I know I'm not the only one that sees Ryou as little Betty Crocker.
Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. I'm not making any money. Nuff said.
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HIKARI STRONG
Chapter Eleven
"We certainly got plenty of people here," Yugi said brightly as he sat out the lemon cupcakes.
Ryou nodded, sitting in a chair as Joey and Yugi did most of the lifting. He did what he could, but having an arm out of commision made it hard. "There's no way we won't have the money we need raised for the new supplies the drama club needs." He looked at Joey and Yugi. "Thanks again for helping, guys."
"No problem, Ryou," Yugi replied cheerfully. "We would have helped even if you hadn't gotten hurt, right Joey?" When the tri-colored hair boy turned to the blonde he frowned. She was staring off into nothing, eyes looking a bit glazed. "Joey?"
"Huh?" Joey said, snapping out of her thoughts. Ryou and Yugi exchanged looks.
"Are you alright, Joey?" Ryou asked as the girl sat in one of the seats behind the booth. Yugi sat down as well, looking at his best friend with concern.
"I..kinda need ta talk to ya guys," Joey said nervously. "I mean...it can wait 'til later-," she was cut off when Ryou got up and pulled a curtain around the booth, bake goods and all, and then sat down again. "Or I could tell ya now."
"I personally like that idea very much," Ryou replied with a smile. Yugi blinked at the albino, thinking that maybe hanging out with his counterpart must have made him this insistant.
Joey sighed. "Do you guys...ever have dreams about Ancient Egypt?"
Yugi and Ryou eyed each other again, remaining quiet for a bit. When they noticed Joey shift uncomfortably, Yugi answered. "I had some weird dreams when Yami was still in the puzzle, but since he got his own body I haven't had any."
"Same here," Ryou added, tilting his head in concern.
"Ah," Joey said, leaning back in the chair. "Okay."
"Have you been having some weird dreams, Joey?" Yugi asked.
Joey sighed. "I've been dreaming about Juno. Da last one I had she talked about hikaris and what their real powers were. How some are born wit'em and some're given 'em." She looked at the two boys. "Obviously you two were given yers, and it makes sense that yer hikaris because ya have yamis. Yer light and they're dark. It sounded like Juno was born with her power though, so she wouldn't need a dark, I guess. And there was...somethin' else." Joey bit her lip. "Juno didn't say, but it's like I could hear it in her thoughts. Apparently whatever power she has, and I guess it's whatever power I have since I'm a hikari, too, it's...rare." Joey went on to explain about the man betrothed to Juno, who she was certain was Victarion, and about his want for her power.
Ryou's brow furrowed. "I didn't realize there would be different kinds of hikaris," he said thoughtfully.
"Me neither," said Yugi. He looked over to Joey. "It'll be alright, Joey. I mean, who ever is after us doesn't know who they're messing with. I mean, we beat one of them."
"She got away, Yug'," Joey reminded the boy.
"Yeah, but you could say we chased her off," Yugi continued.
"Look, I just feel like these dreams are leadin' somewhere," Joey told the boys, staring at the ground. "And I honestly don't like where they're leadin'. I think I'm startin' to agree wit' Ishizu and Marik. Whateva' is waitin' for us, I don' know if we're ready fer it." She looked up at Yugi and Ryou. "I know I'm a girl now, and I don' know if I'll eva' be a guy again, but I still feel like I have ta protect ya. Like if it came down to it I'd let them take me instead of ya."
"You can't think that way anymore," Ryou told Joey seriously. "Not because you're a girl, quite honestly I'm glad that when your gender changed that was the only thing that did, but you're a hikari and you're just as important as Yugi and I. If they want us they will want you. And if you do have this rarer power that Juno had, they will want you more." He smiled slyly. "If anything, Yugi and I should protect you."
Joey frowned. "Yeah, like I'm really gonna let you two do dat."
"Come on, Joey," Yugi said smiling. "Sure, Ryou and I aren't fighters like you, but we have our own strengths. I'm small so I can slip past people easily. And Ryou is actually pretty good at getting past security systems."
Joey rose a brow at Ryou. "Really?"
"My counterpart is a former thief. Some of it stuck," Ryou remarked. Joey grinned, knowing full well no one believed the 'former' part of that statement.
"And then don't forget we do have these new powers," Yugi continued brightly. "So really all three of us are strong." He pumped his fist up. "Hikari strong!"
Joey stared at him for a long time, blinking. "What?"
Ryou rolled his eyes. "He thinks we need a team motto or something since we're a trio now."
Yugi folded his arms, looking dejected. "I thought it sounded cool."
