Jaid: Oh! I'm so excited! I got two reviews! Thanx you guys! Here is the next chapter. Just to tell you, no I didn't write it this quick; it had already been written. I just put the first chapter up for a test run. So updates might be a little slow.

I don't own any of the stores in this chapter.

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Next day at school, the twins and Morgan were in the hallways when Hitomi dragged herself in and opened her locker.

"Somebody forgot their coffee this morning." Tyler commented. Hitomi gave her a bleary eyed glare and continued rummaging through her things.

"Stupid Kaiba." She muttered. "Why'd you have to go and make things confusing?"

The three others exchanged looks.

"Are you okay, Hitomi?" Morgan asked cautiously.

Hitomi slammed her locker door shut. "No, I'm not! I had a really late night last night trying to study for the math quiz, plus Kysen got me up at four thirty this morning."

"No wonder you were on time." Terry observed.

"Plus, I really don't feel up to dealing with school today, not to mention I hate these uniforms. Who's brilliant idea was it for all the girls to wear pink?! I hate pink!" Hitomi shouted.

"Pink is nice on you." Morgan offered. Hitomi humphed and threw her backpack over her shoulder.

"I like black better."

"Well it fits your mood this morning." Tyler said. "And what's this about stupid Kaiba?"

"He stopped me outside again." Hitomi grumbled. "I wish I was tall enough to slug him. Just once; just to see his face."

"Well, you certainly didn't inherit your father's genes." Terry commented.

"I'll bet Dad wanted to slug Kaiba more than once too." Hitomi said rebelliously. "But he was too short; like me."

Tyler laughed and put her arm around the girl. "Don't worry; if he keeps bothering you, maybe you can get Brian and Terry to be your bodyguards."

Morgan smiled. "Remi too."

Tyler laughed again.

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Satoshi wasn't really paying attention to the teacher. He was staring at the clock, willing it to go faster. Their history teacher had lagged on and on about the same point for at least five minutes. Satoshi smirked as he noted it; that was a new record. The bell finally rang and there was a general rush for the door; History was the last class before lunch.

Satoshi brushed past Hitomi. He stopped and gave her a smile and a nod before continuing. Hitomi made a face at his back, while Tyler nudged her hard.

"Don't be rude. He smiled at you."

"That was a smirk." Hitomi countered. "Hey, Brian!"

The tall young man with lavender hair stopped. "Hey Hitomi."

"Anything interesting happening Saturday?"

"Not that I know of." Brian answered as they headed for the cafeteria. "You guys going anywhere for the holidays?"

"No."

"We're going to Grandma Valentine's." Taylor said. "But not till Christmas Eve."

"Great!" Hitomi grinned and linked arms with the both of them. "Then we'll have two weeks of fun!"

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"It would have to storm today." Hitomi stared at the window crossly.

"Oh dear." Tea murmured behind her. "I hope your dad gets home from work okay."

"He probably will." Hitomi blew out a breath and flopped down on the couch. "I'm bored! Hey Kysen! Where's your Gameboy!"

"I'm playing it!" Kysen called down from the stair landing.

"Aw, can't I play for an hour or so?"

"No! I've almost beat the boss."

Hitomi grumbled under her breath.

"Hitomi, why don't you clean your room?" Tea suggested, wiping down the dining table.

"It is clean."

Tea looked up, lips drawn. "I don't call papers and books all over your desk and clothes on the floor 'clean'." She stated. Hitomi sighed and went to the stairs. Climbing up, she muttered, "I don't see how this can get worse."

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"Why did I ask?" she mentally groaned the next day, coughing. Tea took the thermometer and looked at it.

"You have a fever." She said softly. "It's probably just a small cold. You'll be fine."

"But Mom, Tyler and I were going to the mall today." Hitomi said, her voice scratchy.

"Are you up to going?" Tea asked. Hitomi shrugged miserably.

"I wanted to go, but now I'm not so sure."

Tea sighed. "Miya can take you in her car and she can bring you back if you feel too worn out, okay?"

Hitomi nodded then stood. The room spun. Groaning she sank back down on her mess.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Tea murmured. "I'll get you some tea, okay?"

Hitomi nodded.

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"Satoshi?"

