The alarm clock started to do that annoying noise when it's trying to get somebody out of bed, also...it worked. Joey Wheeler rubbed his still tired eyes and threw himself out of bed and into a nearby wall, but the truth was he had been awake for the past 5 minutes. As he picked himself up and into balance, obviously he thought about going somewhere. He looked up to the cheap Kaiba Corp. Duel Monsters calender that hung slanted on the wall. Damn, he thought to himself, How can it be freaking Monday again? I'd better get ready for school. With a few minutes spare, he quickly pulled on his school clothes while he was still in the room in which he slept. After he'd eaten breakfast and had the usual 'Good Morning' conversation with his sister, Serenity, he headed towards best friend's Game Shop.
Yugi Moto was waiting curiously just outside the shop doors with the others, Tristan Taylor and Téa Gardner. "Hey guys," Joey muttered quietly while desperately trying to cover his eyes from the blinding sun, "How's things...". "Great, almost" Yugi spoke. Téa looked around as more and more of their classmates walked in the direction of their high school, Tristan just idly stared at the bushes and shrubs on the left of the sidewalks. "Do I dare ask?" Joey stared curiously at Yugi. Tristan snapped out of his short daydream and asked, "Where's Bakura?". Yugi sighed at his questioning friend, "You already know Tristan, the fact that Bakura is not here is why things aren't quite great"
Yugi said with slight boredom and exhaustion.
"So, where is Bakura?" Joey asked in an almost strained tone. Téa shook her head sympathetically,
"Didn't you already establish that we don't know? Come on, we're going to be late for school".
"Whatever".
"Shut it, Joey" Tristan said as they started to walk. Joey just walked ahead of them after that small interruption into the day. "Hey! Wait for me!" a voice called after them. The group turned to see Bakura running after them, clenching several books and papers in his arms and his white hair wild.
"Bakura? Where were you?" Yugi asked as they stopped to wait for their other group member who was still running hopelessly towards them. "I, ...I,"Bakura was left breathless, "Overslept".
Tristan rolled his eyes, so did Téa. "Hey, I was meaning to ask you all now," Tristan spoke,
"Is anyone busy after school? I wanted to know if you guys wanted to come to the airport with me, I'm going to fetch my younger sister. Maybe you'd like to come then?" he asked with a blank tone of voice. "You don't even have a younger sister, Tristan" Téa pointed out.
Tristan shook his head, "What do you mean? Of course I do, I mentioned that she was coming to live here last week. We were separated very young, but we were reunited again when I was about 9. She grew up in England, so we're sorta different" Tristan explained. Joey wasn't really paying any attention, he was too busy having a daydream fantasy about Mermaids and Pirates. "How can she be British and you not? And what's her name? But anyway, yes, I'll come with you" Yugi smiled. "Actually, I'm not sure how that's precisely possible. Her name is Meg, actually she's won quite a few Dueling Tournaments over there. Maybe you two could have a Duel sometime? Great, I'll come by in the Taxi later to pick you up. Anyone else going to bother coming?" Tristan went through an army of words and questions. "I would, but I've got to take Serenity to get her eyes checked again, that operation was ages ago but I still have to keep taking her" Joey wasn't very interested, being the slightly childish and ignorant 17-year-old that he was. "Sure, I'll come with you Tristan" Téa smiled. "Meg Taylor is your sister?" Bakura asked, "I've heard of her, we went to the same school when I was younger. I had no idea that she was your sister, but no one here really knows who she is. I do at least, I'm British too". "Uh, yes Bakura. We already knew that from your accent" Tristan tried to keep a straight face. "Fine, if everyone else is coming, I will too" Joey said, though he wasn't really sure where they were going or what they were doing. "Great, I'll see you all later then" Tristan said.
Already the school was insight, so they all ran towards another morning of card games in classrooms while they ought to be learning something. It seemed only two hours later when a stampede of rushing duelists came running out, free from school for the rest of the day. Joey was unusually quiet though, he couldn't find Serenity. When she came running out of the school though, he was back to normal. Oh damn, I have to go with Tristan. Who will take Serenity...? Joey suddenly thought, he can't be in two places at once. Quickly he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile/cell phone, dialed a number, and pressed it to his ear. Then he listened as it rung, "Hello?" a voice answered. Joey slowly took the phone away and passed it Serenity, she blinked and held it to her ear. "...Sorry Mom, Joey didn't...he..." she nervously spoke, "Uh, hi. I'm not really sure why he called you...but, I'll...try to put him on" she offered the phone wordlessly to Joey. It took a few seconds, but Joey eventually took the phone and put it back to his ear. "...Hi. I...I know I was supposed to take Serenity to the appointment, but I...accidentally made plans. Do you think...could you take her?" Joey muttered into the phone. Serenity sighed as Joey quickly finished the conversation with as few words as possible, then pressed the 'end' button.
"Why do you never speak to her?" she asked quietly with curiosity. Joey sighed and looked at his younger sibling, "It's just hard. We don't exactly dislike each other, it's just that...well. Things have been different ever since we came here, you know what I mean. We barely even see her. Though she still insists that I'm making the wrong choices with everything, you too. She thinks she can plan out our whole lives and that we won't want to make our own decisions. As well as that, she's mad you came to live with me instead of her," Joey explained, "C'mon then, let's go home". Serenity nodded and followed as their pace picked up and they hurried towards their home.
"Joey! Get your butt out here!" Tristan called from the taxi that waited outside his home. "Hold on! I'mma comin'!" he called as he ran desperately and jumped into the cab's back seat. Téa and Yugi were already sitting quietly in the middle-position seats. "So..." Joey said when the taxi started moving, "Where are we going again?". Tristan looked back at him furiously, "We're going to get my sister from the airport" he fumed. Joey grinned sheepishly as Tristan glared angrily at him through the seats. "Uh, what sister? You don't have a sister, bonehead" Joey muttered, then shot a victorious glance at his angry friend...