Chapter 1. The End

C'mon Yugi, we don't want to be late. Téa threw over her shoulder, pushing through the crowd. YOU don't want to be late. Thought Yugi, I have ever intention of being as late as possible. He didn't know why he decided to come with her in the first place. He had no interest in watching a cheerleading championship her squad didn't even make it to when he could be dueling. And saving the world. That seemed to escape her somehow, the fact the whole world actually depended on how well he and Yami dueled.
I just remembered, I have to- He began, not knowing why he had to lie to get away or what he was going to say next.
Come here. Yugi turned suddenly to an oldish-looking woman sitting by a table on the sidewalk.
-Go see that lady. Téa turned around.
Why? She's just another cheap fortune-teller, and besides, remember what happed last time you tried to get your fortune read?
Well, this time, if she asks to see my necklace I'll give her my leather choker. Téa frowned.
Y'know why it's called that? She asked grabbing the back of it, but not pulling, she didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted to go.
Be calm, child. Said the old woman gently. It is alright. The nook was deep enough for both of them to stand in as the crowd shuffled past them.
Ah, that's it, child. Said the woman, leaning back into her chair. Come now, don't be shy, come.
We've come. Téa half -hissed, annoyed that this old woman could just call Yugi over to her when he was clearly in a hurry. The fortune teller cocked her head to Téa and narrowed her eyes.
I see... in your future... pain... and suffering.. and, yes, I'm causing it. She turned smoothly back to Yugi. You want to know why I called you over here. It's because I wanted to help you with that thing you where just thinking about, but you might regret my help. Yugi eyeballed her. He was just thinking about how he wanted to miss that dumb cheerleading competition. If he talked to her long enough, they might miss it. Don't be silly , he told himself.You where just thinking about saving the world. Might she want to help with that? The woman smiled and said, It might not be direct, but as we speak, I am rendering you a great service. She nodded to something over his shoulder. For one infinite instant, he turned to see what she did, just catching the back of a girl's head, a girl with gleaming black hair who was short, her height some where between his, counting and not counting hair. As if she noticed three people staring at the back of her head, she turned, her ornate gold comb gleaming in the sun, yet never paused, no sooner had Yugi seen her pale, lovely face did she again show him the comb. It was all together somehow as she strode on, the golden comb, a winged, eyed pyramid, her pale face and cat's eye makeup, and she had disappeared behind a corner. Cat's eye, that was the appropriate description, as the tips of the golden wings behind her head gave her the look of having cat's ears, accenting the golden bell around her neck, tied on a magenta ribbon the exact shade of her eyes. Some of her hair had fallen into her face, giving her a helpless, lost look. And she was gone.
That girl could have known you, if you had stopped her. there are mysteries locked in her mind which you would have known, if you had stopped her. Answers you search for, secrets no one else will tell. But now it is too late. If you had stopped her, the mysteries of the puzzle would be revealed to you, and yes, I know well what a millennium item is, for I have seen them, and yes, now she is forever gone. She could have helped you more than you'll ever know, she could have reversed your world again. She could have lived another hour. But now it is too late for that, and I have, in my own small way, saved the world.
Lived another-- she'll die NOW? Miss, wait! He said suddenly, running after her.
Cried Téa, coming up behind him. They had just turned the corner in time to see it.
Girl, look out! Cried a random man. She turned and could see it as it came. She cried out as the sedan hit her, her body rolled over it and hit the road with a sickly Téa covered her mouth but could not suppress a scream. Yugi stood stock-still and silent as the car swerved to a halt.
I'll call you back. The driver gasped into his cell phone as he stepped from his car.
Is she alright?
What happened?
Call 911!
You! With the phone! You hit her, you might as well do it!
Is she alright?
What happened? The crowd played an endless loop as Yugi stared at her body. There was barely any blood, and her hair seemed to cover most of it. Suddenly, a voice unlike any of the others cried out, but only Yugi could hear it, she was screaming, and he heard her, but knew it wasn't with his ears because they were too full of the cries of those who milled around her body.
Give her air! The good it will do now! Neko? Is she alright? Neko, speak to me.! His head was throbbing with each word she breathed, the disembodied voice that was neither in his head or anywhere else. It was the voice of a queen, a regal, sultry voice, but tinted with panic, a voice echoing with power but shaking in concern. He squinted through his fingers and saw her lying there, her golden comb out of her hair and halfway into the other lane. It seemed as if there was someone over her, but no one dared come near.
Is she alright? Neko! What happened? Please, you can't be gone... Call 911! So young, so young... Is she alright? ...oh, Anubis, why so young? What happened? I can feel it... he's coming for me...Call 911! The ground rumbled gently and Yugi fell to his knees. It ended all to swift to sort out. Look! There! They're coming! Yami! The ambulance screeched beside the limp girl, driving over the comb. It broke and Yugi felt sick, his head throbbing as the woman's screaming stopped dead, leaving only the cries of the witnesses. Muttered Téa. Yugi looked up at her weak smile. The psychic was right! He leaned over, hoping that if he would vomit it would be on her sandals. He felt weak, but stood, taking her arm and pulling himself up. Téa was quiet for once and they stared at each other for a moment while they sorted out what had happened. What shocked Yugi, perhaps even more than body of the girl, so pale you could barely notice she had died, was the voice. It was queenly, yet distrait, she seemed sorrowful yet capable of unthinkable wrong. And as she was destroyed, she called out a word, a name--Yami. Yugi turned back the way they came and flew down the street to the fortune-teller. The old woman smiled sweetly and asked, Yes, child?
Who was she? He didn't have to tell her who.
Her name was Neko Mikiko. She was just a sweet innocent little girl. Poor child. It is sad that she had to die.
Had to die? No one HAS TO DIE! She did nothing wrong!
But she would of. If you had stopped her, one who meant to save a world could destroy it, or everyone you know could be killed-- She turned down her eyes. Some by you.
What?! No! Explain this! I can't understand! Tell me who she was that had to die for the world to be saved without it's noticing?! Because if all it took for the world to be saved was for her to die, then she saved the world, not you!
Hush child, She soothed. Hush and sit, have some tea, this may take awhile...