The young man turned. His mother stood in the doorway.

"You've been there for three hours."

"I just want to finish something up."

"All right, but take a breather soon."

Satoshi nodded. His mother smiled and walked away. Isis Kaiba was still an attractive woman, only a few lines of white in her other wise black hair. She still held an element of mystery, not only for her son, but for everyone else who knew her.

Satoshi sighed as he turned back to the computer and began to type.

"You have a message." The computer chirped. Satoshi clicked on the blinking icon.

Redeyes: 'u coming 2 day?'

Satoshi smiled and typed an answer.

DM1: 'Maybe. I'm working.'

Redeyes: 'you're always working. some of us have lives, y'know.'

DM1: 'Really?'

Redeyes: 'hahaha. I need an answer. ty's buggin me.

DM1: okay, I'm coming, Terry. Meet you there.

Redeyes: gr8! I knew you'd come to your senses.

DM1: Oh yes. All I want to do for the next few hours is walk around the mall.

Redeyes: lol, dude, if we weren't there, you wouldn't have a bit of fun.

DM1: Whatever. Bye

Redeyes: Cya!

Satoshi saved his program and got up. At least he would get that break he promised Mom…

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"Jingle bells! Jingle bells!" Tyler sang lightly along with the mall's recording. Terry was busy pretending not to know her when Satoshi walked up. Morgan and Remi were looking at a shop window which held collectibles, debating whether or not to go in and see if something that their mother would like was in there. Miya leaned against the wall, coolly ignoring Tyler and examining her blue polished nails. Brian was staring at a blinking sign, which pointed the way to Santa's village.

"Hitomi's not here?" Satoshi asked.

"She's sick." Miya pushed away from the wall. "A cold."

Tyler stopped singing. "I thought we should go cheer her up, but then, you know what a grump she is when she's feeling bad."

'No, I don't.' was on the tip of Satoshi's tongue when Remi announced, "We're going to KB's Toy Store. Anybody want to join us?"

"Dude yeah." Terry grinned. "They have some totally cool models there."

"I thought we were going to look at snowboards." Tyler reminded him, poking her brother in the side.

"Later, sis."

"I'm going to Barnes and Nobles." Miya said.

"I'll go with you." Satoshi said.

"I'm going to KB's, okay?" Brian turned to Miya. She nodded. The larger group went off, leaving Miya and Satoshi alone.

"It's this way. You don't mind if I stop by a costume store on the way, do you?"

Satoshi shook his head. "No, that will be fine."

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Kysen chuckled evilly to himself as he held the perfect slushball in his hands. Kasumi Taylor would be walking by his front yard any minute and then bam! He would get her right in the neck. It would be the perfect revenge for all those water balloons she had hit him with in the summer.

Kasumi walked by, six year old Monique Wheeler in tow. Kysen jumped out from his hiding place behind his mom's favorite hedge bush and readied his aim, when Kasumi spotted him.

"Santa Clause is watching you!" she warned loudly. Kysen paused. This was an angle he had not considered before. Then shrugging, he threw the slushball at Kasumi's now vulnerable back. It hit her right in the neck, slushy snow slowly going down her shirt. Kasumi gave a curious gulp and stood stock still while Monique stared with her large violet eyes.

Kysen gave out a victorious whoop and laughed out loud. "Yes! Perfect hit! I would do it again if I had the chance! That was one in a million-"

"MOUTO!!!" Kasumi screamed in anger. Kysen stopped and watched for a second, entranced by the fire breathing nine-year-old who looked ready to murder him. Kysen then made the only strategic choice he could: he turned tail and ran.

Kasumi, though the same age, was taller and had longer legs. In a few moments she had caught up to him, pushed him head first into the snow and then had stuffed a fist full of the powdery white stuff down his back. Then she had stormed away, stopping once to call him a 'pointy haired freak'. Kysen laid in the snow for a moment, then realizing he was in the Wheeler's front yard, slowly got up.

"Man," he said to the snowman next to him. "Santa's going to skip this block for years." **

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"Mom." Hitomi said, leaning against the doorway. "My sore thoart's gone."

"Well, that's good." Tea said, walking over and checking her temperature. "You're head isn't as bad as it was this morning either. I guess that nap helped."

