Pre-chapter Notes: Yes, this is a quick update, much faster than my normal updates. But then again, I really want to finish this up as soon as possible, so yeah; I'm typing this up even if it kills me. Well, not literally.

Saiya-jin Spice: Thanks for dropping a review. I don't mind that you didn't review for so long. An author must understand that writing is not just for reviews. The number one priority to writing anything should be for yourself. Then comes everyone else after-, whoever you choose. If you can't write what you want to for yourself, then this shouldn't be written in the first place. Thank you for your kind compliments. The problem is, I am my own worst self-critic.

I myself am caught up with my own activities, which includes procrastination. I'm glad you finally found time to read this piece of work-, if you can call it work. Chapter 10, yes, as you have guessed, is crucial to the plot. Human life is precious, but at the same time, it's cheap and short. I'm glad that you don't hate Anzu. There's just too much anti-Anzu/Tea going on and it irks me.

Regarding to the part where you said that I was pretty, it's not unnecessary. But I might not agree with your opinion though. Thanks for telling me that I'm pretty…but I'm not. Trust me. 

Disclaimer: If I said that I owned Yugioh, I don't think you'll believe me. So what do you think? Some fan writer like me would own Yugioh?

Chapter 10: Rebuilding A Future

That smell…. What is that smell? The rich dark smell that fills my nose…that scent…. Isn't it coffee?  Coffee!?

Tea shot up from her bed. There was no way Rebecca-None would be making coffee. Brushing back the fallen bangs from her eyes, she allowed them to scan the room. There was no mistake. The scent she smelled was indeed coffee. Where did the aroma of coffee come from? Sitting up, she pushed the white sheet off her and step on the cold floor. She hardly got up when Rebecca-None appeared from the next room. In her hand was a white mug with steam emitting from the surface.

"Rebecca!" Tea exclaimed in surprise. "Why are you-,"

"Tea, good morning." Rebecca-None interrupted. "Coffee?"

"I guess, thanks," Tea said, surprised at the interruption. "But, why are you making coffee? What's going on?"

"Coffee first." Rebecca told her firmly. "Everything else later. Breakfast?"

Tea couldn't shake herself free of the surprise that Rebecca-None had just given her. What had happened in between the hours of darkness and this morning? She reached out and took the cup of coffee that Rebecca-None had set down, by the stand near her bed. Then, she realized that she didn't brush her teeth, so she replaced the cup of coffee on the surface of the stand.

"Well?"

Tea looked up to the questioning eyes of Rebecca-None. Did she just hear emotion in her voice? Wasn't she devoid of emotions?

"Rebecca-, None. You're scaring me. I really need you to explain what's going on."

"Only coffee and breakfast."

"I don't understand."

"You don't have to right now. You will later. So Tea, breakfast?"

"I guess…."

"Alright."

Rebecca-None left the room and into the other. Tea shook her head several times and went to brush her teeth and wash her face. After she had done so, she left the restroom to find her nose filled with not only the scent of coffee, but also the smell of pancakes. Entering the room Rebecca-None was in, Tea found the table set with a plate of pancakes. Poured over the pancakes is a mass of golden syrup. A cup of coffee was set next to it. Glancing quickly to the stand near her bed, she discovered that her coffee is moved here.

"Well? Sit down."

Saying nothing, Tea took a seat and picked up a fork, but didn't eat. "Are you going to tell me now?"

"Hmm." Rebecca-None joined her at the table and shot her an indifferent look and sat up straight, boring her jade green eyes into the blue ones of Tea's. "After breakfast."

It made Tea feel uncomfortable with Rebecca-None staring at her. At the same time, she had barely gotten over the shock of meeting her last night. The problem was, that it's hard to know someone who's supposedly ten years older, and yet, looked no different from she was ten years ago. Finally, she decided to do what Rebecca-None had been telling her to do. She ate the pancakes that were set for her and finished her coffee. After the last bite and last drink, she set the mug and fork down.

"Alright, Rebecca. Talk. I want to know what's going on." Tea requested.

"Maybe after I clean the plate and mug." Rebecca-None said as she took the plate and mug and started for the sink.

