Okay, long story outlined: 1) I had little access to a computer that supports FF.N's editing software. 2) I wanted to post when I got my new laptop (Her name is Margaret, and she's beautiful!) so I could use said software. 3) Serafina is the one who Inspired me to write a great deal. Please send her PMs of thanks! 4) As for the last year, I'm still going to school, I've gotten a job, I have a multitude of other interests, I got pneumonia, etc. And I'm not joking!

Hopefully I can get back down to business before I lose all of my fans!

Yami: Last time on ANA, Yugi accompanied Anzu to a Halloween Party, where Anzu found out that not only is Rebecca still Interested in Yugi, she's obsessed! Yugi spoke with Rebecca, who revealed to him that both she and Terri are unaffected by the Tabula Rasa Spell; they still remember events concerning the Millennium Items. Could this mean that Terri is involved with the Items somehow? And what about Rebecca?

October 31st, New York City, USA

As they approached the party, Yugi, Rebecca, and Hotfoot heard shouts and snarls from the main area. Anzu's voice rang out clearly when Yugi opened the door. "How do you expect me to even speak to you when your attitude never changes?"

"Why should I change if that thing doesn't," Brandon's voice boomed over the heads of the spectators. Others in the crowd shouted affirmation or disapprobation.

"If ya can't look without keepin' ya lunch down, dat's your problem," shouted Terri.

Yugi tried to weave his way through the crowd of huddled thespians. One of the few advantages of being short was the ability to duck under taller people in order to get to the front of a crowd. He finally reached a vantage point near the center of the imperfect circle. He saw Terri being held back by five stage crew members, and Anzu standing defiantly in front of them facing… Yugi almost had a stroke when he saw the horribly gaudy pharaoh costume Brandon was wearing! If Yami, Nazo, or Keiko saw that, heads would roll!

Three men held the strong male dancer back, surrounded by scantily clad chorus girls. All were shouting, their statements overlapping. Brandon freed his arms and held up his hands for silence. "Know what," said Brandon in a softer, more frustrated tone, "the only reason I came to this party was to apologize for Opening Night, but forget it! Some women just don't appreciate tact!"

"Tact," snarled Terri incredulously. "You crossed dat line when ya momma didn't eat ya as a child!"

"And what were you," hissed Brandon, "hatched?"

"Leave him alone, Brandon," shouted Anzu.

"Tinkerbell started it," he countered.

"Want me tah finish—" Yugi had reached Terri by now and tried to pull him away. "Leggo a me, Yuge!"

"Terri-kun, you are right," Yugi said softly.

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"Do not look for a fight. Just walk away."

Brandon smirked at the Asian's passive attitude. Yugi had unwittingly stumbled onto a traditional stereotype he could easily pick on. "Best listen to Miagi, Daniel-san!" 1

Terri gave a loud growl, but Yugi pulled him back hard. Unbeknownst to them, he planned to exact his revenge on Brandon in a more private way, like turning his bedroom into a gateway to the Shadow Realm. "Let's just go, Terri-kun! Come on, Anzu!"

But Anzu did not follow. She remained facing Brandon, eyes glowing in anger. "No Yugi. Not this time."

"Anzu?"

"I'm tired of this!"

"Then let's leave," insisted Yugi, misinterpreting the phrase.

"I'm tired of jerks like him making fun of my friends!" She marched closer to Brandon's group. "Brandon McCaughan, I challenge you to a duel!"

Yugi gaped. Brandon raised his eyebrow. "Duel?"

"I mean a dance-off! The Student Union has a DDR machine. We'll settle this fairly, once and for all!"

The crowd, including Brandon's groupies, began to murmur in bewilderment and confusion. "Let me get this straight," said Brandon. "If you win, I have to leave you alone?"

"No, you'd have to stop making fun of my friends and my boyfriend."

"Anzu," said Yugi softly, "you don't have to—"

"Yes I do!"

"This not your--"

"What if I win," asked Brandon.

"If you win, you—you get—a kiss!"

"What," several voices gasped.

"EH?!" exclaimed Yugi.

"Deal!" Brandon shook Anzu's hand before she could change her mind.

November 2nd, Domino City, Japan

The night continued the same way during the soccer game. Domino City and Dice City were evenly matched, ending in an eventual double overtime in which the Domino team scored two more goals. Apparently Kantaro grew up in Dice City, leading to the occasional potato chip fight or punch in the arm. Shunji quietly took notes of the game as it progressed. When Noa asked him what he was up to, Shunji shyly revealed that he wanted tips for his PE class. Hiro went into a long explanation on how he used to play football in college but stopped in order to protect his hands. "A musician's greatest tools are his hands!"

