(a/n: still don't own nuffin but Julia and most of this idea. And so sue me if Serenity is out of character I've seen her like three times maybe, so…. Yeah… please r/r, hope you like it!)
Yugi felt himself being jerked backwards with overwhelming strength. He fought back but was rapidly being yanked out of the Shadow Realm. BAM! Yugi felt his head painfully slamming against the coffee shop floor. He blearily saw someone standing over him. It was Julia, her face inches from his. Her expression was that of utmost worry. She sighed and smiled when he sat up.
"What happened?" she demanded.
"Yami...! Anubis is alive and I gotta save my friends and" Yugi began to jump to his feet.
"Whoa,
slow down."
"I need to find Anubis and make him tell me
how to break the curse," said Yugi forcefully.
Julia grabbed him by the shirt collar, annoyed. "I don't think so. Totally unarmed, a young Pharaoh look-alike roaming the streets alone searching for the most dangerous person on the face of the planet? Yami would have my head if anything happened to you! I'm going with you, and I want you to take this." She thrust a sheathed sword at him. On the hilt was carved an all-to familliar symbol... the eye marking a Millinium Item.
He took it cautiously. "Wait... isn't this you Millinium Item?"
"I'm trusting you, you'd better take good care of it," she said, trying to sound cross.
He nodded, his expression grim. "I won't let you down, Julia."
"I trust you won't." But what if I let you down, Yugi? "Now what are you waiting for?"
"...For you to, y'know, let go of my shirt."
"Oh," she grinned sheepishly. "Alrighty. What is it you say? 'My bad'?"
"Yes," Yugi raised his eyebrows, amused.
"Okay then," she declared, releasing his shirt. "Let us go!"
"Where
do we start?"
"Ummmm... Now that could be an
issue..."
"We have to find Anubis. Just how are we
supposed to do that?"
"Uh-oh... Spork... How am I
supposed to know! Er... ehehe... thinking..."
Slam! The door of the coffee shop burst open and in stomped someone Yugi had never expected or hoped to see again. To his surprise and dismay, infront of him was Seto Kaiba, seething. Seto's face was a mask of rage, and, although he was older, Mokuba still tagged faithfully along behind Seto. His brown bangs shadowed his narrowed, angry eyes. He slammed his fist down on the counter in front of Yugi.
"Just who do you think you are?" he spat, "I thought I was through with your interference."
"What happened, Kaiba?" Yugi asked, looking startled.
"Don't
you play dumb with me! A strange man came in, saying he was looking
for you. He said that if I denied him your location, he'd destroy
Kaiba Corp. Sure enough, when I denied him, half my company is in
ruins! Explain, Yugi!"
"...Anubis," Yugi looked to
Julia. It was the only reasonable explanation.
"You
don't expect me to believe that he's back from the dead. Not after we
so thoroughly kicked his"
"Seto, Yugi's right!"
said Mokuba anxiously.
"What? Not you too, Mokuba!"
Seto exclaimed, irritated.
"Listen,
I think he's telling the truth. Can't you two work together just this
once?"
"We're getting to the bottom of this. Yugi,
you're coming with me," Seto demanded harshly, grabbing Yugi
roughly by the arm and jerking him from behind the counter.
Julia smacked Seto's hand away from Yugi. Obviously Yugi getting bullied did not sit well with her. "You jerk! No negotiation skills at all... creep... In any case, you can't make Yugi go anywhere!"
"Who are you?" Seto scowled.
"Julia."
"Last
name?"
"None of your business, butthead!"
"Spirited, aren't you?" Seto rolled his eyes. "Just don't get in my way, Julia."
"I said Yugi's not going anywhere!" she said hotly.
"Julia," said Yugi quietly. "I'm gonna go. This is important."
Julia blinked, and then it dawned on her that this was probably a clue to Anubis. She nodded and winked, and Yugi sighed in exasperation. He frowned slightly. She's sticking with me... but this is between me and Anubis, just like last time. I have a feeling, though, that defeating him isn't going to be so easy this time... Not at all.
Yugi looked around in horror and awe. The smouldering ruins of Kaiba Corp. lay around his, smoking with bits of rubble strewn all over. He felt his heart clench in anger at Anubis... He had driven Yugi one step to far. Yugi clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
He fell to his knees, a steady drip drip drip coming from his hands, which were now scarlet. Yugi closed his eyes. Anubis had ruined his life. Destroyed it. He took away Yugi's best friend, his father, Yami. He took away Yugi's friends, Tea, Tristan, and Joey. He let out an anguished cry. Anubis had taken everything there was to takeand now he was going to pay.
