The four boys and one girl walked silently along the path, Malik was supporting Ryou who was walking with a slight limp, but other than that things seemed pretty normal. The stopped outside of the Game Shop and Yuugi's grandfather came out to meet them. "Hello everyone," he said warm and they bowed in the typical Japanese greeting.

Suddenly Anzu glanced at her watch and gasped, "Sorry guys, I'm late, got to go, bye," she grinned and then dashed off further down the street.

"Where's she off to in such a hurry?" Yuugi asked, sliding off Jou's back and heading into the game shop with the other three boys and his grandfather.

"Her date," Malik replied grinning like a mad man as though he found this funny.

"Who is she with?" Ryou asked sitting down on a large wooden stool in the Game Shop kitchen.

"Ryuuji Otogi, or something like that, you know, the one who invented Dungeon Dice monsters," Malik explained and both Ryou's eyes and Yuugi's went wide.

"You do have the high and mighty at your school don't you?" Yuugi asked and Jou snickered.

"Well, almost Yuge, you've still got Seto Kaiba," Jou winked and Yuugi eyed him suspiciously.

"Jou, you don't happen to like that stuck up brat do you?" Yuugi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um," Jou's cheeks turned slightly pink before he shook his head, making his already messy hair get even worse, "no." However, the tone that managed to worm its way into Jou's voice at that point was anything but convincing.

"Jou, you're blushing, I know you like him," Yuugi teased and Jou went redder before burying his face in his folded arms on the cool kitchen table.

"Oh by Ra," Malik started and then cracked up laughing; Ryou just tried to keep a straight face but couldn't keep his lips from curving up at the edges.

---Anzu---

The brown haired female was almost at her destination, a small, roadside café that Ryuuji had said to meet him at. Suddenly she stopped, "Could you please move out of my way?" she asked, trying to side step the figure in front of her.

"No, I want to talk to you about earlier," the person said, form the voice Anzu could tell it was a woman, and then she recognised her. It was the blonde girl from before!

"What do you want, I'm late for a prier engagement," Anzu huffed but the girl still blocker her way.

"I'm Mai Kujaku and your Anzu, am I right?" she asked as though she hadn't heard Anzu's previous answer.

"What's it to you if I am?" Anzu spat, she was really getting angry now, she wanted to get to her date but this, Mai, kept delaying her.

"I just wanted to ask why you hate me, I mean, I'm beautiful, rich and popular, I mean what-," she was forced to stop there when Anzu interrupted her.

"That's where you're wrong, you are not popular," Anzu protested and Mai looked shocked.

"That's not what the rest of Domino High thinks," Mai sneered, now she was getting annoyed.

"Only because they're too scared too say otherwise," Anzu retorted returning to a cool and composed state. Mai only opened her mouth and closed it again, she hated having to admit it…but Anzu was right. Giving Mai one last glare Anzu turned sharply on her heel and stormed off to meet with Ryuuji.

---Ryuuji---

Glancing at his wrist watch he sighed and watched amusedly as his breath clouded before him in the cold air. He wondered were Anzu was, she was somewhat late and he new her habitual tardiness. "I wonder…I just hope Ryou and Yuugi didn't get themselves into trouble again," Yuugi sighed, "I wish they could come to Hoshi but they can't afford it, oh well."

He looked up once more ad grinned when he saw the oh-so-familiar brunette making her way towards him, she was waving and called to him, "Hey Ryuuji-kun." She slowed to a halt beside him, gasping for air and bending her knees, one hand on his shoulder, "Sorry I'm late, if you want we can go now."

"Yuugi and Ryou again huh?" he asked smiling, not minding her being late at all, she smiled sheepishly and then winked and saluted him with her free hand.

---Kame Game Shop---

"So guys, do you want to go the arcade?" Malik asked looking around at the other three boys; they had all been doing their homework in Yuugi's room.

"Yeh sure, I mean, why not?" Ryou commented stretching his arms up above his head, his pencil still clutched in his right hand.

"I'm up for it," Yuugi replied, rolling his shoulder a bit, it was beginning to ache form the 2 page long essay he still hadn't finished and his writing was tiny. "I can always finish this essay tomorrow night, it's not due till Friday anyway," he grinned and turned to question Jou about the matter but found his friend snoozing on the desk, foaming slightly at the mouth.