Hitomi nodded, then sat in a chair. "Maybe I'll be better in a few days."

"Mm-mm." Tea said non-commitedly, going over to the dishes. "You feel well enough to vacuum the house real quick?"

"Uh…"

"Hitomi."

"I'm going, I'm going."

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Mai Valentine Wheeler looked up from her counter as her youngest, Monique, came in with Kasumi Taylor. Kasumi looked ready to kill something and Mai hid a smile. Only one person could get that look on Kasumi's face. It looked like Kysen Motou was up to his old tricks.

"Can I help you girls?" she asked. They were about to answer when there was a small crash in the back, then Joey spouted off some colorful words. Mai sighed, rolled her eyes and walked in the back.

"What happened now?" she asked.

"Damn thing caught my hand between it and the door." Joey looked ready to kick the box. Mai shot him a warning glare then helped him move it onto a table.

"What's in there anyways?" he asked.

"Perfume, I think." His wife answered. "And you better not have broken any."

Joey just gave a weak grin. Mai rolled her eyes again, but smiled.

"Tristan and I'll have the rest in, in a few." He told her, walking out the back door. Mai nodded and cut open the box.

"Oh Joey." She moaned as the scent of vanilla reached her nose. "You would break one."

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Satoshi looked through the CDs in Barnes and Nobles. Miya was looking at DVDs on the other side of the large room. Satoshi picked a few out he knew Hitomi would like and walked up to Miya.

"Does your sister have any of these?" he asked. Miya shook her head and turned back to the movies. Satoshi sighed and went into the book section. He was looking at a book that had photographs of Ancient Egyptian artifacts when somebody bumped into him. Turning, he smiled.

"Should watch where your going." He commented.

"Yeah." Mark Kaiba answered, brushing black bangs out of his eyes. He looked up at his tall cousin. "Aunt Isis and Uncle Seto with you?"

"No, I'm here with Miya Mouto." Satoshi answered. The fourteen year old frowned.

"That's the one you like, right?"

Satoshi felt his cheeks warm slightly. "Not exactly."

Mark shrugged. "I'm here looking for Inu-Yasha stuff. Tairyn's obsessed, no matter how she denies it."

Satoshi chuckled at the comment about Mark's older sister. "She's like that."

"Yeah." Mark shrugged again. "See ya."

Satoshi waved, then turned back to his book.

"Interesting choice of literature." A voice said behind him. Satoshi turned for a second time. A tall, slender man with pale blonde hair and violet eyes stood there. Satoshi closed the book.

"Uncle Malik." He said calmly. Malik smiled back.

"I was looking for something for your mother." He said.

"We didn't know you were in Domino." Satoshi commented, putting the book on the stand it had been on.

"Your mother probably knows." Malik said, a queer note in his voice. "I decided to come see you all for Christmas."

Father's not going to like this. Satoshi thought.

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"Mom!" Kysen hollered as he slammed the door closed. "I need to change!"

"Why?" Tea said, walking into the living room, her hands still wet from washing dishes.

"Kasumi put a bunch of snow down my back and it melted." He explained frankly. Tea sighed.

"Okay. Take your boots off; I don't need you tracking all over the carpet."

Kysen grinned, pulled off his boots and walked towards the stairs. Quickly climbing up, he changed and then headed for his room. A few minutes later, he poked his head into Hitomi's tiny attic room.

"Aha!" he cried. "So you're the culprit!"

Hitomi looked up from her seat on the bed. "I was bored."

"Give it up." Kysen demanded, holding his hand out for the gameboy. Hitomi rolled her eyes and tossed it to him. Kysen gave squeak as he caught it.

"You can't throw it around like that!" he cried. "This is a delicate piece of equipment!"

"Beat it, Blockhead." Hitomi commented, picking up an Agatha Christie from her nightstand.

Kysen stuck his tongue out at her and then quickly left the room before she could take retribution.

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Okay, that's pretty much what I have. This is where you reviewers come in! I NEED SUGGESTIONS!!! Any story ideas at all will be greatly appreciated and most likely used.

** this scene, like many of the future Kasumi/Kysen scenes, was inspired by the comic Calvin and Hobbes.