"A man's greatest, too," asserted Kantaro, red in the face from his seventh beer.

Jonouchi laughed. "Dude, if you think that's the greatest, no wonder you're single!"

Hiro took out a pack of cigarettes. "Mind if I smoke?"

Jonouchi motioned for Hiro to take it outside. "So, any of you guys duel?"

"Duel," asked Shunji.

"As in Duel Monsters, the card game."

Kantaro exhaled loudly. "Don't got time fer playin' games at my age!"

Noa shook his head. "Sorry, Jonouchi-senpai," said Shunji.

Jonouchi grabbed a deck from his pocket. "'Salright! I can teach ya! My buddy, Yugi, sent me these cards from America. Special edition Duel Monsters that are hard to find in Japan."

Shunji took a few cards. His eyes widened. "Children play this game?"

Kantaro whistled. "Magician of Faith can cast her spell on me any day," he slurred.

Jonouchi grinned. He knew the special pornographic cards Yugi sent him would get his coworkers' attention. "My buddies and I used to play it all the time. We were the best in the world! I'm not one to brag," he said with a definite air of superiority, "but I was in some of the most competitive tournaments in the world!"

"Didja win anything," asked Kantaro.

"Sure! I won enough money to help pay for my sister's eye surgery."

"I mean any titles."

"Ano… Not exactly."

Shunji smiled encouragingly. "I would like to learn, Jonouchi-san! How do you play?"

This prompting renewed his ego, and Jonouchi began to explain the rules of the game in much the same way Jiichan explained them to him. But before he could get into the finer points of the game, Hiro burst back into the room. "Guys, you will not believe what I just saw!!"

"A giant Milky Way bar," Shunji suggested, taking note of the lit pot in Hiro's hand.

"Better!" Hiro whispered for dramatic effect. "Two lesbians making out downstairs in the hallway!"

All of the men scrambled for the door. "Sweet Providence rewards us!" "My apartment, I look first!" "Outta my way!" "Unbelievable!" The group stopped at the edge of the stairwell to look downward. A teenage redhead with a shapely body moaned against the mouth of her long-haired partner. She rubbed up against the wandering hands, lifting herself to meet the luscious lips.

"Life is good," muttered Shunji, blood trickling from his nose.

"Very, very good," agreed Hiro.

"Gambare, rezu-sans," cheered Kantaro.

The two stopped kissing. "No lesbians, no admission," growled the raven-haired figure in a decidedly male voice.

"Aw damn," swore a dejected Hiro.

Jonouchi squinted to recognize the face and voice. It couldn't be! "Mokuba?"

The younger Kaiba brother turned around. "Oh shit!" His pretty companion gasped. "Oniisan!"

Jonouchi snapped. A strong fiery anger surged inside of him. "Get your filthy hands offa my sister!!"

"Oh shit!!" Mokuba and Shizuka ducked into her apartment as Jonouchi attempted to jump off the landing to attack Mokuba. His companions grabbed onto him, confused but quick to react, and dragged him back into the apartment. "Leggo of me! I'm gonna kick that sonofabitch's ass for-"

"For having good taste," offered Hiro.

With no Kaiba in sight, Jonouchi punched the man in front of him who dared talk back. Hiro took the punch, only to attempt one to his assailent's stomach. Jonouchi blocked and tried to elbow Kantaro, but was restrained again quickly by Noa.

"Dude, your sister is old enough to take care of herself," said Kantaro. "It ain't worth gettin' so worked up!"

"Damn you, Kaiba," he screamed.

"Calm down, Jonouchi," yelled Hiro.

Shunji weakly tried to keep the blonde's right arm still. "What's got you so pissed off at the Kaibas?"

"You got no idea," Jonouchi yelled, struggling against their grip. "You guys got NO idea!"

"Neither do you," said Kantaro, "if your sister is making out with one of them." He tightened his grip as Jonouchi's efforts doubled.

"Stop it, Jonouchi-san," begged Shunji. "We are only trying to help you!"

One strong punch later, Shunji flew back outside and crashed up against the railing. Noa managed to catch him before he dropped into the six-story stairwell.

