Sarah: THE PROM IS TONIGHT!!!!!!!

Yami: in his tux, not looking to happy about it

Sarah: Oh god, Yami! It's not gonna be that bad! Besides, it has Mini-story potential!

Yami: Oh dear Ra…
Sarah: Anyway, I almost forgot to update this today! I'm so silly! ;;; Anyway, here's chapter 16! Anger Management!

"Well?" Yami asked. "What did you want to tell me?" Forgiving Maiden gestured for him to sit down on the couch in the living room. She took a deep breath.

"Princess Koujo has no real rational way of dealing with anger," she said finally. "After she died, she came her. She didn't get to go to heaven… she came here, forced to wait for the day someone would set her free... while she waited she trained."

"Trained?" asked Yami. Forgiving Maiden nodded.

"She'd compete in duels of Sorcery with Dark Magician, Swordsmanship with Black Luster Soldier... those were minor compared to..." She hesitated, not sure how much more she should say.

"Compared to what?" Yami pressed. Forgiving Maiden let out a sigh.

"Princess Koujo has been with Miss Saya since she was two. After her parents died, Saya's grandfather put her in an orphanage- he never gave Miss Saya a chance… after that, Princess Koujo snapped." She took a breath, letting it out slowly. "She decided that she needed something more... more extreme than her battles with Dark Magician and Black Luster Soldier."

"Which means?" She shook her head.

"She'd... she'd equip Neo (the Magic Swordsman) up to his maximum. 3 Malevolent Nuzzlers and the Yami field magic card…4300 attack points, I do believe" Yami's eyes widened.

"That can beat Obelisk… what the hell was she thinking?!" Forgiving Maiden shook her head.

"I don't know... but then... As you know... Neo is a master of martial arts... Koujo... she was so angry... she needed to take it out on someone she couldn't hurt... even if they hurt her..." She rested her head in her hands. "She hates fighting... she hates hurting people... but music doesn't help her like it does Saya..." She looked Yami right in the eye. "And the last time she was like this... she nearly destroyed herself." Yami's eyes widened. Less than a second later, he was heading down the stairs. "Wait you Moron!" Forgiving Maiden called after him. "You go down there, she'll kill you!"

"I don't care!" he yelled back. "I deserve to die anyway for what I did!"

"I'm sure everyone here will agree with you, but if she kills you she WILL kill herself for it later!" Yami ignored her and continued down the stairs. He didn't know why he was so worried… maybe… maybe he really did love her?

"Koujo!" When he got down to the basement, Yami saw four figures there- Koujo. Neo the Magic Swordsman. Black Luster Soldier. Dark Magician. And the three Shadow Monsters were fighting with Koujo. "Stop!" Koujo looked over at him, eyes narrowed. "Don't hurt her!" Neo looked over at him, confused as hell.

"Hurt HER?!" he cried. "What the HELL are you talking about?! Dude, us hurting her is the LEAST of anyone's problems." The Dark Magician, better known around the castle as Jace and the Black Luster Soldier, Axel nodded their agreement.

"Koujo," Yami said. "I need to talk to you…"

"Later." She looked at her Shadow Monsters. "I'm waiting." Jace sighed and looked at Yami.

"You wanna see how much danger she's NOT in?" he asked. "Watch this- Come on guys." The three Shadow Monsters surrounded Koujo. She just smiled.

"Bring it."

They attacked her all at once. Axel brought his sword out, swinging it at her head. Jace used his staff. Neo used a combination of punches and kicks. Koujo blocked both Axel's sword and Jace's staff with her own tiger's head staff, disarming them both before using it to block Neo's attack. The fight went on like that… an hour passed before Yami noticed that Koujo was taking more hits than she was landing. Her opponents noticed this as well and ended their attacks.

"I," she said, panting. "I'm not... finished."

"Princess, please," Neo protested.

"Enough for today," Jace added. Axel nodded his agreement.

"I'M NOT FINISHED!" she yelled, trying her best to stay standing. Yami shook his head.

"Yes, you are." Koujo glared at him, eyes narrowed.

"No one asked you, PHARAOH."

"I don't NEED to be asked!" Yami yelled back. "And damn it, stop calling me that! I'm not the fucking Pharaoh anymore! I don't want to be!"

"Then stop acting like it," Koujo said, getting into a fighting stance. "I am not finished."

