Chapter 4: School Run-ins

As Yugi walked away he tried to piece together how she knew about Yami, or tried to find out if he just misheard her.  Then out from another bush, who else but Tristin and Joey climb out with huge smiles on their faces.  "So . . . ?" Joey nudged Yugi in the arm.

"Where did you guys come from?" Yugi looked at him.

"Aren't you going to tell us how you did it?"

"Did what?" Yugi sighed, realizing that they weren't going o answer his question.

"How you got her to actually be human and socialize."

"She was human to begin with, Joey.  She just didn't have any friends other then her mother."

"And . . ." Tristin dragged on.

"What?!" Yugi asked annoyed.

"How was the kiss?"

"You guys were watching!" Yugi stopped in his tracks and looked at the other two with both embarrassment and fury in his eyes.

"Ever since you two walked into the card shop," Joey put his hand on Yugi's shoulder.  "Why you two . . ." Joey removed his hand and hinted to Tristin to be ready to run.  "I'm going to get you!" Yugi chased after them down the street.  Joey looked back at his friend over his shoulder, "Does this mean that she's free, Yugi?"  All three of them were laughing as the two tried to keep a good amount of distance between them and Yugi.

***

The next day at school Alex had a brighter look on everything, even though she did get a good talk to from Bill.  She winced as she remembered all the things that were said, 'I'm so grateful that I know how to block things out.'  She also remembered what happened when she went to sleep.  She began to dream.

**Dream Sequence (A/N: Title of another one of my fics.  Sorry, just had to add that in there.)**

'Who are you?'

My name is Amunet.  I'm the other presence you feel in the millennium bracelet.

'Millennium bracelet?'

Yes, it is one of the most powerful weapons of ancient Egyptian times.  And I was its keeper.  When you put the bracelet on you awoke my spirit.

'You are the one who helps me through my duels . . . and through my hard times.  And I thank you for that.'

I still feel partly to blame for your mother.  I'm sorry, I should have helped more.  I know the game of duel monsters very well, I could have done something more.  I could have-

'It was no one's fault.  I just have to get her back.  And I will get her back.'

Alex, you have to understand something very important.  You cannot let that man get a hold of the bracelet.  If it falls into the wrong hands it-

'Could destroy the world.'

How did you know?

'I watch way too much TV and action movies for my age.  And that's how it usually goes.  Good guys have some kind of out of control power; and if it falls into the hands of the bad guys the world will be destroyed.  The usual, except I never pictured me as one of the good guys.'

So you must understand the seriousness of the situation.  It must not fall into the wrong hands or the consequences may be astronomical.  And you will probably get mad at me for saying this, but your mother was worth the risk for the bracelet.  I knew that in your heart you would have given the bracelet for your mother in a heartbeat if you could.  I'm sorry you were the one to awaken me; you have lost so much when you didn't even ask for any of this.

'Hey, all girls need adventure in their lives.  Most have boyfriends, and this is just the thing to fill the empty space that would normally be filled by a personal relationship.'

Well, it might be filled by something or, should I say someone, soon enough.

'Your talking about Yugi aren't you?'

I'm not talking about anything more than a boy who showed you some compassion tonight, and tried to become your friend when you didn't even really deserve it.  Nothing more and nothing less.

'I know I didn't, but it's strange.  He is different from others. . . . . Why did you call Yugi, Yami when he left tonight?  I've never heard that name before.  It felt strange coming off my tongue.'

Yami is the spirit in Yugi's millennium piece.  The puzzle around his neck with the eye printed on it once belonged to Yami.  It seems that when my soul was placed in the millennium bracelet piece, Yami's was sealed in the puzzle.

'Who was Yami?'

He was the pharaoh in my time.  The greatest pharaoh that has ever lived in all the times of Egypt, no other ruler was or could ever be a greater leader.

'I guess that you liked him.'

How do you guess that?

'The way you talk about him, and the way your voice contained that tone of excitement when you asked me to let you duel with me.  You knew it was him and you were excited.  Classic signs.'

You are very intelligent for your age, Alex.

'So I take that as a yes?'

We were . . . I should let you sleep.  Goodnight Alex.

'Amunet!  Hey, answer my question!  Dang you.  Goodnight Amunet.'

** End Dream Sequence **

            Alex walked slowly toward the main building as she looked at the new cards that she bought yesterday from Yugi's card shop.  There were some pretty good magic cards and a very good monster card.  As she walked in through the door, she didn't notice anyone on the other side as she shoved it open.  "Ow!" she looked down at the person she hit with the door.  It was none other then Yugi staring at her from the floor, "Yugi!  I'm so sorry!  I didn't see you!"

