When Akia opened her eyes, she was staring at a white ceiling.

"Where...?"

Anzu: "Akia-chan!"

Jounouchi: "Thank goodness you're awake!"

Akia sat up on the bed. It took her a bit to process what had happened.

"Ah! Yugi! Where's Yugi?!"

Yugi: "Right here."

Akia looked to her left and saw Yugi sitting on a bed next to hers as well.

"Are we... in a hospital?"

Then it all came back to her. The building on fire, Keith Howard, the shattered and chained up puzzle... She looked at Yugi and found him holding the completed puzzle in his hands.

Honda: "You wouldn't let go of that puzzle... You could've died."

Yugi: "I just couldn't leave him in there..."

Yugi then proceeded to tell them exactly what had happened. How the disguised Keith Howard stole the Millennium Puzzle and lured Yugi into a duel. He then said that Keith didn't seem in control of his own mind. It was as if someone else was controlling him. Before the end of the duel, he started going crazy and shattered the puzzle, saying that it was all the item's fault. Bakura then knocked him out and helped Yugi gather up the shattered pieces.

"Ryou..."

Akia knew that it wasn't actually Bakura, but the Spirit of the Ring that intervened.

Yugi: "It took me eight years to put the Millennium Puzzle together the first time around. This time I did it in no time at all. It's as if the other me was helping me put it together.

Jounouchi: "Yeah, I know what you're saying, man."

Honda: "What do you mean by that, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi: "Truth is, back there, I heard the other Yugi's voice telling me what to do."

Honda: "I knew Jounouchi couldn't come up with a plan like that on his own.

Jounouchi got riled up and held Honda by his collar. Honda reciprocated.

Jounouchi: "Whaaat?!"

Honda: "What the hell?! Ain't it true?!"

Jounouchi: "What you say?!"

Yugi: "Stop fighting in the hospital, you two."

Akia snorted at the scene. Jounouchi and Honda, realizing where they were, stood apologetically in front of Yugi and smiled.

Jounouchi: "My bad! My bad!"

Yugi: "Thank you guys. You saved our lives."

Jounouchi: "It's no big deal."

Honda: "It's something anyone would do."

Anzu: "I'll go get something to drink."

"I'm coming with you, Anzu. I need to stretch my legs a little."

Akia got up and went with Anzu. When they got out of the room, Akia noticed that something was on Anzu's mind.

"Is something wrong, Anzu?"

Anzu: "The other Yugi... I thought he'd always existed within Yugi. Like a split personality the Millennium Puzzle merely brought out. But maybe... that's just what I wanted to believe. The other Yugi... Did he really come from inside the Millennium Puzzle?"

Akia nodded. This confused Anzu. She didn't know who she had romantic feelings for anymore. At first she thought it was Yugi, since she believed that the other Yugi was Yugi as well. However, now that she was proven wrong about that theory, it made her uncertain of her own feelings. Did she have feelings for Yugi? Or was it the spirit of the millennium puzzle? It was hard to distinguish between them, since they shared the same body.

The twins were discharged from the hospital the same day, since the most they suffered were first degree burns.

Akia was lying down on her bed, thinking of the recent events. It was obviously not Keith that was after Yugi. Someone was controlling him,

'Could it be Bakura? No... That doesn't seem likely. To my knowledge, the Millennium Ring doesn't possess that sort of power. Then it must've been someone else. Someone who also possesses a millennium item, probably. But who...?'

Akia sighed loudly in frustration. She didn't like the fact that her brother was in danger. She got out of her bed and went to Yugi's room. She found him sitting on his bed, lost in thought. Noticing her coming in, he just blinked. Akia went and sat next to him. They sat like that in silence, not needing words to communicate how they felt.

Yugi: "Whoever was controlling Bandit Keith wanted the other me to come out."

"So... that person is after the puzzle?"

Yugi: "Or maybe even just the Spirit in the puzzle."

"It's a shame the other you can't remember anything about his past."

Yugi: "None of us really know anything about him. Not even he knows anything about himself."

"I'm sure the day will come when we find out."