Joey burst out laughing. "Yug', I love ya bud, but please don' eva' say dat again."
There was a loud crash outside the curtain and they could hear people screaming. The three hikaris jumped up and ran out from behind the curtain, eyes widening at the sight before them. A woman with orange hair was there, riding what looking like an oversized rhinoceros with two horns on its nose and one on each side of his face. The woman smirked.
"Oh there you are," the woman said in a mock sweet tone as she dismounted the creature. "I was beginning to think I would have to tear up the whole city to find you."
"What da hell do ya bastards want?!" Joey hollered. The woman laughed.
"Why your powers, of course," she said. She patted the beast beside her before slapping it harshly. It reared up and let out a howl. "Get 'em, boy," she said as the creature charged.
Joey grabbed Ryou jumped out of the way of the animal, getting them both out of the way. Yugi had jumped in the opposite direction, evading the attack as well. Joey growled, turning to Ryou. "Ya gotta get outta here," she told the white-haired boy.
Ryou looked indignant. "I will not," he told her.
"Look, ya just got a cast on and if ya get injured again, especially with me and Yugi, Bakura's gonna kill us," Joey tried to tell him as the three made a run for it.
"In case you forgot I still have to same powers as you," he threw out his good arm, the golden circle appearing around him. "Beside, Bakura would never let me live it down if I let a girl protect me. Seven Armed Fiend!" he summoned, the fiend rising from the circle and taking Ryou onto his back and flying into the air.
"I swear Ryou if we survive dis I'm gonna kick yer ass!" Joey shouted before throwing out her own arm. "Let's go, Red Eyes!"
"Dark Magician!" Yugi yelled. Both monsters appeared at their monsters side, ready to fight. The rhino charged again, only to be swooped up by the Fiend and thrown into the school building. Joey and Yugi stared at Ryou with wide eyes. "What the heck?" Yugi asked in shock.
"No one messes with my bake sale," Ryou said angrily.
The orange hair women growled. "You pathetic brats!" She said, a bright light shining from the necklace she wore. Another creature appeared, one that resembled a very large elephant. It's trunk reached for the Fiend's leg.
"Oh no ya don't," Joey yelled, directed Red Eyes to the elephant. Red Eyes grabbed the trunk in his jaws. The elephant squealed, toppling over on the ground. It got up quickly, and far more angry, charging after Joey and Red Eyes. The beast was cut off by the Dark Magician, who directed its Dark Magic Attack at it. The elephant reared and roared.
"Watch it, Yugi!" Joey shouted. Yugi whirled around to find the rhino creature wide awake and charging right at him. Yugi let out yell and jumped up, somehow landing on top of the animal. The rhino stomped and grunted in displeasure.
"Hold on, Yugi!" Ryou yelled.
"That's a little easier said than done!" Yugi shouted, clinging to the angry creature. The rhino bucked, throwing the small boy off. He landed on the on the ground with a slide, scraping his knee and ripping his pants in the process. He felt a stinging on his face and guess he'd been scraped there as well.
"Yugi!" Joey yelled, sending Red Eyes into a dive. They landed just as the rhino charged again, ramming into Red Eyes instead of Yugi. Red Eyes roared in displeasure, head butting the creature away.
"Stop playing around, my beasts!" the orange haired woman barked. "Finish them!"
Joey's anger flared as fiery as her dragon. Red Eyes seemed to feel it as it threw its Inferno Fire Blast at the recovering rhino. The rhino squawked before being thrown outward, falling to the ground. It didn't stir again. Ryou's Seven Armed Fiend dived down, catching the elephant-creature and lifting it before dropping it again. Yugi was on his feet again, sending his Dark Magician after the elephant. It used its Dark Magic Attack again. Red Eyes was next to attack, and the elephant fell.
"You horrid, pompous rodents!" the woman screamed at the hikaris. She threw out her hand toward Yugi. The small boy began to contort and grasp at his throat. Joey landed Red Eyes and hopped off, running and tackling the woman. Yugi gasped and coughed hard, able to breathe once again. "Get off me you foolish, stupid dog!"
With that Joey forgot her old moral code - guessing that since she was a girl now it didn't matter anymore - and punched the woman hard in the face. She stopped her struggling. Joey got up and brushed herself off. "There's only one person who calls me a dog, lady, and I don' even like it when he does it!" she huffed.
The woman shook her head, wiping her not bleeding mouth. "Why do you insist on fighting? You're powers will mean nothing once the Gate is opened."
