Everything

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything that has to do with the anime/manga.

Claimer: I fully own Ichidou Yachitose and her family, Mrs. Suteki Iyashii, Suteki's deceased father and mother, Ryougi, Karei, Sumizome, Komayaka Mada-Tafunesu, Ke-ki and her gang, Miss Jishi, Nenriki "Riki," Tomobito, Kurisutaru "Kuri" Susume, and Nekura Kyouran. Please don't use them in any form without my permission.

To Artemis*Obscure: My reply to your review is in the e-mail I sent you, but thanks once again for reviewing!*laughs*

To Peter Kim: Who possesses the god cards? That's a good question… Hmmm…

Iyami: She doesn't know.

Choccy: Sure I do. I just haven't thought of this before now though I certainly should've. *bonks her own head* Either way I won't be telling for awhile… Thanks a lot for reviewing!

To Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Yea, Mokuba's cool (though it seems he gets kidnapped far too often *laughs*). Sorry for the wait and thanks again for the review!

A/N: Sorry, folks, I would've updated sooner but it's been hectic with the holidays and my 14th birthday, which is today (Dec. 30th, 2003) by the way! Wahoo! *laughs* I also seem to have lost my muse, Cineris the baby phoenix. Cineris! Rissy!

Iyami: *sigh* This could take awhile… You'd lose your head if it weren't attached!

Choccy: No comment! -__- Rissy, where are you! (By the way, guys, sorry if this chapter sounds awfully strained, after all I'm muse-less at the moment.)

Iyami: Regretfully, you still have me.

Choccy: You're no help. *sigh* -_-;; Rissy!

Duel Eight: Stuck Somewhere Between a Lie & a Truth

Ichidou hopped out of her mother's car as they arrived at the entrance to her high school and said, "Thanks, 'Kaasan!"

"Alright," called Kyouko. "See you at nine thirty, right?"

"Hai! Sayonara!" Ichidou yelled and she padded towards the doorway in her golden sandals. Her okaasan waved and drove off as Ichidou greeted some of her costumed friends. Riki and Kuri were nowhere to be found yet and all around her were students in all sorts of outfits from monsters to princesses. A few of her teachers were in costume and the art teacher, who was adorned in enough make-up to cover all the partygoers' faces, wore the most extravagant attire of them all. She was covered head to toe in purple paint with a purple, yellow-dotted dress.

Ichidou's eyebrows went up at the sight and she asked Yami inwardly, "That's scary, ne?"

"Yes, but is it unexpected?" Yami inquired.

"Not with this woman," Ichidou admitted. "Oh! There's Riki… and Kuri…"

"Ooi! Ichi!" called Riki. He was decked in a pirate costume complete with a red bandana, a fake beard, and a loose black shirt.

Beside him, a hesitant air to her face, was Kuri all in black leather with blood red lips and an ebony, crimson-streaked wig. She looked thinner than usual in her attire to say the least, which was fine with Ichidou. What wasn't settling so well with her was the sneaking suspicion they were dating and had neglected to tell her. It was apparent to her in the way they stood next to each other, Kuri's slight discomfort, and the poorly disguised flush on Riki's cheeks.

"What's up, guys?" queried Ichidou, biting her lip. Inside, she was clenching her fists in anticipation of what she knew would come.

"Well, ya see, Ichidou…" Riki trailed off.

"You and Kuri are an item?" suggested Ichidou gently, a concealed flicker of hope in her eyes.

Riki appeared shocked but Kuri said, "I thought you would figure it out." She then smiled genuinely and anything Ichidou could've said against their relationship died.

Ichidou grinned back weakly and replied, "You make it pretty obvious, guys. 'Always together. 'Obviously came here together. It was easy to figure out. Besides, sooner or later the great grapevine that makes up the communication in our school makes it hard to hide stuff like that."

Riki nodded, smiled, and added, "You have a point, Ichi."

Ichidou beamed back at him, but inwardly she winced.

