Joey, Tristan, Yugi and Duke, in the meantime, were strolling around Domino City.
"Now," Duke tossed his dice up and down. "One more time. Where exactly are we going?"
"We're going to the pawn shop." Joey simply replied.
Tristan gave his friend a strange look. "The pawn shop? For what?"
Joey didn't answer as they finally reached the shop. He was surprised that the door is locked. "What the?" he looked down at the sign written in kanji. He tried to read it but couldn't make it out. "Hey Yugi, what does this say?"
"Hmm…" Yugi tried to decipher the kanji. "Shi-matte-iru. Sorry Joey, pawn shop's closed."
"Aw man," Joey released a grunt. He then started to pound on the glass door. "Hey old man! Open up, I wanna talk to you!"
"Joey!" Tristan and Duke tried to pull Joey back. "Dude, you gotta calm down." They continued holding him off for a few more minutes before the door opened, an elder man peeking out.
"Hey," Tristan was taken back as he remembered the familiar man. "You…you're the guy in the bathrobe who pulled us from the blimp. You're him aren't you?"
Shadi quirked an eyebrow at Tristan, obviously not knowing what he was talking about. He then shifted a glance towards Joey before turning around, going back inside the shop. "Follow me, I have been expecting you."
Joey slowly followed along with Yugi, Duke and Tristan. Shadi locked t he door to the shop behind him. Making his way behind the counter, he folded his hands, resting his elbows on the glass counter.
"You know what you're keeping from your friends will put everyone in danger." Shadi spoke softly. "Everyone you cared about that is."
"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" Joey glared at Shadi, clenching his fist. His eyes shifted a glance at his friends who stared back at him suspiciously. "What?"
"Now that you mention it," Tristan scratched his head. "You have been acting really weird since the party. Or at least ever since you used their bathroom."
"Well…I…"" he then looked up at Shadi, feeling defeated. "Marik told me about this millennium bracelet thing-a-ma-jig."
Shadi's eyes widened as soon as the words aliped from Joey's lips. He then grabbed Joey by the shirt, pulling him towards him. "Do you have any idea who posses that item?"
"Well," Joey tried to find a way to escape this question. "I don't actually know who has it."
Suddenly, Shadi slapped Joey right in the face. Duke, Tristan and Yugi were shocked at what just happened. "Hey man," Duke glared at Shadi. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
The expression on Shadi's face showed no remorse on what he just did. His eyes stared down at Joey, "Before you even leave this shop, you will expose the truth."
"Damn it!" Joey managed to regain himself. "I told you I can't tell because of you know who."
"Your silence is making things worse. I hate to tell your friends this but it's already putting your sister in a lot of danger."
"Serenity?!?" Duke and Tristan's eyes widened. "What are you trying to say?"
"Joey what's going on?" Yugi looked at his best friend.
"The millennium bracelet is an extreme dark power sort of thing," said Shadi. "That bracelet used to belong to a sorceress who had the ability to control the Shadow Realm. She tried to kill the pharaoh and send his soul to the darkness. That item, as far as I'm concerned, has found its owner and if they were to find out its true power, hell will break loose."
"So who's the owner?" Yugi's eyes widened with curiosity
"I believe you should ask your friend that." Shadi polished the counter.
"You know I can't Shadi!" Joey nearly threw a fit. "That jerk is gonna give me more than ass kicking."
"Tell us Joey!" Yugi crossed his arms over his chest.
"I advise you tell the whole story Katsuya." Shadi remained calm.
"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Joey snapped.
"I'd rather hear it from you Joey." Duke fixed his gaze on his blonde headed friend.
"Don't encourage the turban man!" Joey yelled. Finally, he could no longer take it. "All right, I'll talk! I'll talk! The day of Yugi's party. I was getting the keys I left in the bathroom. We were supposed to drop Ryou home since he became sick again. I walked in and instead of Ryou, there was Bakura and Tea making out."
"What?" Duke and Tristan were shocked. Yugi looked like he was going to faint.
"You mean Bakura's back?" Yugi leaned against the wall. "Why couldn't you have said anything to Yami?"
"I was going to. I tried calling him and by the time showed up, Bakura changed back to Ryou. That sick jerk. He told me that if I wanted my sister to be safe, I kept my mouth shut because if Yami were to know…"
"In either way, you have gotten your sister in trouble." Shadi placed the cloth down. "My advice is that you or the pharaoh must get the bracelet before the world will turn to chaos. If it's too late, the sorceress will reawaken, killing those who dare to stop her."
"So Joey," Tristan tugged him on the ear. "Who owns the bracelet? Marik? Ishizu?"
Joey shook his head. He then parted his lips, whispering the name but his voice remained inaudible.
"Joey, who is it?" Shadi was slowly growing impatient.
Finally, Joey faced his friends and Shadi saying that one name. "Anzu Mazaki."
~*~*~
Meanwhile, Tea and Yami were eating at the Katsuku Diner. They were lucky enough to find a table for two by the window. Tea's eyes looked out the window at the busy streets. Cars whizzed by, people with shopping bags swinging to and fro. Her chopsticks poked through the noodles, swirling around the soup.
"So I suspected." Yami held his cup, looking up at Tea.
"Huh?" Tea wrenched her gaze from the window to Yami. "Suspected what?"
"I may have seen into your soul but could not into your mind. Something really is bothering you."
"Yami," Tea forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's just that I have a lot in mind right now. With our exams, homework…"
"Are you going out with someone?" he gave her a strange look.
"Huh?" Tea's eyes widened. "Oh…no, who did you think I was going out with?" she gave off a nervous laugh.
