Chapter Ten: Looking for an Apartment

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. And I am REALLY sorry for not updating sooner. –cowers in fear- Please don't hurt me!

Joey walked out of the school with his dragon, Niobe around his neck, sleeping peacefully. He had told Niobe and his friends, minus Yugi, that he had moved out his own apartment and was now looking around for an apartment to stay at.

…

"No Yugi, I don't think that there is one for rent on that street," Joey said as he looked at the map on the living room table again.

Yugi sighed and picked up the newspaper. "Well, it says that there is at least two for rent there and five on the other side of the block as well," the King of Games said as she trailed his finger from the school to an apartment. "But it's over fifteen miles, you would need to either drive there or use the public bus. There are also problems with that, first, you'll need money and secondly, you'll have to stop at every stop from this street to this street. And if you don't take the public bus, then you'll have to walk," Yugi said and studied the map carefully.

Joey's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. "WALK? But that's so far from the school!" he whined. Niobe picked her head up from her scaled arm and looked at her human. It seemed as if her human was distressed about walking to and from his school. It was a good distance away and there were other apartments closer to the school, but they were so expensive. The thought of her human in pain walking that far was almost too much for her to bear. Of course, since Joey was the only one who knew about her diamond tears, she would have to shed the precious stones when they were asleep.

Neo looked at his female friend. She seemed to be in pain but he couldn't sense a wound on her. The pain was in her heart, something he couldn't help her with. He mewled at her, telling her that it would be okay, that whatever pain she was feeling would pass. Niobe nodded her scaled head and nuzzled her human's chin.

Joey stoked her wings, looking at the map again before looking at his friend's newspaper. "Well, hopefully mom can send some money to help me out for a while before I get a job. With that money, I can get a transport and will be able to pay my bills, needs and save up enough money to rent one of these," she said, pointing at an ad in the newspaper about empty apartments.

Yugi nodded, picking up his limbless dragon, carefully setting him on his shoulder. "Well, if you can get a job and pay for this rent, how will you be able to get enough spending money? You'll have to pay for your needs like food and new clothes once in a while. You think that you can handle that?" he asked in a worried tone of voice.

Joey nodded. "Of course! Joey Wheeler never gives up!"

"Well Joseph, you know that you can always get a job here, though it won't pay well," a voice said behind the boys. Solomon Moto had appeared out of the shadows and sat next to the blonde duelist.

Joey had jumped a mile high as he heard the older man talk. "Jeez gramps, you scared me to death! Did you have to do that?"

Solomon laughed as he watched Joey grab his heart from fright. "Well no but I couldn't resist. So are you going to accept my offer or refuse?"

Niobe nuzzled her human's neck as she looked at him. He had a serious look on his face and she could tell that he was thinking hard. "Thanks but no thanks gramps. I want to get a job somewhere else. I appreciate the offer though," Joey said and picked up the newspaper, looking for a good job.

Yugi nodded. "It gets crowded in the shop with more than one worker in there grandpa. Besides, Joey might get a good job in the city." Yugi didn't want to say the chances of Joey getting a job. He didn't want Joey to get upset by it.

Niobe chirped something at Neo and Neo chirped something back. The two dragons came up with a great plan to help out Joey with his little money problem.

…

That night when everyone was asleep in their own respective rooms, Niobe left Joey's room to find his shoes. It was tradition for young children to receive gifts in their shoes and Niobe wanted to uphold that tradition, even though Joey is a teenager and no longer a child. She wanted to help out her human in any way possible and it seemed like her tears could help. They had helped his father get booze so why not have them help out her human. She put her head on the edge of the rim and thought of something sad. One by one, her tears fell, filling up the shoe. She didn't want to think about Joey not being able to go anywhere but home but it was just too sad not to think about it. She loved her human and would make sure that her human got a good home to live.

Once the shoe was filled, she had started to cry in the left shoe. A click was heard behind her and a bright light had shone through the room. "Niobe? Why are you at Joey's shoes when you should be in bed? It's not healthy for a young dragon like you not to get any sleep," a kind voice had said, making Niobe turn around, dropping a few tears on the ground.

Solomon Moto looked at the dragon and then Joey's right shoe. "Diamonds? So dragons can cry diamonds. Yes I understand now. You wanted to help Joey out. I don't think that he would approve of this but I won't tell him if you don't want me too," he said and picked her up gently. Niobe stopped her crying and nuzzled the older man. He chuckled softly and picked up the tears that had fallen to the floor and dropped them in the shoe. "Let's get you into bed." Niobe chirped and closed her eyes, letting him carry her to Joey's room. She fell asleep after he shut the door after leaving.

…

"HOLY COW!"

The blonde had backed into a wall as he stared at his shoes. Diamonds had filled them to the top of the rim of both of his shoes.

"Joey? What's with the yelling?" Yugi asked, running his tired eyes. He looked at Joey with half lidded eyes and yawned.

Joey pointed to his shoes. "LOOK AT THOSE!" he shouted and picked up Niobe from Yugi's shoulder. "Thank you!" he said and hugged his dragon.

Yugi's eyes went wide as he looked at the shoes. "And I thought that the only thing that came from your shoes was stench. I guess that you should be thankful this time."

Joey nodded and let Niobe rest on his shoulder. "Oh trust me, I am. I can pawn these and finally get my apartment near the school!" he said and Niobe chirped happily. She was glad that her tears had helped her human.

A/NL I know, I know, late again. I'm sorry but I have had a lot of things to do and didn't have much time to work on my fics. Anyways, please review for this fic and my Easter Dragons as well. Thanks!