Chapter 2: The Game Shop Experience
Brighty strolled down the street, enjoying the soothing afternoon breeze. Her driver, Parker, had not been happy when he had been informed that his services were not needed at the moment. A small argument had taken place but Brighty had prevailed of course. She told Parker that he could pick her up at the game shop in an hour. That had pacified the driver and given Brighty at least one hour of freedom.
Brighty paused for a moment, observing the flow of people and cars around her. Nothing seemed out of place but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Brighty took another second to try and find the source of her discomfort. Finding nothing wrong Brighty shook her head and continued her stroll. "Must just be my imagination but maybe…." Brighty halted once more and scanned the area. "Come on, girl!" she berated, "You're just jumping at shadows." She continued to walk but at a mite faster pace.
Across the street, a figure moved deeper into the shadows of an alley.
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Brighty stood outside the game shop looking at the bright letters and the items on display in the windows. "I hope they don't think I'm a terrible snoop. For that matter, why didn't they notice I was right behind them in class? Actually, it's like the whole school hasn't noticed my presence at all this week. I wonder why?" Brighty shook her head and puts those thoughts aside for later. "Stop stalling," she chided.
She took a deep breath and gripped her courage in both hands. She opened the door to the shop and her eyes widened in shock at the scene before her. Yugi was laughing his head off at Joey as he drooled over some cards and argued with an old guy behind the counter. Brighty judged this to be Yugi's grandpa, considering their hair-dos where the same.
"Come on, grandpa. I'm one of the top duelists in the world! And a top duelist needs a tight deck," Joey whined to Mr. Motou.
Mr. Motou heaved a long suffering sigh, "I told you, Joey, if you don't have enough money for both cards you'll have to choose which one you want. I can't just give cards away."
Joey grinned cockily, "Not even to good friends of the family?"
Mr. Motou rolled his eyes, "Especially for them."
Joey made a face and gazed woefully down at the two cards in his hands. "But I can't pick! I need both cards to vamp up my deck!"
Yugi finally managed to get his laughter under control and caught his breath. "I'll buy one card for you, Joey. It's the least I can do for a friend."
Joey's face brightened into a wide grin and he slapped Yugi on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Thanks, Yug! You're a real pal!" Joey went back to drooling over his new cards. "Just wait until I get to use these babies…."
Yugi started to laugh again as Mr. Motou rung up the cards. He finally spotted Brighty just standing near the door looking a trifle glassy-eyed. "Well, hello there, Miss. Didn't hear you come in. Anything I can help you with?"
Brighty jumped a little self consciously, "Oh….I'm sorry. I didn't want to interrupt."
Yugi stopped laughing and Joey looked up from his cards to see who the newcomer was. Before them was a girl with long, wavy red-gold hair and deep green eyes. She stood a little taller than Yugi and wore the Domino High uniform.
Mr. Motou smiled reassuringly at the timid, young girl. "You didn't interrupt a thing. These two are in here almost every day."
Yugi stared at the girl for a second. "She seems familiar," he thought and then asked, "You go to Domino High too?"
Brighty blushed lightly as she answered him, "Yeah….I sit behind you in class actually."
"That must be it, but why is it I can't seem to remember her being there?" Yugi frowned slightly as he pondered that over.
Mr. Motou again smiled and teased her gently, "That must be why you're here then. Overheard these two goons talking about this place, huh?"
Brighty blushed harder and stared down at her feet. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.
Mr. Motou chuckled softly. "Don't be, they were probably talking loud enough for the whole class to hear them," he told her reassuringly. "You must be new in town, I haven't seen you here before."
Still blushing lightly, Brighty gazed up at them through her eyelashes, "That's right, sir, I've only been here a week now. My name is Bright Hart, sir, I'm very pleased to meet you."
Grandpa Motto grinned back at her kindly, "As I am pleased to meet you, Miss Hart, and please call me grandpa, most everyone does. Now then what can I help you with?"
Brighty shuffled closer to the counter. "I came to see your duel monster cards," she said. "Like Joey my deck could use a tune up as well. And please, call me Brighty. I get called 'Miss Hart' enough by others."
"Very well, Brighty, see anything you like?" Grandpa asked.
Brighty looked over the cards spread out on the counter top. Her eyes started to wander a little, looking at the things inside the glass counter. She paled slightly as her gaze was drawn to a funny looking bead. The bead was about the size of the tip of her little finger, gold in appearance, and with a strangely shaped eye on it.
Yugi had been observing Brighty the whole time that she looked over the cards, puzzled over the funny feeling of knowing her from somewhere. He noticed her go pale and followed her field of vision to see what could have caused this reaction, "Hey, grandpa, where did you get that bead? I haven't seen it before."
"What bead?" Grandpa asked, peering into the counter. His face lit up with understanding, "Oh that!" He reached in and pulled out the little bead. "My friend Arthur sent it to me. He found it on a dig in Egypt," he held the bead out in his hand so the two kids could get a closer look at it.
Yugi gasped in shock, "It has the Millennium Eye on it! Just like my Puzzle!"
Grandpa nodded his head, "Yes it does. Arthur isn't sure if it holds any significance or not, but he said he had a profound feeling to send it to me. Said he knew it needed to come to me. I'm not sure why, though, but in any case it is an interesting little thing." Grandpa frowned as he looked at Brighty's entranced expression. He didn't know why but he had this strange urge to give the bead to her, like it belonged to her or something.
Brighty could barely take her eyes off the bead. She felt a slight pulling on her soul, like a string was attached between her and the bead and was being tugged on. She lightly shook herself, trying to throw off the funny feeling, "Its lovely, in a strange sort of way." Brighty picked up a card at random from the counter top, "This one, I'll take this card."
Grandpa put the bead down and looked at the card Brighty chose, "Ah, Wingweaver, a good choice I think."
Brighty blinked and took a better look at the card in her hand. She didn't know why but it felt right, like finding an old friend, "Yeah, me too."
As Brighty dug out the money for the card, the door chimes went off. Everyone turned to see a man in uniform standing there, "Miss Hart, there was a call from the office. It seems a problem has arisen and they need you there."
Brighty sighed in exasperation, "Can't they survive one day without me? I'll be right there, Parker." Parker headed back out to the car as Brighty handed over the money to Grandpa and pocketed her new card. "Thank you, Mr. Mo….I mean, Grandpa. I'm sorry I have to run like this, but…."
Grandpa just smiled, "Duty calls, I understand. But you seem a bit young to be running an office."
Brighty rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Tell that to my parents. They are the ones that assigned me to the Tokyo branch. Anyways, I must be going now."
"One moment, Brighty, here," Grandpa handed her the bead, "Think of it as a welcome present."
Brighty stared at the bead in shock for a moment and then smiled beautifully, "Oh thank you, Grandpa," she said a bit breathlessly, "bye!" Brighty hurried out the door.
Yugi stared at his grandpa in surprise, "Why did you do that, Grandpa? You friend gave that to you!"
Grandpa just nodded and stared at the door in thought for a second, "Just a feeling, Yugi. That it belongs with her."
"Oh…" was all Yugi could think of to say. "She does seem nice, and I feel like I've met her before. What about you, Joey…Joey?"
Both Yugi and Grandpa turned to see that Joey hadn't moved an inch and wore a completely dumb struck look on his face. "Joey, are you okay?" Yugi asked his friend, a bit worriedly.
Joey said in a very silly voice, "I think I'm in love." Yugi and Grandpa both face vault in surprise.
