "No, no, no!" she said, frustrated. Why couldn't she draw them correctly?
Sighing, Shemeeka laid back on the bed, clutching her sketchbook close to her heart. "I've never felt like this before.this is more than a crush, I know it! Is.is this what love feels like?"
And then, tired, Shemeeka closed her eyes and shut out the rest of the world, daydreaming about the handsome violet-eyed boy.
"Yugi."
Meanwhile, at the Game Shop, Yugi was trying not to stare out the window in the direction of Shemeeka's house.
"Yugi!"
"Huh?" he said, turning around. "Yami, you startled me!"
"Strange, considering I've been saying your name for the past thirty seconds," Yami grumbled. "Look, could you be ANY more obvious?"
"What are you talking about, Yami?"
"Aibou, come on. If you stare any harder at Shemeeka's house, you're going to burn a hole through the wall. Take a break; run down to the store and get a Slurpee or something," Yami suggested, pulling out his deck.
Then he turned to Seto. "All right, Blue-Eyes. You're going down."
"It's not nice to lie," Seto shot back, mimicking Yami's earlier words. He moved easily to the other side of the counter, placing down his deck.
Yami looked at him with an odd expression on his face. "Seto, it did it again."
"What did it again?"
"Y-Your coat.it's scary." Yami said in a fake pitiful voice.
Seto groaned. "Yami, gosh darn it, my coat is not scary!"
"Yes it is! There's no wind in here and it's still billowing! Your coat is possessed!"
"Shut up."
"Yami, think about it," Jamie put in. "Come on, he spent too much money on that trench coat for it NOT to billow."
Yami laughed. "Seto, I believe I like your girlfriend."
But when Seto gave him the evil eye, he quickly replied, "Not that way, you moron! Don't even suggest it! I already almost killed myself on that candy bar."
"Fine. Just because you suffered, I forgive you. Maybe," Seto replied.
Jamie shook her head, walking over to Yugi, who had resumed staring at Shemeeka's house. "Yugi, you like Shemeeka, don't you?"
"Yes!" Yugi exclaimed a little too quickly. "I mean, she's a very nice person."
Jamie cocked an eyebrow. "Mmm-hmm. I see. Anyway, tomorrow after school, why don't you take her out for a Slurpee or something? To help her feel at home here."
Yugi blushed deep red. "I can't do that.she probably has other things to do, you know.unpacking and things like that."
"Oh, come on, Yugi." Jamie rolled her eyes. "There's always time for a Slurpee."
"She's got a point," Seto added from across the room. "Sometimes we'll be on the way to an important company function, and she'll make me pull over at the 7-11 because she wants a Slurpee. It's insanity, I tell you."
"Seto?" Jamie said, falsely sweet.
"Yes, snookums?"
"First, you know I hate it when you call me snookums in public. Second, just for that remark, you're taking me out for a Slurpee on the way home."
"I still don't understand why you won't just let me buy you a Slurpee machine, and then we won't have to stop at the 7-11 every time-" Seto protested.
"A-HEM!" Yami interrupted. "It's your move, Seto! HELLO! Mind on the game?"
"Ignore his crankiness," Jamie suggested. "He didn't get his recommended dose of coffee this morning."
Yami, who found this hilariously funny for some reason, almost fell out of his chair. "Oh, man! Did he ever tell you about some of the things I've done to his coffee? Classic, I tell you! The look on his face was priceless!"
"Unfortunately, I heard all about it," Jamie replied with a grin. "I've also been instructed never to accept an opened drink of any kind from you."
"And for good reason," Seto added, laying down his Rude Kaiser. "Unless you like Kool-Aid in your coffee."
"Out of curiosity," Yami said slyly. "What is it she has over you, that she can make you pull over at the 7-11 whenever she wants?"
"Shut up. And by the way, it's your move."
"Jamie? Can-Can I ask you something?" Yugi said quietly, finally breaking his gaze from the window.
Jamie winked conspiratorially at Seto. "You two continue with your game," she whispered. "I'll be right back."
She walked over to the window, taking a seat cross-legged on the plush cushion. "What's up, Yugi?"
"Well, um, I don't really know how to say this, exactly." Yugi murmured, blushing deep crimson. "But, uh, I.I have this friend, and he asked me a question the other day that I really didn't know how to answer. I thought maybe you could help me?"
Jamie smiled knowingly. "Sure, Yugi. I'd be happy to help your friend," she replied, emphasizing the last two words.
"See, this friend of mine, he really likes this person. I mean, this girl. And he says he's not really sure how to tell her without having her laugh or anything, and he's afraid of being rejected. So, um, because you're a girl and all, I was wondering.how would you ask someone out?" Then, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, how did Seto ask you out?"
Jamie smiled at the memory. "Well, I was sitting in the park crying because it was Sweetest Day and, coincidentally, the first anniversary of the day my boyfriend broke up with me. What a guy, huh? He actually dumped me for this shallow blonde with a reputation a mile long."
Yugi looked aghast. "No!"
"Yes," Jamie replied, giggling. "But he was a self-centered jerk. So anyway, I was sitting in the park when Seto came walking along. When he saw me sitting there, he stopped and offered me a handkerchief to wipe my eyes with. And he just said, softly, 'Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't have to cry.' Well, right then and there, I knew that he was the person I'd been searching for."
"Wow." Yugi said, slightly awed. "He really said that?"
"Well, things are different for everyone," Jamie elaborated. "I mean, I happen to be a romantic at heart, so just his words won me over. For some people, it's just a feeling you get inside whenever you're around someone you like. Other times, you really have to be persistent before you can make someone love you. It all depends on the person."
"It does?"
"Sure! But the important thing is to be yourself around them. I mean, for that one moment between Seto and I, he dropped his natural defenses and let me see a glimpse of the real Seto. And that's the person I care about, not the cold, indifferent duelist image he always portrays." Jamie smiled at him, instantly putting Yugi at ease.
"I see your point," Yugi agreed. "I mean, what's the point of having someone love you if they're really just in love with someone you're pretending to be?"
"Exactly. Besides, if the person really loves you, they won't care about any of your faults. They'll focus on the good, not the bad."
Yugi looked deep in thought. "Hmm.thanks, Jamie. That's a lot to think about, you know?"
Jamie winked at him. "Happy to help, Yugi. And say hi to your friend for me."
And then she stood up and walked back over to Seto and Yami.
Yugi stared out the window at Shemeeka's house once again. "Just be myself." he murmured. "But what if the person you like doesn't like you for who you are?"
At this thought, his mind wandered to Tea. He sighed, shaking his head at the painful memory.
All that time, he'd thought that Tea really liked him, was really interested in being his girlfriend. They'd gone on a few dates, sure, but he began to notice that Tea seemed slightly bored whenever they went out. The conversation topic was always either Yami or Duel Monsters, but usually Yami.
After a while, Yugi began to realize that Tea didn't see him as anything more than a Yami substitute. If she couldn't have his dark other, she was trying to make up for it with Yugi.
Once he figured this out, of course, he made it quite clear that he didn't want to see Tea any more. He was completely heartbroken, but also a bit resentful that Tea didn't consider him good enough for her.
Yami, on the other hand, was just plain mad. He actually refused to speak to Tea, which was easy because he also refused to get within ten feet of her. By dumping Yugi, Tea had basically lost all chance of ever dating Yami as well.
But all Yugi could say is that it was her own fault. Either she underestimated Yami's protectiveness of Yugi or she overestimated Yugi's forgiving nature. But either way, their friendship was definitely on the rocks.
"But Shemeeka's not like that," he said firmly. "I just know it, she's not at all like Tea. She's.she's.she's just not like that."
He sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. Why did life have to be so darn confusing?
~*~
The next day at school, Shemeeka felt a little out of place. The school uniform felt uncomfortable and unnatural to her usually casual way of dressing. Back home, her school never had uniforms.
"I guess things are different here," she said to herself, patting her hair self-consciously. She'd done it up in two pigtails for lack of anything more creative. "Well, come on, Shemeeka. They're not going to kill you. Just push open the door and-"
"Hi, Shemeeka! You have English first hour, too? Great!"
"Y-Yugi!" she exclaimed, whirling at the sound of the familiar voice. And then, there he was, his big violet eyes smiling at her.
"Good morning!" Yugi exclaimed. "Have you found your way to all your classes yet?"
Shemeeka laughed nervously. "No, I-I'm still pretty lost.it's really nice to see a familiar face."
"Can I see your schedule?" Yugi asked.
"Sure," Shemeeka replied, handing him the slip of paper.
Yugi looked it over for a few moments before handing it back to her, his eyes lighting up. "Cool! We have the same schedule. If you want, I could show you where all the classrooms are."
Shemeeka smiled with relief. "That would be great."
Coincidentally, the only open seat in the classroom was next to Yugi's, so Shemeeka ended up sitting next to him. Of course, she had to go through the customary "My name is Shemeeka, I'm sixteen years old, I just moved here, and I have a cat named Teresa" introduction, but that was no problem.
Class had been going for five minutes when Jamie Light flew through the door, her chestnut hair whipping behind her. "I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Andrews. Family emergency, it won't happen again," she said breathlessly, handing the teacher a note and hurrying to her seat.
"Is everything all right, Jamie?" Ms. Andrews asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Oh, yes, ma'am. My uncle tripped coming up the stairs and twisted his ankle. But he'll be fine," Jamie replied.
"That's good. You have a note, so I assume you checked in at the office?"
"That's right, ma'am."