"Don't say such girly stuff!!" Jonouchi threw the other two off of him. Kantaro spun around to take a swing, but Jonouchi ducked and punched the drunk hard in the gut. The older man dropped to his knees. Jonouchi kicked at Hiro, who dodged clumsily. Hiro managed to land a punch on Jonouchi's jaw, causing him to stagger. "Listen," said Hiro panting. "I get it. You're pissed off. Your sister was making out with a guy you don't like. But that's no reason to kill us! Like Shunji said, we wanna help you!"

Blonde bangs shadowed Jonouchi's eyes. "Get out," he snarled.

"Not until you-"

"Get the fuck out of my place!!" The Eye of Horus began to flicker on Jonouchi's forehead. The four men stared in shock as the nineteen-year-old lifted Kantaro from the floor and heaved him at Hiro. Both bodies landed outside of his apartment. Jonouchi did not need to lay a finger on the door; his energy slammed it shut.

Hiro made to reenter, but Noa held him back. "Let him be," the quiet man rumbled.

Help me?! Jonouchi grabbed a chair to slam it against the door. Tryin' to help me?! It splintered on contact, showering the room with debris. Damn Kaiba! Damn nosy bastards! He punched the door itself, but his magic seemed to diminish the full effect, shielding it from being knocked off of its hinges. Who do they think they are! They can't help me! They don't know nothing about nothing! He punched again and again and again, wanting nothing more but to break it in half. Damn restrictions! Damn magic! Damn them all!

He leaned against the door, his passion spent. All that remained was bitterness and frustration. "Even my magic is turnin' against me," he muttered, not understanding the cause of his magic's resurrection. The latent magic had reacted to the surge of emotion, acting independently to protect its master. The modern-day priest had no clue that, while he had not practiced the art for some time, it guarded him like a loyal friend. Had he understood these intension he may not have felt so alone.

Shunji's innocent words rang in his head. "We're only trying to help you!" The simple phrase sounded so much like Yugi, and it opened a floodgate of hurt within his soul.

He shut his eyes tightly. "Don't say such mushy stuff! It's too painful!" The faces of his friends showered his memory, and with them the feelings of resentment increased. Each one had abandoned him to live their own lives, leaving him in this shitty apartment with two shitty jobs to financially support himself and his sister, struggling desperately to be there for her while furthering his own goals for the future. If his sister didn't need him anymore… If his sister found someone else to support her…

Honda left him for the police academy. Ryo and Bakura were off somewhere on their own, probably living it up in Kyoto. Anzu left to become a famous Broadway dancer. Yugi left to chase after the love of his life. Yami had become a powerful executive in Kaiba Corp. Why were they all so much better off without him?

Jonouchi slammed his head against the door and choked back a sob. 'Why,' his mind screamed, 'Why am I always falling short? Why can't I ever win by myself? Why can't I ever be the best at something? What can't I even be good at something? Why am I so weak when I try so damn hard?!'

Something flashed in the back of his mind. He found himself in the Shadow Realm, standing on a dueling podium with his cards in front of him. Red Eyes was weakened, his best monsters destroyed, and his energy almost gone. His legs shook with the effort to remain standing. "What… the hell…"

His opponent frowned. "After all of that, I assumed you would be a worthy opponent, Jonouchi-kun!"

Jonouchi's head snapped up. "Y-Yugi!"

The shorter duelist wore a white cape and armor. The crown on his head had, of all things, the Seal of Orichalcos! And perhaps it was a trick of the Shadow Realm, but his eyes looked like they were different colors. "You're getting everything you deserve! I'm sick of you always acting like you are worth something in this story! You are nothing! You're not even worth a penalty game!" His mouth twisted in a strange smile. "Still, the rules of the shadow game override my personal opinions… Mind Crush!"

Jonouchi screamed before falling back into the present. "Was that a dream? Or is that what Yugi really thinks of me?" The power of the Millennium Eye granted its user the power to read people's current thoughts. But Yugi's thousands of miles away! He dashed to the freezer, opened a faux bag of ice, and pulled out the Millennium Eye. It glowed softly in his hands. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Receiving no answer, Jonouchi's eyes landed on the cases of beer his guests had left behind. Eager to numb the emotions boiling inside of him, as well as the unanswered questions arising from his vision, he grabbed a bottle, twisted off the cap, and downed the entire bottle.

