"…And I play Celtic Guardian and his attack takes your life points to zero." Yugi said with flourish and the blond across from him groaned.
Beside the short tri-color hair teen, another friend Tristan laughed.
"That's five for Yugi and zero for Joey." He told everyone around the table.
Sitting across from the brown hair Tristan sat Tea, Yugi's girlfriend of the past year. The brown hair and blue eyed girl leaned over and kissed Yugi's cheek in celebration. The blush that creeped along the King of Game's cheeks was a stark contrast to his purple eyes.
Joey sighed and gathered up his cards, his brown eyes shooting daggers at Tristan as he muttered, "Rub it in a little, why don'tcha."
At that time an elderly man resembling Yugi waddled in with a big pot of spaghetti and sat it on the table as Yugi himself gathered up his cards.
"Thanks for inviting us over, Mr. Mutou." Tea said to Yugi's grandfather. Joey went and got plates for the meal, since the deal was whoever lost the last game would set the table. As Joey set out five plates and forks for everyone Solomon replied.
"I'm happy to have you all over here. With everything that's happened…"
"Yeah," Yugi piped up. "I mean with all the duel competitions and then Ryou disappearing and the search for him, we haven't gotten a chance to sit down together like this."
"Yeah, no rest for the King and his men." Joey replied loading his plate up with food.
"Excuse me Joey, do I look like a man to you." Tea exclaimed as Tristan filled his plate up and then Yugi did his.
Joey paled seeing the fury in Tea's eyes, "No! You look girlie!"
Tristan scooped up a bit forkful of food and shoved it into Joey's mouth before he could say anymore.
What did Joey do this time? A voice inside Yugi's head inquired.
The usual, Yami. Yugi replied. Sticking his foot in his mouth.
He does do that a lot… the once Pharaoh responded wryly. Yugi laughed and began eating his dinner with his grandfather.
The evening settled down into night. Again Joey and Yugi were playing Duel monsters while everyone watched. Again Yugi won and Tea kissed him while Tristan laughed at Joey and Grandpa, as most called Mr. Mutou, gave him dueling tips.
Just as everything began settling down, there was a faint crash from downstairs and the tinkling of glass.
"Sounds like someone broke in." Grandpa exclaimed as the teenagers jumped up and headed toward the stairs. "I'll call the police."
"Nah we'll handle this." Joey said as he popped his knuckles.
Tea pulled out some mace her pocket and held it up with a grin. Not to be outdone, Yugi was enveloped in a bright light and where the short boy stood a slightly taller teen stood.
"Hey Yami, I see you're going to join us downstairs." Tristan greeted. The once pharaoh gave him a droll look.
"Are we going or are we going to stand here all night?" he inquired. The four teens went downstairs into the dark game shop where they heard voices.
"Jesus, I didn't hit'im that hard." A shadowy figure muttered. The shadow beside the other smacked the first on the head.
"Stupid, now we've prolly alerted the police by breaking dat window."
Joey chose that moment to switch on the lights, blinding the two men just inside the broken window.
"Rare Hunters." Yami growled as soon as his vision adjusted. The two darkly dressed men looked up and spotted the four stunned teens.
"Gesh it's the Pharaoh!" the first one cried. "Of all the dumb luck…"
"I'd advice you to leave immediately." Yami warned him as his third eye appeared on his forehead signally a surge of shadow powers within him. The two men slowly backed then stumbled over the windowpane.
"That kid ain't worth messing with him over!" the second one cried before they both took off running into the night.
Joey and Tristan went down and watched them leave while Tea picked over the destroyed shop and turned over shelves.
"I wonder who they meant by when they said kid." She asked only to be answered by a groan from under one of the shelves.
Tristan, Joey and Yami turned over the shelf to reveal an unconscious girl with red and black hair…Tanith.
Tea went down and checked her pulse, "She's alive…surprisingly. She must have gone straight through the window all the way into the shelf."
Tristan and Joey bent down beside her and Joey poked her with his finger.
"Wonder how she got out without a mark on 'er." He asked as Tristan lifted her up into his arms.
"Let's take her upstairs and wait until she wakes up." Yami told them. "Then we can ask."
As Tristan carried Tanith upstairs followed by the others, the unconscious girl began to stir. First she moaned and then she began shifting in between consciousness.
"Have to…get away." She said as she was laid down on the living room couch. "They'll find…" Tanith passed out then moments later as Grandpa went and got a cool wash cloth to place over her forehead. When he returned and placed the cloth on her Tanith woke again, her blue eyes cloudy.
"Had to protect…" she softly said and began struggling to get up. Tanith had to be held down by Tea and Grandpa.
"You're safe young lady." He told her and she frowned but laid back.
"The Ring isn't…what? Okay 'Kura…" and with that Tanith passed out and stayed out.