Jamie smiled at the teacher once again before turning and whispering, "Hi, Shemeeka! How's your first day going?"
"Fine, I guess," Shemeeka whispered back nervously. She didn't want to get into trouble on the first day of school.
But Jamie apparently guessed her qualms. "Don't worry about Ms. Andrews. She's really easygoing and doesn't mind a little talking as long as you get all your work done."
"Oh, that's a relief," Shemeeka said gratefully. "Thanks."
Jamie smiled. "Don't mention it. So, do you have the same schedule as Yugi?"
"Yup."
"Cool! Then you're in all of my classes, too! That's so awesome!"
Shemeeka looked around the room, feeling a hot flash of jealousy as she saw a brunette girl batting her blue eyes at Yugi, who seemed to be uncomfortable. "Who is that?" she asked, barely suppressed anger heavy in her tone.
Jamie glanced over. "Her? The one who looks like she's got something in her eye and needs a backhoe to dig it out? That's Tea. She's got the hots for Yami, but since she couldn't have him, she went out with Yugi instead. Then at some point she dumped him, which ticked Yami off to no end. Now I assume she's trying to get back on Yugi's good side."
Shemeeka scowled. "What a brat!"
Jamie rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. It's one of those 'you only want what you can't have' cases. I once saw her trying to hit on MY Seto, but he put an end to that pretty quick."
"You and Seto really are close, aren't you?" Shemeeka said slowly.
Jamie nodded. "Yes. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without him in my life. He's so special to me."
Shemeeka sighed dejectedly. "Jamie, what would you do if-"
But just then, the bell rang. "Class, no homework tonight. Have a great day!" Ms. Andrews called from the depths of her crossword puzzle.
Shemeeka was bewildered; the whole hour seemed to have passed in a minute. But she gathered up her things and followed Jamie and Yugi to her next class.
The morning absolutely flew by. Shemeeka met all her teachers and found them to be very nice, kind people, and picked up on what they were learning quickly. And then, suddenly, it was lunchtime.
Jamie showed her where the lunch line was before taking her bag lunch over to Yugi and company's regular table. "Have you ever seen nuclear waste up close?" the brunette girl asked with a perfectly straight face.
"No." Shemeeka replied uncertainly. "Why?"
Jamie grinned. "Well, the general population of students has concluded that nuclear waste is the mystery ingredient in today's 'Meatloaf Surprise'."
"Who am I if I don't take risks every once in a while, you know?" Shemeeka replied without missing a beat. She smiled knowingly at Jamie.
Jamie shrugged playfully. "Hey, it's your funeral. Remind me to send roses after you die."
Once she'd left, Shemeeka turned back to the lunch counter and picked up the most edible-looking foods: a carton of French fries, a hamburger, and a slightly soggy piece of cake. "Ick," she muttered, carefully avoiding the greenish plates of Meatloaf Surprise.
On her way to the cash register, Shemeeka noticed a familiar shock of red, black, and gold hair. "Yugi!" she called, a happy smile blossoming on her face.
Yugi turned around, his face lighting up as he saw the aqua-eyed girl. "Hey, Shemeeka. Do you want to sit with us today?"
"Yeah," Shemeeka replied with relief. "Jamie already invited me."
Yugi nodded. "Sounds like Jamie. She really likes you, you know." Just then, he made it to the front of the line and paused while he paid the cashier.
What Yugi didn't know was that Shemeeka was carefully observing every detail. She smiled inwardly as she noted the way his hair bounced with the slightest movement of his head, the way his smile seemed to light up the whole room, the smooth, happy tone of his voice-
"Oh!" Shemeeka exclaimed as she realized she was holding up the line. Quickly, she stepped forward and paid for her lunch. Then, picking up her tray, she followed Yugi over to a table in the back corner of the lunchroom.
Jamie barely looked up from what she was doing as Shemeeka sat down next to her. Her turquoise eyes flickered up every so often, then back down to her paper.
"What are you doing?" Shemeeka asked softly, not wanting to startle Jamie.
The brunette finished whatever she was working on and turned to look at Shemeeka. "Just a casual drawing. Nothing special," she offered by way of reply.
"Really?" Shemeeka asked, taking a bite out of her hamburger. "Of what?"
Jamie smiled and nodded toward Seto, who sat directly across from her at the circular table. "My favorite subject."
Yugi cleared his throat. "Ahem, guys? This is Shemeeka. She's new here. Are you too busy making food sculptures to introduce yourselves?"
A blonde boy wearing a green coat looked up for a moment. "Hey, Yug', did you know it's possible to build an obelisk out of nothing but Meatloaf Surprise and ketchup?"
Seto rolled his eyes. "You're still building monuments out of your lunch? How juvenile, chihuahua."
"I'm not a chihuahua!"
"And I'm not so sure about the juvenile bit either, Seto. I saw you mapping out a new Kaiba Land building in your mashed potatoes," Jamie teased.
Seto just grinned. "Yes, snookums, but unlike Joey, I have the funds to actually build these things. So technically they're not monuments. They're models. That just happen to be made out of mashed potatoes. With French fries as structural beams."
Yugi sighed. "Will you just introduce yourselves?"
A silver-haired boy looked up and smiled kindly. "Hello, there. My name is Ryou Bakura. It's very nice to meet you, Shemeeka." His voice had the faint trace of a British accent.
Shemeeka smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, Ryou."
The blonde looked up again, his eyes fixing on Shemeeka. "Whoa! We got a babe sitting at our table! So, uh, you busy Friday?"
Shemeeka couldn't help but laugh. "Nope. Pick me up at a quarter past never."
Jamie snickered. "Face it, Joey, she got you bad!"
The blonde blushed. "Okay, fine. Since ya got me, I s'pose I can introduce myself. The name's Joey Wheeler. And this idiot next to me," he added, elbowing a brunette wearing a long brown trench coat, "is Tristan Taylor."
"I'm not the idiot, idiot," Tristan shot back.
"Let's take a vote," Seto suggested. "All in favor of Tristan being crowned king of idiots, raise a French fry."
Immediately, everyone except Tristan raised a French fry high in the air. "Well, that works nicely," Seto continued. "Now, all in favor of Joey being crowned Dog of the Year, raise a nice big forkful of Meatloaf Surprise."
Once again, everyone but Joey grabbed their forks, dug into Joey's lunch, and raised the utensil high in the air.
"There. It's unanimous. Tristan is now the reigning idiot, and Joey is the reigning puppy. End of story." Seto grinned and took another bite of his lunch. "Court adjourned."
Shemeeka glanced at Seto, then around the table. "Yugi, didn't you say Yami and Seto were the same age?"
"Yes, that's right. Why?"
"Well, Seto's here, but where's Yami? Doesn't he go to the same school as you?" Shemeeka looked confused.
Yugi almost choked on his French fries. "Um.yeah! Yeah, he does. He's just late, that's all. He's always late to lunch, right, Seto?"
Seto was about to correct him, but a pointed glare from Jamie made him reply, "Uh.right. Yami is just weird that way."
"Here, I'll go get him, okay?" Yugi said quickly, standing up and heading out of the lunchroom.
Shemeeka glanced at Jamie, who shrugged. "Just go with it. Like they said, Yami tends to do his own thing."
A few minutes later, Yugi and Yami both entered the room and walked over to the table. Yami had an amused smirk on his face, and Yugi was blushing hard. "Hi, everyone," Yami said casually, reaching over and stealing a French fry from Seto's plate. "Sorry I'm so late. I was contemplating the miracle of drawing energy from coffee."
"Coffee is a miracle in itself," Seto replied, a happy look coming over his normally cool face. "So perfect.it's like as soon as you drink it, the whole world falls into place."
Jamie rolled her eyes. "I'm sending you both to Coffee-aholics Anonymous. Either you two are seriously obsessive, or Yami's been spiking your coffee with crack, Seto."
Yami looked thoughtful. "Crack.that's one I haven't tried yet."
Everyone at the table got a laugh out of that. Seto threw a French fry at Yami.
They had just begun to talk again when Tea walked over. "Hi, guys," she said, her voice a little too perky. Then she flashed Yugi a winning smile. "Hi, Yugi!"
"Hi, Tea." Yugi mumbled halfheartedly.
Shemeeka could almost see the hate radiating off of Yami. He closed his violet eyes for a few moments before opening them again, carefully avoiding Tea's longing gaze. He snatched a fry off Seto's tray and began to munch, feigning indifference.
"Um.hi, Yami." Tea continued, unaware of the danger she was putting herself in.
"Tea, I don't think it's a very good idea for you to-" Ryou said, trying desperately to avoid the inevitable.
But Tea wouldn't listen. "That's okay, Ryou," she interrupted. "I'm perfectly fine."
Unlike Ryou and Yami, Jamie didn't even try to hide her anger. "What the heck do you want, Tea? Go back to Crystal and Angie and all your other cardboard-cutout friends. You've caused enough trouble already."
"I just wanted to say hi," Tea replied. A large, false smile was pasted on her face, but her eyes were glaring daggers at Jamie.
"Ya made your choice," Joey barked. "Leave Yugi and Yami alone."
"Here's what I don't understand," Tea continued, ignoring Joey. "Kaiba was a jerk to all of us the whole time in Duelist Kingdom, yet you've forgiven him for all the things he did. But I, your FRIEND, make one little mistake and you all immediately hate me."
"Don't you dare try and pull that stunt, Tea," Jamie growled. "You had your chance. You betrayed Yugi, the sweetest person on earth and someone who really loved you, trying to get Yami. How dare you call yourself our friend. I'm not one to be friends with lying, cheating snakes."
