Ehehehehe...don't kill me! I was just on a major writer's block...like withevery other fic I have...

School Days

Kania reached across her desk and tapped Soria on the shoulder. "He's falling asleep again," she murmured, shaking her head.

Soria looked at the desk next to her. Sure enough, Tecuo's head had once more fallen onto his desk, and his eyes were shut.

As she watched, one of his hands began to grope around, until it came to rest on the inverted gold pyramid around his neck. A contented smiled crossed his face, and he continued to sleep peacefully.

Soria shook her head. He had come to school that morning wearing it, and refused to take it off, even when some of the other students began to tease him for it. He just glared at them for a moment, and then returned to what he was doing.

At that moment, the lunch bell rang. The students rushed out the door—all except Soria, Kania, and Tecuo, the former two trying to wake the latter.

"Hey, Tecuo," Soria whispered. "Is that an ultra-rare, fresh-off-the-press Duel Monsters card I see?"

Tecuo's head jerked up off the desk. "Where?"

Kania and Soria collapsed into laughter, leaning on the desk for support.

"Very funny," Tecuo muttered, looking blearily up at the clock. He started, realizing it was time for lunch.

"What were you doing last night, anyway?" Soria asked as Tecuo let out a huge yawn.

Tecuo didn't reply—but she caught him glance down at the thing he was wearing.

"You should have been asleep!" Kania admonished.

Tecuo grinned ruefully at her. "I know, but I couldn't get to sleep last night."

Kania sighed, shaking her head. "Tecuo, Tecuo…what ever are we going to do with you?"

Tecuo's grinned widened. "Whatever you do, just don't stop me from getting lunch! I'm starving!"

Soria grinned. "So'm I! Race you both to the cafeteria!"

"Hey, Tecuo—want to come over to my house for dinner?"

Tecuo thought for a minute. "I don't know…I'd have to ask my mom…"

"Pleeeease?" Soria begged. "Come on, we can help each other out with our homework! And you can meet my parents—Kania's, too, since they're coming!"

Tecuo nodded. "Sure—sounds like fun! I'll ask my mom when I get home!"

Soria pumped her fist in the air. "Yes! See you there, Tecuo! Ask your mom if she'll come, too!"

Tecuo waved at her, and began to walk home. Fun…it'll be really fun.

/You know, you three remind me of Yugi and his friends.

Tecuo nearly jumped out of his skin. /Ya-mi! Don't scare me like that!

Yami laughed ruefully. /I'm sorry, Tecuo—I keep forgetting that you don't realize I'm here. It was like that for a time with Yugi, too. He and his friends didn't realize I was there, until Yugi told them what I had to say.

Tecuo sighed. "This is seriously getting weirder," he murmured to himself.

"Is it? Well, I think it's about to get even more strange."

Tecuo nearly jumped out of his skin, and looked sharply to his left. Yami was standing there—faint and semi-transparent, but there all the same.

At the astounded expression on Tecuo's face, Yami chuckled. "You should see yourself. You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Technically, I have," Tecuo muttered sourly. Then; "No one else can see you except me, unless you want them to, right?"

Yami nodded. "You're also the only one who can hear me."

"Oh." Tecuo glanced nervously over his shoulder. "Then why's that girl staring at you?"

Yami whipped around. Sure enough, a little girl who couldn't have been more than seven with burnished gold hair, a deep bronze tan, and bright blue eyes was staring fixedly at Yami, mouth slightly agape. She appeared to have just stepped out of one of the shops.

"I'd better go," Yami murmured, and faded away.

Tecuo smiled nervously at the girl, and continued to walk. His mind was racing.

How could she see Yami? According to him, I'm the only one that can see him!

/…Something's not quite right here, Tecuo—I can sense it.

/Heh. You don't have to tell me twice!

"Marissa!" a male voice scolded. "It's rude to stare at strangers!"

The little girl looked up at the man who had walked out of the shop behind her. "But Papa—"

Marissa's foster father sighed, running his fingers through his bleach-blond hair. "No, Marissa. You're not supposed to stare at people like that."

Marissa shook her head. "Papa, I saw someone disappear! Exactly like you told me the other ones did!"

Marissa's father raised an eyebrow. "What 'other ones'?"

