With each passing day at the palace, Tea and Yami-Yugi's relationship grew closer and closer, while Yami-Yugi grew bitterer and bitterer. Even with his growing bitter nature, he was never bitter in front of Tea. Beyond this Yami-Yugi has become hot headed and screams at his bodyguard when things don't go as planned. Sababah, not wanting to change the course of things, simply takes this rage and malice.
Sababah knew that becoming Pharaoh would harden Yami-Yugi's heart; he foresaw it when he first met Yugi. The sound of a heavenly choir that Yugi heard when he first met Sababah was a sign that Sababah is the greatest example Yami would ever have while controlling Yugi. One night, the night before Christmas Eve, Sababah was praying on his knees by his bed, hands on the mattress.
"The course of things must not be changed. Whatever happens, the Pharaoh must recognize on his own what he has done wrong. Please Lord Jesus; I came here not to worship false gods or men," While he was praying Bakura was spying on him, ear pressed against Sababah's bedroom door. Sababah continued.
"I came here to show them that you are the true God, the only God. You gave us your wonderful grace, love and justice. I will play my part as your instrument and show the Pharaoh the truth. Thank you for everything, in your Son's name I pray, Amen." He arose from the floor, and went to sleep. Bakura was surprised to discover that Sababah was a Christian, so he quickly went to bed to think on it, and then went to sleep.
Christmas Eve back home in Domino City was not as big for Joey, Tristen, Joe Moto and Solomon Moto. Although they did put the decorations on the Christmas tree together in the small living room at the back of the Game Shop, it wasn't the same without Tea, Bakura and especially Yugi.
"This Christmas tree is kinda small, don't ya think Tristen?" asked Joey to Tristen. They were sitting on the couch in front of the fire place.
The tree was 4 feet tall and 2 and half feet wide. It had a star on top and all sorts of lights, decorations, and angel hair on it. Tristen looked at the Christmas tree for ten seconds then nodded his head.
"Yep, it sure is puny."
"Christmas Eve dinner is ready!" called Solomon and Joe from the kitchen.
"Alright!" Shouted Joey and Tristen as they high fived, running to the dining room.
Once they all ate a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner of honey baked ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, eggnog and cornbread, they headed for bed. Even though it was Christmas Eve, Joey and Tristen still thought of their friends back in Egypt. How long would Tea and Bakura be gone? When would they be back? All of these questions and more were replayed over and over in their heads that night. It was hard for them to sleep.
Tea and Yami-Yugi's Christmas Eve was a night to remember. For Christmas Eve they ate a delicious feast of American foods, all sorts of food for choosing.
"This food is delicious Yami-Yugi!" Said Tea as she munched on a piece of honey baked ham.
"Thank you Tea, well, thank the chefs. They're the ones that prepared and cooked the food. I only asked them to make a feast of American foo-"
"This is amazing! I absolutely LOVE butter biscuits!" Shouted Bakura as he was chowing down on butter biscuits and gulping milk.
Sababah was quietly munching on a piece of turkey. Yami-Yugi was eating some sweet cake pops. Everyone at the table was staring at Yami-Yugi, and then staring at his plate.
"...What? What!?" He had an irritation sign on his head.
"Your eating cake pops as your meal?" asked Bakura to Yami-Yugi.
"Yes...is that a problem?" answered Yami-Yugi as he did a cute chibi glare at Bakura, a cake pop in his mouth.
Bakura's eye twitched, then everyone busted into hearty laughter. Yami-Yugi simply continued to eat cake pops as everyone else was laughing.
"Well, Pharaoh. If you eat too many sweets you'll have a sugar rush, then you'll have trouble sleeping." Mumbled Sababah to his Pharaoh, who twitched from hearing that.
"Wha!? Well I don't care. I'm Pharaoh I'll eat what I want to eat!" He put his hands on his hips, munching on a cake pop.
This only further made everyone burst into laughter. Yami-Yugi slumped down in embarrassment.
Christmas morning for Joey, Tristen, Solomon Moto and Joe Moto was as hilarious as any guys-only Christmas could be.
"Alright everyone, time to open gifts!" shouted Solomon in the living room.
Joey and Tristen were playing wirelessly via Nintendo 3DS. They were playing Resident Evil: Revelations. Joe sat on the couch looking down and sad. Once Joey and Tristen put away their game, they sat with Solomon and Joe on the couch.
"Okay, I'll give out my presents first." said Solomon, as he bent over and picked up a fairly small gift.
"My son, this is for you." He handed the gift to Joe, whose face turned from sadness to cheerfulness.
"Thanks dad."
Joe tore the wrapping and opened a small box that had jewels decorated on it. The gift was a dueling card.
"Oh, dad! I can't believe you got me such a card!"
"Hey what is it?" Moaned Joey.
"It's a Special Card called Fatherly Love. If your life points give out, it allows them to come back full. Not only that, but your monster that was killed is brought back to the field in full health! Dad, thank you so much for this card, I love it! Love you dad!"