Tea's face went bright red and she lunged at Jamie. "Take that back!" she screeched.
Jamie was on her feet in an instant, quite ready to fight the brunette girl. But fast as Jamie was, Seto was faster. He leaped up, grabbing Tea's arms and holding her back. "If you touch a hair on her head, I'll take great pleasure in breaking your arms," he snarled. "You've got two choices: go back to your table of your own free will, or have Yami and me drag you back-in pieces."
Tea's eyes went wide and she quickly pulled out of Seto's grasp. "Don't touch me," she said, trying desperately to sound in control. "I don't have the time to bother with you."
For the first time, Yami looked up. His furious violet eyes pierced into Tea's blue ones, startling her with their ferocity. "You pushed your luck, Tea. Fortunately for your health, I do not plan to punish you this time. But if you ever come near my aibou or me again, I will not hesitate," he said in a low, feral voice.
It was the first time Yami had spoken to Tea since she broke up with Yugi, and the brunette looked horrified at Yami's harsh words.
"I don't have to stand here and take this," Tea replied, turning on her heel and quickly walking away, shoulders trembling.
Jamie couldn't resist the chance to throw in one last comment. "That's right, Tea, run away like a coward. Good riddance!"
Shemeeka looked a little confused and quite angry. "So that was Tea?"
Jamie drew a deep breath before sitting down again, still tense. "Yup. Thank goodness she's gone; the intelligence level of this table just shot up about forty points."
Everyone except Yugi chuckled at this. Instead, Yugi just bit his lip and stared at his food, trying to hide his obvious pain at seeing Tea again.
But Shemeeka was more perceptive than she seemed. "Yugi, it's okay. She's just a meaningless brat. She's not worth being sad over," she murmured.
Yugi looked up slightly, and it was then that Shemeeka saw the beginnings of tears in his violet eyes. "I know, but.I mean, for the longest time."
Shemeeka smiled softly and patted his hand. "I'm sure you'll find the right person for you someday."
"But when?" Yugi whispered, looking away again.
Right now, Shemeeka thought suddenly, urgently. I'm right here, Yugi.it's me you're looking for! You and me-
"I don't know," her lips said. "But you can't lose faith. And until then, you have your friends. You have us. You have me."
Yugi glanced up, and violet met aqua. Shemeeka felt her breath catch in her throat. "Yugi?"
"Yes, Shemeeka?" Yugi replied hopefully.
"I-I was wondering.would you-"
"Hey, guys, look, quick! The Leaning Tower of Pizza!" Tristan cried out abruptly.
The moment ruined, Shemeeka, Yugi, and the others all turned to look at the two-foot-tall, fry-enforced stack of pepperoni pizza. Grease dripped off the sides and onto Tristan's platter, but he and Joey were obviously proud of their accomplishment.
Jamie smiled. "You guys are so weird. You know that, right?"
"And proud of it!" Joey replied instantly.
Seto winked at Jamie, gesturing to Joey. "Aw, the little puppy is sucking up to Jamie! How cute!"
"Someone get the camera!" Yami added, catching on to Seto's game.
Joey looked like he was about to say something in reply, but instead looked down and blushed slightly. "Aw, come on, you guys."
Jamie grinned mischievously. "Well, we've made Joey blush already."
Seto watched her suspiciously. "I don't know what you're planning, lady, but you'd better watch yourself. I may decide to break up with you."
"No, you wouldn't. You love me too much," Jamie replied easily. "Now then, you've already made Joey blush; now I think it's your turn."
Yami cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that's even possible. Seto doesn't blush."
"Oh, yes he does," Jamie said, a knowing smile on her face. "You just have to know how to do it, that's all."
Seto struggled to look annoyed. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Jamie replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him. Then, quickly, she leaned over the table and kissed the very tip of his nose.
As soon as she pulled back, it was plain to see the crimson blush that stained Seto's cheeks. "You know, I really hate it when you do that," he grumbled, pulling up his trench coat's collar to hide his face.
But it was too late; everyone had already observed this turn of events. "Seto, I repeat; what in the HECK does she have over you?" Yami demanded. "She can make you go to the 7-11 anytime she wants, she can make you blush at the drop of the hat-is there anything she CAN'T make you do?!"
"Yes," Seto replied decisively. "No matter how hard she tries to persuade me, I won't exchange my trench coat for a leather jacket. Isn't that right, Jamie?"
"It's not like you'd have to do it all the time," she pouted. "Just every once in a while. You know, for a little variety."
Giggling, Shemeeka turned back to Yugi. "Are lunch conversations always this exciting?"
Yugi grinned. "Yup. Between Joey and Tristan's Marvelous Monuments, Seto and Jamie teasing each other endlessly with Yami somehow in the middle of it all, and Ryou and me casually observing, lunch is always interesting."
Shemeeka laughed again, but then grew serious. "Um, Yugi.like I was saying before, do you think, maybe, we could-"
But just then, at the most inopportune time, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.
Yugi frowned, gathering up the remains of his hamburger. "I'm sorry, Shemeeka. D-Do you want me to show you to your next class?"
"Sure," Shemeeka replied sadly. "That'd be great."
It seemed hopeless; would she ever be able to tell Yugi how she felt?
~*~
That day after school, Shemeeka, Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Joey, and Jamie all walked home together. Seto left in his limo, saying he needed to put in some serious hours at the office. Predictably, Jamie wouldn't let him go without a sweet goodbye kiss that left the rest of the group staring. But because everyone was staring at Jamie and Seto, no one noticed Shemeeka and Yugi blushing deep red.
As they walked home, Yugi and Shemeeka somehow managed to walk a little behind the rest of the group, so close together they were almost touching shoulders.
"So, how was your first day of school?" Yugi asked, for lack of anything better to say.
"Oh, it was okay," Shemeeka replied, turning her aqua eyes up to the clouds. "It helped to have a few friends there."
Yugi smiled. "Having friends always makes things easier," he agreed.
They walked in silence a few minutes more before Shemeeka's eyes widened in recognition. "Yugi, look! That cloud looks like the Dark Magician Girl, see?"
Yugi followed her pointing finger up to the sky and observed the cloud she was talking about. "Hey, you're right!" he said happily. "And that one next to it looks like the Dark Magician! He's my favorite Duel Monster."
Shemeeka looked a little startled. "R-Really? My favorite is the Dark Magician Girl. That's really strange."
Yami's ears immediately perked up and he turned around, walking backwards as he talked to them. "I heard the words Duel Monster mentioned, aibou! Wanna hear about how I beat Seto and his Blue Eyes White Dragons like four times?"
"Yami, I've already heard that story twelve times, and I'm sure you can tell Shemeeka some other time." Yugi said pointedly, frustrated that Yami had ruined the moment.
Apparently, some of these emotions managed to break through their soul link, and Yami immediately understood. "Never mind. It wasn't that interesting, anyway."
Once he had returned to the group, Yugi and Shemeeka lagged back a bit. "Sorry about Yami," Yugi apologized hastily. "He's got kind of a one-track mind."
"That's okay, it's no big deal," Shemeeka replied, a little too quickly. "Um.what are you doing when you get home?"
Yugi's brow furrowed in thought. "Nothing, I don't think. Would you like to come over to my house, maybe have a duel or something?"
"Sure!"
Yugi smiled. "Great."
Tristan, Joey, and Ryou had already branched off for home, so only Yugi, Yami, Jamie, and Shemeeka entered the Game Shop.
"I'll set up the dueling mat," Yugi suggested. "Jamie, do you and Shemeeka want to go get some snacks out of the kitchen? You know where they are."
"Um, out of curiosity, wouldn't it be better if Yami went?" Shemeeka asked nervously. "I mean, I don't want to be traipsing around all through your house."
Jamie rolled her eyes. "Trust me. You send Yami for snacks, and he'll bring back an empty plate with nothing but crumbs on it."
Yami stuck out his tongue at her. "They're my snacks too, you know," he grumbled before heading for the stairs. "I'll be in our room, aibou."
But what Yugi didn't know is that a pair of blue eyes was watching all this through the window. The moment everyone but Yugi had left the room, the owner of those eyes made her move.
Yugi looked up as the bell on the Game Shop jingled. Slowly, the color drained from his face. "W-What are you doing here?" he demanded.
Tea smiled maliciously. "You know what I want. Or more appropriately, WHO I want."
"Yami doesn't love you, and he never will," Yugi replied angrily. "And if you're not going to buy something, then I suggest you leave."
But the smirk never left Tea's face. "You can't run forever, Yugi. Sooner or later, I will get Yami. It's only a matter of time."
"Get out," Yugi snarled. "Now."
Tea opened her mouth to say something else, but then she heard light footsteps coming down the hallway. "Yugi, I-" Shemeeka's voice began.
And then the brunette made her move. She reached over the table, grabbing Yugi's face and pulling him forward for a kiss just as Shemeeka entered the room.
Her eyes went wide. "Y-Yugi?!"
Tea finished her kiss and pulled back, licking her lips. Then she sauntered towards the door and pushed it open. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart," she said over her shoulder.
And then she walked out.
Yugi went deathly pale. "Shemeeka, I didn't-I mean, it's not what it looks like-"
"How could you, Yugi?!" Shemeeka cried, crystal tears flowing rapidly down her cheeks. "How could you?!"
But before he could reply, she bolted for the door and ran home, crying bitterly.
As Yugi miserably watched her go, Jamie poked her head into the room. "What was that all about?" she wanted to know. "I thought I heard Shemeeka say- where's Shemeeka?"