Yugi rubbed the side of his head and looked at Alex, "It is alright, I should have known it was you from how hard the door hit my head."

"I'm so sorry, are you alright?  Let me see," Alex moved his hand away from his head and looked at the spot where the door hit.  Yugi bent his head forward so she could get a better look and blushed from the distance between them.

"Ah, he'll be alright," Alex turned to see two other boys coming down the hall toward them, "He's been through much worse situations.  But I have a really bad case of crushing . . . on you."

"Did you come up with that pick up line by yourself, or did you take it off the dead guy that tried the same line on me?"  Alex crossed her arms over her chest.  Yugi began to laugh at the expression on his friend's face.  "Alex, these are my friends: Joey and Tristin.  They have been by my side through thick and thin."  Alex held out her hand, "Yugi said the best thing to do is to get out there and meet new people.  And who ever is a friend to Yugi must have a good heart."

"Does this mean we have a date?" Joey asked holding her one hand in both of his.

"Not in this lifetime," Alex said as she retracted her hand from his grasp.  Tristin put a hand on Joey's shoulder, "Tough break, man."  Joey held his head down in defeat.  Alex turned to Yugi and showed him the new monster card she got out from the pack.  "Very nice, Alex.  Harpy's brother, attack points of eighteen hundred."

            "Did somebody say something about harpies?"

            "Mai, is that you?" Joey lifted his head and turned toward the voice.

"Think about it, Joey.  Who else would have my voice?"

"What are you doing here, Mai?" Yugi asked over by Alex.

"Oh, I had to come here because of my mother.  She's working here, great times," Mai looked over at Alex, "And who is this?  A new member of the group?"

"This is Alex.  She just transferred here from another town.  She is great at duel monsters."

"Oh, really?  Up for a duel, newbie?"

"Not right now, but I'll keep the challenge in mind, Mai," Alex said to Mai.  They all started to talk about different things, until the bell rang for class to start in ten minutes.  "Come on you guys, home room time," Tristin said as he led the way to class.

"Um, Joey.  Can I talk to you for a minute?" Mai yanked on one of his sleeves.

"Sure Mai, what's up?"

Alex and the others made it into the room and waited for Joey who made it in the room just before the bell rang.  He was kind of staggering and finally made his way to his seat next to Tristin after tripping over a couple of bags on the ground.  "Hey, you alright man?" Tristin asked concerned about his bud.

"Yeah, never better," Joey said somewhat out of it and staring at the ceiling.  Yugi and Tristin looked at each other confused, but Alex knew what just happened and snickered under her breath.  She could see Mai walk by the classroom door and wink at her as she passed by.  Alex winked back, because she was pretty much the only one that knew what had happened.  "What do you think is up with Joey, Alex?" Yugi asked turning back to her.

"I think that he will tell when he is ready. . . . Although, you should never kiss and tell . . ."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Oh, you'll figure it out soon enough."

***

On her way home Alex walked alone.  The group had to stay behind and help Joey walk home, but Alex had to go a completely different way and Bill would be on her tail if she got home late.  Before she left Yugi caught her by the arm and asked if he could talk later, she said yes and he whispered something to her.  Her spine tingled as his lips brushed against her ear, 'What am I thinking?!' she yelled at herself.  He finally figured it out and whispered in her ear what he thought really went on when Mai took Yugi to the side.  Alex nodded and walked away, leaving behind a stunned and partly disturbed Yugi.

Alex cut through a little playground on her way back to the house, when a few girls jumped off the swings and into her way.  All three of them were blonds and Alex could tell that it would be trouble.  "So, you're the new girl," the one in the middle said, "My name is Millie.  And their names are Ashley."

"Both of them?"

"Yup.  I heard that my boyfriend Leo tried to trade, but you didn't want to," all three of the blonds circled Alex.

"Yeah, and let me guess you want to beat me up because of it right?"

"Well, not just for that.  You've also have to get a major makeover, I mean-"

"That hair does not go with that outfit.  That's what you were going to say right?  I get enough of that where I came from."

"Well, you should know better then, shouldn't you?"  Alex looked at them, "That's pretty sad of your boyfriend."

"What is?"

"Making his girlfriend fight his fights.  I mean, how big of a wuss do you need to be?"  Millie ran forward and was about to punch her in the face when Alex blocked her fist with her hand.  Millie grabbed her fist back, "Ow!  How did you block that?"

"Very easily, I just put up my hand."  Millie tried it again and again, but nothing touched Alex.  "Look, I need to get home.  If you're done I would like to go."

"I'm not done with you yet, Alex!"

