Updated January 08, 2011

Chapter five:

Eight months later:

A blond high schooler, wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and a white jacket, sat on one of the many park benches with a golden object sitting next to him. (The object sits on the bench) The blond leaned back against the bench and closed his eyes. It almost seems as if he was asleep.

"Eight damn long months and there's still no information." Joey said out loud to no one in particular.

For those few people who walked past him, they all saved him looks that clearly said he was crazy and quickened their pace.

"There have been no leads." A gloomy voice replied back. Joey opened his eyes and tilted his head to his right. Sitting next to him, hunched over with his fingers crossed, was the pharaoh; still transparent.

"I know, but do you know what makes it worse? The police had to put aside the 'incident' saying that it was a dead search."

Yami could hear the bitterness in the blonds' voice, but says nothing. He knew very well how Joey was feeling, but today, Joey's hatred was just a lower form of anger than what he usually showed. Through the eight months with Joey, Yami understood his pain; anger; and his depression. He himself was (Felt) the same, but it was all ten times worse. Once in a while, Yami would listen to Joey blame himself from something he wasn't even a part of.

Both boys' sighed.

XxxxX

"Joey's still the same." Tea said worriedly.

Tristan looked up from his coffee cup to find the brunette gazing out of the window of the coffee shop. Her head was resting on her propped up palm.

"Yeah, but he has calmed down some."

Tea nodded. "How long has it been, Tristan?" She tore her gaze away from the streets of Domino and to watch her male companion.

"Eight months and still counting." Tristan sighed. He took a sip from his coffee and sets it back down on the table.

Tea nodded her head yet again. She lets out a breath of air. "Nothing has been the same since Yugi left. Joey rarely acts like himself, Yami rarely comes out of the puzzle, and Mr. Mutou barely opens the shop. I understand the pain, but it's just . . ." She doesn't continue.

"Yeah, even Kaiba hasn't been his normal, stuck up self." Tristan mutters.

XxxxX

Flash Back:

The bell had just rung, indicating class has started. The teacher, who was already sitting at his desk, started to call out attendance. The student's in the room started to talk softly among themselves, all except for a few people.

Tristan had his forehead resting on his deck; his body was physically there, but his mind wasn't. The same goes for Tea. The young brunette had her hand propped up on her hand and with her eyes gazing out the window.

The door to the class opened and a familiar blond walked in. The teacher looked up and with an annoyed expression.

"Well, glad you could join us, Mr. Wheeler. Please take your seat."

Joey didn't acknowledge the elderly man, but just kept walking to his desk. Those who knew Joey for his loud, cocky-ness watched him suspiciously before resuming their own conversations.

The blond sat down with a heavy sigh. Tristan and Tea looked up to Joey, nod their heads in greeting, and then went back to whatever they were doing.

"Wow, this is a first." A snobby voice spoke up a few desks away.

Joey looked up from his desk, along with his two friends. Seto Kaiba, the young CEO, looked at them calmly.

"Shut it, money bags. We're not in the mood." Joey lashed out.

The young CEO smirked. "Heh, whatever. So, where's the 'King of Games'?" He gestured to the empty seat next to Joey's.

Before Joey could respond, the teacher, who was still calling attendance, called out, "Mr., Mutou?" He looked up and scanned the room when there was no reply. "Yugi Mutou?" His eyes landed on Tea, Tristan, and Joey.

All three fidgeted beneath the stare of their teacher, causing Kaiba to inwardly laugh.

"Um . . . Mr. Lendar . . ." Tea piped up. She looked at the teacher as the room fell silent. All the students started watching her, curious as to what she had to say. Yugi always got perfect attendance; he never missed a single day of school. "Yugi . . . he won't be here for a while."

Mr. Lendar raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

When Tea doesn't say anything, Tristan spoke up. "Something happened . . . yesterday morning."

"Oh?"

"Well, it's not our place to say. But all we can say is that he won't be here for a while."

Before Mr. Lendar could speak, Kaiba snorted. "What, did the 'King of Games' get kidnapped or something?"

Whatever was keeping Joey calm, snapped. Standing and turning to Kaiba, he growled, "As a matter of fact, he did. So shut the fuck up, Kaiba. No one here gives a shit that comes out of your mouth."

~*Dead Silence*~

For once, Kaiba was speechless. The too nice kid, that always tried to become friends with him, was gone . . . just like that.

Something golden caught the young CEO's eye. Turning his attention to the source, Kaiba was confused. Why did the mutt have Yugi's most prized possession?

Being so deep into thought, Kaiba missed Joey storming out of the room. All was quiet for no one knew what to say.

"Well . . . um . . . yes," Mr. Lendar stammered. "Let's get class started, shall we? Mr. Kaiba, where do you think you're going?"

Kaiba had stood up, gathering his belongings. He walked to the closed door and held his phone up. "Business calls." He walked out the door that had been previously opened by Joey.

