Chapter 11: The Truth About Kimiko

"You love her don't you?" Yami blinked in surprise as he turned to stare at Kimiko with wide eyes.

"Yes, but it's hard to explain…" he began as he stared down at the coffee cup he held in between his hands. "I love Akari dearly, but she's more like a sister to me. Besides, I feel like it's my mission to protect her. She's so fragile, she tries to put on a brave front, but I know this is tearing her up inside."

"It's okay, I know you feel…" Kimiko said softly as the tears slowly began to fall down her face. "Carrying out the will of heaven is never easy, but I believe that somehow everything will be all right in the end and I'll be able to move on with my life. Until that day comes, it is my duty to look out for signs that foretell the coming of evil to this world."

"Who are you really?"

"My name is Kimiko Hoshiko, it means 'child with no other equal who was born from the stars'. Stupid right?" she laughed nervously as she finished talking.

"I think it's a beautiful name…" Yami said as he looked into her eyes and smiled as she blushed under his gaze.

"I'm sorry…I have to be going now." Kimiko said softly as she got up and left the bar.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mutou, but could you please give this to the young woman who just left?" the bartender asked as she held out a silver colored purse. "She left it here by accident and I get off really late tonight."

"I'll make sure she gets it." Yami said as he left the bar and began walking home.


"Syrus it's almost midnight, shouldn't you be asleep by now?" Jaden whined as he pulled his covers over his head in an attempt to block out the light that Syrus' computer gave off when it was on.

"I'm sorry I woke you up Jaden," Syrus said sympathetically as he turned to look at his friend for a moment before turning back to the computer. "but I just got a letter from my cousin in Domino City."

"Is this the guy who duels with ghosts all the time?" Jaden asked, who was nearly half-asleep after taking some Tylenol pm.

"Yeah, that's right." Syrus said as he kept staring at the computer screen.

"So is everything going ok?"

"I'm afraid not," Syrus said solemnly as he read the letter to Jaden.


"Idiot!" Kimiko chided herself as she walked down the sidewalk towards her home, ignoring the cold biting sting of the rain. "You can't afford to let yourself fall in love now. This is too important to screw up, the fate of the world is in your…"

However her ranting was cut short as somebody grabbed her arms from behind and slammed her body against a nearby building. She grunted as she struggled to break free, but her attacker was too strong.

"Now listen to me carefully, magi," the stranger whispered in a dangerous and sinister tone as she continued to struggle to break free of his grasp. "you can never defeat me, your ancestors couldn't stop me 5,000 years ago and you are no different. If you promise to leave here and never return, I will spare the girl and her friends."

"And what about everyone else?" Kimiko hissed savagely.

"They will be destroyed along with anyone else who stands in my way…"

"You're a fool to think that I would ever give up trying to stop you! I will never give in to your threats!" Kimiko spat venomously as the stranger laughed cruelly.

"Then die…"