- - - 6 years later - - -

Joey stood outside the school gates.

He wasn't a little kid anymore. He was in his first year of high school, and he was tougher. A lot tougher.

He leaned against the gate, his hands in his pockets, waiting for his gang to show up.

He had to be tough now, anyway. High school wasn't an easy place to fit in. And after years of countless beatings from his father, being forced to move away to a tiny apartment in the rough down-town area of Domino City, and going through the pain of his mother and sister leaving, Joey felt he was ready for whatever life had in store for him.

Joey looked up towards the sky. He hadn't found Serenity yet, but he still thought about her everyday. Everything he did was for her.

Joey smirked as a small guy with spiky hair walked past, talking to a taller girl with brown hair. Joey noticed the boy was wearing a strange pyramid-shaped necklace around his neck.

As the guy and girl passed Joey, headed towards the school doors, Joey stuck his foot out slyly.

The little guy, who was deep in conversation with the girl, didn't notice and tripped right over Joey's foot.

"Watch your step!" Joey laughed.

The girl turned to Joey and tutted at him loudly. The boy looked up at Joey angrily.

As the two began to walk away, Joey heard the girl say, "That Wheeler guy is such a jerk..."

Joey looked back across the street and saw his gang.

"Yo, Wheeler!" the leader of the gang, a guy called Diesel Kane called to Joey, and he and the rest of the gang made their way over.

Joey stood up straight and joined the group as they walked into the school doors.

The gang then stood on either side of the corridor, leaning on the walls, trying to trip over unsuspecting people.

Joey was standing next to a guy in the gang called Tristan Taylor. Tristan turned to him, "Hey Wheeler, I saw that one you pulled on that squirt Yugi outside. That was a good one!" he laughed.

"Thanks, Tristan." Joey said, smiling in a cool way.

Then he caught sight of Yugi across the corridor. He was looking at them with mournful eyes. It was obvious he had heard them talking about him. Joey nudged Tristan and they both stared back at Yugi until he went away.

"He sure is creepy, that kid Yugi." Joey said, coolly, speaking in his usual way; the New York gangster-type speech. He had adapted it over his years of living downtown.

"You're telling me..." Tristan nodded. "And what's with that gold thing he wears around his neck?"

Just then, the class bell rang.

Joey and the gang said their 'see you laters', then walked reluctantly towards their classrooms.

As Tristan and Joey walked into their classroom, they saw their classmates taking their seats. Joey and Tristan walked to the back of the class and took their usual places.

Joey spotted Yugi sitting near the front of the class. He was still talking to that girl – Joey suddenly remembered her name was Tea Gardner – over some cards.

Joey leaned over towards Tristan as he watched Yugi putting away the cards into his backpack. "What're those weird cards that Yugi-kid keeps playing with?"

Tristan shrugged. "Beats me."

Joey leaned back in his chair and tried to think of a new way to torment little Yugi after school.

His eyes rested on Yugi's weird necklace and he smirked.