Walking down the hallway, he dialed a number on his cell phone as he held the receiver up to his ear. No longer than one ring and someone picked up their line.

Muttering in his normal, cold tone voice, "I need every search team out looking for Yugi Mutou." He closed his phone with a snap. "The only opponent worth dueling and he got himself kidnapped. That's not allowed."

End of Flash Back:

The two friends sat in the coffee shop, quietly sipping their coffee.

"Why does everything have to happen to Yugi? He's such a sweet, nice kid!" Tea wipes a fallen tear from her cheek.

Tristan shrugs. "I don't know, Tea. If I did, then none of this would have happened." He tried for a smile, but it turned out to be a grimace.

Tea, also forcing one, smiles a bit. "Yeah, we'd protect him if we knew what was going to happen." Tristan nodded his head.

XxxxX

((Sorry, but the brothers are a bit OOC . . .:/ But it makes them cute that way, and shows Kaiba's love for his brother.))

"Nii-sama? It's been eight months."

Seto Kaiba stopped typing on his laptop and looked at his little brother. "Mokuba, we've been through this." He said, a bit impatient, "The search teams have been looking everywhere, but there is no trace of Yugi Mutou. They've tried everything, and I even helped. But nothing."

Mokuba, who supported a red and white striped, long sleeved shirt, long blue jeans, and his long black hair, looked at his brother with blue orbs. "But, we have to find him!" Tears form in his eyes. 'Yugi always helped me and you whenever we got into trouble. Now it's time to return the favor!' He thought.

Kaiba sighed before standing up from his chair. He walked around his desk to his little brother and knelt down in front of him. The young CEO pulled his little brother into a tight hug. "I've tried everything I can. But there is nothing more than I can do." He told him gently.

Mokuba buried his face in his brothers' shoulder before nodding a bit. "It won't be the same if Yugi doesn't come back. How could it be the same without him?"

The two boys, Yugi and Mokuba became very good friends from everything they've been through together. Yugi treated Mokuba like he treated his friends and in return, Mokuba helped Yugi if he needed anything.

"He'll come back. If not today, then maybe tomorrow." Kaiba reasoning said. His little brother pulled away, wiping his teary eyes.

"You're right, Nii-sama. Thank you." Kaiba smiled stands up, and walked back to his desk. As he sat down, Mokuba said, "Sorry to interrupt you."

"It doesn't matter. I needed a break anyways."

XxxxX

Bing!

The door to the game shop opened and a blond haired boy walks in.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed." A sullen voice calls from the back room.

A man, probably in his mid sixties came into view. He wears blue overalls, a white, long sleeve shirt, and a red bandana that covers most of his spiky gray hair.

"I'm going to have to ask you to - - oh, Joey! How're you?" Mr. Mutou asked, a bit surprised.

Joey walked further into the shop and stopped at the counter. "Hey gramps. Doin' okay, how 'bout yourself?"

"Oh, I'm okay." Mr. Mutou replied.

"You sure? You don't look fine." Joey said softly, gesturing towards a few tears sliding down the elders face.

Mr. Mutou smiled sadly. "It's just difficult, Joey. One minute I think he's upstairs doing his homework, and before I know it, the whole house is empty." He sighed.

"Yeah, never felt like he left." Joey agreed. "Until he doesn't say anything."

Silence covered them like a blanket for a crying baby. ((Some kids stop crying when you cover them with a blankly)) In the background, the clock softly clicks with each passing second.

After a while, Mr. Mutou breaks the silence. "So, Joey, what can I do for you?"

Joey blinked twice before remembering why he came here. "Oh, I just came here to see how you were doing."

The elderly man nodded. "I'm hanging in there, Joey. Thank you."

Joey smiled, "No prob, but it's getting late so I better go." They both look at the clock that hung behind the counter. It read 8:46pm.

"Well, be careful going home, Joey."

Joey turned around and started heading for the door. "I will, Gramps. You keep hangin' in there, too." Mr. Mutou nodded even though the blond couldn't see.

The teen walked out of the shop and slips his hands into his pockets. Tied around his belt loop of his jeans is the millennium puzzle. The golden object gently bumps against Joey's leg as he continued to walk.

"He's still the same." He mumbled to the puzzle. The object casts a faint golden glow before going out. "Yami, what the hell are we suppose to do? He's sufferin' so much!" Yet, the puzzle doesn't do anything, nor does the transparent pharaoh appear. Joey sighed as he rounds the corner, still heading for home.

Till next time!

Sorry it was a short chapter! But, it's up! XD

And, I can't promise that the next chapter will be up as soon as this . . . I'm kind of in writers block . . . which sucks money butt! Like, I already have the next chapter written out, I'm just adding things, but I'm in writers block with adding! Uuuugh! DX

But, because I'm in writers block with that story, and the only way I can write to Transforming is on the computer, I've been writing to a new story. If you like Naruto, you should read it! XD And just so you know, from this story and my two others, I'm not the best writer, so the Naruto won't be good. :/

Thanks for reading! R&R!