Yami smiled as he noticed the bracelet that wrapped around Tea's arm. Reaching out, his hand grabbed her arm, staring at the bracelet. "Where did you get this Tea?" his tone of voice remained firm yet serious at the same time.
"Yami!" Tea yanked her arm away from his grasp. Realizing what she had done, her face turned red with embarrassment. "Well, um…you see Yami, I was cleaning up the attic a few days ago when I came across this."
"Hmm…" he finished the last of his drink. "It's just that bracelet…back in the ancient past…" he closed his eyes, remembering it as if it were yesterday. The last person who owned the millennium bracelet was a young sorceress who wielded black magic and who controlled the Shadow Realm greater than how Marik or Bakura could. She tried to kill the pharaoh a number of times before he managed to seal her in a mirror.
Of course, he never got to see her face since she always wore a cloak. His eyes looked up at Tea, wondering if there's any resemblance to her and the evil being. Wiping his mouth, Yami stood up taking Tea by the hand. "Come, I'll walk you home." he placed the money on the table, taking Tea out of the restaurant. As they passed through a crowd, one person turned, watching the two.
About twenty minutes later, they finally reached her house. The night was dark as a single streetlight lit up the street. Yami's hand had yet to release hers.
"Well…um…Yami…" Tea smiled. "Thanks for the dinner."
"There's a reason why I asked you for dinner." he smiled a little.
"I already know why." she grinned. "And I'm really thankful that you are one of my best friends."
This struck Yami odd, as if this wasn't the sort of answer he was expecting. Quickly, he shook his head, laughing softly. "That's exactly right." he then patted her head, releasing his hold on her hand, taking a step back. "Oh well, guess I'll be going then." Turning on his heel, he walked down the sidewalk, disappearing into the night.
Tea stood there, looking on curiously. Feeling as if there was nothing else to do, she was about to head to her house when she heard someone calling her name.
"Tea…" a familiar voice called out.
"Huh?" she looked up seeing Serenity. "Hey Serenity. What are you doing out here? Thought you and Joey were going to the pawn shop."
Serenity slowly approached Tea, her skirt blowing gently along with the wind. Her head gazed onto the ground. A box the size of a glasses case was embraced by Serenity's fingers. A smile played her lips as she looked up at Tea. "There's something stuck on your back."
"Really?" Tea's arm tried to reach her back. "Where? What is it? What's on my back?"
"Turn around and I'll take it out for you." that smile did not leave her lips.
Taking Serenity's word for it, Tea turned around, her back facing towards her. As soon as she had done so, the sweet smile transformed into a cruel smirk, vibrant eyes turned into a dull, lifeless gaze. Opening the box as she approached Tea, she took out a knife. "It'll be a second my friend."
"Well hurry up. It better not be one of those twigs or leaves." Tea's hands swung back and forth like a pendulum. Suddenly, she felt her arm being jerked and twisted. "What the?" Trying to turn her head around, shocked to see Serenity. The lifeless gaze looked rather familiar. "Serenity, what the hell are you doing?" her struggling stopped quickly as she felt a cold blade pressing onto her skin.
"He should be here any minute." Serenity spoke in a dreamy voice.
"Who…who should be here any minute?" Tea choked out the words.
Suddenly, a dark laugh escaped from the shadows as a figure stepped out with his millennium rod in hand. "Just as I thought, she is of good use after all." he was referring to Serenity. "If she continues to be a good little girl, I might just reward." a grin played his lips, a soft chuckle filling the air.
Tea's eyes widened as she recognized who was standing before her. "Marik?!?"
Marik slowly approached her, the smile glazed his lips. "Tea, I tried to be friendly with you. I really did," he held out the millennium rod right in her face. "But I guess I have no choice. Hand the bracelet over."
"I wouldn't give it to you!" Anzu snarled.
"Oh? Is it all because that is a token of love from Bakura?" Marik taunted. "Listen Tea, Bakura doesn't want anything to do with you. He's just after the bracelet."
"Why the hell would he want the bracelet if he gave it to me?"
Marik paid no attention as he picked the knife off of Serenity's hand. He grabbed Tea's arm with the bracelet, placing the blade on her wrist. "We could've done this the easy way Mazaki. But then again, you know how much I love to torment those that the damn pharaoh gives a rat's ass about." the smirk remained plastered as he raised the blade up.
As he was about to bring down the blade, a spinning firecracker rolled towards him. Before he could even do something, the firecracker popped.
"What the hell?" Marik looked down at the remains of the firecracker. "Who just threw that?"
Serenity looked to the side. "There's that bastard!" And there stood a shadowed figure wearing a long black jacket and black clothing. Dark sunglasses rimmed its eyes.
Marik chuckled. "It's laughable. To shroud yourself in the darkness and call your night a happy one."
"Marik," Serenity looked on. "Who is that?"
The smile never left his face. "Someone you never expect to show up at this time. An idiot of all sorts."
The stranger looked on, glaring at Marik. Reaching into his pocket, he lit up two more spinning firecrackers, hurling one towards Marik and one towards Serenity. Marik managed to kick it away from him. Serenity, however, failed to avoid it as the blast knocked her and Tea out.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Marik glared at the stranger who stood on the middle of the road. "I should have known you would pull a stunt like that after all this time." he made his way towards Serenity, picking up her body, swinging it over his shoulder. "Listen, lay off the Chinese New Year hi-jinx." he then strode down the street, disappearing into the night.
Minutes passed by as the stranger approached an unconscious Tea, its eyes looming over her body. Its arms reached out and placed her body in its arms before walking down the streets.
~*~*~
To Be Continued