The leader of the NYU Christian Bible Study Club leaned against the window in content. She felt more relaxed on this All Hallow's Eve than ever before. Her brothers and sisters in Christ surrounded her, discussing the true values of the holiday. She stared outside the window, contemplating the chill in the air. Many dangers abound out there tonight, she thought morbidly as the fog shifted across the lawn.

She squinted slightly, trying to determine the cause of the shift. Dark figures moved silently through the grass. Those that came into view caused her to shriek. Demons! Dozens of unholy creatures lurked in the mist, walking almost casually through the campus as though this was just some other night of the year.

Thunk! The girl fainted much to the confusion of her fellow extremists.

Of course, this young woman may have kept her wits about her had she known that the monsters were, in fact, the greater part of the NYU Theatre Department.

Terri Torriello hung towards the back of the group for several reasons. One, he preferred watching over the attitudes of spectators in most any circumstance. To his reasoning, a person's true nature is revealed under the heaviest pressures. Mob mentality and personal pride are often among those. The events that unfolded as a result of this competition would greatly influence his opinions of anyone who was actually involved and anyone who chose to become involved.

Two, he still could not believe Anzu had so readily defended him in front of the entire department. Too many people turned a blind eye to the verbal abuse Terri constantly received from the conservative masses. In that moment, Terri only saw his buddy Annie. This girl, singled out already by those who were supposed to be her peers, continued her social downfall by defending the communal Court Jester. Some may call this action foolish. Some may call it self-righteous. Terri called it the truest test of moral character. Annie had proclaimed in public everything that Yugi had promised in private. They had each made themselves a target; a part of the burden of words thrust upon Terri would now be thrust upon them. And for that, he was forever in their debt.

Three, the stakes had risen too high for his taste. Both Annie and Brandon were excellent dancers, and each had an equal chance of winning. Computers make to be strict yet impartial judges. But to wager a kiss against a pardon? To him, an Italian-American, a kiss meant friendship and trust. But to Yugi and Anzu, who were both raised in the Japanese traditions, a kiss was more about romantic interest.

The notion of a meaningless kiss offered very little comfort. Yugi stared through the heads and bodies of the crowd to focus on the competitors in the front. His face was calm and morbid like a young man setting off to a funeral. He had been this way since they were swept away by the excited crowd.

Flashback

Yugi was the only one not cheering at the concept of the dance-off. He stared at his girlfriend with disbelieving eyes. "You should have just walked away, Anzu. No one would have thought any less of you."

"This is the only way to guarantee his-"

"Gambles are not guarantees."

Anzu smiled at Yugi in a teasing manner. "Yugi, its Dance Dance Revolution! I always win at DDR!"

End Flashback

The mob of monsters reached the ground level of the Student Union. They crammed in between the tables and chairs next to the Arcade, which was separated by a clear plastic wall. Terri caught sight of a very confused night janitor being lead to the front of the crowd by the werewolf from earlier. The mob began to chant, "Dance off! Dance off!" Over the heads of the crowd, the transvestite saw the doors open to the game room. They all cheered, and began to push.

"Quiet," came a shout. "I said QUIET!!"

The monsters settled. The voice belonged to a large vampire in the front of the crowd. "There isn't enough space to fit everyone! So let's just let Ann and Brandon go inside. We'll record the results out here!"

Everyone cheered. Terri looked to Yugi, who remained the same. "'Ey, don' worry," Terri insisted. "Annie's a great dancah! She's got dis t'ing in dah bag!"

"She will lose," Yugi said softly.

"Eh?"

"She is far too confident."

"Confidence is good. It give her courage. Courage is a readiness to risk self-humiliation." 3

"No! Not like this! She has wanted an excuse to get Brandon away for months. She now thinks she has not a way to lose. You heard her. 'I always win at DDR!' This is what she said! She does not even think of losing. She never has played against Brandon, and she does not know what is his level. 'Even the strongest swimmer may drown.' She also duels in the name of those who did not ask for her help! Who do not need her help!" 2

Terri watched as the first song began to play on the DDR machine. "Yuge, I don't think yah lookin' at the big pictuah. Even if she loses, she wins. A lot of people didn't think twice when buggin' me. Now dat Annie's takin' a stand, more will notice, and more will condemn it. Even if she loses the duel, she's gonna gain a lot o' respect."

Yugi's eyes suddenly lifted. "Ikkuso!" He dove headfirst into the body of the crowd.

Terri scratched the back of his head. "So much fer tryin' tah redirect the focus off the kiss! Now I'm gonna go messin' up my make-up!" He followed his friend.