"She left," he replied quietly, a deep pang of sadness in his tone. "She's gone."
"Why? I thought you two were going to have a duel!"
Yugi stared at the ground, trying to hide his unhappiness at the recent turn of events. "While you all were in the kitchen, Tea came in the Game Shop," he whispered.
There was a loud clatter as the tray of cookies dropped from Jamie's hands. "She what?" Jamie replied, her eyes wide. "Oh, Yugi, what happened?"
Yugi's shoulders were shaking too hard for him to reply, but his fingers involuntarily rose to his lips, feeling the slight remaining warmth from when Tea had sloppily kissed him. "S-She-she-"
Jamie noted this with more than a trace of shock. "Oh, no."
"S-Shemeeka saw."
"Oh, Yugi." Jamie said sadly, moving forward and hugging him supportively. "I'm sorry."
And then Yugi began to cry, the droplets falling on Jamie's shoulder and creating a damp spot in the fabric. "T-This afternoon.I-I was g-going to ask her.ask her to be.to be my.my." he choked out.
Jamie didn't know what else to do, so she just hugged him tightly and let him cry in her arms. "I know, Yugi, I know. It'll work out, I promise."
But in her heart, Jamie knew better. Tea had already caused so much trouble for Yugi-how could it work out?
Would things ever get better?
~*~
Okay, go ahead and say it. I'm cruel. I made it seem like Shemeeka and Yugi were going to hook up, shattered all their hopes of ever being together, and now left you with a cliffhanger! That's the Halloween spirit!
Yami: Freak. Halloween isn't until tomorrow.
Seto: And knowing you, you've got something sneaky planned.
Me: whistles innocently Maybe.
Yami: Can we go trick-or-treating?
Me: Maybe.
Seto: Is that all you're going to say?
Me: Maybe. snicker
Yami: She's in a weird mood.
Seto: Freak.
Me: The freaks come out on Halloween, you know.
Yami: We'll have a ball, then.
That's Part One of As the Fog Clears! I hope you all enjoyed it. Joey the Flame Swordsman and Flamina, the angel minion of fire, are going to annihilate all nasty, criticizing reviews. They're going to use flames to light up my jack-o-lanterns. And nice reviews are going to be treasured forever, so PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
Yami: Look at it this way, Macavity: you don't have to plague the world with your crappy drawings! Leave it to the pros.
Me: MY DRAWINGS ARE NOT CRAPPY!
Seto: Yeah, Yami, I saw you drooling over that one she did of Jamie Light.
Yami: blush Shut up.
Me: Look, while I love seeing this display of masculinity and all, we have a fic to write!
Seto: Oh, jeez, no.
Yami: Please, we beg you-
Me: Too late! Let's write!
Author's Notes: Once upon a time, a girl named Macavity decided to write a romance fan-fiction. This is the story of how she failed. Miserably. Unfortunately, this is not a part of the "Shattered" trilogy, but I have so much writers block it's not even funny. Man, do I need some Mountain Dew right about now.
Anyway, in my opinion, it's freakishly long (I set a personal record on it), and the ellipses are screwed up, but just deal with it, okay?
Special Dedication: This fic is dedicated to a good friend of mine here on Fan-Fiction.Net, and while I can't say I know her personally, I am proud to call her my friend. As long as I've known her, she's been supportive of me, so if you're reading this (and you know who you are), this story is dedicated to you. Here's to hoping you have a great birthday. It's not wrapped or tied with a bow, but this is my present to you.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
As the Fog Clears
By Macavity
~*~*~
The new girl stared wistfully out the window of the minivan as it rolled through the streets of Domino City. A strand of ebony hair fluttered as she turned her head to glare at her mother.
"I still don't understand why we had to move here!" she complained, absently stroking the gray tabby cat that sat in her lap. "I was happy back home! Why couldn't Dad have found another job back home?"
"Shemeeka Tsumachiro, you know better than to talk to your father in that tone," her mother cautioned, his voice stern. "And you know very well why we moved."
"Right," Shemeeka said flatly. Then, mockingly: "The job pays better here, and little sweetie has to go to college, and a nice girl like you will make new friends in no time-"
"That's quite enough!" her father exclaimed angrily. "There will be no more talk of it! This is where we live, and that's final."
Shemeeka carefully hid a scowl and stroked the cat once again. 'I don't care what they say,' she thought. 'There's no way I'm going to like it here. It's not fair that I had to leave all my friends!'
Little did she know how wrong she was.
Meanwhile...
Yugi Mutou shuffled through his Duel Monsters deck, staring absently at his Dark Magician card. He was sitting on the window seat in the Turtle Game Shop, thinking about his last duel.
Joey Wheeler, his best friend, had actually come close to beating him that time. While Yugi was proud of his friend, he still couldn't help but feel a little bit annoyed. "Did Joey somehow get really good? Or am I just losing it?" he moaned.
"I doubt Joey is even capable of getting 'really good', aibou, so I guess it must be the second one," a voice from behind him said.
Yugi didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. "Come on, Yami, you know Joey isn't that bad."
"Yes, aibou, but he's not that good, either," Yami replied, running his fingers through his golden bangs.
"And what are you getting all dolled up over?" Yugi inquired, surprised that his Yami actually bothered to brush out his hair.
Yami just grinned at him. "What, you don't like the outfit?" he asked.
In truth, Yugi had to admit that Yami really did look good. Instead of his customary leather, he wore a pale blue button-down shirt with a pair of khaki cargo pants. It seemed, however, that Yami was incapable of not wearing leather, so he'd donned a black leather jacket. Altogether, the Game King looked stunning.
"I didn't say that. I wanted to know where you're going," Yugi replied.
Yami's grin got wider. "Seto wants me to meet his girlfriend. Think I look spiffy enough?"
Yugi groaned. "Yami, please tell me you're not going to try and lure this one away too!"
Yugi was referring to the fact that, the last three times Yami had met Seto's girlfriends, they all ended up spending the entire time drooling over him and ignoring Seto. This fact, of course, annoyed Seto to no end, but he really couldn't be mad at his best friend, so the brunette resigned himself to putting up with it.
Yami shook his head. "Apparently, this one is different."
"How so?" Yugi wanted to know.
"Well, Seto is absolutely positive that she can beat me at Super Smash Brothers, so I'm taking him up on his offer. And by the way, I stand to win ten bucks if I beat her," Yami replied, winking at Yugi as he noted the black limousine drive up.
Yami and Yugi walked out of the Turtle Game Shop to greet Seto. The brunette CEO exited the limo with the same air of natural grace he always possessed. His customary blue trench coat billowed in the wind as he came to stand next to Yami.
Yami looked Seto over for a moment. "Darn you, you've grown another inch since I saw you last!" he complained.
Seto grinned. "Hardly, considering I last saw you yesterday, Yami. Get over it, you're not going to get any taller! You're just jealous."
Yami rolled his eyes. "You and your stupid logic." He wagged a finger at Seto. "So, where is this mystery girl you're so desperate for me to meet?"
The brunette smiled slyly. "She's in the car. Ready to kick your butt, by the way."
"Ha!" Yami scoffed. "No one can beat Link in Super Smash Brothers!"
"She will. And she'll do it as Zelda, too."
Yami graced Seto with another eye-roll. "Like some rich brat in a dress can beat Link. Right. Sure. Mmm-hmm. I believe that."
"You'd be surprised. She beat Mokuba. In fact, she-"
"Hey, look over there!" Yugi interrupted, pointing at the minivan that had pulled into the driveway across the street from the Game Shop. "Looks like someone finally bought that house!"
"Noooooo!" Seto moaned. "I was going to buy that lot, too! Crap!"
Yami snickered, elbowing Seto. "Awww, looks like the master plans for world domination are going to have to wait another day."
"Shut up, Yami."
"Don't you think we should go over and say hello?" Yugi asked pointedly.
Yami and Seto just kind of stared at each other. "Um, no?" Yami offered sheepishly.
"Yami!"
"Okay, okay, aibou. Why don't you go over and say hi, and we'll try and figure out a way to explain why I look exactly like you," Yami said, a touch of sarcasm in his tone.
Yugi groaned. Yami could be so stubborn sometimes. "Fine. I'll-"
He cut off as he noticed the back door opening. Immediately, a streak of gray flew out of the car and up a maple tree in the front yard. A black- haired girl raced out after it. "Teresa, come back here!" she cried.
Yugi didn't bother to think about what he was doing. He immediately sprinted across the road and to the girl's side. "Can I be of some help, miss?"
The girl turned, staring at him with soft aqua eyes. They immediately brightened as she looked at Yugi. "Oh, could you? My cat just ran out of the car and into the tree, and I can't get her down! Teresa usually isn't like this."
"I'll get her down," Yugi said decisively, immediately leaping straight up and pulling himself up to the lowest branch.
Back across the street, Yami and Seto just watched, amused.
"I didn't know Yugi could jump that high," Yami mused.
"Face it, Yami. When you're short, things impress you too much," Seto teased.
Yami just grinned at him. "I'm not short. I'm just vertically challenged."
Seto couldn't help but laugh. "You've got a point there."
"Shhh!" Yami said, turning his eyes back to Yugi. "I want to see what he does."
Yugi had made it up to the branch just below where Teresa sat, hissing. "Don't be afraid, kitty, I'm not going to hurt you," he said in a soft, singsong voice. "I'm just going to help you down, I won't hurt you."
"Be careful!" the girl cried, covering her eyes. "I can't watch."
