Chapter 3: The Girl Underneath
Alex stayed to herself during school hours; she tried to stay away from others as much as possible. She would often be found by the fence looking in her bag; sometimes it even looked like she was putting food into the bag. One day right after school she brought out a deck of Duel Monsters and started to go through them. "Hey, new girl," one of the senior boys noticed the deck and came over. Alex looked up at him, 'What now?'
"What kind of cards you got?"
"Pretty good ones, why?"
"I'll trade you my Trap Master for your Celtic Guardian, if you have one."
"Sorry, but I'm no amateur. Maybe a few little kids were fooled by you, but not me. No deal, the Celtic Guardian has about a thousand attack points over that. And besides, I already have three Trap Masters in my deck."
"Why you little . . . Think you're smart, don't ya?"
"I would like to think so, yeah."
"Let's see what we got in the bag," he grabbed her bag from the ground and started to rummage through it. "Hey, give that back!"
"Not until I find a worth while card," he kept poking until he drew back his hand, "What the- hey, what's a cat doing in your bag?"
"Give her back!" Alex got up from the ground. All the yelling attracted other passerby's and a group of three boys with Yugi in tow. The boys joined the already forming circle, "Hey Yugi, isn't that that new girl?"
"Yeah, and it looks like Leo's causing some problems," Tristin answered the question.
"What are you going to do?" Leo kept taunting Alex with her bag.
"Why I otta . . ." Alex shook her fist at the boy.
"Hey Leo, just give her back the bag and cat," Yugi stepped from the crowd.
"Well, if it isn't small, little Yugi. I've seen you've grown over the summer."
"I'll ask you again. Give it back."
"Or what?"
"Here comes Yami," Joey whispered to Tristin. But to both of their surprise Yami never showed his face or presence. It was all Yugi. "Look, I don't want to fight, I just think that you should return the bag." While Yugi was distracting Leo, Neit popped her head out from the bag and bit on Leo's arm. "Oww, you stupid cat!" Leo grabbed Neit by the neck and threw her across the concrete. "Neit!" Alex yelled as she tried to run to catch her, but she was to far away to begin with.
Just before Neit could hit the ground Yugi jumped and caught her, softening the blow for the cat. Neit opened her eyes and looked up at Yugi and gave a small meow of thanks. Yugi smiled at the cat as Neit licked him on the cheek and ran back over to Alex. Alex grabbed up Neit and hugged her. "I'm so glad you're alright," she looked at Yugi who was dusting himself off. Neit climbed up on Alex's shoulder to get a better look of things. "Thank you," Alex walked up to Yugi and helped him up.
"You're welcome," Yugi smiled at her.
"Now for that slime ball," Alex looked around for Leo, but he took off leaving her bag on the ground. She picked up her bag and told Neit to jump in. "Thanks again, even though I could have taken him. I've taken much bigger bullies down in duels," Alex slung the bag over her shoulder and took off for home.
"What's up with that girl?" Joey asked as he came up behind Yugi.
"What do you mean Joey?"
"That whole 'I could have taken him' thing. I mean, what kind of thank you is that?"
"It's better then nothing, Joey," Yugi and the others gathered their stuff and headed for Grandpa's card shop. "Wait a minute you guys. I need to go get something," Yugi ran into the school and came out about fifteen minutes later with a piece of paper in his hand. "What's that Yug?"
"Just something I wanted to get."
***
Later that day Alex was at the dinner table with her new 'parents'. They were nice people, pretty normal too. The woman, Connie, was a pediatrician and loved children, but could never have any of her own because of medical reasons. The man, Bill, was a lawyer in the firm down the road, and that is whom Alex had the most beef with. It seemed like whenever she talked he had to see it as a negative comment. Thank goodness there was Connie to balance it out. She couldn't see them as her legal guardians or parents . . . ever. No one could replace her mother. "Alex, how was school?" Connie tried to start a conversation.
"Alright, I guess."
"Alright? What did you learn today? Or did you just sit and go into your own fantasy land?" Bill asked leaning forward toward Alex.
"For your information, I learned more about Egypt in history class today," Alex sort of brightened her mood.
"That's all I hear everyday, all the time. Egypt this and Egyptians created that. It gets very tiring." Alex stood up from her chair, "Well I would show a little more respect. They invented most of the luxuries that we use today."
"Alex calm down, honey," Connie tried to get her to sit down.
"I'm sorry, Connie. But I can't take it how he tries to turn everything I say into something it isn't. The first time that I stepped through that door I've been yelled at and blamed for many things. And on top of that he took my only friend from me," Alex was talking to Connie, but stared across the table at Bill.
"A cat can't be a friend," Bill spit out before he put a spoon full of food in his mouth.