Neither Akia nor Yugi could sleep well that night. The recent events had shaken them too much. Akia was up way earlier than anyone. She took that opportunity to make some breakfast, instead of her mother who was the one who usually did it.

Yugi went down to the kitchen not long after. He didn't even comment on her being up early. She wasn't surprised, though. When something preoccupied his mind, he usually didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. Anzu passed by and they all headed to school together. On their way there, Jounouchi and Honda joined up with them.

Jounouchi: "Akia! Yugi! Anzu!"

Jounouchi was as energetic as always. After catching up with them, Jounouchi ruffled Akia's hair, since he knew how much she hated that.

"Hey! Don't mess up my hair!"

Jounouchi: "Haha! Teasing you is just too priceless!"

The two went on their usual bickering until they reached school. There they bumped into Bakura.

Bakura: "Good morning everyone!"

It took Akia a second to make sure it was the real Bakura and not the Spirit of the Ring. When she was mostly positive it was him, she smiled.

"Morning, Ryou!"

The day went by without much happening. Akia was completely knocked out during all of the classes, considering how early she was up. She was so tired that she didn't even notice the last bell ring. She was woken up by a gentle nudge.

Opening her eyes and rubbing the sleep out of them, she was able to see who it was that woke her up.

"Ryou..."

She yawned and he chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

Bakura: "Nothing. I just thought you looked... really cute."

His comment got her blood rushing up to her cheeks and ears. She looked around to try and change the subject.

"Ah! Where are the others?"

Bakura: "I told them to leave you in my care."

He smiled innocently.

"Geez... Well... I kind of do need the notes for today's classes..."

Which was true. It was also the only reason Akia could think of as to not make things too awkward.

Bakura: "Sure thing. Do you... want to come over? Or no, it's not a good idea..."

"Actually, it's a great idea!"

Akia knew that it might draw the spirit of the ring out. That would be a great opportunity for her to ask him about what happened the other day with Yugi.

Bakura blinked in surprise at how Akia reacted.

Bakura: "A-Are you sure? He might try to hurt you again..."

Akia nodded.

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself pretty well."

On their way to Bakura's place, the two of them passed by an electronics store where TVs were displayed in the glass window display. Akia suddenly stopped and stared at the screens. It wasn't the TVs that interested her, but rather what was playing in them.

"We shall now introduce Ishizu Ishtar-san, who has come all the way from Egypt, in order to display an Ancient Egyptian exhibit at Domino Museum."

The woman whom they introduced was tanned and had long black hair. with golden ornaments. She had blue eyes and was also wearing a golden necklace with the same eye of Anubis that adorned a lot of the millennium items.

Bakura: "You're interested in the exhibit, Akia-chan?"

Akia didn't answer. The exhibit did interest her, but the woman interested her even more. Something about her was familiar. Akia couldn't quite place it though.

Ishizu: "Hello, citizens of Japan."

"Ishtar-san plans to display some of the greatest pieces of Egyptian history."

Ishizu: "I have come to put the Ancient Egyptian exhibit on public display in Japan's Domino City."

"So what exactly do you plan to display in the exhibit?"

Ishizu: "Good question. This is a very special exhibit that will display a mural of the eighteen Egyptian dynasties and the many kings that ruled them. This will be the first time these items have been toured abroad. We sincerely hope that everyone enjoys the exhibit until the last day of its display. I ask that all of you come visit the exhibition as soon as possible."

Akia stood there for the entirety of the interview. The spirit of the ring was also listening to it. Something about the exhibit and Akia's behaviour made him curious.

"Ryou! We should go to the exhibit!"

Bakura: "Well, doesn't it open tomorrow?"

"And tomorrow we don't have school, so we should go!"

Bakura averted his gaze and smiled shyly while scratching his cheek with his index finger.

Bakura: "S-So? Is it a date?"

Akia's face became redder than a tomato.

"I-If you want, sure..."

They both then giggled awkwardly. The sun was already setting, since Akia spent most of the time watching the interview.

Bakura: "I guess it's a bit late for you to come over now. I wouldn't want you to go home in the dark."

"Yeah, I suppose. So I guess we'll just see each other tomorrow, then?"

Bakura nodded. He walked her home before heading home himself.