Tentatively, Yugi reached up and stroked the cat's back. It immediately purred and settled down on the branch, content to let Yugi pet it. Then, with one smooth motion, Yugi grabbed the cat and clutched it to his chest, carefully lowering himself down.
When he reached the bottom, the girl rushed up and snatched the cat out of Yugi's arms. "Oh, Teresa, don't ever do that again," she exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against the cat's soft fur.
Then she looked up at Yugi. "Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me!"
It was then that the girl got her first glimpse of Yugi's incredibly violet eyes. She immediately became tongue-tied and was barely able to stammer, "I- Is there some way I can r-repay you?"
Yugi smiled cheerily. "Just glad to help! Do you live here?"
"Yes," the girl replied. "I just moved here."
"Well, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Yugi Mutou."
The girl's eyes went wide. "Yugi Mutou? The champion of the Duelist Kingdom? Wow, it's so great to meet you!"
Then she blushed. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is Shemeeka Tsumachiro. I just got a little excited. I-I've read so much about you, and I'm a duelist too, you see."
"You're a duelist? Cool! Maybe you can come over my house and duel sometime!" Yugi exclaimed. "Um, if you're not busy, maybe you could come over right now. My, uh, brother and Seto are leaving, and Grandpa isn't home, so."
"Seto?" Shemeeka said, confused. But when Yugi pointed across the street, realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. "Seto Kaiba?! You're on a first-name basis with THE Seto Kaiba?! Wow!"
Yugi blushed. "Well, you know.Seto and Yami are best friends, so he's always around. We're okay friends, but Yami knows him the best of anybody. They're both seventeen, but when they're together, they act like they're both five. Come on, let's go over and say hello, okay?"
"Sure!" Shemeeka said enthusiastically. It was nice to have a friend like Yugi.
Yami and Seto were still goofing around when Yugi and Shemeeka crossed the street. "Yami, Seto, this is Shemeeka. She just moved across the street," Yugi introduced.
"Hello," Shemeeka said politely, offering her hand to both of them.
Yami and Seto each took a turn shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you," Yami said genially.
"A pleasure," Seto agreed. "A friend of Yugi's is a friend of ours."
"Do you really have all three Blue Eyes White Dragons?" Shemeeka asked. Then, realizing what she'd just said, she blushed. "I'm sorry, that's a stupid question."
"No, it's not," Seto replied. "In fact, it happens all the time. Yes, I do have all three Blue Eyes. But they're at home, not here. I didn't bring my deck today."
"Liar," Yami snickered. "You've got it in that fancy-schmancy trench coat of yours, O Master Duelist. I know you as well as you know yourself, and I know for a fact you never go anywhere without that deck. It's not nice to lie, Seto."
"Remind me to never bring you to my staff meetings," Seto groaned, pulling out his deck. "With you pointing out all my lies, my company would go down the tubes."
Just then, a brown-haired girl got out of the limo and walked over to them. "Seto, am I allowed out of the car now? Or am I sitting in there just to look pretty?"
Seto grinned, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head affectionately. "You've already got the 'look pretty' part down, Jamie."
"Flatterer," she replied, elbowing him.
"And darn proud of it," Seto replied. "Jamie Light, this is Yami Mutou, Yugi Mutou, and Shemeeka."
"Tsumachiro," Shemeeka offered. "Nice to meet you, Jamie."
"Girl, it is SO great to have another girl around here!" Jamie exclaimed, smiling at Shemeeka. "I love your hair! Is that natural?"
Shemeeka patted her ebony hair self-consciously, making the blonde highlights shine in the afternoon sun. "Yes, it is." She smiled at Jamie, already deciding that the brunette girl was a great friend. Her warm smile and kind words instantly put Shemeeka at ease.
"That's awesome! I wish I had your hair. Mine is just drab and brown. Just like Seto's, actually, but his is so silky soft and so much fun to play with-"
"Okay, Jamie, we get the idea about my hair," Seto interrupted, trying to hide a blush.
"But your hair is so cute, Seto!" Jamie replied innocently.
Yami groaned. "Dare I ask why she knows so much about your hair?"
"Ask and die," Seto replied instantly.
"We have GOT to go to the mall together sometime!" Jamie enthused. "That is, when you have some free time," she added after a moment.
"Um.I have to help my parents settle in this afternoon, but I think I'm free tomorrow," Shemeeka said slowly. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I can't accept your duel today."
Shemeeka was truly disappointed. This was probably going to ruin everything! Here were these people, being so nice to her, and she turned them down the moment they suggested something fun to do together.
But Yugi just smiled understandingly. "That's okay. Some other time, then. Are you going to Domino High School?"
"Yes!" Shemeeka exclaimed, a sudden wave of relief washing over her. "I start tomorrow."
"Cool! Then I'll see you there!" Yugi replied. "Sophomore, right?"
Shemeeka nodded. "Yup. I'm sixteen."
"Great! Then you'll be in our class! Oh, we have so much fun, I'm sure you'll fit right in."
Jamie smiled. "And don't worry about the classes. They're really easy."
"How old are you, Jamie?" Shemeeka asked, smiling at the slightly taller girl.
"Fifteen," Jamie replied. "But I'm in the same grade. I got skipped up because of some stupid IQ test I took last year. They decided I couldn't be a freshman, so by default, I'm a sophomore." She sighed. "And consequently, I'm the youngest in the class."
"Yet you're taller than all the other girls," Seto added, slipping an arm around her waist. "Don't worry, little girl, I wouldn't trade you for the world."
"You better not," Jamie replied, winking. "Or I may just have to go out with Yami here."
Yami, who had been in the process of eating a candy bar, immediately choked. "Excuse me?" he gasped out between coughs.
"What?!" Jamie protested, throwing up her hands. "It's a compliment! I think you're cute! So sue me!"
Seto purred. "I may just have to do that. No hitting on my best friend, Jamie."
"As if," she replied with a groan.
After a few more minutes of happy chatter, Shemeeka regretfully crossed the street and entered the house. "Wow," she said quietly, walking into her room and flopping down on the bed. She stared at the pale blue walls of her new room, thinking. These walls were like her new life here in Domino City. Blank, ready to be decorated and personalized to her liking. Soon they'd be filled with pictures and artwork, just as her new life was slowly filling with new friends.
Seto and Yami were very nice, and obviously very loyal to each other. Jamie seemed like best-friend material: kind, caring, warm, and friendly. But Yugi.
For some reason, Shemeeka was most intrigued by Yugi. Just what secrets lurked behind those gorgeous violet orbs? And while he was very open and polite, Shemeeka couldn't help but think there was some kind of mystery surrounding the little spike-haired boy.
She got up and looked out the window at the Game Shop, seeing Yugi, Yami, Seto, and Jamie enter the building. "He's really cute," she murmured.
Shemeeka walked over to her backpack full of personal belongings she'd insisted on taking with her in the minivan. Inside, among other things, were a sketchbook and an assortment of pencils. Sitting down cross-legged on the bed, she began to sketch Yugi's face from memory.
The ebony-haired girl was a talented artist; soon Yugi's face had been reproduced on the paper. But try as she might, Shemeeka couldn't seem to get Yugi's eyes right. One time they were too narrow, the next, too wide. Even if she got the shape perfect, she couldn't seem to make the eyes on the page worthy of Yugi's face. "No, no, no!" she said, frustrated. Why couldn't she draw them correctly?
Sighing, Shemeeka laid back on the bed, clutching her sketchbook close to her heart. "I've never felt like this before.this is more than a crush, I know it! Is.is this what love feels like?"
And then, tired, Shemeeka closed her eyes and shut out the rest of the world, daydreaming about the handsome violet-eyed boy.
"Yugi."
Meanwhile, at the Game Shop, Yugi was trying not to stare out the window in the direction of Shemeeka's house.
"Yugi!"
"Huh?" he said, turning around. "Yami, you startled me!"
"Strange, considering I've been saying your name for the past thirty seconds," Yami grumbled. "Look, could you be ANY more obvious?"
"What are you talking about, Yami?"
"Aibou, come on. If you stare any harder at Shemeeka's house, you're going to burn a hole through the wall. Take a break; run down to the store and get a Slurpee or something," Yami suggested, pulling out his deck.
Then he turned to Seto. "All right, Blue-Eyes. You're going down."
"It's not nice to lie," Seto shot back, mimicking Yami's earlier words. He moved easily to the other side of the counter, placing down his deck.
Yami looked at him with an odd expression on his face. "Seto, it did it again."
"What did it again?"
"Y-Your coat.it's scary." Yami said in a fake pitiful voice.
Seto groaned. "Yami, gosh darn it, my coat is not scary!"
"Yes it is! There's no wind in here and it's still billowing! Your coat is possessed!"
"Shut up."
"Yami, think about it," Jamie put in. "Come on, he spent too much money on that trench coat for it NOT to billow."
Yami laughed. "Seto, I believe I like your girlfriend."
But when Seto gave him the evil eye, he quickly replied, "Not that way, you moron! Don't even suggest it! I already almost killed myself on that candy bar."
"Fine. Just because you suffered, I forgive you. Maybe," Seto replied.
Jamie shook her head, walking over to Yugi, who had resumed staring at Shemeeka's house. "Yugi, you like Shemeeka, don't you?"
"Yes!" Yugi exclaimed a little too quickly. "I mean, she's a very nice person."
Jamie cocked an eyebrow. "Mmm-hmm. I see. Anyway, tomorrow after school, why don't you take her out for a Slurpee or something? To help her feel at home here."