Yugi sat on his bed, his eyes peacefully closed. Well, he seemed peaceful enough. His mind, however, was in his Soul Room, pacing, trying to come to any solution to the overwhelming problem he faced: Anubis. There was only so much he could do, and Yugi figured since nothing came easy anymore, then he would probably only have a certain amount of time to rescue his friends. If only I'd have known…Yugi closed his eyes, frustrated. I've already whiled away so long…
By now, after so many years of being alone and disappointed, his Soul Room was bleak and gray or black. Shadows replaced the innocence that once resided there. It was most certainly unlike any other Soul Room, because of course there was the dark, angsty part of the room… but there was also a one tiny corner, one area of blinding white brightness. That was where his memories of the past stayed locked away. Locked away so they couldn't hurt him, so they wouldn't constantly remind him of what was and what could have been. Yugi jumped, startled, brought back to his reality from his Soul Room. Bright lilac eyes met his amethyst ones, wide and smiling. It was Julia. Yugi sighed. She just never took a hint, did she?
"I was tired of looking at my Soul Room in my Millennium Blade… So I came out here with you! That okay?"
"…Sure."
"Wow, you don't sound to happy."
"Just… confused."
"Hm…. Aggravated. Yeah, that's what's wrong with you. You're picked off. Who at?"
"Anubis."
"You don't talk very much either."
"…Julia, you just don't understand. Have you ever been so much a part of someone… that if they're taken away there's just no possibility of ever being the same?"
"No."
"Exactly."
"Um… I just think its cuz you're a guy. Guys are moody. You all have really bad mood swings. No offense. Mmm hm!"
"…I think you have A.D.D."
"Whussat?"
"Attention Deficit Disorder."
"Ooooh. Okay!" Julia paused, "Did the shadow realm make you so grumpy?"
"I'm not grumpy."
"Yes you are! I think you're outlook on life is just a lil too grim... miserable... yeah! You catch my drift."
"Or maybe I've just had a taste of life in this time and you haven't."
"Well, let me change that!"
"There is no changing who I am. Things can be done to make me who I am, but nothing can be undone to make me who I once was."
"...Cripes. Deepness. Well, maybe I can't undo things but I can change the way you think! I can help you have fun!"
"Julia…"
"I mean it! C'mon! Lemme help ya!"
"…How so?"
"Fuhaha! See! I've already persuaded you a little!"
"Fuhaha…?"
"Evil laugh. Muahaha is to classic. Feh."
"…You're unlike anyone I've ever met, that's for sure."
"Thanks, methinks!"
Yugi had taken to meticulously arranging his duel deck and trying to change the subject, still avoiding the concept of her hanging out with him almost obsessively. Julia plopped down next to him on his waterbed, touching his hand. He yanked away and Julia looked at him like he'd randomly grown another head.
"…You've got a rough past, Yugi. I understand that. But to make it better, you need to have some fun. Take some time out for you."
"I don't have time for me, I need to help my friends!" Yugi said in a burst of impatience.
"You need some Yugi-time instead of some Stress-time, okay? A few hours won't hurt."
"A few hours doing what?"
"Having fun!"
"How? How can I have fun when I know Yami and Tea and Tristan and Joey are in the shadow realm? When Kaiba's Company is in ruins and it's my fault? When Anubis is out there and could hurt other people?"
Julia put her finger to his lips. "Shhh. Calm down. Breathe in……. Breathe out…. Yes. That's it. You expect more from yourself than others expect from you. So just…. Take deep breaths and forget all that. Just for one night."
"…Tonight. Just tonight."
"YAY! I knew you'd do it!"
"Don't get any bright ideas."
"Heah! Yeahahaha! I knew I could make you listen! Woooooooh!" she cheered.
"Don't press your luck."
"Oh…. Ehehe… Yeah. Er… Yugi?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know where I could get some clothes? I can't borrow yours, you prolly don't want me to and, um, you're soooo tall that they wouldn't fit me, and I really would like some girl clothes. Please."
"If you're looking to borrow clothes, I'd probably go to Serenity, my friend Joey's sister…"
"Okay!" beamed Julia, "So I'll, uh, meet you back here in, um, an hour! Okay?"
"Sure…" Yugi nodded in defeat.
"Good!" Julia nodded happily. "Well, I'll see you later!" she bounded out the apartment door, disappearing into the hallway.
Serenity Wheeler sat with her head in her hand at the computer, doing a google-search on three of the top most-searched items by girls: Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, and Orlando Bloom. There was a quick, constant, insistent knock on her door, making her jump. Knock-knock-knock-knockSerenity groaned. That could get annoying. She bolted over to the door and threw it open, praying Joey had woken up. In front of her stood an Egyptian lady with kohl rimmed lilac eyes and long black, blue, and silver hair. It was Julia.