"I wonder what that was all about?" Grandpa inquired frowning alongside everyone else. He shrugged and said as he walked out of sight, "I better get some blankets and pillows for everyone."
"Did she say what I think she said?" Tea asked incredulous.
Joey and Tristan looked down at the girl and spotted what they missed looking at her before. Laying in plain sight to everyone was the Millennium Ring.
Yami carefully picked it up, "Looks like this girl has a few things to answer to."
Meanwhile inside the psyche of Tanith sat a room draped in burgundy silk and shadows. Inside the room a table was set for two lit only by two candles sitting in between the only two occupants.
"Nice soul room you have here Tanith," Bakura said as he ran his fingers over the flames of the candles. "Very similar to my own."
Tanith smiled and watched as the flames danced over the yami's fingers. She reached out and took his hand, drawing it towards her.
"I'm glad you like." She told him. "So…are you going to explain it to me."
"Explain what?"
"When those Rare Hunters began beating me up, why you took over."
Bakura was silent and then shot back, "Are you going to explain why you pulled me back and then shielded me when I was about to get hurt."
Tanith smiled, "I told you already, I had to protect you. I'm your hitokage, remember? What happens to you effects me also…" she paused and ducked her head "And I didn't want you to get hurt…"
"Same here." He revealed, "When those goons barged into your game with Malik, I knew they would hurt you…."
Tanith laughed, "So you switched places with me, summoned up Change of Heart and flew us outta there. Oh Ra, the look on Malik's face was classic "
Bakura chuckled, "Yes it was interesting to see. Especially when the card gave him the bird… that being your influence."
Tanith only giggled and notice Bakura frowning, "What's up? Something buggin' ya?"
"Malik's face when his slaves barged into our game." He replied. "He was as surprised as you when they came in."
She shrugged, "Fine day to forget that detector of mine."
"Yes but why would he be surprised, Tanith Lee. He rules over them…"
Tanith frowned, "Yeah that is an interesting observation, King of Bandits."
Bakura chuckled and shook his head, "It isn't nice to pry inside a yami's head."
"I'm not a nice person." She retorted with a smile. Bakura chuckled again and stretched back in the chair causing his shoulder and back to crack.
"Ugh, I feel like an old man with my bones cracking like that."
Tanith giggled, "You are an old man."
He shook his finger at her and leaned over the table at her, "Tisk tisk, we must show some mercy to elders."
She took leaned over and was eye to eye to him, "Not to you. Never."
Bakura and her chuckled in union and began getting closer until…
Tanith awoke to hammering.
She cracked her eyes open and silently took in her surroundings. She lay on a cot next to the cash counter. Boxes labeled: Turtle Game shop sat on the floor next to her full of glossy Duel Monster cards that once littered the shop's floor. Across from her stood three boys: Tristan and Joey held up the large plywood while Yugi while standing on a chair, nailed it to cover the broken window she and Bakura sailed through.
Bakura, you said these people were safe. Who are they? Tanith asked using their link as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
They're friends of Ryou. The short one is Yugi, he like you, holds a Millennium Item with a spirit inside. His Puzzle holds the spirit of a Pharaoh known only as Yami. Bakura began. The blond is Joey and the dark hair one is Tristan. They are the Pharaoh and Yugi's friends.
I remember a girl with them, who's she?
That would be Tea, Yugi's little cheerleader. He told her. Although by now they ought to be an item. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they were.
"Hey you're up!" Yugi exclaimed finally taking notice Tanith was awaken and sitting up. He finished up nailing the board and followed his friends over to her.
"You feel up for some food." Yugi asked. "My grandpa cooks a mean omelet.
You make me ill, Bakura snapped while Tanith forced a smile, when she really wanted to laugh, and said "Sure! I love omelets!"
Yugi led Tanith upstairs, surprised she was able to walk after what occurred last night but when questioned about it as she sat down at the table next to Tea, she just smiled and winked at him.
"So what's your name?" Tea asked as she munched on a piece of toast and Tanith's omelet was served. Instead of replying the teen began gobbling down her food and gulped down the glass of milk Yugi had just sat down.
"Your Tea, he's Yugi and I'm Tanith." She finally said once she was finished and Grandpa was out of earshot. "Current host for the Bandit King Bakura and the Millennium Ring."
Yugi and Tea's eyes nearly bugged out. Tanith merely looked at them bored.
"Listen Bakura's told me all about you while we were out. Oh, are you two a couple yet… Bakura was curious."
I was not, he argued as Yugi sputtered a reply.
"Uh yeah…"
Tanith smiled, "Good, I bet you're real curious about me and how I got a hold of Ryou's Ring."
"Yes, very." Tea replied. Tanith smiled again.
"I'll tell you everything about me once Joey and Tristan get up here. They'll certainly want to hear this."
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