Yugi blushed deep red. "I can't do that.she probably has other things to do, you know.unpacking and things like that."
"Oh, come on, Yugi." Jamie rolled her eyes. "There's always time for a Slurpee."
"She's got a point," Seto added from across the room. "Sometimes we'll be on the way to an important company function, and she'll make me pull over at the 7-11 because she wants a Slurpee. It's insanity, I tell you."
"Seto?" Jamie said, falsely sweet.
"Yes, snookums?"
"First, you know I hate it when you call me snookums in public. Second, just for that remark, you're taking me out for a Slurpee on the way home."
"I still don't understand why you won't just let me buy you a Slurpee machine, and then we won't have to stop at the 7-11 every time-" Seto protested.
"A-HEM!" Yami interrupted. "It's your move, Seto! HELLO! Mind on the game?"
"Ignore his crankiness," Jamie suggested. "He didn't get his recommended dose of coffee this morning."
Yami, who found this hilariously funny for some reason, almost fell out of his chair. "Oh, man! Did he ever tell you about some of the things I've done to his coffee? Classic, I tell you! The look on his face was priceless!"
"Unfortunately, I heard all about it," Jamie replied with a grin. "I've also been instructed never to accept an opened drink of any kind from you."
"And for good reason," Seto added, laying down his Rude Kaiser. "Unless you like Kool-Aid in your coffee."
"Out of curiosity," Yami said slyly. "What is it she has over you, that she can make you pull over at the 7-11 whenever she wants?"
"Shut up. And by the way, it's your move."
"Jamie? Can-Can I ask you something?" Yugi said quietly, finally breaking his gaze from the window.
Jamie winked conspiratorially at Seto. "You two continue with your game," she whispered. "I'll be right back."
She walked over to the window, taking a seat cross-legged on the plush cushion. "What's up, Yugi?"
"Well, um, I don't really know how to say this, exactly." Yugi murmured, blushing deep crimson. "But, uh, I.I have this friend, and he asked me a question the other day that I really didn't know how to answer. I thought maybe you could help me?"
Jamie smiled knowingly. "Sure, Yugi. I'd be happy to help your friend," she replied, emphasizing the last two words.
"See, this friend of mine, he really likes this person. I mean, this girl. And he says he's not really sure how to tell her without having her laugh or anything, and he's afraid of being rejected. So, um, because you're a girl and all, I was wondering.how would you ask someone out?" Then, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, how did Seto ask you out?"
Jamie smiled at the memory. "Well, I was sitting in the park crying because it was Sweetest Day and, coincidentally, the first anniversary of the day my boyfriend broke up with me. What a guy, huh? He actually dumped me for this shallow blonde with a reputation a mile long."
Yugi looked aghast. "No!"
"Yes," Jamie replied, giggling. "But he was a self-centered jerk. So anyway, I was sitting in the park when Seto came walking along. When he saw me sitting there, he stopped and offered me a handkerchief to wipe my eyes with. And he just said, softly, 'Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't have to cry.' Well, right then and there, I knew that he was the person I'd been searching for."
"Wow." Yugi said, slightly awed. "He really said that?"
"Well, things are different for everyone," Jamie elaborated. "I mean, I happen to be a romantic at heart, so just his words won me over. For some people, it's just a feeling you get inside whenever you're around someone you like. Other times, you really have to be persistent before you can make someone love you. It all depends on the person."
"It does?"
"Sure! But the important thing is to be yourself around them. I mean, for that one moment between Seto and I, he dropped his natural defenses and let me see a glimpse of the real Seto. And that's the person I care about, not the cold, indifferent duelist image he always portrays." Jamie smiled at him, instantly putting Yugi at ease.
"I see your point," Yugi agreed. "I mean, what's the point of having someone love you if they're really just in love with someone you're pretending to be?"
"Exactly. Besides, if the person really loves you, they won't care about any of your faults. They'll focus on the good, not the bad."
Yugi looked deep in thought. "Hmm.thanks, Jamie. That's a lot to think about, you know?"
Jamie winked at him. "Happy to help, Yugi. And say hi to your friend for me."
And then she stood up and walked back over to Seto and Yami.
Yugi stared out the window at Shemeeka's house once again. "Just be myself." he murmured. "But what if the person you like doesn't like you for who you are?"
At this thought, his mind wandered to Tea. He sighed, shaking his head at the painful memory.
All that time, he'd thought that Tea really liked him, was really interested in being his girlfriend. They'd gone on a few dates, sure, but he began to notice that Tea seemed slightly bored whenever they went out. The conversation topic was always either Yami or Duel Monsters, but usually Yami.
After a while, Yugi began to realize that Tea didn't see him as anything more than a Yami substitute. If she couldn't have his dark other, she was trying to make up for it with Yugi.
Once he figured this out, of course, he made it quite clear that he didn't want to see Tea any more. He was completely heartbroken, but also a bit resentful that Tea didn't consider him good enough for her.
Yami, on the other hand, was just plain mad. He actually refused to speak to Tea, which was easy because he also refused to get within ten feet of her. By dumping Yugi, Tea had basically lost all chance of ever dating Yami as well.
But all Yugi could say is that it was her own fault. Either she underestimated Yami's protectiveness of Yugi or she overestimated Yugi's forgiving nature. But either way, their friendship was definitely on the rocks.
"But Shemeeka's not like that," he said firmly. "I just know it, she's not at all like Tea. She's.she's.she's just not like that."
He sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. Why did life have to be so darn confusing?
~*~
The next day at school, Shemeeka felt a little out of place. The school uniform felt uncomfortable and unnatural to her usually casual way of dressing. Back home, her school never had uniforms.
"I guess things are different here," she said to herself, patting her hair self-consciously. She'd done it up in two pigtails for lack of anything more creative. "Well, come on, Shemeeka. They're not going to kill you. Just push open the door and-"
"Hi, Shemeeka! You have English first hour, too? Great!"
"Y-Yugi!" she exclaimed, whirling at the sound of the familiar voice. And then, there he was, his big violet eyes smiling at her.
"Good morning!" Yugi exclaimed. "Have you found your way to all your classes yet?"
Shemeeka laughed nervously. "No, I-I'm still pretty lost.it's really nice to see a familiar face."
"Can I see your schedule?" Yugi asked.
"Sure," Shemeeka replied, handing him the slip of paper.
Yugi looked it over for a few moments before handing it back to her, his eyes lighting up. "Cool! We have the same schedule. If you want, I could show you where all the classrooms are."
Shemeeka smiled with relief. "That would be great."
Coincidentally, the only open seat in the classroom was next to Yugi's, so Shemeeka ended up sitting next to him. Of course, she had to go through the customary "My name is Shemeeka, I'm sixteen years old, I just moved here, and I have a cat named Teresa" introduction, but that was no problem.
Class had been going for five minutes when Jamie Light flew through the door, her chestnut hair whipping behind her. "I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Andrews. Family emergency, it won't happen again," she said breathlessly, handing the teacher a note and hurrying to her seat.
"Is everything all right, Jamie?" Ms. Andrews asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Oh, yes, ma'am. My uncle tripped coming up the stairs and twisted his ankle. But he'll be fine," Jamie replied.
"That's good. You have a note, so I assume you checked in at the office?"
"That's right, ma'am."
Jamie smiled at the teacher once again before turning and whispering, "Hi, Shemeeka! How's your first day going?"
"Fine, I guess," Shemeeka whispered back nervously. She didn't want to get into trouble on the first day of school.
But Jamie apparently guessed her qualms. "Don't worry about Ms. Andrews. She's really easygoing and doesn't mind a little talking as long as you get all your work done."
"Oh, that's a relief," Shemeeka said gratefully. "Thanks."
Jamie smiled. "Don't mention it. So, do you have the same schedule as Yugi?"
"Yup."
"Cool! Then you're in all of my classes, too! That's so awesome!"
Shemeeka looked around the room, feeling a hot flash of jealousy as she saw a brunette girl batting her blue eyes at Yugi, who seemed to be uncomfortable. "Who is that?" she asked, barely suppressed anger heavy in her tone.
Jamie glanced over. "Her? The one who looks like she's got something in her eye and needs a backhoe to dig it out? That's Tea. She's got the hots for Yami, but since she couldn't have him, she went out with Yugi instead. Then at some point she dumped him, which ticked Yami off to no end. Now I assume she's trying to get back on Yugi's good side."
Shemeeka scowled. "What a brat!"
Jamie rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. It's one of those 'you only want what you can't have' cases. I once saw her trying to hit on MY Seto, but he put an end to that pretty quick."
"You and Seto really are close, aren't you?" Shemeeka said slowly.
Jamie nodded. "Yes. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without him in my life. He's so special to me."
Shemeeka sighed dejectedly. "Jamie, what would you do if-"
But just then, the bell rang. "Class, no homework tonight. Have a great day!" Ms. Andrews called from the depths of her crossword puzzle.
Shemeeka was bewildered; the whole hour seemed to have passed in a minute. But she gathered up her things and followed Jamie and Yugi to her next class.
The morning absolutely flew by. Shemeeka met all her teachers and found them to be very nice, kind people, and picked up on what they were learning quickly. And then, suddenly, it was lunchtime.
Jamie showed her where the lunch line was before taking her bag lunch over to Yugi and company's regular table. "Have you ever seen nuclear waste up close?" the brunette girl asked with a perfectly straight face.
"No." Shemeeka replied uncertainly. "Why?"
Jamie grinned. "Well, the general population of students has concluded that nuclear waste is the mystery ingredient in today's 'Meatloaf Surprise'."
