"Leave them alone!" said Yugi irate. It was bad enough Ushio had suddenly decided to take an interest in the smallest student in the school. Yugi did not want to be the reason Jounouchi and Honda were put in the ER because Ushio decided to use them as an excuse to extort Yugi.

"I would have thought you'd be happy your chief tormentors got what's coming to them," sneered Ushio, his words at odds with his so called 'intent'.

"Right, like it's my fault your much smaller brain and overbearing physique gave you ample reason to use extortion as a reason to beat up anyone weaker than you if they don't pay," Yugi deadpanned. "I mean really, I would have thought your minions would have warned you about targeting the smallest student in the school."

Jounouchi and Honda looked at Yugi like the other teen was nuts, challenging Ushio like that.

"You think you're better than me, runt?" snarled Ushio.

"Why Ushio-sempai, I'm amazed I have to spell that out to you. Then again I suppose you traded brains for half-assed brawn," Yugi shot back.

"Yugi, just run already! We can handle this!" said Jounouchi, certain that the tiny teen was about to get beaten up really badly for mouthing off to Ushio. He didn't know the midget had it in him, much less have that much sass.

Ushio, pissed beyond reason the shorted student in school was disrespecting him so openly, went to teach the twit some manners. Maybe then the idiot would accept his proposal. He charged much like a bull, unaware of the danger that was in front of him.

What happened next could only be described as a one-sided massacre...for Ushio.

Jounouchi and Honda stared as the tiny Yugi easily evaded Ushio's charge, and then proceeded to throw him. Stunned but undeterred, Ushio attacked again...only for Yugi to use a nasty one-two combo to lay the older teen out flat with shocking ease.

"Since when do you know boxing, and why have you never used it on us?" asked Honda after a moment.

Yugi chuckled.

"It's actually kickboxing, and I swore to Anzu she could be the one to tell you the truth after the last time you royally pissed her off. Miho promised to take pictures of your reactions."

The two boys had a headache, but since it looked like Yugi had things well in hand they ignored it. Still shocking to see the tiny teen beat up Ushio of all people.

Jounouchi paused while they walked past the canal where he had thrown the last piece of Yugi's precious puzzle in. Considering the other teen had defended them against Ushio and had taken offense that the older teen was using their harassment as an excuse to beat them up, he figured he owed the runt. He dove into the water to retrieve the piece.

The next morning...

Yugi was more amused than irritated when one of Ushio's thugs arrived in the class. Jounouchi and Honda stiffened, fully expecting trouble and still owing the smaller teen for yesterday.

Anzu, however took one look at who it was and snorted.

"Alright, which one of the disciplinary thugs pissed you off yesterday if Hiroshi is here looking like he expects you to bite his head off...again?" she asked Yugi.

"Ushio thought it was a bright idea to extort money from me after beating up the idiot duo. I merely gave him another opinion of that idea," said Yugi flatly.

"Wait, seriously?" said Anzu incredulous. Yugi nodded. Anzu started cackling.

"Yugi-sempai, I swear I had no idea he was going to target you."

"I've said it before, kohai, the actions of the idiots in the group you're in do not reflect upon you unless you're stupid enough to join in despite knowing the truth," Yugi stated flatly. "That being said if Ushio comes after me again I will not be held accountable for what I do to him and hopefully a stay in the hospital will knock some sense into him for once."

"Oh thank the kami..." said Hiroshi with open relief. He did not want Yugi pissed at him again. Last time had been bad enough.

"...Am I missing something?" said Honda.

"Yes, but I'm waiting for the perfect time to break the news to you two," said Anzu. "However long story short, Hiroshi is an understudy to the dojo Yugi is registered to. Yugi happens to be the most senior student and the one in charge of the beginner classes, mostly because the kids can relate better to someone closer to their size."

"And that relates to an upperclassman treating Yugi with respect why?" asked Jounouchi, confused.

"Yugi has a higher belt level than him," said Anzu simply. "Honor dictates he show respect...especially since it was his leader who pissed Yugi off. He's probably worried Yugi will use him to demonstrate harder, more humiliating moves and then make him clean the dojo for a month again to teach him discipline."

Jounouchi and Honda had a headache.

"Why is it that Yugi has never stood up to us then?" Jounouchi asked finally.

"Not my fault you two are working under a misconception. If you had gone beyond petty harassment in the name of 'toughening me up', then I would have retaliated already," said Yugi dryly.

Jounouchi gave Yugi a Look.

"Have you always been this snarky, or is this a recent addition?" he asked suspiciously.

"Ushio-sempai challenged Yugi during the worst time," said Anzu snorting. "Normally Yugi is more of a pacifist."

"Pacifist, right," said Honda dryly.

Jounouchi remembered something important, and slipped something into Yugi's bag when they weren't looking. It also had a note on it, though that mostly contained the word "Sorry" on it.

Ushio, enraged at being challenged by someone he took as a weakling and not wanting his reputation wrecked because of it, cornered Yugi again later. This time alone.

Unfortunately for him, Yugi's recently completed puzzle contained something that took the challenge poorly and was more than happy to teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

At least, once he was out of the psych ward anyway.