"No. Now." Tea wasn't amused to have Rebecca-None control this situation. She was playing a game of cat and mouse and it wasn't all that funny.

"But the plate-."

"Forget the plate! Just tell me!" Tea practically yelled. "I'm tired of not knowing. Rebecca, I don't know what's going on, but it's not exactly telling me it's good news. I want to know Rebecca. I'm still your friend-."

"I know you are."

There was a smile on Rebecca-None's face. And to Tea, it looked like a genuine smile. And that smile was more than enough to bring a wave of relief over her that lasted scant seconds.

"Then you'll tell me what's going on." Tea insisted.

"After I clean the dish and the mug." That was final. Rebecca-None's not going to let her know till she finished what she wanted. Tea sighed in defeat and sat restlessly as Rebecca-None worked over the plate and the mug.

After what seemed like hours, Rebecca-None finished washing what she intended and dried her hands.

"I think I kept you in suspense long enough." Rebecca-None smirked as she sat down.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Tea replied sarcastically.

"You know, Tea, If I haven't met you last night, I don't think I'll ever do this."

"Do what?"

"Decide to change back."

"What?"

Shocked by the news, Tea slid off the side of her seat and landed in an undignified heap next to her chair.

"Well that knocked you off your seat."

Joke? Is Rebecca-None telling a joke? This was not what she needed first thing in the morning. Picking herself up, Tea sat back down and threw Rebecca-None a glare.

"This is not funny Rebecca." Tea told her sharply.

"It's not supposed to be." Rebecca-None remarked smartly. "Before you fall off your seat again, let me talk. Last night, after I went off to the balcony and you fell asleep, I was thinking. I didn't know exactly what happened, but several flashes occurred to me. In the first one, it had to do with the night when I-, when I try to depart human life. That night at the balcony of my home-, or what was home. Before I decided to jump, I was warned not to…that I would regret it. I guessed it was right."

"After this flashback, the next one showed when I was accepted in university. I didn't want to celebrate this occasion…but…what really made me realized the happiness in Rebecca's life is when Grandpa gave her-, no, me his deck. Then…."

Rebecca-None took out a card that Tea had not seen for years.

The Ties of Friendship.

However, the card wasn't in good condition. It was almost as if the holder of the card hardly knew that she had it in her pocket and left it there for a long time.

"The Ties of Friendship," Tea read.

"Yes. The last flashback that came to mind was when I dueled Yugi for Grandpa's Blue Eyes. It was that day I learned to be someone better. And at the same time, learned about friendship and having respect for my cards. That flashback made me realized that it was self-pity that pushed me to become None-, or what I am now. After realizing all these things, Tea, I hope you'll help me. I want to become Rebecca again."

Silence. It fell over the room like dust that gathered no matter how many times you clean it.

"Is that possible?" Tea asked, breaking the silence that fell uncomfortably.

"Yes…no…maybe. I don't really know, Tea. Without my original body, I don't know."

Tea smiled at the problem. "Well good news. Your body was never destroyed. Ever since the fire…that day you were gone and my house as well, we rescued your body and stored it at a laboratory. It's in the incinerator at Domino Laboratory hooked up to a special machine. It's still there, I hope."

"Good. That's one less problem to worry about." Rebecca-None-, no, it's Rebecca now. "Tea, I want to see Yugi and the others again…and my body. My original body, not this so-called husk."

"Meeting Yugi and the others won't be a problem. I already told them that I'll be back today. Yesterday, I was asking you directions to the Domino district. But seeing as you are now, I don't think you'll know where is it. Let me change and then we can look up a map and find where Yugi and the others are." Tea paused before continuing. "Yugi's grandpa is dead now."

"Oh…."

Another death. She didn't know Solomon Motou well, but she did know him as her Grandpa's best friend. Another death…another death that was inevitable. Who could stop death? She herself had learned firsthand that no one can stop an inevitable death…but while you're still living, you can always strive for the better.

Tea left Rebecca to her quiet and deep thinking and changed. After making sure that she had everything, she asked Rebecca to follow her and the two checked out of the hotel and left. Going into a store, they asked for directions and then left for a bus ride to the Domino district.

