Mokuba: We have good news, bad news and worse news.

Jou: Good news is that here is chapter eleven…

Mokuba: Bad news is that we haven't found Sarah yet.

Jou: WORSE news is that she's only got thirteen chapters of Asayake written… so if we don't find her soon, there will be no more updates.

Mokuba: So, if someone could help us find her, that'd be great. Until then, Chapter 11: Tears.

Sorcerer Seto found himself outside of Koujo's soul room a few days later. He hadn't seen his young student since the episode with Tanaka. Saya was fine now- she would have to wear the cast for a while, but she was generally all right. Tanaka was in a mental facility, thanks to Koujo's penalty game, and would be in there for the rest of eternity. And he had a feeling that if he didn't talk to Koujo, she'd be in her soul room just as long.

"Koujo?" he called, knocking on her door. "Koujo, are you in there?" There was no answer, so he did the normal male thing- he went in anyway. "Koujo?" His eyes scanned the room. Granted, he had been in there before, but he hadn't really looked at it. It was much like her room back in Ancient Egypt- there were flowers on the table next to her canopy bed, the walls were made of reddish brown stone… and her tiger's head staff was leaning against the bedpost. He hadn't seen it in over five thousand years and was amazed what good condition it was in. As he picked it up, he remembered the day he'd given it to his young student.

He'd always told Yami that Koujo had to potential to be a great Sorceress. In fact, she was destined to be the next Sorceress of the Tiger, a title that had not been held by anyone in over five thousand years. (A.N: Are we seeing a pattern here? ) To hold this position was a great honor…

"RA DAMN IT CHILD!" Now, if she could just get the magic part right… She'd all ready set his robes on fire five times all ready, nearly sent him to the Shadow Realm twice and he just restored himself from the "adorable little kitty" that she'd turned him into. "I swear you are hopeless!" he continued… then noticed that Koujo was laughing. "What in heaven's name is so damned funny?!"

"You Onshii!" five-year-old Koujo replied.

"Why am I funny?"

"Because you think I'm messing up."

"Think you're…" Sorcerer's eyes widened. "YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?!"

"What the HELL is going on in here?!?!" Sorcerer and Koujo looked over to the door to see Yami standing there, an exasperated look on his face. "I can hear you yelling three floors down, Seto!" he cried. "What is the problem here?!"

"The problem," Sorcerer replied. "Is that your demonic daughter has been purposely setting my robes on fire!" Yami blinked a couple times.

"Koujo, is this true?" Koujo nodded.

"Yeah…" Yami started to smile.

"Well, Seto," he said. "The way I see it, Koujo is finally getting something out of these lessons of yours. Isn't it about time you give her something for it?" Sorcerer rolled his eyes.

"All right, but if she destroys the palace, it's on your head, not mine." Sorcerer walked over to his closet and pulled out a wooden staff, the head of a roaring tiger at the top. "This, Koujo, is the staff of the Sorceress of the Tiger…"

"It looks kinda big," Koujo said. She was right- the staff was about twice her size. Sorcerer nodded his agreement and walked over to Koujo.

"It is now," he said, handing the staff to her. "But watch." Koujo took the staff in her hands. Instantly it started to glow and shrunk down to fit Koujo's height. "The staff reacts only when held by the true Sorceress of the Tiger- it will grow with you, as growth is needed." Koujo smiled happily and hugged Sorcerer tight.

"Thank you, Onshii!" she cried. "Thank you so much." She let go of him and tapped her staff on the edge of his robes… once again, setting them on fire.

"RA DAMN IT KOUJO!"

Sorcerer smiled, in spite of that situation. Koujo did end up setting his robes on fire more than once after that, but it was understandable. She'd been a hand Sorceress, one who controlled her powers through her hands. She'd just gotten her staff and now had to learn how to use it. Hopefully, before she killed him. Speaking of the little demon, where was she? He looked around once again. He looked down on the floor, behind her bed- she was lying there, fast asleep. Her cheeks were red with streaks on them… she'd been crying. He walked over, picked her up and placed her on the bed.

"Koujo?" he whispered, shaking her gently. "Koujo, wake up." Her eyes opened a moment later and she looked up at him. "Are you all right?" She shook her head.

"It was my fault, Onshii," she whispered. "I couldn't stop him… I couldn't save Saya." Sorcerer sighed and sat down next to her.

"Koujo, what happened wasn't your fault…"

"Yes it was! I didn't know what to do... he threw her in the closet... I panicked… and he hurt her!" Tears started rolling down Koujo's cheeks, much to Sorcerer's dismay.

"Don't cry!" Koujo wiped her eyes, but more tears fell in their place. Sorcerer pulled her into his arms, hugging her close and rocking her gently. "Shh, Koujo. It's all right."

"No, it's not," she whispered. "I'm supposed to be protecting her... and I can't." Sorcerer nodded his head.

"Yes, you can…"

"You don't know what he did to her!" Koujo looked into Sorcerer's eyes, pure horror in her own. "You didn't hear Saya's cries when he ripped her shirt, you didn't feel everything she was going through…" She looked away. "You didn't pass out when it became too much to handle." Sorcerer then understood what happened, why Koujo was reacting the way she was. She had a direct emotional link with Saya- whatever Saya was feeling, she would feel too. When Tanaka started to hurt Saya, her emotions were passed on to Koujo. All her fear, her sadness… and it had overwhelmed Koujo to the point where she lost consciousness. Seto tightened his grip.

"Saya told us what he did," he said softly. "He didn't rape her… just calm down." He took a deep breath. "Look, sometimes you can't always protect the ones you want to protect…"

"You and Dad always protected me!" cried Koujo. Sorcerer's eyes narrowed.

"What about when you died?!" he countered. "We didn't protect you then!"

"Bad example! You never knew anything was wrong! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW!"

"But we still could've tried harder to find out!" He paused. "And then after you died, I went and betrayed him and made him feel worse…I didn't protect your father, did I? I'm the one who killed him! And now everyone has told him that I'm his enemy and I always have been and DAMN IT, I hate the man, but I wasn't his enemy!" Koujo shook her head.

"You don't hate him. You can't." She looked up at him, smiling softly. "You two have... had a common interest. Whether you like to admit it or not."

"Oh?" asked Sorcerer, pretty sure she was lying. "Then what is it?" Koujo giggled softly.

"Me."

Sorcerer stayed in Koujo's room a bit longer- she ended up falling asleep in his arms, so he really didn't have a choice. In the end, he laid her back down on the bed, tucking her in. With that, he left… and went straight to Yugi Moto's. He found Yugi in the card shop with Yami, playing Duel Monsters. (A.N: What else, right?) He just watched them a minute before clearing his throat, alerting them to his presence. Yami looked over at him.

"Yes Seto?" he asked. "Can I help you with something?" Sorcerer nodded. "What?"

"I just want you to know," he said. "I want you to know that Koujo is a special girl, even if you can't remember how special, and you are damned lucky to have her. So if you ever hurt her… accident or not, if you ever do anything to hurt her, I'll make sure you regret it." With that, Sorcerer vanished. Yami watched him go, not saying a word.