"I'm trying to be a father." The words slipped out before Yami had the chance to stop them. They had good reason to- as he stood there, something flashed through his mind. A picture… a memory.

"I'm not finished, Daddy!" Twelve-year-old Koujo stared at her father, pure anger in her eyes. "I can win this! I'm not done!" Yami shook his head. Koujo had been battling all afternoon. Sorcery with Sorcerer, swordsmanship with Jou and now Shadow Games with Yami. She was obviously wearing down- Yami was afraid much more might kill her.

"Then you win, Little Love," he said. "I conce…"

"No!" Koujo yelled at him. "I don't draw with people better than me! I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU!" Yami shook his head.

"You don't have a choice, Koujo. I concede." Koujo's eyes were filled with angry tears. "You played well, Little Love," he continued. "But I'm not being a foe anymore- I'm trying to be a father."

"Wh-what?" Yami looked up at the present day Koujo. He didn't say anything. He just looked at her. She was beautiful- she had always been this way he gathered. There hadn't been much change in her from twelve to sixteen. She was older, that was true, but her beauty hadn't faded. It intensified. Her brown hair framed her face like a portrait and her blue eyes danced from the tears in them.

"Dear Ra," he thought. "This beautiful girl…"

"What did you say?" Koujo asked again, praying that she'd actually want to hear the answer. Yami shook his head. Now was not the time.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Forget I said it." He looked at Koujo… she had instantly changed. Her eyes were no longer dancing. They were narrowed, glaring at Yami.

"Fine," she said. "I'll find a worthy opponent then." With that, she was gone. Yami watched her walk out the door.

"Damn it… I can't do anything right." He followed her out.

Koujo found herself outside the castle. She wasn't doing anything… just sitting there. That probably was about the dumbest thing she could do. She knew as well as anyone that being outside the castle for long periods of time took its toll on anyone, monster, spirit or mortal. She didn't care though.

"I just," she whispered, barely loud enough for Yami, who was about to walk around the corner, to hear. He paused, placing his back against the wall, listening. "I want the time back. The time that was stolen from us..." She wiped her eyes. "Ra damn it, I'm sixteen years old... older... I shouldn't cry like this… but damn it, Dad!" Yami flinched- did she know he was there? "Dad, you don't know how hard this is… to know so much, but it means so little. I want to tell you so badly. I want you back. I want my friend back!" Yami was about to round the corner, take her in his arms and apologize for being an idiot… when another voice jumped in.

"Don't tell me the Princess of Games is crying over something like this." Yami blinked.

"Who is…" He heard Koujo let out a happy gasp, causing him to turn the corner. She had her arms around someone… someone that looked remarkably like Joey Wheeler.

"Jou," she whispered, hugging him tight. "Jou…" Jou hugged her back, smoothing down her hair.

"Shh, Princess," he said softly. "Don't cry. I'm here for ya…" Yami slumped against the wall before sitting down and leaning against it.

"Yet I can't be," he said, putting his head in his hands. "I'm her damned father… and I can't do anything."

"It's so good to see you," Koujo said, still crying. "I've never needed a friend more than I do right now." Jou nodded.

"I know, Princess. come on. I'll take you inside." Yami got back to his feet, ready to leave… when Koujo spoke up again.

"I still love him, Jou... no matter how much he pisses me off..." Jou smiled.

"I know you do, Princess. Don't worry- he'll remember that too." He started walking towards the castle, but Koujo just stood there. "Come on, you look beat..." Koujo nodded.

"Yeah..." She took a step towards Jou and collapsed into his arms. He sighed taking her in his arms.

"You can come out now, Pharaoh." Yami stepped out from around the corner.

"How did… who're…?" Jou smiled.

"I know you don't remember me," he said, "so allow me to introduce myself- I'm Jou." Yami smiled back.

"Hello… I'm assuming you already know who I am." Jou nodded, and Yami looked down at Koujo. "Is she all right?" Jou nodded again.

"She's just tired... I'd explain how I know, but I'm not supposed to tell you anything. The whole destiny deal." Yami chuckled.

"I'm beginning to hate the word 'destiny'." Jou chuckled as well.

"Come on- we should get her laid down." Yami nodded.

"You go a head," he said. "I'm not welcome at her castle anymore."

"Shut up." Yami looked down- Koujo was barely awake, looking up at him. "You... you're always welcome... at my castle... Pharaoh."