Chapter 5

When they entered the shop, there was an old man with gray spiky hair and violet eyes sitting on the other side of the counter, using a cloth to clean some cards. He didn't notice the pair until he set the card down to notice he had company. "Ah, Mokuba, what a surprise. And who might this lovely young lady be?"

"My name's Seira, sir. Mokuba promised to give me a tour around your city after my friends and I checked into his brother's hotel. He said this was the best place to be, next to the Domino City Museum." Seira answered.

"Is that so? Well that's nice to know Mokuba enjoys his visits here, although his brother is a different matter. Sorry, I got a little side tracked. I'm pleased to meet you Seira. I'm Muotu Sugoroku. I own the Game Shop. Did you come here to see Yugi, Mokuba?"

"Well, sorta. Is he here?"

"He's upstairs with the others. I'll call him down." Sugoroku said as he got up and headed for the stairs.

"So who is this Yugi your brother rivals with?"

"Yugi is Mister Muotu's grandson. Nii-sama rivals Yugi for being the King of Games."

"King of Games?"

"Don't you know about Duel Monsters?"

"No, not really."

"It's okay. But it's pretty popular here in Domino City. Yugi's the best duelist here."

"What exactly is Duel Monsters?"

"It's a card game that requires strategy and skill."

As Mokuba started to explain the basic rules and history of Duel Monsters, Sugoroku returned with three other boys and a girl. The girl had straight brown hair at her shoulders, blue eyes and wore a black t-shirt with a pink heart on it and a blue denim mini skirt. One boy had blond hair, brown eyes and wore a blue and white t-shirt and jeans. There was another boy that had brown eyes and hair, wearing a gray jacket and brown pants. The last boy caught Seira's attention immediately. This boy had a lot of spiky violet, blonde and black hair, violet eyes and wore a black tank top and jeans. He also wore a golden puzzle with an Egyptian eye on puzzle around his neck. Seira guessed that boy was Sugoroku's grandson.

"Hey Mokuba. You wanted to see me?" the spiky haired boy asked.

"Guys, meet Seira. She's staying in nii-sama's hotel with Doumoto Kaito. Seira, meet Muotu Yugi, Katsuya Jounouchi, Hiroto Honda and Mazaki Anzu." Mokuba introduced.

"You're friends with Doumoto Kaito?" the girl asked.

"He's my best friend's boyfriend."

"How long?" the blonde asked.

"Five years."

"That's pretty long." the spiky boy commented.

"You're Muotu Yugi, right?"

"Hai."

"Mokuba said that you're an impressive duelist, right? Sorry if I don't know anything really about this card game, but I can tell you're really good, considering that the puzzle around your neck probably proves as maybe a good luck charm since the game came from Ancient Egypt." Seira pointed out.

"This? Oh, I guess you could say that. My grandpa gave it to me after he came back from an expedition to Egypt." Yugi commented.

"So what brings you to our humble abode?" Joey asked.

"Well, I asked what the best place to be was and Mokuba said it was a tie between the Domino City museum and here. We're going to stop by the museum on our way back to the hotel." Seira answered.

"Oh I see. So do you duel?"

"Mokuba explained the basic rules and some of the history."

"Oh."

"I didn't even know what it was."

"WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE HEARD OF DUEL MONSTERS OR THE KING OF GAMES?! My pal, Yug, here, is the best of da best." Jounouchi pronounced proudly.

"Gomen. But I've never been here before so I'm not familiar with these things." Seira said, blushing a bit. Mokuba looked out the window and instantly paled.

"Hey Mokuba, is something up? You're all pale." Yugi asked.

"It's her."

"Who?"

"How'd she find you so quickly?" Seira asked.

"I'm telling you, she's starting to stalk me. The next thing I'm gonna do when I get home is file a restraining order. Quick, hide me." Mokuba said, jumping over the counter and hid himself.

"What now?"

"Do something that might not be related to me." Mokuba said.

Seira thought a bit before asking, "Do you have a microphone or something?"

"Here, will this help?" Sugoroku asked, showing her a boom box with a karaoke microphone in it.

"Good." Seira said as she grabbed the mic. When Rebecca entered, Seira started with, "Pichi Pichi Voice Live Start!" and then began "Legend of Mermaid."

Nanairo no kaze ni fukarete

Tooi misaki wo mezashiteta

Yoake mae kikoeta MERODI

Sore wa totemo natsukashii uta

Higashi no sora e to habataku toritachi

Saa, takarajima ni nukeru chikamichi

Nanatsu no umi no rakuen

Arashi no yoru no ato ni wa ai wo tsutaerutame inochi ga mata umareru

Nanatsu no kuni no MERODIA

Daremo ga itsuka wa koko wo tabidatsu hi ga kitemo

Watashi wa wasurenai

During the whole song, her singing was off key and choked. Oh no. I forgot that without my pearl, I can't sing right. After Seira stopped singing, she asked, "How about an encore?"

"That was... really great, Seira." Yugi commented as he and the others clapped politely except Rebecca and Mokuba.

"What was with the "Pichi Pichi Voice" thing?" Anzu asked.

"It's… for a good luck when I sing. Just so the crowd loves it. But I'm not the only one who does this."