Joe gave his father a tight hug, so tight that Solomon's face was turning blue.
"Okay son your welcome! Try not to keel me over in the process!" Joe let go, laughing while his dad was breathing again. Joey and Tristen were also laughing.
"You youngsters have a terrible sense of humor!" moaned Solomon, fists on his hips, looking chibi irritated.
And so, Joey got a hot wheels toy car, a joke present from Tristen. Tristen got a toy motorcycle from Joey. They were both annoyed yet laughed when they opened their joke presents. For the real presents, Joey got Tristen a new motorcycle that apparently looked the same as his toy one. Tristen gave Joey his own DJ music play backer, which made Joey scream like a fan girl, bringing another laugh to all of them.
Joe gave his father a white tuxedo; the reason he gave him one is because he doesn't own even one formal outfit. Thus, ending the Christmas for Joey, Tristan, Solomon and Joe: their first guys only Christmas.
Christmas back at the palace was a royal moment and beautiful one. Tea woke up on Christmas morning feeling as fresh as a flower. As soon as she walked out of her bedroom, she was greeted by Yami-Yugi.
"Good morning Tea! Merry Christmas!" He gave her a hug, which made her blink twice, and then she returned the hug with a kiss on the cheek.
"Good morning Yami-Yugi. Merry Christmas! So, the tree is in the ball room, right?"
"That's right, and I wanted to walk you there. I wasn't sure if you've been in there before, so I figured it would be best if I showed you where it is."
When they reached the doors to the ball room, Yami-Yugi asked Tea to close her eyes. She did so, and when she entered the ball room, she was astounded by the sight before her. A huge Christmas tree was in the middle of the ball room, lights and Egyptian decorations of all kind were on the tree. The ball room was dark, with Christmas colored lights making the room glow very beautifully.
"It's...it's beautiful, Yami-Yugi." whispered Tea to him.
"I wanted you to feel more at home, so I had a Christmas tree put in this room, but with Egyptian decorations. So, you get a taste of both cultures." said Yami-Yugi as he was walking with her towards the tree. She noticed that Bakura was dressed in Christmas pajamas, and so was Sababah.
She was in blue her night gown. Yami-Yugi was in his royal pajamas, which were basically regular pajamas, except they had gold and jewels on it.
Tea was given flowers from Bakura, which she thought were really pretty and sweet of him. Sababah gave her a red pendant necklace. Although she loves these gifts, her favorite was Yami-Yugi's.
"Here you go Tea, this is for you." Tea noticed that the gift was clothing that was covered with a wrap, so she wouldn't know exactly what it is. She took the covering off, and gasped with joy and surprise.
It was a beautiful golden yellow ball gown with red drapes like pleats, and came with golden jewelry with red jewels on it. The only type of jewelry that wasn't given to her was a necklace. She realized that the pendant Sababah gave her matched perfectly with her ball gown and other jewelry.
"Oh wow Yami-Yugi, it's so pretty! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She gave the dress to Bakura and she ran to Yami-Yugi, embracing him tightly. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm happy that you like it, Tea. I know you want to wear it, but save it for a special occasion. I'll tell you when an occasion comes up that you can wear it to, okay?"
She looked down on him and smiled, nodding her head. "Okay."
With that in mind, they all ate an awesome Christmas morning breakfast, and went to do their own things. Bakura was using his new Nintendo 3DS that Yami-Yugi got him. Sababah was painting a portrait of Tea; he was given the easel from Yami-Yugi. Yami-Yugi didn't get any gifts that he could hold, but he did spend whole day with Tea, showing her the best places in suburban Egypt. Her favorite place was the technology based pyramid, which Yami-Yugi made into a museum.
"I can't believe man was able to recreate the pyramid! It's crazy!" She was looking at all the cool artifacts that compared ancient Egyptian technology to Modern Egyptian Technology.
And so, the day ended with Tea and Yami-Yugi talking to each other about their day in the throne room, only this time it was just the two of them. Yami-Yugi let Sababah end his shift a little early.
"I really liked the technology pyramid museum Yami-Yugi. It was really cool." He simply smiled at her, nodding his head in agreement.
"I'm happy you had fun Tea."
"We spent the whole day together, Yami-Yugi. Did you have fun?"
He chuckled. "Yes I did, my love." She smiled again, now blushing.
She couldn't look away from his big innocent eyes, and he couldn't look away from her friendly and caring eyes. They were sitting next to each other; the throne chairs were replaced with a throne that could hold two people. Yami-Yugi held her hand, as he yawned and began to become sleepy. He layed his head on her shoulder, and she layed her head on his. She yawned too, also beginning to feel sleepy. As they both began to fall asleep, Yami-Yugi whispered something to Tea.
"I love you Tea...help me Tea..." When Yami-Yugi said I love you, it was in Yami's voice. When he said help me Tea, it was in Yugi's voice. She didn't answer, because she had fallen asleep by then.
Then Yami-Yugi ever so slowly closed his eyes, a first person view of him falling asleep.
