Chapter Seven: Meeting the Family

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh and if I did, then I wouldn't be here. I would be somewhere else, probably buying manga. –shrugs- Anyways, here's the seventh chapter. Enjoy the chapter!

Joey had traveled a long time to get to his mother's place. He had to take the train, which scared Niobe worse than the wrapping paper did. The train had hissed and roared at her and her human and yet Joey wasn't scared of it. He climbed inside of it and sat down. Niobe didn't want to look at the inside of the beast but instead, looked outside and saw the scenery change from gray walls to a pretty field and then change to the city. The beast stopped twice before they got off. Joey petted Niobe's bowed head again to calm her down. He walked down unfamiliar streets to Niobe and rounded a corner. There were houses on this street and that calmed her down a little, knowing that the inside of these houses are warm on the inside. Joey stopped at one and knocked on the heavy wooden door.

The door opened to reveal an older woman, either in her late thirties or early forties. "Joseph? Oh my goodness!" the woman cried out and wrapped her arms around his neck. Niobe had foreseen that coming and had hid inside of his hoodie with only her head poking out of the neckline. "It's good to see you again Joseph. Come on in before you catch a cold," she said welcoming him inside her cozy house.

There were Christmas decorations on the fireplace mantle and on the surfaces of the living room. He looked to his left, to the giant dinning room to see even more Christmas decorations on the big table. The candles that stood in the silver candleholder were a pale gold. The holder itself was wrapped at the base with garlands of holly with the bright red berries sticking out. The plates were out and the finest silverware was next to the fine china.

"You went all out this year mom," he said and carefully took off his hoodie. Joey's mom nodded and screamed as soon as she saw Niobe clinging onto Joey's shirt. "Don't worry, this is Niobe. She won't bite," he said trying to reassure his mother. He put the hoodie down on a chair and set his bookbag down and Niobe flew to it in fear that his mother was going to scream again.

Joey's mom looked at her son and at the dragon that was clinging to her son not to long ago. "Are you sure Joey? That thing looks vicious," she said worriedly.

Someone came running down the stairs. "Mom, why did you yell?" a female's voice asked. "Joey? Joey!" a female said. She was shorter than Joey and his mother but she was real pretty. Her long red hair was tied back in a ponytail and she was wearing a Christmas dress with a ribbon around her neck and ornaments earrings. "I've missed you Joey," she said as she hugged her older brother and buried her head in his shirt.

Joey pet the crying girl's head and hugged her back. "Hey Seren, I missed you too," he said and pull her off of him. "Now let me take a look at you so I can tell how many boys I can beat up for looking at my baby sister," he joked and backed up. "Serenity, you look like an angel," he complimented as Serenity blushed. "When did you get your ears pierced though?" he asked.

Serenity smiled and wiped away her tears. "A while ago, after Battle City," she said and looked at her brother. A tiny growl of envy was heard and Serenity looked at the source of where it came from. "A Red Eyes Black Dragon? Oh, it's so cute," she said and went to the tiny dragon. Picking Niobe up, Serenity pet under her chin and stroked her wings. "Is it a boy or a girl Joey?" she asked her brother, not turning her attention away from the cute dragon in her arms.

"Niobe is a girl and I think you two just became friends," Joey answered. His mother smiled at the young teen girl and the dragon. "Hey Ren, you got a dragon too?" Joey asked.

Serenity nodded and raced up stairs and came down two seconds later with a tiny diamond dragon known as Hyozanryu. "This is Glitter," Serenity said as the tiny dragon sat comfortably in Serenity's arms. Niobe had climbed on Serenity's head and sat there looking very pleased with herself.

Joey laughed at his dragon and pet the tiny diamond dragon. "Is all of this real?" he asked as he pet one of the diamond wings. Serenity nodded and held her dragons tighter. "You and Becca had better keep and eye on your dragons then. Hers is the Luster Dragon 2, you know, the emerald one. Watch it carefully," Joey warned, not wanting the tiny dragon to be stolen from his sweet sister.

Joey's mother smiled at the Niobe as she flew from Serenity's head, not messing it up, to Joey's shoulder. "May I hold her?" she asked, holding her hand out to let the dragon climb on. Joey smiled and Niobe slowly climbed to the woman's arm, trying really hard not to hurt the friendly woman. With a smile, Joey's mom pet the dragon lovingly and hugged her. I want you to keep my son safe," she told the dragon. Niobe chirped her answer, earning another pet from the older woman.

"Mom, I got you and Serenity your gifts. I hope that you like them," he said, holding his bookbag. They all went inside the living room and sat down on the soft couch. Joey opened up his bookbag and handed Serenity her gift and his mother her bag. "You can open them now if you like," Joey said, bracing himself for Serenity's screams and hug. In a flash, Serenity opened up her gift and hugged her brother while screaming her thanks. She raced upstairs and brought out her camera. "Thank you so much Joey!" she said again and hugged him again.

Joey's mother pulled out the candle and hugged her son. "Thank you Joey. I love it," she said and set it on the coffee table. She took off the lid and searched the living room for her box of matches.

Joey looked at his dragon and then at the candlewick. "I got it mom. Niobe, could you light the wick please," he asked his dragon. Niobe made a purring noise and shot a flame to the wick. The candle lit and within three seconds, the smell of sugar cookie went through the air. "Thank you girl," Joey smiled and rubbed Niobe's wings. "I hate to break it short but I have to get going. I promised a friend that I would go to their party tonight."

Serenity stood up. "Wait a second Joey. I want to take a picture of us," she said and turned the timer on her camera. Joey hugged his sister and mother's shoulders as he stood in the middle of the group, the dragons on their humans' heads and waited. They all smiled, well the family did the dragons looked cute, and the flash rang out. Niobe shook her head trying to clear the spots away. "We'll miss you Joey," Serenity said and hugged her brother again.

Joey's mom hugged him too. "Thanks for coming over and for the gifts," she said and saw her son out the door. "Come over again and tell your friends I said Merry Christmas."

"I will mom." Joey slipped his hoodie back on and Niobe climed to her spot. "Merry Christmas you two," he said and walked outside.

"Merry Christmas!" the two ladies said and with that Joey walked back to the train station and went home.

A/N: Okay, next chapter will be up shortly so look out for it. Please review. Thanks.