To both Rebecca and Tea, the Domino area didn't look as it did before.

"You know, Rebecca, when I was in New York, Yugi and the others came and visit me." Tea brushed a strand of hair aside. She must remember to trim them later. "I never came back to Domino for years…. After I graduated from high school, I came to New York with the money I saved while working secretly when Domino High restricted us students from working. I don't want to make you jealous or anything, I got my wish and got a scholarship for dancing…and from there, I finished college. My dance career was what I had wanted for years and I got it…I guess you can say that my future so far is pretty successful."

Smiling fondly at the memory, Tea continued, "After all these years, I decided to come back to see my friends. Last night, I really never expected to meet you…. Rebecca…when you were young, what was your idea of having a future? What did you wanted to grow up to become?"

Rebecca looked thoughtful for a minute. "I was only twelve then…twelve when my Grandpa passed away. His death was too much on my mind to think about anything of my future. Twelve was much too early to think about what I wanted to become in the future…."

"But don't you have anything in mind?" Tea asked as they crossed the street to the next block.

"I'm a child genius…or people claim for me to be. I don't know…maybe a CIA agent or something…." She smiled at the joke she made-, but that joke she would be the only one to understand. After that dream…that dream of her future….

"CIA agent? Rebecca…what makes you want to become one?"

"Nothing…. It was a joke. Yeah…. I don't really know…. Maybe if I have my body again, I'll decide then…."

"Alright, Rebecca. We're here." Tea informed the girl as they stopped in front of a restaurant. "We decided to meet here. Come on."

Rebecca hardly had time to glimpse at the name of the restaurant before Tea pulled her into the front door. Once inside, Tea asked for the name Yugi Motou and the waiter directed her to one of the private rooms.

"Come." Rebecca followed Tea as they moved towards to a close door, which probably led to the private room. "Why don't we give them a lovely surprise?" Tea smirked as she place her hand on the brassy doorknob. "You first."

Rebecca obliged and went in as Tea pushed open the door.

"Took you long enough to arrive Tea-", A yelp of surprise. "REBECCA!?"

There was a smashing sound of glass breaking and chairs toppling over as well. Rebecca stepped into the room and tried to recognize who was who. It didn't take her long to guess the girl with long brown hair that is tied up into a ponytail with chocolate brown eyes was Serenity Wheeler. Her hands clutched the tablecloth tightly as her jaw dropped.

The toppling over of a chair was made by a blonde hair man with wild bangs was on the floor of the room. There was a dumfounded expression on his face and it didn't take Rebecca long to put two to two together that he is Joey Wheeler. Yugi Motou even now didn't decide to give himself a haircut. The wild red yellow and black hair still spiked up. Rebecca privately wondered how much gel he needed to use to keep his hair up. The last person in the room was a burnet, and his hands rested over broken glass.

The words all rushed out to greet her at once.

"Rebecca!" Serenity cried in surprise.

"Yeah, that's me."

If it was possible, Serenity's jaws dropped further at the sound of Rebecca speaking.

"There is no way that that is the squirt. I must be seeing things." Joey said to himself as he got up.

"Oh come on, Wheeler. Admit it. It's me, Rebecca Hawkins alright." Her name tasted strange in her mouth. Striding forward, she pulled up another chair and plodded down. "So how's it going?"

"Rebecca…." Yugi said her name in a quiet steady tone.

"Good to see you, Yugi." Rebecca returned the greeting with a curt nod. "I heard your grandpa passed away…hope it wasn't too hard for you. I know the feeling to have to lose someone so dear to you."

"Squirt, that isn't a nice surprise you gave us." Joey said, shooting her a dirty look.

"Well it's partially my idea," An amused Tea said as she closed the door behind her.

"Hey Tea," Everyone greeted her.

"Hey, guys." Tea replied as she took a seat next to Serenity. "We'll talk as we eat."