"May I help you?" Serenity asked uncomfortably, not knowing who it was.
"My name is Julia," she grinned cheerfully, "Do you remember Yugi Mouto?"
"My brother's friend, Yugi?"
"Uh, sure!" nodded Julia enthusiastically. "And, uh, you remember his weird little puzzle like type thing?"
"…Yeah."
"Okay! Um! That's called-"
"The
Millennium Puzzle," Serenity nodded, "Yes, I know already."
"Well, let's get straight to the point then, shall we? My name is
Julia, and I'm the resident of the Ninth Millennium Item, the
Millennium Blade. I have my own body… obviously… and met Yugi,
who was very depressed and all cuz he lost all his buddies and such.
And we figured out that an evil dude who came back to life and tried
to kill us all once is back and that's why Yugi's friends
are comatose. But he's been totally freaked out and I'm trying to
get him calmed down enough that I know he'll be okay and stay sane
and all that good stuff. After much debate I got him to agree to come
with me and I said I needed to borrow some clothes and his won't
fit me cuz he's way tall so he said maybe you'd have
something I can borrow!"
"…Wow. Well," Serenity giggled, "It'll be good for Yugi to get out and have some fun. Can I help you get ready?"
"Uh… sure…"
"Alright then! Let's get to work!" Serenity dragged Julia into another room with a bed and two closets.
Serenity threw open the two closets which were crammed full of clothes. She smiled and grabbed Julia's shoulders, holding her at arm-distance. Serenity's brow furrowed in thought as she carefully observed Julia, trying to think of what outfit would look best.
"Hm... purple is to tacky, especially for your complection and hair color... pink... nah. Ah! Ah ha!" Serenity exlaimed, excited.
She rushed over and swept out a black dress with a white bow around the waist that was knee-length. It seemed made for Julia. Serenity grinned and thrust it at Julia and then dove into her closet, emerging a moment later with a pair of black sandle high heels. She shoved Julia toward the bathroom.
"Try it on! Don't be shy!" she laughed.
Julia nodded and disappeared. She walked into the bathroom, looking in the mirror. Her extremely long hair was in a braid, as always. For once she reached to untie it. She hesitated. I'm never to take my hair down. Papa said so... But that was what, five millenia ago? Papa... Papa's gone. It won't kill me to let it down one night, right?
She sucked in a deep breath, squinching her eyes shut as she pulled the thin leather cord from her braid. She openned her eyes nervously. Sheets of shiny black, silver, and blue fell over her shoulders and down past her waist. She played with a strand of it. This feels... nice. Different. Yeah, that's it.
Julia hurriedly struggled into the dress. It's... form-fitting! It's so... so small! So short! I-Is it right? Is it supposed to look like this? She reached down and figetted with the sandles and lost her balance. She hopped around on one foor, attempting to get it on, and fell forward, crashing into the door. Julia moaned and rubbed her head. Ouch. CURSE THESE SLIPPERS! Ungh! Serenity burst into to bathroom.
"What... Julia, what happened?" Serenity exploded with laughter.
"These accursed things happened," Julia said distastefully, and then laughed too.
The two girls laughed together for a long time, then Serenity sat down next to Julia and helped her with the sandles. Serenity jumped to her feet a few minutes later and offered her hand to help her new friend up. She clapped her hands happily, beaming and looking Julia over carefullly.
"PERFECT!" she grinned, "Yugi'll fall head over heels!"
"Whoa, wait up, that means you're trying to"
"Yeah. I'm trying to set you up. Yugi needs somebody and, well, you seem perfect for him! He'll be really shocked when he sees your makeover ."
"Oh no-no-no-no-no-no! Don't! I don't wanna actually date him!"
"Really?"
Julia slumped a little. "He's kinda cute. So sue me!"
"You'll make an adorable couple. Lemme do your makeup!"
"You mean take off my kohl?"
"Well, yeah! You can't wear that and eyeshadow, silly! C'mon!"
"B-but..." Julia sighed. "Okay."
Serenity dragged a chair from the kitchen into the bathroom and instructed Julia to sit. Within twenty minutes Julia was 'prettified'. She observed herself anxiously in the full-length mirror. Serenity sat a few feet away with her arms crossed, content with her work. Julia turned around nervously.
"Serenity, I don't look good enough... What if he doesn't like it?"
"You're jittery, Julia. It'll be fine. Maybe you're jittery because you like him and are afraid of what he'll think... Oh, you look great, Julia. Calm down. That dress was made for you."
"If you're sure, Serenity..."
Julia waved good-bye to her newfound friend and left, hoping she would look okay for Yugi.