"Too bad, I gotta go."  Millie just started to throw a tantrum and started to run out of the playground.  The two Ashleys followed her out of the playground.  "Well, that wasn't much of a payback," a voice came from behind Alex.

"What the?  Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me, Alex?"  Alex looked at the man before her in a black cloak.  "It's you.  What do you want?"

"The bracelet."

"I told you before; I'm not giving it to you. And just to tell you, I'm going to get back my mother."

"And just how are you going to do that?" The man asked half laughing.

"Believe me, when the time comes, I'll get her back.  No worries."

The man stopped his laughing and lunged toward Alex.  He held both of her arms in his grasp and started to shake her.  "Give me the bracelet or you will be sorry."

"I'm already sorry for even giving you the chance of coming into my life!" Alex kicked him where the sun don't shine and jumped off of his chest on onto the ground.  She looked up from her crouching position at the man.  "Leave me alone," she said between gritted teeth.  "As soon as you give me the bracelet," the man hit her in the face, apparently, unaffected by her kicks.  She fell to the ground and rolled to her side as she saw his foot coming toward her throat.  He caught her when she rolled back and kicked her under the swings.  'Don't let him get the bracelet, Alex,' Amunet called from the back of her mind.

'I know, but I can't fight him off for long,' she looked up at the man as he stepped over her.  From above his head Neit showed her head and began scratching at his face.  "Neit!" Alex jumped up and grabbed Neit off his face and began to run.  "No you don't!" He caught her by the ankles and dragged her down.  "Leave me alone!  Just leave me alone . . ."

"Alex!" she picked her head up and saw Yugi on the other side of the clearing.  "Yugi!  Get out of here!"  She kicked the guy in the chin and dragged herself out to a place where she could run.  She ran over to Yugi, grabbing her bag on the way.  "Just run," she grabbed his hand and ran with him out of the playground with Neit in her other arm.

They ran through the wooded area surrounding the playground, "I think that he's gone."

"Who was that?"

"Oh, you mean me?" the man stepped out from the bushes in front of them.  Alex's eyes grew huge and Yugi stepped in front of her.  "Yugi, just get out of here.  I don't want you to get hurt.  Please, just run."

"I'm not leaving you to this monster," Yugi had a different voice, and Alex saw that he looked different; his whole presence seemed to change drastically.  It looked like he made the change he made when they were dueling.

"Monster?  You don't know the half of it."  The man hit him up against the side of a nearby tree.  Yugi slid down the tree with pain showing in your face.  "Yugi!  Don't hurt him!"  The man just walked over to the young boy, held him up by the collar and started to hit him in the face and gut.  Alex didn't know what to do, until she felt a warm sensation on her wrist.  She looked down and saw the bracelet start to glow once again.  She closed her eyes and felt the light and warmth grow to surround her body.

When she opened her eyes again she was floating above the ground, and her whole body was surrounded by a white, almost blinding light.  Her black tube top and blue cargo pants were transformed into a long white gown that looked like it was from the Egyptian era (duh!).  The man stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.  She picked up her head and looked over at the man then her eyes shifted and looked at Yugi.  Yugi (Now Yami, if anyone was confused) opened his eyes slightly and looked up at her, "Amunet."  Blood trickled from the side of his mouth as he watched her step toward them.

The man dropped the boy and started to back up, "There is no way that you can be in control of the bracelet yet.  It's just too soon."  He watched as she made her way over to the fallen boy.  She kneeled down on her knees and brushed the side of the boy's cheek, "My lord, Pharaoh Yami."  He smiled up at her; she returned the smile and kissed him on the forehead.  Light came from her touch and the boy lying on the ground was healed.  She looked up at the man in the dark cloak, his eyes filled with terror and turned and ran.

She tried to stand back up, but fell as soon as she did so.  Yami caught her before she reached the ground.  The soft glow of white light soon faded and she was back to normal.  "I knew I sensed your presence, Amunet," Yami bent over and kissed the girl on the nose.  Yugi's millennium puzzle glowed a little and he too was soon back to normal.  He picked Alex up, "Alex, wake up.  I guess that drained you."  She fluttered her eyes open, "Yugi?  What happened?"

"You tell me."  Alex stood up by herself and looked around.  "Where's Neit?"  Yugi looked around and saw no sign of the cat.  "Oh no, not Neit.  Neit!  Neit, where are you?"  She looked around frantically, until she heard a faint meow coming from her bag.  She took the cat in her arms, "Oh thank God.  Where is he?"

"He took off.  That thing you did, you-"

"I gotta go home, Yugi."

"Aren't you going to tell me what you just did?"