"Who am I if I don't take risks every once in a while, you know?" Shemeeka replied without missing a beat. She smiled knowingly at Jamie.
Jamie shrugged playfully. "Hey, it's your funeral. Remind me to send roses after you die."
Once she'd left, Shemeeka turned back to the lunch counter and picked up the most edible-looking foods: a carton of French fries, a hamburger, and a slightly soggy piece of cake. "Ick," she muttered, carefully avoiding the greenish plates of Meatloaf Surprise.
On her way to the cash register, Shemeeka noticed a familiar shock of red, black, and gold hair. "Yugi!" she called, a happy smile blossoming on her face.
Yugi turned around, his face lighting up as he saw the aqua-eyed girl. "Hey, Shemeeka. Do you want to sit with us today?"
"Yeah," Shemeeka replied with relief. "Jamie already invited me."
Yugi nodded. "Sounds like Jamie. She really likes you, you know." Just then, he made it to the front of the line and paused while he paid the cashier.
What Yugi didn't know was that Shemeeka was carefully observing every detail. She smiled inwardly as she noted the way his hair bounced with the slightest movement of his head, the way his smile seemed to light up the whole room, the smooth, happy tone of his voice-
"Oh!" Shemeeka exclaimed as she realized she was holding up the line. Quickly, she stepped forward and paid for her lunch. Then, picking up her tray, she followed Yugi over to a table in the back corner of the lunchroom.
Jamie barely looked up from what she was doing as Shemeeka sat down next to her. Her turquoise eyes flickered up every so often, then back down to her paper.
"What are you doing?" Shemeeka asked softly, not wanting to startle Jamie.
The brunette finished whatever she was working on and turned to look at Shemeeka. "Just a casual drawing. Nothing special," she offered by way of reply.
"Really?" Shemeeka asked, taking a bite out of her hamburger. "Of what?"
Jamie smiled and nodded toward Seto, who sat directly across from her at the circular table. "My favorite subject."
Yugi cleared his throat. "Ahem, guys? This is Shemeeka. She's new here. Are you too busy making food sculptures to introduce yourselves?"
A blonde boy wearing a green coat looked up for a moment. "Hey, Yug', did you know it's possible to build an obelisk out of nothing but Meatloaf Surprise and ketchup?"
Seto rolled his eyes. "You're still building monuments out of your lunch? How juvenile, chihuahua."
"I'm not a chihuahua!"
"And I'm not so sure about the juvenile bit either, Seto. I saw you mapping out a new Kaiba Land building in your mashed potatoes," Jamie teased.
Seto just grinned. "Yes, snookums, but unlike Joey, I have the funds to actually build these things. So technically they're not monuments. They're models. That just happen to be made out of mashed potatoes. With French fries as structural beams."
Yugi sighed. "Will you just introduce yourselves?"
A silver-haired boy looked up and smiled kindly. "Hello, there. My name is Ryou Bakura. It's very nice to meet you, Shemeeka." His voice had the faint trace of a British accent.
Shemeeka smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, Ryou."
The blonde looked up again, his eyes fixing on Shemeeka. "Whoa! We got a babe sitting at our table! So, uh, you busy Friday?"
Shemeeka couldn't help but laugh. "Nope. Pick me up at a quarter past never."
Jamie snickered. "Face it, Joey, she got you bad!"
The blonde blushed. "Okay, fine. Since ya got me, I s'pose I can introduce myself. The name's Joey Wheeler. And this idiot next to me," he added, elbowing a brunette wearing a long brown trench coat, "is Tristan Taylor."
"I'm not the idiot, idiot," Tristan shot back.
"Let's take a vote," Seto suggested. "All in favor of Tristan being crowned king of idiots, raise a French fry."
Immediately, everyone except Tristan raised a French fry high in the air. "Well, that works nicely," Seto continued. "Now, all in favor of Joey being crowned Dog of the Year, raise a nice big forkful of Meatloaf Surprise."
Once again, everyone but Joey grabbed their forks, dug into Joey's lunch, and raised the utensil high in the air.
"There. It's unanimous. Tristan is now the reigning idiot, and Joey is the reigning puppy. End of story." Seto grinned and took another bite of his lunch. "Court adjourned."
Shemeeka glanced at Seto, then around the table. "Yugi, didn't you say Yami and Seto were the same age?"
"Yes, that's right. Why?"
"Well, Seto's here, but where's Yami? Doesn't he go to the same school as you?" Shemeeka looked confused.
Yugi almost choked on his French fries. "Um.yeah! Yeah, he does. He's just late, that's all. He's always late to lunch, right, Seto?"
Seto was about to correct him, but a pointed glare from Jamie made him reply, "Uh.right. Yami is just weird that way."
"Here, I'll go get him, okay?" Yugi said quickly, standing up and heading out of the lunchroom.
Shemeeka glanced at Jamie, who shrugged. "Just go with it. Like they said, Yami tends to do his own thing."
A few minutes later, Yugi and Yami both entered the room and walked over to the table. Yami had an amused smirk on his face, and Yugi was blushing hard. "Hi, everyone," Yami said casually, reaching over and stealing a French fry from Seto's plate. "Sorry I'm so late. I was contemplating the miracle of drawing energy from coffee."
"Coffee is a miracle in itself," Seto replied, a happy look coming over his normally cool face. "So perfect.it's like as soon as you drink it, the whole world falls into place."
Jamie rolled her eyes. "I'm sending you both to Coffee-aholics Anonymous. Either you two are seriously obsessive, or Yami's been spiking your coffee with crack, Seto."
Yami looked thoughtful. "Crack.that's one I haven't tried yet."
Everyone at the table got a laugh out of that. Seto threw a French fry at Yami.
They had just begun to talk again when Tea walked over. "Hi, guys," she said, her voice a little too perky. Then she flashed Yugi a winning smile. "Hi, Yugi!"
"Hi, Tea." Yugi mumbled halfheartedly.
Shemeeka could almost see the hate radiating off of Yami. He closed his violet eyes for a few moments before opening them again, carefully avoiding Tea's longing gaze. He snatched a fry off Seto's tray and began to munch, feigning indifference.
"Um.hi, Yami." Tea continued, unaware of the danger she was putting herself in.
"Tea, I don't think it's a very good idea for you to-" Ryou said, trying desperately to avoid the inevitable.
But Tea wouldn't listen. "That's okay, Ryou," she interrupted. "I'm perfectly fine."
Unlike Ryou and Yami, Jamie didn't even try to hide her anger. "What the heck do you want, Tea? Go back to Crystal and Angie and all your other cardboard-cutout friends. You've caused enough trouble already."
"I just wanted to say hi," Tea replied. A large, false smile was pasted on her face, but her eyes were glaring daggers at Jamie.
"Ya made your choice," Joey barked. "Leave Yugi and Yami alone."
"Here's what I don't understand," Tea continued, ignoring Joey. "Kaiba was a jerk to all of us the whole time in Duelist Kingdom, yet you've forgiven him for all the things he did. But I, your FRIEND, make one little mistake and you all immediately hate me."
"Don't you dare try and pull that stunt, Tea," Jamie growled. "You had your chance. You betrayed Yugi, the sweetest person on earth and someone who really loved you, trying to get Yami. How dare you call yourself our friend. I'm not one to be friends with lying, cheating snakes."
Tea's face went bright red and she lunged at Jamie. "Take that back!" she screeched.
Jamie was on her feet in an instant, quite ready to fight the brunette girl. But fast as Jamie was, Seto was faster. He leaped up, grabbing Tea's arms and holding her back. "If you touch a hair on her head, I'll take great pleasure in breaking your arms," he snarled. "You've got two choices: go back to your table of your own free will, or have Yami and me drag you back-in pieces."
Tea's eyes went wide and she quickly pulled out of Seto's grasp. "Don't touch me," she said, trying desperately to sound in control. "I don't have the time to bother with you."
For the first time, Yami looked up. His furious violet eyes pierced into Tea's blue ones, startling her with their ferocity. "You pushed your luck, Tea. Fortunately for your health, I do not plan to punish you this time. But if you ever come near my aibou or me again, I will not hesitate," he said in a low, feral voice.
It was the first time Yami had spoken to Tea since she broke up with Yugi, and the brunette looked horrified at Yami's harsh words.
"I don't have to stand here and take this," Tea replied, turning on her heel and quickly walking away, shoulders trembling.
Jamie couldn't resist the chance to throw in one last comment. "That's right, Tea, run away like a coward. Good riddance!"
Shemeeka looked a little confused and quite angry. "So that was Tea?"
Jamie drew a deep breath before sitting down again, still tense. "Yup. Thank goodness she's gone; the intelligence level of this table just shot up about forty points."
Everyone except Yugi chuckled at this. Instead, Yugi just bit his lip and stared at his food, trying to hide his obvious pain at seeing Tea again.
But Shemeeka was more perceptive than she seemed. "Yugi, it's okay. She's just a meaningless brat. She's not worth being sad over," she murmured.
Yugi looked up slightly, and it was then that Shemeeka saw the beginnings of tears in his violet eyes. "I know, but.I mean, for the longest time."
Shemeeka smiled softly and patted his hand. "I'm sure you'll find the right person for you someday."
"But when?" Yugi whispered, looking away again.
Right now, Shemeeka thought suddenly, urgently. I'm right here, Yugi.it's me you're looking for! You and me-
"I don't know," her lips said. "But you can't lose faith. And until then, you have your friends. You have us. You have me."