They ordered their food and for a few long hours, sat eating and there were many explanations made. Everyone was still having trouble in believing that Rebecca was still alive. After they have finished, they decided to go to the Domino Laboratory and decide what to do. They had trouble explaining the broken glass to the waiters and they were saved when Rebecca pulled a lie. Leaving after paying their bill, they all crowded into Joey's car and drove towards the Domino Lab.

Domino Laboratory was a large building. The steely structures gleamed with the bright sunlight washing over it. There were many windows and as the group headed towards it, the doors slid open automatically. Yugi told the worker at the desk what they were here for and the woman at the desk directed them to the fifth floor. They took the elevator and after arriving to the fifth floor, Yugi asked to see a man named Professor Yoshida.

Rebecca half expected a man in his early fifties to come out. However, Professor Yoshida turned out to be a man in his later twenties-, maybe early thirties. He had a mass of shaggy dark hair and narrowed blue eyes. He reminded her of someone she knew…. She had a sense of déjà vu all over. And she didn't really think that it was a good thing.

"Rebecca Hawkins?" He asked, holding out a hand. Rebecca took it and shook it with her own hand.

"I would like to see where my original body is." Rebecca requested as she gave a hard stare towards Professor Yoshida.

"Very well, come along." Professor Yoshida said idly as he led them to a room at the end of the hallway. He punched in a series of code and the metallic door slid opened. A blast of cold air rushed out, causing the visitors to shiver slightly. Rebecca was the only exception, seeing as that in this body, she could not experience the cold. But she could guess that it was chilly when everyone shivered.

Entering, Professor Yoshida directed them to a long metallic machine. It looked like a tall coffin, the top half of the machine made of what seemed like glass. The glass was fogged over, probably due to the cold weather in this room.

"This is the incinerator…where your body is kept." Professor Yoshida spoke.

Rebecca nodded and walked towards the machine. Once at its side, she reached out with a hand and slowly wiped the foggy surface. Slowly, she did it, swallowing hard as she did. Finally, the area where she was wiping was cleared. A pretty woman probably at the age of twenty's face is present. Her eyes are closed; still not awaken from a ten-year slumber. Long blonde hair fanned her face and mixed with the pale skin, she looked almost dead-, not alive. And yet, there was life in this body…just not the mind. Her chest rose and fell steadily.

In order for that body to move again…it needs the mind in this body, Rebecca thought. This is…me….

 "Rebecca?"

Rebecca blinked and noticed that it was Yugi who had spoke her name. She turned around and faced the others. "I'll try to think of a way…to return to that body. Don't worry."

"Don't worry? How could you ask us not to worry? We don't even know if it's going to work." Serenity told her anxiously.

"I'll think up something…I'm not a child genius for nothing…." Rebecca smiled to reassure them, but she herself didn't know if it was even possible for her to return to that original body.

"Rebecca, I can allow you to access the library in this lab and look for information if you wish." Professor Yoshida suggested.

"Thanks." Rebecca said uneasily. Something about him made her feel uncomfortable. Very. "Can you take me to there now?"

"Very well. If that is what you want." Leaving the incinerator, Rebecca and the group went to the hallway again.

"I'm going to the library. Why don't you guys go home? When I think of something, I'll call you guys. You know…I hope this works. Thanks for still being my friends." Rebecca spoke awkwardly.

"Alright, Rebecca. But please, call us if something comes up. We really want to help give you a hand." Yugi agreed. "We'll write down our phone numbers."

After they left, Rebecca followed Professor Yoshida to the library. The library, like the incinerator seemed to be protected by a series of security. He punched in a series of code before the door of the library slid open. Inside were shelves full of books as well as several latest models of computers.

"There it is…. Good luck," Professor Yoshida chuckled. "You'll need it."

Rebecca didn't find the comment funny. But nevertheless, she thanked him and asked for privacy. He left, leaving her alone to this room.

You'll need it.

For what? Something about those words gave her a shiver. And the feeling of déjà vu returned.

End Notes: Okay…so the chapter doesn't really go with the chapter title…. What the hell? Hopefully, you readers managed to get past this boring chapter. There's just one more chapter left as well as the Epilogue and that'll be the conclusion to 'The Stranger I Once Knew'.