"Neit's more of a friend or civilized person then you'll ever be."
"Don't you ever show disrespect at this table!" Bill stood up from his chair.
"Then act like you deserve some, Bill!" Alex started to walk away from the table.
"Maybe we should have left you all alone in that run down apartment!"
"I would have been much happier then what I am now!"
"Don't let me catch that cat in this house!" All he could hear in response was Alex's door slamming shut at the other end of the hall. "Bill, we're trying to get her comfortable here, not unwanted."
"Well, she should think before she opens her mouth," Bill gathered their plates and started to wash. Connie got up as she heard the doorbell ring, "I'll get that."
Connie opened the door to see a young man standing before her, "Hello, how may I help you?"
"Hi, is this Alex's home?"
"We would like it to be. Who are you?"
"My name is Yugi. I go to Alex's school."
"Oh. Well, Alex is having some problems at the minute, maybe you could come by another day."
"Ok, thank you anyway." Yugi said goodbye and started to walk away. As he was walking down the street he stopped and looked at the house, 'I wonder what she meant by we would like it to be?' As he stared at the house he could see one of the windows at the side of the house was opening, with someone trying to climb out. Yugi raised an eyebrow and walked to the other side of the fence.
"Come on, Neit," Alex called to her cat as she finally made it down from her window. Neit jumped down on Alex's shoulder and brushed against her face, "Good girl. Come on, let's go."
"Sneaking out, huh?" Alex turned around and saw Yugi leaning against the wall. "You should really think about waiting after dark. It's better to go under the veil of darkness," Yugi smiled and pushed himself off the wall.
Alex snorted at him, "And what are you doing here?"
"I was thinking of trying that whole friendship thing again."
"I'm sorry, but you wasted your time," Alex walked past him and started to walk down the road.
"Hey where are you going?"
"Where ever my path leads."
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Yugi asked as he walked beside her.
"It means that wherever my feet take me is where I'm meant to be. And wherever that is, I believe that is where my mother is."
"Wasn't that your mother back there?" Yugi pointed behind them.
"Not to be rude or anything Yugi, but how is that any of your business?"
"I'm sorry if I offended you, Alex. But if you don't mind me asking what is with your whole charade of the though girl attitude?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you and your whole 'I don't need anyone' attitude. Everyone has to have friends."
"I do have friends. My mother, Neit and . . . never mind."
"No go ahead, tell me," Yugi looked at her.
"You won't believe me. No one ever does except Neit," Alex looked at Neit on her shoulder. Neit looked at her and meowed, and then jumped over onto Yugi's shoulder. "That's strange. She usually never lets anyone else near her, much less pet her, except me."
"Well, they say cats do have a great judge of character," Yugi petted Neit below the chin, and started to talk to the cat. Alex narrowed her eyes at him, thinking that she was going to find some kind of sign that he was going to laugh, or jump up and go tell the next kid that the new girl is a psycho. But she couldn't find one in his almost ruby colored eyes. "Don't worry, you can trust me," Yugi tried to reassure her.
"No offense or anything, I just don't trust many people these days. No matter how well Neit judges them," she whistled to Neit and the cat jumped back on her shoulder. She started to walk down the road again as Yugi just stared at her in disbelief.
"What happened to you?"
"What do you mean?" Alex turned back around.
"What could have happened to you that was so horrible that you shun away anyone else who wants to help you or be your friend?"
"Look," Alex walked back to him and poked him in the chest, "I've tried the whole friendship thing before myself. It never worked. Everyone saw me differently, called me names, and never let me in their circle of friends. And even when I helped a couple of them out of a jam, they didn't give me anything remotely close to a thank you. So I gave up. The only friend I had was my mother, and even she was taken from me. And then I found Neit, and she is the only one I have until I can find my mother and bring her back," she put down her finger that was poking Yugi and looked at his face which showed the mixture of confusion and sympathy for Alex.
"And just how are you going to bring her back?"
"With duel monsters. The only weapon I have, and the only thing I'm good at."
"Duel monsters? The card game?"
"The only one worth playing. The monster that took my mother from me beat me in a duel. I thought that I could win. I mean I was undefeated. I was Mandrake County's Champion. I just didn't realize that he could . . . just take her without a second thought . . ." Alex looked down at the ground and turned away from Yugi. "But what am I telling you this for? It's not like you would care."
"But I do," Alex looked back at him with a questioning stare, "Friends are suppose to care for each other."
"I told you before, I'm no one's friend. And I don't plan to be. No one to worry about, except for Neit and myself. I'm free, don't you see? I'm free to find my mother, move back to the only place that feels like home and never have to worry about leaving people behind, or worry about anyone else getting hurt . . . or taken from my life."