Yugi glanced up, and violet met aqua. Shemeeka felt her breath catch in her throat. "Yugi?"
"Yes, Shemeeka?" Yugi replied hopefully.
"I-I was wondering.would you-"
"Hey, guys, look, quick! The Leaning Tower of Pizza!" Tristan cried out abruptly.
The moment ruined, Shemeeka, Yugi, and the others all turned to look at the two-foot-tall, fry-enforced stack of pepperoni pizza. Grease dripped off the sides and onto Tristan's platter, but he and Joey were obviously proud of their accomplishment.
Jamie smiled. "You guys are so weird. You know that, right?"
"And proud of it!" Joey replied instantly.
Seto winked at Jamie, gesturing to Joey. "Aw, the little puppy is sucking up to Jamie! How cute!"
"Someone get the camera!" Yami added, catching on to Seto's game.
Joey looked like he was about to say something in reply, but instead looked down and blushed slightly. "Aw, come on, you guys."
Jamie grinned mischievously. "Well, we've made Joey blush already."
Seto watched her suspiciously. "I don't know what you're planning, lady, but you'd better watch yourself. I may decide to break up with you."
"No, you wouldn't. You love me too much," Jamie replied easily. "Now then, you've already made Joey blush; now I think it's your turn."
Yami cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that's even possible. Seto doesn't blush."
"Oh, yes he does," Jamie said, a knowing smile on her face. "You just have to know how to do it, that's all."
Seto struggled to look annoyed. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Jamie replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him. Then, quickly, she leaned over the table and kissed the very tip of his nose.
As soon as she pulled back, it was plain to see the crimson blush that stained Seto's cheeks. "You know, I really hate it when you do that," he grumbled, pulling up his trench coat's collar to hide his face.
But it was too late; everyone had already observed this turn of events. "Seto, I repeat; what in the HECK does she have over you?" Yami demanded. "She can make you go to the 7-11 anytime she wants, she can make you blush at the drop of the hat-is there anything she CAN'T make you do?!"
"Yes," Seto replied decisively. "No matter how hard she tries to persuade me, I won't exchange my trench coat for a leather jacket. Isn't that right, Jamie?"
"It's not like you'd have to do it all the time," she pouted. "Just every once in a while. You know, for a little variety."
Giggling, Shemeeka turned back to Yugi. "Are lunch conversations always this exciting?"
Yugi grinned. "Yup. Between Joey and Tristan's Marvelous Monuments, Seto and Jamie teasing each other endlessly with Yami somehow in the middle of it all, and Ryou and me casually observing, lunch is always interesting."
Shemeeka laughed again, but then grew serious. "Um, Yugi.like I was saying before, do you think, maybe, we could-"
But just then, at the most inopportune time, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.
Yugi frowned, gathering up the remains of his hamburger. "I'm sorry, Shemeeka. D-Do you want me to show you to your next class?"
"Sure," Shemeeka replied sadly. "That'd be great."
It seemed hopeless; would she ever be able to tell Yugi how she felt?
~*~
That day after school, Shemeeka, Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Joey, and Jamie all walked home together. Seto left in his limo, saying he needed to put in some serious hours at the office. Predictably, Jamie wouldn't let him go without a sweet goodbye kiss that left the rest of the group staring. But because everyone was staring at Jamie and Seto, no one noticed Shemeeka and Yugi blushing deep red.
As they walked home, Yugi and Shemeeka somehow managed to walk a little behind the rest of the group, so close together they were almost touching shoulders.
"So, how was your first day of school?" Yugi asked, for lack of anything better to say.
"Oh, it was okay," Shemeeka replied, turning her aqua eyes up to the clouds. "It helped to have a few friends there."
Yugi smiled. "Having friends always makes things easier," he agreed.
They walked in silence a few minutes more before Shemeeka's eyes widened in recognition. "Yugi, look! That cloud looks like the Dark Magician Girl, see?"
Yugi followed her pointing finger up to the sky and observed the cloud she was talking about. "Hey, you're right!" he said happily. "And that one next to it looks like the Dark Magician! He's my favorite Duel Monster."
Shemeeka looked a little startled. "R-Really? My favorite is the Dark Magician Girl. That's really strange."
Yami's ears immediately perked up and he turned around, walking backwards as he talked to them. "I heard the words Duel Monster mentioned, aibou! Wanna hear about how I beat Seto and his Blue Eyes White Dragons like four times?"
"Yami, I've already heard that story twelve times, and I'm sure you can tell Shemeeka some other time." Yugi said pointedly, frustrated that Yami had ruined the moment.
Apparently, some of these emotions managed to break through their soul link, and Yami immediately understood. "Never mind. It wasn't that interesting, anyway."
Once he had returned to the group, Yugi and Shemeeka lagged back a bit. "Sorry about Yami," Yugi apologized hastily. "He's got kind of a one-track mind."
"That's okay, it's no big deal," Shemeeka replied, a little too quickly. "Um.what are you doing when you get home?"
Yugi's brow furrowed in thought. "Nothing, I don't think. Would you like to come over to my house, maybe have a duel or something?"
"Sure!"
Yugi smiled. "Great."
Tristan, Joey, and Ryou had already branched off for home, so only Yugi, Yami, Jamie, and Shemeeka entered the Game Shop.
"I'll set up the dueling mat," Yugi suggested. "Jamie, do you and Shemeeka want to go get some snacks out of the kitchen? You know where they are."
"Um, out of curiosity, wouldn't it be better if Yami went?" Shemeeka asked nervously. "I mean, I don't want to be traipsing around all through your house."
Jamie rolled her eyes. "Trust me. You send Yami for snacks, and he'll bring back an empty plate with nothing but crumbs on it."
Yami stuck out his tongue at her. "They're my snacks too, you know," he grumbled before heading for the stairs. "I'll be in our room, aibou."
But what Yugi didn't know is that a pair of blue eyes was watching all this through the window. The moment everyone but Yugi had left the room, the owner of those eyes made her move.
Yugi looked up as the bell on the Game Shop jingled. Slowly, the color drained from his face. "W-What are you doing here?" he demanded.
Tea smiled maliciously. "You know what I want. Or more appropriately, WHO I want."
"Yami doesn't love you, and he never will," Yugi replied angrily. "And if you're not going to buy something, then I suggest you leave."
But the smirk never left Tea's face. "You can't run forever, Yugi. Sooner or later, I will get Yami. It's only a matter of time."
"Get out," Yugi snarled. "Now."
Tea opened her mouth to say something else, but then she heard light footsteps coming down the hallway. "Yugi, I-" Shemeeka's voice began.
And then the brunette made her move. She reached over the table, grabbing Yugi's face and pulling him forward for a kiss just as Shemeeka entered the room.
Her eyes went wide. "Y-Yugi?!"
Tea finished her kiss and pulled back, licking her lips. Then she sauntered towards the door and pushed it open. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart," she said over her shoulder.
And then she walked out.
Yugi went deathly pale. "Shemeeka, I didn't-I mean, it's not what it looks like-"
"How could you, Yugi?!" Shemeeka cried, crystal tears flowing rapidly down her cheeks. "How could you?!"
But before he could reply, she bolted for the door and ran home, crying bitterly.
As Yugi miserably watched her go, Jamie poked her head into the room. "What was that all about?" she wanted to know. "I thought I heard Shemeeka say- where's Shemeeka?"
"She left," he replied quietly, a deep pang of sadness in his tone. "She's gone."
"Why? I thought you two were going to have a duel!"
Yugi stared at the ground, trying to hide his unhappiness at the recent turn of events. "While you all were in the kitchen, Tea came in the Game Shop," he whispered.
There was a loud clatter as the tray of cookies dropped from Jamie's hands. "She what?" Jamie replied, her eyes wide. "Oh, Yugi, what happened?"
Yugi's shoulders were shaking too hard for him to reply, but his fingers involuntarily rose to his lips, feeling the slight remaining warmth from when Tea had sloppily kissed him. "S-She-she-"
Jamie noted this with more than a trace of shock. "Oh, no."
"S-Shemeeka saw."
"Oh, Yugi." Jamie said sadly, moving forward and hugging him supportively. "I'm sorry."
And then Yugi began to cry, the droplets falling on Jamie's shoulder and creating a damp spot in the fabric. "T-This afternoon.I-I was g-going to ask her.ask her to be.to be my.my." he choked out.
Jamie didn't know what else to do, so she just hugged him tightly and let him cry in her arms. "I know, Yugi, I know. It'll work out, I promise."
But in her heart, Jamie knew better. Tea had already caused so much trouble for Yugi-how could it work out?
Would things ever get better?
~*~
Okay, go ahead and say it. I'm cruel. I made it seem like Shemeeka and Yugi were going to hook up, shattered all their hopes of ever being together, and now left you with a cliffhanger! That's the Halloween spirit!
Yami: Freak. Halloween isn't until tomorrow.
Seto: And knowing you, you've got something sneaky planned.
Me: whistles innocently Maybe.
Yami: Can we go trick-or-treating?
Me: Maybe.
Seto: Is that all you're going to say?
Me: Maybe. snicker
Yami: She's in a weird mood.
Seto: Freak.
Me: The freaks come out on Halloween, you know.
Yami: We'll have a ball, then.
That's Part One of As the Fog Clears! I hope you all enjoyed it. Joey the Flame Swordsman and Flamina, the angel minion of fire, are going to annihilate all nasty, criticizing reviews. They're going to use flames to light up my jack-o-lanterns. And nice reviews are going to be treasured forever, so PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!