Marissa tried to remember. "The ones that came from those Items. The ones that used to live in Egypt. I just saw a short boy walking with a tall boy, and when they saw me, the tall boy disappeared. Why don't you believe me?"

Marissa's father turned a little. Worried lavender eyes scanned the street. "Marissa…I do believe you. And…that's why I'm worried."

Marissa tugged on her father's hand. "Weren't we gonna go see your old friends, Papa?"

Her father nodded. "Yes. That's where we're headed right now."

And now, I have an even more important reason to go, he thought grimly.

"C'mon, Mom! Pleeeease?"

Mrs. Mutou laughed. "All right, all right! You can go to Soria's house for dinner!"

Tecuo pumped his fist in the air. "Thanks, Mom!"

He turned to run off—and stopped. "Soria wanted to know if you'd come, too."

Mrs. Mutou nodded. "Sure."

"Thanks!"

Tecuo ran up the stairs and flopped down on his bed. "This is gonna be great!" he breathed.

Yami appeared next to him, looking speculatively around. "For some reason, I keep seeing these walls covered in Duel Monsters posters…was this Yugi's room when he was younger?"

Tecuo nodded. "That's what Mom told me."

Yami sighed. "I keep forgetting it's so much farther in the future…I expect to see things, and they aren't there any more. When you entered the shop, I almost expected to see Yugi's grandfather sitting at the counter, and the shelves organized and well-dusted…like they used to be…"

"Great-grandpa died before I was born," Tecuo said quietly.

"Oh."

There was silence for a moment. Tecuo's thoughts turned for the hundredth time to his father. Where was he? Where had he been for the past ten years?

Yami nudged him in the side with his elbow. "Tecuo…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you duel?"

Tecuo stiffened. "No, I don't duel!" he replied sharply.

Yami winced at Tecuo's harsh tone of voice. "Sorry."

Tecuo closed his eyes. "No…" he said slowly. "I'm the one that should be saying sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." He looked up at the ceiling. "It's hard living in my dad's shadow…everyone expects me to be as good as, if not better than, him. Even if I did duel, I'd like to be known as Tecuo Mutou—not as Yugi Mutou's son."

Yami put his hand on Tecuo's shoulder. "I understand," he said quietly.

Tecuo felt an odd sense of gratitude flow through him at those words. "Thanks," he replied softly.

Yami smiled a little. Tecuo's mind worked almost exactly like his father's.

"Tecuo!" Mrs. Mutou called. "It's time to go! I hope you know where Soria lives!"

"Yeah, Mom—I'll be right down!"

Tecuo looked up at Yami. "Are you coming?"

Yami grinned ruefully. "Are you going to wear the Puzzle?"

Tecuo touched the Puzzle. "Oh yeah…I'd forgotten aboutthat."

Yami stood up. "Have fun. If you need me, I'll be right here." And he faded away.

Tecuo grinned, exiting his room. Yami was strange company—but strange was better than none, he supposed. Besides, Yami had good advice on a lot of things.

/You there, Yami?

He could sense Yami laughing. /Where else would I be?

/Just checking. I'm going to take the Puzzle off now.

Yami seemed to groan. /When you do that, I feel like I'm trapped in a dead body—like I'm blind, deaf, mute, and unable to feel.

/But I have to. That was always what Tecuo said—he had to. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had to hide the Puzzle from his mother—for now, at least.

Yami sighed resignedly. /Fine. Just keep it close to you—that way, at least, I'll be able to hear. Maybe even see.

/Dramatist.

/It's true!

Tecuo grinned, slipping the Puzzle into his backpack. He loved Yami's sense of humor.

"What's taking so long?" Mrs. Mutou called exasperatedly.

"Nothing!" Tecuo replied quickly. "I just promised to help Soria and Kania with their algebra, and I had to find it!"

Mrs. Mutou sighed. "Well, if you're finished, then let's get going. I'd like to meet these friends of yours."

Uh...I know it's a lame ending, but I honestly couldn't figure out how to finish. Anyway, stay tuned! Review, please! Sugar cookies all around!

PS: See if you can't guess who Marissa's father is! First fivepeople to get it right get five of mymy awesome, frosting-and-sprinkles sugar cookies--each! I'll announce the winners at the end of the next chapter!