"I don't think I can tell you just now.  I don't even think I can tell myself."  Alex put Neit back in her bag and started to walk toward the direction of her house.  He put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll walk you home."  She smiled at him and they made their way to her home.

***

"You got mugged!" Bill shouted at Alex.  Connie was  holding her by the arms, "Bill, she does not need you yelling at her.  She was just beaten, and if she didn't know self defense she could have been raped!  Please, just leave her be!"

"It doesn't matter, Connie.  They never listen to that plea anyway," Alex walked to the hall and walked into her room.

"My goodness, Bill!  She was just mugged!  She doesn't need you yelling in her face about it!"

"She should know better!  She's smart enough!" he stormed out of the room.

"Just what is the problem with her, Bill?  Why do you treat her like a criminal?  She is only a teenager!  She has enough problems!"  Bill said nothing; he just walked outside and down the street.

***

"Just what is his problem, Neit?" Alex asked staring up at her ceiling.  The cat was cleaning herself up on top of Alex's dresser and meowed in response.  "I don't understand why he treats me like I don't deserve to even live.  I just don't understand."  Alex rolled over on her side and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes she heard a few clicks on her window.  She looked over at the window where Neit was already perched.  She walked over, opened the window, and looked out.  "Hello?"

"Alex, you alright?" Yugi stepped out from the side of the fence.  "I'm alive," she responded.  Bruises were starting to form on her ribs and arms, but she didn't tell that to Yugi.  She didn't want him to worry.  "Well, that tells me a lot.  Can you take a walk with me, to talk?"  Alex leaned out the window and looked up at the sky, "It's after nightfall."

"I know, I just want to talk with you.  I doubt that the man of the house would let me in.  He seemed pretty steamed going back into the house."

"You should hear him," Alex slid out from the window and whistled for Neit to follow.  Neit just stood on the dresser and waved her paw as to tell Alex to go on without her.  "Alright, suit yourself," Alex shrugged her shoulders.

"Did Neit just wave at you?"

"Yup, she does that when she gets lazy to say she doesn't want to go.  What did you want to talk about?"

"Um, well . . . I didn't actually want to talk."

"Really, then who did?"

"Yami."  Alex froze in her tracks, "Did you just say Yami?"

"Yeah.  I think that you have an entity with in you that Yami knows.  And he wants to talk to her."

"You know about Amunet?"

"Well, Yami does, but I'm one of the only people he talks to.  So, I guess you can say I do."

"How are they going to talk?"

"Through us," Yugi stood back away from Alex and she could feel a different presence take his place.  The boy came up to her, "My name is Yami.  May I please talk with Amunet?  We have much to discuss."

Alex looked at him and then smiled, "I'll try."  Alex closed her eyes and concentrated, and soon enough she could feel Amunet take over.  'Good luck, lover girl,' Alex said in the back of their mind.  Amunet opened her eyes and smiled at Yami.  "Hello Yami."  He smiled at her and took her hand.

This time her clothes stayed the same, and no light surrounded her body.  They walked down a street and into a park where they walked along the long paths.  "You know, I've been looking for you in all of the other millennium pieces.  But you were not in any of them."

"You can say that I've been sleeping.  Alex was the first one to put the bracelet on," Amunet lowered her eyes, "I've missed you, Yami."  He stopped and looked at her, "Amunet?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "I've missed you so much."  She jumped into his arms and held on tightly to him, "I thought that we would never see each other again."

"That can't be possible.  We're soul mates; we can never be torn apart.  And I guess we're the ultimate proof."  She laughed lightly into his chest, "You could never let me have a straight face."

"I've missed you too, Amunet.  But I never gave up hope that we would one day be together again."  He looked down at her as she raised her head up to see his face.  He leaned down slowly and kissed her on the lips.  She hugged him tighter as they acted as they would never let each other go.  They soon had to part, and began walking again, "You know what my other half is up against?"

"Yes, and I will help anyway I can.  Both I and Yugi."

"That boy means a lot to Alex.  You do realize that don't you?  He is the first one that she has told her secrets to."

"And vice versa.  She is a great deal to Yugi, and he won't let her just drop out of his life by any means.  I believe for the first time in his life he is finding out what love may truly mean."  Amunet smiled at him, "Do you remember our first kiss?"

"How could I not?  We could have both been caught out in front of the fountain like that."

"I know, but it was worth it don't you think?"

"Yes, it was," he raised his head as he heard some noises from the corner ahead, "And speaking of first kisses."  He walked a little closer and from out of the corner came both Joey and Mai, hand in hand and giving each other little kisses on the other's ear.  "Joey?"

"Yami!  What a surprise!"  Joey looked over at Amunet, "What a surprise indeed."