Anzu stretched, taking in a deep breath. She had chosen a fast-paced song and received a perfect score! She felt refreshed after the workout. It was the same song she danced to when Yugi set her up on a date with Yami years ago. It always exhilarated her! She glanced at Brandon's score. "You only missed three steps," she remarked.

"I was only warming up," said Brandon, unphased by the remark. "My turn to choose a song." He scrolled down the list, making his selection on "My Señorita," another fast-paced song with a salsa beat.

Anzu frowned. She really did not like this dance. Its steps were often out of tempo. She braced herself as the graphics appeared, and the arrows scrolled up the screen. Left, left, down, up up, left. She stretched out her arms gracefully to keep balance. Right, right, up, down down, right. She turned her body slightly to concentrate her balance on her left side as the pace quickened even more. The steps favored the left, until drastically changing to the right. Then there was a sudden pause, and Anzu missed two steps!

She cursed softly to herself as the song ended. According to her score, she had received five "Good" markings and missed two steps completely. Brandon had a perfect score.

"Sure you wanna continue," asked Brandon, panting.

Anzu glared at him. Was that an insult? How dare he! "I won't back down now!"

Brandon shrugged. "Whatever, Princess." He pressed the Random button.

Another fast-paced song kicked up. Anzu gave one last look to her competitor, and began. Each matched the other's movements perfectly. But as the dance wore on Anzu became more and more distracted with Brandon's smug attitude. His sweaty face showed no more signs of fatigue, and his green eyes seemed to brighten with excitement as the pace quickened. Was he enjoying this!

The final score read that both dancers received the top scores of the game: Anzu second and Brandon first.

"No," came a muffled yell from outside the door.

Anzu gazed at the scoreboard in horror. Whenever Yugi took her to the arcade back home, she only played DDR. She knew each song by heart and could dance over half of them without direction. She used to enter competitions and always won by a decent margin. Now the numbers on the screen seemed to mock her efforts. "I… I lost…"

"By five points. I tried to warn you," said Brandon smugly.

Anzu closed her eyes. Oh, how she hated him! How could she have let herself be defeated by such a slimeball? After everything she bet to win, she expected her opponent's pride to get in the way. But she placed too much weight on her own talents, and focused on him instead of the game. Now she had to kiss the man she held in the utmost contempt. He was her better in DDR; she admitted that. Did he plan this? Did he read her so well already that he knew she would challenge him? Whether he did or did not, to fall into his trap was sheer stupidity on her part!

Trying to maintain her dignity, Anzu raised her tired body proudly. "You are a much better dancer than I thought. I've never lost before. You… You've earned my respect." Anzu closed her eyes and leaned forward to receive his lips. 'Just because I promised a kiss does not mean I have to watch!'

To her surprise, his lips never touched her face. They landed softly on her hand, which was held in a respectful manner by the victor. Anzu opened her eyes to meet the wealthy man's deep, expressive green eyes. "I'll settle for your respect for now, and I'll cherish it as best I can."

His charismatic voice caused her to blush. "What? I don't…"

"I agreed to this in order to impress you," he admitted quietly. "I figured I may be able to win your affections by besting you in something you love." He held her hand tightly, caressing the area he had kissed. "Music is the bond the two of us share. Perhaps, one day, that bond will become stronger, enough to pull your heart to mine. I'll prove to you that we were destined to meet."

Anzu's head danced. "I… You…"

"And when that day comes…" An honest smile spread across his handsome face. "Your eyes will be wide open."

BANG! Anzu and Brandon turned around in time to see an angry Yugi take his fist from the cracked plastic and storm his way through the crowd. Terri watched on, a silent observer to the revealing events. 'Rebecca is too needy for Yugi, so Anzu should not take her affections seriously. But Brandon… now there's a real threat!'

-0-

1 Mr. Miagi and Daniel LaRuso – characters from "The Karate Kid." If you have never seen the movie, turn off the computer, drive to Blockbuster, and rent it NOW!!

2 "Even… drown" – Japanese proverb.

3 "Courage… humiliation" – quote from Nigel Dennis

Yugi: Next time on ANA, Anzu feels guilty and worried about our relationship. After all I've done for her! (sigh) Well, at least Yami and Nazo send me something to cheer me up. And that's not all. Yami has a big announcement to make, and it's not about his personal life, but his career!

The next chapter is ready. Review and I might post before the end of August!