Anzu was barely withholding her cackling as Miho recorded the boy's reaction. Jounouchi seemed to be suffering some sort of mental blue screen of death while Honda kept opening and closing his mouth in shock, in between staring at the screen then at the overly amused teen beside Anzu. Though Yugi had a new addition, specifically a solid gold pendant that looked like an upside down pyramid with something that resembled a stylized Eye of Horus.

The screen was on a recent tournament for martial arts. And there, on the page for the Underweight division, was a certain tiny teen wearing a Gi that had a black belt on it holding a trophy.

The caption read "Dancing Light of Domino Dominates again!"

"Yugi is a black belt?" said Jounouchi, twitching rampantly.

"A second dan black belt in kickboxing and a recent blue belt in Aikido," said Anzu smugly.

"What's with the title?" asked Honda, finally recovering himself.

"My actual name is Hikari Muto...Yugi is just a nickname," said the teen. "Grandpa called me that around Anzu and she found the fact people kept making the same mistake because it was impossible finding the right uniform in my size hilarious, so everyone just assumes that's my name."

"Not getting the dancing part though," said Honda.

"My ballet teacher is a former kickboxing champion. The dojo belongs to her husband, but she teaches her old style on the side. I'm her prized student," clarified Hikari. "My preferred fighting style revolves around speed and precision rather than overpowering my opponents, and thanks to the ballet training I'm particularly graceful. Hence the nickname the Dancing Light."

"Why would you take ballet though? It's bad enough you're the shortest kid in school, this isn't exactly helping your manly cred," complained Jounouchi.

Hikari was desperately holding in her laughter at that.

"That right there is why I never really went after you two for harassing me. It's too funny that you seem to think I care about my 'manly street cred' or whatever you want to call it!"

Honda had a headache and simply wanted the world to return to normal.

"So just to be clear, Yu...Hikari is secretly a badass who doesn't like fighting?" said Honda.

"I'm a pacifist. Besides, one of the staples of real martial artists is that we don't learn to show off, we learn to defend ourselves and those weaker than us. It's part of the reason I attained a black belt before I was fourteen...I wasn't inclined to make an idiot of myself," said Hikari helpfully. "I mostly learned Aikido to give my teacher a break whenever she was busy with ballet recitals or new students."

"Hikari is the only reason I made it to blue belt in kickboxing," said Anzu.

"I have a headache," complained Honda.

"Ditto," said Jounouchi.

"Coincidentally, if either of you are interested in real combat training, my aikido instructor does know a few other dojos that take older students. Since I know you're somewhat strapped for cash, there are at least two I know of that accept students who are willing to work off the price of learning a new style," said Hikari helpfully.

Rather than be offended, Jounouchi looked somewhat interested.

"What sort of style?"

"One is boxing. I'm somewhat good at it, but punching isn't really my thing. The head of that gym would be more than willing to let you learn how to throw a proper punch if you're willing to clean up the place on weekends when the senior members are done. Most of the weekday students are hobbyists or people from other schools using it to improve their own before competitions," said Hikari.

"What's the other?"

"A small Taekwondo dojo. The first one is a general offer, while the second one is only if you're recommended by someone of significant standing. The work-for-lessons is mostly as a way to instill proper discipline to the prospective student, and that's only if you impress the instructor," said Hikari.

Jounouchi seemed to seriously consider the offer.

"I think I'd rather try the boxing gym first. I don't think any instructor would be impressed if they found out what I did before I started high school," said Jounouchi after a moment.

You could imagine his surprise learning it was the gym closest to his house. And that Hikari had apparently been visiting regularly on the mixed martial arts nights that the more serious boxers knew the teen by their actual name.

"So, you think I should take this whelp as a possible student do you?"

"He's an idiot, but he has the right heart for it and I think he'd thrive under some proper supervision."

The older man looked Jounouchi over.

"Heh...I've seen your type before kid. You're the kind that acts like a loyal hound to your master, once they've done something to earn it. However if that master betrays you, you'll follow your own moral code to the bitter end, even if it means your own end."

"I ain't a dog," said Jounouchi.

"I believe he meant it as a compliment, saying you're a natural knight," Hikari clarified. "You're not the sort to lead a country, but leading men into battle for the one you've chosen to follow is another story. Like Sir Percival, Galahad or even Lancelot."

Jounouchi perked up at that. Even someone like him had heard of the famous Knights of the Round table.

"So what do you say kid...ready to put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to prove you're worthy of the praise the little phoenix gave you?"

"Phoenix?" said Jounouchi confused.

"Hikari is too passive for a dragon," he said cryptically.

That and phoenixes were more traditionally associated with female rulers. There was something about her that made people stop and pay attention to her, so the more serious fighters called her the 'dancing phoenix', among other things. Hikari looked passive, but when her own were threatened she had a nasty habit of retaliating with overwhelming force.

Some of the stupider fighters who were harassing her friend Anzu learned that particular lesson the hard way...and coincidentally it was that incident that earned her the nickname Dancing Phoenix.

Though after hearing it from her teacher, she insisted on changing it to a less embarrassing nickname...she could live with the Dancing Light instead. Which was the only reason that particular title was known to the public forums.

On the plus side, she finally had a decent sparring partner since Anzu wasn't really a fighter and the others had to modulate their strength because of her age. Jounouchi, once he realized Hikari wasn't going to hold it against him if she got a black eye (that's what make-up was for) was more than happy to fight against her if only to improve his own skills and help Hikari out.