Old Friends

The air in the alleyway began to tremble and flash as the large blue police box materialized with a whooshing noise. The doors opened and a red haired woman stepped out.

"Hang on, this doesn't look like London. I thought we were going to visit Gramps."

A tall, dark haired man in a blue suit poked his head out and said "That was the plan. What do you mean it doesn't look like London?"

"Well I don't know where we are but this doesn't seem to be London."

The Doctor sniffed the air and said "You're right. I think we're in Japan." He stepped out of the TARDIS and approached a poster on the wall. "Yep definitely Japan!"

"Brilliant! Talk about a wrong turn we're in the wrong continent!"

"Yeah but the year is bang on. Come on; long as we're here we might as well have a look around."

Donna sighed but followed. They emerged from the alley and looked up at the game store in front of them.

"Nice looking shop" the Doctor observed as he looked at the sign on the door. "Too bad the owner's out at the moment."

Donna, who had been looking through the glass in the front door, said "They seem to have some weird looking games for sale in there. Those Duel Monsters packs look normal enough but some of those boxes look foreign."

"Yeah" the Doctor agreed as he peered into the shop "Looks like this place is run by a world traveler. What's Duel Monsters, by the way?"

"It's some weird card game that's all the rage right now. Grandpa even has a deck that he pulls out once in a blue moon but I'm not interested."

"Huh, if Wilfred likes it then I might have to give it a go."

Voices were approaching from behind causing the companions to turn. The speakers were a couple of teenaged boys in identical school uniforms. One was tall with untidy dark blond hair and the other was short with hair that could only be described as impossible. The two slowed up when they noticed the Doctor and Donna.

"Hello there. Don't mind us; we're just waiting for the owner of this store to return so we can look around more properly."

The short boy responded "Grandpa should be back shortly but I can let you in."

"You're family runs the store?" Donna confirmed.

"Yes. My name is Yugi Mutou and this is my friend Joey Wheeler."

"Hey there" Joey greeted as hands were shaken all around.

"Lovely to meet you; I'm the Doctor and this is my very good friend Donna Noble."

"Hello!"

Yugi pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the store. Everyone entered and Donna began looking at the games while the Doctor found himself staring at what Yugi was wearing around his neck.

"Yugi could that possibly be the Millennium Puzzle?"

Yugi and Joey turned sharply and Yugi said "Yes, how do you know about it?"

"I read a lot. Are telling me that you actually solved the Millennium Puzzle?"

"What of it?" Joey wanted to know.

"Nothing, it's just that that's brilliant!"

"Does anyone mind telling me what you're on about?"

"Well Donna legend states that the one to solve that puzzle will be imbued with great power." He looked intensely at Yugi for a moment longer before picking up a Duel Monsters booster pack and examining it. "This looks like an interesting game. I bet I'd enjoy it."

The two teens were taken aback by the man's change of attitude; "Yeah it's fun" Yugi said "You've never played?"

"Nope but I might just give it a try."

Joey shook his head and asked "What did you say your name was again?"

"The Doctor."

"Just the Doctor?"

"Yep."

Donna cut in "Don't expect to get any more than that out of him. He likes his secrets."

"That I do. I think I'll buy a few of these. Oh wait no Japanese money; we just got into town, long story."

"I thought you two seemed a little different" Yugi stated "Where are you from?"

"To make a long story short, London."

"Wow!" Joey exclaimed "That's cool. And you both speak Japanese so well."

Donna muttered "That's what you think" before quickly turning back to the shelves.

"So Doctor, how much exactly do you know about my puzzle?"

"Enough to know that you probably don't live a very quiet life."

"Tell me about it. I just got back from one heck of an adventure."

"Yeah" Joey grinned "And you were crowned King of Games."

Donna spun around again; "No way! You're that Yugi Mutou?!"

He blushed and said "Yes I am."

The Doctor looked up; "Wait a minute you say your last name is Mutou?"

"Yeah that's been said twice actually."

"Are you by any chance a relative of Solomon Mutou?"

"He's my grandpa. Do you know him?"

At that moment, Solomon entered the store with a small bag of groceries and said "Hi boys! Who's this?"

"Hi Grandpa! This is the Doctor and that's Donna."

"Did you say the Doctor?!"

The Doctor's face split into a wide grin as he said "Hello again Solomon. It's wonderful to see you!"

"And you sir! I can't believe it's really you!"

Everyone else in the room stared in bewilderment as the two men greeted each other like old friends.