"Jou, wake up," Yuugi said shaking him, Jou's unconscious body just gave a derisive snore and he didn't wake.

"Come on Jou, we're going to the arcade," Ryou reasoned but the blonde boy still wouldn't wake up.

"Here let me try," Malik said softly pushing the other two out of the way, "Jou, pizza's here," Malik grinned as Jou leapt up from his seat. Or at least, he tried to, his feet got tangle din the chair legs and he managed to topple over the back of the chair into Malik who just about caught him.

Jou grinned up at Malik, "Sorry bout that, so where's the pizza," at this they all laughed, and catching on, after a smell of the air, Jou did to.

"You're such a food addict Jou," Yuugi said pulling his second best friend to his feet and leading the way out of the door.

---Mai---

After her little 'pep talk' with Anzu, Mai had been wondering around town aimlessly in silent contemplation over her new realisation that she wasn't popular, but feared. "Oh well," she sighed and looked up from the shop window she had been peering into though not really taking in what was on display. "Hey guys," she called seeing Bakura and Mariku making their way towards her, she waved and they nodded towards her. "Where you off to?" she asked realising that Yami and Seto weren't with them.

"Bakura wants to get drunk and forget about that embarrassing incident with Anzu," Mariku said snickering behind his hand while Bakura glared feebly across at him.

Mai shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Oh for goodness sakes," with that she continued making her way towards the small apartment that was her home.

As she made her way there she wondered to herself, "I wonder where Yami and Seto are," she thought for a moment as she fumbled for the key in her pocket to open the door she stood in front of, "probably duelling."

---The Arcade---

Mai had been right; Seto and Yami were duelling using Kaiba's latest Duel Disk, they were doing it in the small space reserved for this kind of stuff at the back of the arcade. Seto had a mere 500 life points remaining with two Blue Eyes White Dragons on the field. Yami had 700 life points, Koribo, Black Magician and Black magician Girl on the field.

Yuugi, Jou, Malik and Ryou had arrived some time in the middle of the Duel and had front row seats. Well, there weren't actually any seats but they were at the front and got the best view of the Duel.

"Blue Eyes, attack his Black Magician with your white lightning," Seto called out and the huge, holographic mind you, dragon shot a white beam with blue lightning crackling around it at the Black Magician.

Yami chuckled as his Magician was sent to the graveyard, "Kaiba, by doing that you've given my Black Magician Girl 300 extra attack points."

"She's still not strong enough to pick off even one of my Dragons," Seto called back smirking.

"Now, I'll play the magic card, Book of Secret Arts which gives my Bark Magician Girl an extra 500 attack points," Yami replied placing the card in the disk on his wrist, "now Black Magician Girl, attack his Blue Eyes." The Spell Caster nodded and aimed her wand at one of Kaiba's Blue eyes and fired her attack, it hit but because they were of even points both monsters were destroyed.

"You fool," Kaiba called at Yami, smirking still, "you've destroyed both monsters and your Koribo is no match for my Dragon, in my nest turn I'll destroy it and wipe out the rest of your life points."

"There'll be no next turn for you Kaiba," Yami replied and laid down a new card, "Monster Reborn, bring back, blue Eyes White Dragon."

"No," Seto cried but Yami grinned.

"Oh yes Kaiba, you're going down, Blue Eyes attack!" and with that, Kaiba's second Bleu eyes was destroyed along with the rest of his life points.

"I lost again, but I will beet you Yami," Seto replied smirking.

Yami just grinned, "Does anyone from the crowd want to challenge me?" he called out and Malik and Jou both nudged Yuugi in the back.

He looked at them and recognised the look in both their eyes, Ryou was also giving him that look, "Oh no guys, not me, I don't want that humiliation."

"Oh come off it Yuugi, you've got one of the best decks in Duel Monsters, you could at least try," Jou said.

"Yeh, Yami's just a load of talk Yuugi," Ryou added giving Yuugi an encouraging smile.

Yuugi turned pleading eyes to Malik, hoping he didn't agree but Malik shook his head and said, "I agree with them Yuugi, sorry little guy."

"Oh alright," Yuugi replied, he sighed and then stepped forward towards Yami.

"Well, well, well…" Yami trailed off.

Well, it took a long time but it's finally here. Please be kind and review! ^_^