"Those are some chances that you have to take in life, Alex. Not just in friendships. And you'll never be free from those feelings."
"If I keep to myself, and don't trust anyone I can."
"Really? So you don't trust in me right now? Telling me all this about your mother," Alex looked at him with a face of realization, "Like it or not, I'm your friend," Yugi held out his hand for a hand shake, "And I'm not taking no for an answer." Yugi looked at her seriously with hand unmoving stretched out toward her. Alex looked at it, 'Go ahead and take it, Alex. You need a friend, no matter how much you say you don't . . . you really do,' something inside her kept telling her. Neit nudged her from the side of her face. Alex smiled, 'It seems that it's two to one.' "You'll never give up, will you?"
"Nope, I'll be as pestering as possible until you will finally give in, and you know at one point you will." Alex made a soft chuckle under breath and stepped forward.
"Well, I don't want you to waste anymore of your time," she took his hand and shook it, "You have no idea what you just got yourself into Yugi Muto."
"Is that a challenge, Alex?"
"If you take it as one," she smiled.
"Alright then, I'll make a challenge myself. Would the Mandrake County champion like to duel the Duelist Kingdom champion?"
"You lie!" they both started to walk toward Yugi's shop.
"Now would I lie to you?"
"I don't know, would you?" Yugi thought she was serious and looked at her, "I was joking, Yugi. I would love to duel you. But I warn you, I might be harder to beat then Pegasus."
"Yeah right!"
"I know I am," Alex smirked and Yugi turned to look at her, then a smirk started to grow on his face.
"Your it!" Yugi hit her on the back as Neit jumped off her shoulder and started to run with Yugi down the road. "Hey!" Alex ran after them both, "No fair, I didn't know we were racing!" Both of them were running and laughing down the road and caught the attention of two boys across the street who soon started to follow.
***
Yugi and Alex finally made it down the street to the shop where Yugi's grandfather was waiting for him. Yugi opened the door and let Alex go in before him. "Grandpa, I'm home!" Yugi put his bag down and motioned for Alex to sit down in one of the chairs in the other room. Yugi's grandpa came from one of the other rooms, "Hey Yugi. Who is this, a new friend of yours?" he asked looking at Alex. Alex smiled at him and Yugi nodded at his grandpa. "You have a nice shop, sir," Alex said looking around, "I'm really into collecting Duel Monster cards."
"That reminds me, Alex," Yugi said turning to her with a deck in his hand, "You said we would duel."
"All right, but I warned you about dueling with me," Alex took out her own deck and started to shuffle. They split each other's decks and started. Yugi's grandfather watched the two duel, each one showing their frustration. 'Why is this so hard? I've never had problems like this before,' Yugi thought.
Maybe I should take over for a while, Yugi.
'Yami, but I said that I would challenge her not you.'
How will she know?
'Fine . . . this might be a fun duel after all,' he looked over at Alex who was studying her cards trying to plan her move, 'Why is this guy so hard?'
Try looking what's around his neck, the voice inside her head was telling her. She looked up and for the first time she noticed a golden triangle with the same Egyptian eye as her bracelet printed on it. 'It's the same eye.'
Let me help you, Alex. I think I know what you are up against.
'If I do, will you tell me who you really are, because I know that you can not just be my imagination.'
Deal, Alex closed her eyes and she could feel the spirit of the bracelet almost take over, giving her the control to duel and make decisions, but she felt some power that wasn't there before. She looked across at Yugi, who seemed to have changed himself. But she dismissed it and began to duel again.
Duel after duel, each and every one came out as a draw. Neither one of them could defeat the other. At the end of the last duel Alex looked outside and noticed that the first stars of night began to show. She could fell the other spirit leave as she placed her hand down. She gathered up her cards and turned to Yugi, "I think I should be going back now."
Yugi looked up at her, "I thought you were going to find your mother."
"I will, but I have to be able to defeat you before I can challenge that monster again. And Connie might be a little worried about me." Yugi stood up and helped her with her stuff. "Come on, I'll walk you home."
They left the shop and started toward Alex's place. She climbed back through the window, not wanting to go past Bill. She looked down at Yugi, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Multiple things," Alex looked down at her hands, which looked like they belonged to someone actually nervous, "but mostly for waking me up to the realization that I just can't keep running from people. No matter how hard I try, I can't stop myself from wanting friends." She looked back at Yugi, "I can't keep myself from caring for people." She leaned over the window frame and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you." He looked up at her with bright red cheeks, "You're welcome."
"See you tomorrow in school . . . Yami." She closed the window and went to turn off the light. Yugi began to walk away touching his cheek with his hand, when he finally become conscious of something, 'Did she just call me Yami?!'