"Riki," said Kuri, "I want to talk to Ichidou alone for a moment, 'kay?"

"Yoshi," replied Riki, walking over to the coke machine where other guys were hanging out.

"Daijoubu ka?*" Kuri whispered to Ichidou. (A/N: I'm fairly sure Daijoubu ka=Are you all right? or all right?)

"Un*," Ichidou replied as evenly as she could muster. (A/N: Un=yeah or uh huh.)

"You didn't-I-You had a crush on Riki!" gasped Kuri.

Ichidou backpedaled a bit at the sudden accusation. She knew Kuri wasn't angry, but it still made her feel culpable. "Answer me!" Kuri pleaded.

"I-well-I-oh gomen, Kuri!" Ichidou cried out. "You know how it is! After Ryougi I guess I started to see Riki differently! It doesn't mean anything though!" she added hurriedly.

"But, Ichidou, if you want I'll-" began Kuri.

"Non!" yelped Ichidou, putting up her hands. "It's alright! I'll be fine! I swear! Besides, you have gotta tell me how you guys got together!" she continued, grinning.

"Well, you see," said Kuri, laughing. "It was the first day of school that I realized it so after that I just sort of started to hang out with him a lot more and two weeks ago he asked me out as his girlfriend!"

"Two weeks?!" Ichidou yelled in a tone of mock-hurt.

"Yea, we decided tonight we would finally let everyone know," Kuri admitted. "You're not mad?"

"Nah, you guys will always be my best furenzu," said Ichidou.

"Arigatou, Ichi," Kuri exclaimed.

************************************************************************

Weary of watching Kuri and Riki throw each other fond glances, Ichidou sat in Kyouko's automobile on the way home after the party. Yami had said little during the entire event and now declared in a firm monotone, "You lied to them."

"Nani?!" Ichidou asked the Pharaoh, startled. She was now sitting in the front passenger seat of the car and standing in Yami's soul chamber at the same time. Yami was standing before her, his violet eyes dark with a troubled expression on his face.

"You lied to Kurisutaru and Nenriki," reiterated Yami.

"What do you mean?! I didn't-"

"You told them you were all right with their…relationship and that's not true," Yami continued.

"Sure it is!" Ichidou snapped.

"It isn't."

"How would you know?!"

"I can tell."

"Oh yea?! How?!"

"By our link. It tells me your emotions."

"Humph," grumbled the ti-n'e-ja, turning away. "I'm too tired to deal with this right now."

But Yami, ever inexorable, said, "You're lying again."

"That's it!" shrieked Ichidou, twisting back towards him, her face livid. "Just shut up! I can't take this right now!" On the outside her face had gone ruby-red and it took all her strength not to scream aloud. As it was, she was biting her lip and clenching her fists. She took a deep breath and told Yami, "Fine. I lied, okay? Happy?"

Yami smirked, nonchalant and enigmatic. "Perfectly," he replied. "Now, tell me, can you tell what I'm feeling from our connection?"

Ichidou shut her eyes for a moment, searching, and reaching out with her mind. Yami shivered; it felt like the softest brush of a cool wind as their bond strengthened for a moment as Ichidou drew information from it. Then the girl's emerald eyes flew open and she stated, "Oh! I've noticed this before. By the way, right now you're feeling a bit put-upon, but otherwise you feel all right."

Yami seemed to think about this for a moment, cocking his head upwards before turning back to her and nodding. "I suppose that's correct. Now, I believe we have reached your home."

Ichidou blinked and the double settings morphed to one so that she was only in the vehicle. She peered outside to see her little cream-colored house come into view. "I picked up some ice cream while you were at the party. Want some?" asked Kyouko as they pulled into the driveway.

"Ah. What kind?" Ichidou queried as they both exited the car.

"Mint chocolate chip," replied her okaasan while they entered their small abode.

"Cool.. Yoshi!" Ichidou exclaimed, grinning.