"The Gate?" Ryou questioned, landing the Fiend and taking his place beside Joey. Yugi was there as well, blinking. "What gate?"
"Once Valdis has all the power he needs - and he will get the power he needs one way of another," the woman explained, "your world will be his world."
Joey kicked the woman in chest, winding her. She held her down with her foot, glaring. "Ya betta' start making some sense, bitch, or I'm gonna kick yer ass from here ta New York City!"
The woman merely laughed. "You're so naïve. You actually think you stand a chance? Whether he gets you today, tomorrow, next year, Valdis, will have you, my dear." A red circle suddenly appeared around the woman. As soon she saw her eyes widened with fear. "NO! Mr. Valdis! Please! I can still get them!" She began sinking into the red seal. Joey pulled her foot off her chest and stumbled back. The orange haired woman continued to scream as she pulled into the abyss, before she was gone completely.
Joey exchanged looks with Ryou and Yugi as their monsters dissipated. What was this Gate she was talking about? Who was Valdis? And what did all this have to do with hikaris?
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"Geez, these guys won't quit," Tristan complained as they were at the Game Shop. Yugi was propped up on a counter as Grandpa Muto began treating his scrapes, Yami looking on protectively. Bakura was still looking over Ryou, even though Ryou reassured his dark that he had no other injuries. Joey was leaning on the wall with Tea. "Maybe you guys shouldn't go anywhere alone from now on."
"What did I say about that attitude, Tristan?" Joey warned her oldest friend.
Tristan frowned. "That's not what I meant," he said in a disgruntled tone. "Obviously this isn't about you being a girl. This is about you, Yugi and Ryou being safe. If that lady was telling the truth they're just gonna keep coming!"
Joey sighed. "Look, Tris, I unda'stand yer concern. I do. But...don't take dis da wrong way but what can ya do?"
Tristan got in Joey's face. "What do you mean what can I do?!"
"Ya can kick anyone's ass in a fight easily, pal," the blonde explained. "Well, except me o'course. That'll neva' change. What I mean is these people ain't normal. Ya can't fight them like we could rival gang memba's. They got magic. Luckily so do da three of us," she indicated herself, Ryou and Yugi.
Tristan stared at Joey for a while before sighing in defeat. "I just...really don't like this. I hate feeling helpless."
"Join the club, Shark-head," Bakura grumbled.
"What was that, cream puff?!" Tristan yelled, rounding on Bakura.
"Don't fight!" Tea shouted. "Fighting each other isn't going to help anyone. We just...have to help in other ways."
"Tea's right," Grandpa added. "If you start fighting among yourselves you'll only divide yourselves, and that will only make you weaker to these people."
Yami drew a long breath before letting it. He looked up at his light, frowning. "I do not like this, aibou. I don't like leaving you on your own like this."
Yugi gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me, Yami. I got Ryou and Joey on my side." he grinned. "And we're hikari strong!"
"Yug' I told ya ta not say dat again," Joey said in exasperation. The rest of the room stared at the smallest boy.
"It is a little lame, Yugi," Tea said gently.
"Whatever, you guys are lame," Yugi retorted with a pout. He turned to Yami. "You think it's cool, right?"
Yami diverted his gaze, deciding it best to go with a nice white lie. "Of course, aibou. I think it's very...cool."
"You just wanna get some tonight," Bakura said bluntly.
"Bakura!" Ryou scolded as both Yugi and the Pharaoh turned pink.
At that the door to the Game Shop slammed open. Everyone's heads turned, going wide as Seto Kaiba stomped in, heading right for Joey. Before anyone could so much as say hello, the CEO pulled the blonde into a hard kiss. Joey's eyes went wide before the closed, the rest of her melting into the kiss. Everyone watched, eyes wide. Tristan was gaping and pointing. As Seto pulled away from Joey he shoved something in her hand. She looked down to see a brand new smart phone.
"Next time call me," Seto ordered, breathless from their kiss. "Don't let me find out from the news." And then he stalked out, his trench coat fluttering behind him.
"Did...did I just?" Tristan stuttered. "Did he just? Did...that..."
"Tristan! Calm down!" Tea commanded, annoyed with the point-haired boy's reaction.
Joey looked down at the phone in her hands again, turning it over and examining it. The case had the design of a Scapegoat on it, there was just one thing that left the blonde agitated.
"Why the hell is it pink?!"
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I imagine Seto doing nice things for Joey but still finding ways to annoy him. Or in this case her lololololol
Also I just realize how terrible I am to Yugi in this story. I don't know how that happened. *feels guilty but not too much since Yugi is totally fine*