Night fell on the first day of dueling and the combatants returned home. All around, people were buzzing about who had won and who had been kicked out.

Seto smiled as he looked over Tea and Raia's key pieces as they walked home. "Raia, Tea is already beating you!"

"Well, it's not my fault! I was watching Joey duel. I only had one time to challenge someone."

Seto chided her. "Tea managed to watch me beat some twerp, and beeat Mako and some over guy using a beatdown."

"Ah..but I took on some tough competition!"

Tea looked at Seto. "Seto, leave her alone, she's your sister!" Seto nodded, and Raia gritted her teeth. She didn't need her brother's girlfriend standing up for her. "See you guys tomorrow!" Tea shouted as she ran down the street to her house. Seto waved, then frowned.

Mokuba chuckled. "I don't think I've seen you smile so much in my life!"

"I know, it's hurt...hey!"

****

Yugi looked over at his one Key Piece. After that battle with Galanodel, Yami had been strangely quiet, and Yugi had just watched Raia and others duel. He had witnessed Pegasus lay the smackdown on some little upstart with a hand disruption deck. HE also saw Guy use his Chaos Soldier to destroy some kid with a bunch of monsters mixed in.

But he was worried about Yami. He had been quiet..and so silent. The spirit had just remained in the puzzle.

"Yami."

The pharaoh appeared, sitting on Yugi's bed. "Yes?"

His friend sat down next to him. "How are you?"

"Shaken."

Yugi sighed. "Listen, Gala just got the drop on us. If we play right, we can take her down."

"Yugi."

"We'll track her down, bet all of our pieces, and take her d.."

"YUGI!"

Yugi looked at the spirit as it smiled sadly. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not shook up because she beat me."

Yugi looked at his friend, his "big brother" if you would, with confusion. "Then..why are you?"

".I'm shook up because I'm attracted to her."

****

Gneo couldn't hide his smile. "It's the first day of the tournament, and we are already in!"

Michelle nodded from the couch of their lush motel. Geno and Gala had both made some side bets on theirs and a few other duels, and won big, getting them enough cash to last them until Geno or her won the tourney and got back that fat bank account. "It feels good, doesn't it? So, who did you beat?"

"Two no names and Mai Valentine."

Michelle raised an eyebrow. "That girl that Joey Wheeler liked? Oh man, I wish I could have seen that!"

Geno chuckled. "And you?"

Michelle shifted in her seat. "Uh...so, what should we do tomorrow?"

"Michelle?"

She sighed. "Does it matter?"

Geno leaned close to her. "Michelle, don't hide things from me." He sat down next to her. "How long have we known each other?"

"Over 4 months."

"And in that time, you earned my trust." She looked at him. "Trust me."

She sighed. "I.I dueled 2 no names and Yugi Moto."

Geno looked at her, and smiled. "And kicked the pharaoh's ass?"

Michelle smiled. "Oh yea."

Geno got up. "Then in the morning we go celebrate! We get some new cards, maybe a nice meal.all good fun. Now, I have to go make reservations for a nice restruant. I will see you in the morning."

Michelle nodded, and wished Geno a goodnight as he left. She bit her lip. She didn't like lying to Geno, but she had too. She had to pretend that she hated Yami, hated him with all her soul. But in the end, one thought remained:

When she kissed him, she liked it.

****

The watchman looked at the screens and sighed. All the excitement in the city, and you would think there would be a robbery, a break in, anything! But no, he got stuck garding a bunch of old jewelry.

He sighed, and shuffled to the candy machine. It was going to be a long night, and he would need the sugar rush.

"Mm!" HE said as he bit into the chocolate bar and walked back to his station. He propped his feet up and glanced at the monitors.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, broken case, nothing, nothing.." His eyes bugged out of his head as he rushed to the Egyption Wing, only to find a case busted open. "Please, not the items, not the.."

He paled. His worse fear had come true: The case that held the 6 items donated by Ishizu Ishtar and another backer was broken into, and 2 items, a ring and a rod, were gone. He ran back to his station, and looked at the tapes, but he found the entire thing destroyed. He heard a flap of a coat, and turned to see a shadow disappear. He looked at his gun.

"Well, it's better than being fired." He said as he knocked himself out.