"Really? Who else does it? It's actually kinda cute."

"The other girls I'm staying with at the hotel. We often do a lot of karaoke together."

"Why do you bother why your singing obviously sucks ass?" Rebecca curtly said, causing Seira to start fuming. Yugi noticed Rebecca was there and greeted her. "Hey Yugi. How are you?" she asked, like she hadn't tried flirting with Mokuba earlier that day, and hugged him.

"Uh… hi Rebecca. What are you doing here?" Yugi asked nervously.

"I just came to tell you I'm over you. I mean, after the whole Dratz thing, I realized life would be too dangerous if we actually had a relationship. So I came to tell you I'm no longer interested in you." Rebecca said, flipping her hair.

"Well… that's kinda a relief. Oh, Rebecca have you met S-"

"I already know who she is."

"You do?"

"Why do you think I knew who she was when she came?" Seira asked.

"I dunno."

"Because she came and tried to set me up on a date with her." Mokuba answered, revealing his hiding spot. He realized what he did when they were staring at him with anime sweat drops behind their heads and said, "Oh crap."

"Mokie-kins!" Rebecca said as she tried and glomp him if Seira didn't pull her hair to stop her. "Let me go you bitch!"

"Mokie-kins? Is that what she calls you?" Honda asked and then he and Jounouchi started laughing.

"Leave him alone. Didn't you understand he didn't want to go out with you?" Seira shot at Rebecca who knocked Seira hand out of her hair.

"Why don't you just keep that big mouth yours out of my business?"

"Excuse me, but I don't have a big mouth." Seira protested.

"Looks like a cat-fight's bout to start." Jounouchi commented.

"I bet 5000 yen Rebecca's gonna win." Honda said.

"I bet my 5000 yen on Seira." Jounouchi proudly added.

"You're on." Honda replied, pounding fists with Jounouchi.

"Boys." Anzu groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Why I ougtta…"

"Bring it. That's if you're too scared to." Seira said as she got into a fighting position.

Before they could get at each other's throat, a young boy got between them. The boy had blonde hair and green eyes and wore a sailor suit. He was breathing heavily and sweat was seen coming down his face.

"Stop it. You shouldn't be fighting like this when you know you can handle this quietly without violence." The boy said.

"Hippo-san." Seira said as lowered her fists.

"You know this kid?" Jounouchi asked.

"Hey, isn't Hippo the name of that penguin thing Lucia owns?" Mokuba asked.

"I'm her brother. Yeah, our parents are divorced and my dad took me and my mom took Lucia-nee-chan and my older sister, Niroka-nee-chan. for her birthday I gave her the pet and she named it after me, since I was the youngest." Hippo answered.

"Well I can kinda relate. My parents are divorced and separated me and my sis, Shizuka, for some time before she came to live here." Jounouchi said.

"Depressing." Hippo commented.

"Oh, Hippo-san, is it alright if I talk with you. Privately." Seira asked in dangerous tone as she grabbed the boy's ear and pulled him outside.

---

"Hippo-san, is there any particular reason you just happened to be there right when I was about to kill Rebecca? You weren't following us, were you?" she asked.

"Seira-san, I was just walking around. You can't just accuse me for following you."

"Well then you could have just come when Mokuba asked the others."

"But I was a penguin at the time."

"And the Lucia's younger brother thing?"

"To answer both boys' questions."

"And were you following me?"

"Yes. But Seira-san, it was only for your own good."

"How so?"

"What if he knew about you being a mermaid and was taking you to someplace where your identity will be surly be shown to others?"

"I'm not going to do something careless like that. You know that already."

"I'm not talking about becoming bubbles, but what happens if you get captured as a mermaid? You'll probably be put on display. You'll never be able to swim in the ocean again. You'll be stuck in a tank. No one will have any respect for you. But that's not as bad if they're going to do tests on you. They might uncover the Marine world and it will be difficult for you to reconstruct the Indian Ocean kingdom." Hippo pointed out.

After each remark, Seira crossed her arms in front of her chest and turned away from him, knowing he was right. She then felt him put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I know you want to find the boy who had your pearl and maybe this boy might be able to help, but we can't be for sure he'll believe us, let alone help us."

"I understand Hippo-san." Seira looked Hippo in the eye with tears in her own and said, "Arigatuo for bringing me back to reality, Hippo-san," wiping her tears. Hippo handed her a handkerchief and she wiped the rest of her tears and then blew her nose. Hippo took the snotty handkerchief and put his arm her, comforting her.

"You should go back to them. They're probably going to wonder what happened to you when you don't go back."

"Can you come with us, Hippo-san?"

"I guess."

"Arigatuo."

They were about to head in when they heard Mokuba shout, "What did I say about asking me to get rid of it? I'm not going get rid of it until I find her and give it back to her."

"But Mokuba, it's been five years already since the shipwreck, not to mention you were found alone."

"Then how do you suppose I have an orange pearl in my hand? Cause I doubt I picked it up when I washed up onto shore?"

---

Cliffie. They find out Mokuba's got Seira's pearl. Now all she needs is a strategy. Any ideas give in reviews. Ciao.

PICHI PICHI VOICE LIVE START!