(Numero four is up and going. One part of this story is to in a way to explain what has happened for the future ahead with this fiction. But I still like to have humor in this as well. Here it is then! That's right! Great, where's the drum roll? Oh, and talk in bold is mentally talking, like between someone and their yami...)

And for the records, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! It would be a nice thought, but this is the real world and I didn't make it...

Just Like Old Times
IV - Midnight Troubles

Late at night Yugi finishes unpacking his clothing, looking to the window. After a moment he opens the black suitcase he was carrying earlier. From it he takes out carefully the millennium puzzle, putting it on around his neck. After he walks over to it, opening it all the way up. Resting his hands on the windowsill, he moves forward, his head beyond the window and looking outside. The puzzle starts to emit a glow from its eye at the center.

"I have a feeling that something's going to happen." Yugi speaks out loud.

Behind Yugi, leaning against the wall, appears the other half, Yami Yugi. He was in a partly transparent view that only Yugi can tell he was there. His eyes shift over to his partner, noticing him worried. "I see..."

"I'm so sorry about being so rude... It's been a long time, hasn't it, Yami?" He turns his head a little and smiles to his long-time friend.

Yami smiles back, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "Yes, it has. You haven't talked to me since you were worried about telling Tea how you felt. By the way, how did that go?"

"It went just fine... We live close by. But I'm worried about something..." Yugi looks down to the bottom, seeing all the headlights of cars moving about in congested traffic.

Realizing that perhaps it was time for the ancient spirit, he stands up and walks over to stand behind his friend. "Yugi, before you say something else, there's something that I should have told you. I need to tell you now."

Turning around, the young man tilts his head to the side a little. After all, he didn't really understand what was all this about. "And what's that?"

The spirit of the puzzle looks left and right, trying to get his words out. "Well... How can I put this..."

Releasing a large sigh, Yugi gets suspicious at how Yami is fiddling with words. "Just tell me now."

After his partner's comment, Yami quickly blurts out what he needs to say. "Tea had a crush on me..."

Immediately Yugi turns around and looks at Yami. "What!?"

The spirit crosses his arms, trying to tell his side of the story. "Well, all those times when I helped save you and our friends... I think she may have confused that for love..."

"I see..." Yugi nods slowly, starting to go into deep thought about this.

"Once she told me I realized how come she kept acting towards us so different. But I told her that she was just a friend to me."

"Wow... Is that why she kept her distance from me after a few days?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then..." Yugi looks down for a moment, thinking to himself.

After some time lapsed with silence, Yami tries to change the subject. "Anyway, what is with this trouble you're having?"

Yugi looks back up, trying to think. "I don't know, but I'm having a feeling that something will happen here. I don't know what is it and if it's good or bad, but it's something strong."

At that moment Yami looks down and chuckles a bit. "Umm... Yugi, could it be that?" He points one finger down.

When Yugi looks down, his eyes widen and his face turns fire red. He takes a pillow and covers his pelvis area. "NO! And why did you have to point out something like that!?"

Yami suddenly laughs out loud. "Don't you mean you pointed that out?"

Yugi's face starts turning red again into a plump red cherry. "Shut up!"

Yami tries to catch his breath, tears coming out of his eyes because of laughing. "I'm sorry, Yugi. I may have rejected Tea, but I don't swing that way." Yugi didn't realize that all that his Yami was doing is having him forget about his worries since shortly after the little dispute both were laughing and having a good time as old friends.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Well, that's okay... No, it's nothing at all, really... So you'll be here tomorrow then, right? Great, talk to you soon, hun."

Joey hangs up the phone and walks over to outside, having a little place to stare outside to the stars. He slowly sits up on the ledge, leaning back against the wall.

"Great, she missed a hell of a party..."

Looking to his front pocket, he takes out a cigarette. With his other hand he takes out a small match, striking it against the wall as it ignites. Slowly he matches the tip of the cigarette with the flame, lighting it up. After placing the cigarette to his mouth, Joey starts inhaling and enjoying the smoke.

"Don't you know that smoking kills?"

After hearing the familiar voice, he looks across the hotel, seeing Tea across and one floor below him. Slowly he takes out the smoke and places it between his middle and index finger. "Tea, what are you doing?" As he responds to her, smoke comes out of his mouth.

The blue-eyed woman blinks as she looks to her friend. Standing as she is covered with a fluffy light-blue robe, she notices Joey based from the shadow made and the faint light of fire the cigarette was making. "I was just going to get some rest, in which you should be too."

"Come on, guys. I need to concentrate!"

Both Joey and Tea look in between and down from the hotel, curious to know who else could have been eavesdropping. It seems to be who else but their friend, Tristan. "Tristan, what are you up to?" The two ask simultaneously to the one with one spike in his hair.

"Coming up with a battle plan. I'm going to show Duke a thing or two." Tristan exclaims as he twirls a pencil in a single hand.

"You guys are up too?" The three look in between the triangle they have made with their rooms, seeing Yugi inside the little pyramid they made. "We should talk tomorrow instead of like this. People are sleeping after all." The shorter one explained, looking to all his friends around him.

As Tea looks to Yugi, she notices the millennium trinket around his neck. She felt a small jolt inside of her, remembering that inside was him. "Y- you're right... G'night everyone..." She quickly goes inside and closes the glass door.

The three men blink, confused by Tea's sudden disappearance.

"Well, I need to get back to my planning. I'll see you two tomorrow." Tristan quickly explains to the two before he goes back to his room.

"Hey, Joey. Don't worry, just get some rest. She'll be here tomorrow." Yugi goes back in after leaving Joey some helpful advice.

Nodding to his comment, Joey takes the cigarette and flicks it forward, having it fall down in front of him. "Good point, I should get some rest."

"Well, it seems the item is here." Standing from the ledge of another building, a mysterious shadow looks at the four go to their rooms. "Once I can get that puzzle, then retrieving the other items will be a cinch." As maniacal laughter is heard from the person, it walks away and disappears into the shadows of the moonless night.

(Yea, stuff here and there all near midnight. Review and then wait for the next chapter. Meanwhile you are free to a recess session.)