"It'll be ready after I'm done reading this morning's paper," Kyouko said as she went into the kitchen and Ichidou descended up the stairs. When she reached the top she turned right and went into the bathroom. She grabbed a navy washcloth and turned the facet on, letting the cool water soak into the material. Then she went about the task of washing off her make-up. The thick eyeliner bled as she scrubbed and her lips gradually returned to their normal pale pink.

When she was done, Ichidou went into her bedroom and placed the Millennium Puzzle onto her bed while she slipped on soft, sky blue pajama bottoms and a matching tank top. She grabbed the Puzzle and pulled it over her neck as she left the room. She slipped back down the stairs just as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Ichidou called as she turned towards the front door. Opening it, she asked, "Konnichiha?" She nearly slammed it as she realized who was at the door. "You?! If this is another attempt to get me to give you the Puzzle then go away!" Ichidou shouted.

"Konnichiha to you too," stated Mrs. Iyashii, standing on the doormat in her usual suit. "Come now, why do you need the Puzzle? It's useless to you."

"You'd be surprised what a sixteen-year-old can do with a mystical object. Don't you watch movies?" questioned Ichidou, smirking cockily despite her reoccurring foul mood. 

"You don't get it," yelled Mrs. Iyashii. "The Puzzle is very special and this isn't some kind of dreamed up fantasy. This is real and it's dangerous in the wrong hands!"

"And you're saying I'm the wrong hands?" asked Ichidou, her voice low and venomous.

The Puzzle let out a spark of light as Ichidou's eyes changed to amethyst and her locks became blonde-streaked. "Why don't you let me be the judge of who I believe to be my proper host?" asked Yami, his tone as deadly as that of his aibou.

"Ahh, Pharaoh Yami, this is a surprise and here I thought this girl had trapped you in her greedy grasp," Mrs. Iyashii stated.

"That is enough from you about my host, Suteki," said Yami, his eyes flashing.

In her soul room, Ichidou cheered and, switching places with Yami, stuck out her tongue at Mrs. Iyashii. Then she asked their guest, "Well, I guess you have no other reason to be here then."

"Wait!" huffed Mrs. Iyashii, stopping Ichidou from shutting the door.

"Ichidou?!" called Kyouko from the kitchen. "Whose at the door?"

"Just a friend, 'Kaasan! I left something at the party!" lied Ichidou. She turned back to Mrs. Iyashii rancorously. "Oyasuminasai, Mrs. Iyashii," she said as she shut the door.

"Non! Wait!" yelped the toshima* as the ti-n'e-ja closed the door in her face. (A/N: toshima=mature woman, middle-aged woman)

Ichidou walked away, her previous bad frame of mind gone as she chuckled and smirked. Yami, shook his head slightly and sighed. He had defended his vessel, but that by no means meant Mrs. Iyashii would cease her hunt for the Millennium Puzzle. 'If anything,' thought the Pharaoh, 'it'll make her more determined.' He told Ichidou nothing of this though, preferring to keep her in a good mood for as long possible.

It was, he reasoned later, not a good idea.

In the meantime, they both had more pressing matters at hand. Kyouko was standing in the hallway a half-baffled, half-amazed look on her face. "Ichi, why does that woman want your necklace?" Ichidou's okaasan inquired, crossing her arms, to Yami and Ichidou's horror.

************************************************************************

A/N: Sorry 'bout the cliffhanger, guys! *gets whacked with various heavy objects* @_@

A/N 2: Oft! That hurt!

Iyami: Maybe you should stop it with these cliffhangers then…

Choccy: No way! ^_^ *still searching for her muse* Rissy! Where are you, Cineris?! Oh come on, it's my birthday! How can I not be inspired and lose a muse on today of all days?!

Iyami: *sigh* Here are this chapter's Japanese translations not stated within:

Yoshi= all right!, OK!

Furenzu=friends

Oyasuminasai=good night

A/N 3: Please review! Bye! ^__^ Cineris, where are you?!

Iyami: -_-;;