Wow, just, wow. I got tons of reviews, haven't I? xD We zoomed past fifty in a blink. In one day! Thank you so much to my awesomesauce reviewers whose kind words inspire and encourage me to continue updating. You all rock! :D I will update again tomorrow just because I am so ecstatic and happy! But that doesn't mean you should stop reviewing, nuh uh. Keep em coming! Please?

Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter. Yami and Yugi goes to school, and we get to meet more new characters! Or, one. He's a blondie that you all love and adore. :3

Oh! And we're halfway through the story! There are nineteen chapters, and this is chapter nine. So, yeah. Just letting you know…

Enjoy!

The Ghost of Yami Atem

Chapter 9

"So much kids..." Yami groaned to himself as he looked around the playground, watching all the children that ran around the school yard.

Yugi giggled at the sight of Yami's worried face, the spirit's eyes holding a slight hint of fear as the kids dangled from the monkey bars before proceeding to chase each other crazily across the field.

"Aw c'mon Yami. Don't be such a grouch!" Yugi scolded playfully, trying his hardest to keep his voice down because if anyone saw him they would think that he was insane talking to himself.

"I can't believe you have to come here every day," Yami exclaimed, gesturing to the crowd with a nod of his head. "It's awful…" and Yami covered his ear as a shrill scream rang through the play area.

"You're acting as if you never went to school," Yugi teased back, looking up at Yami who was still staring at the children. Yugi expected Yami to say something, anything about his past in school, but he watched as Yami just huffed and said nothing, deciding to go flop down on the wooden bench nearby. Yugi shook his head sadly and went to stand in front of the ghost. "Yami…" but he then stopped midsentence, noticing a shadow that loomed over him.

"Well, whatd'ya know! Yugi's finally lost it! Look, he's talking to his imaginary friend, again."

Loud laughing were heard after that comment, and Yugi clenched his fists when he realised exactly who was standing behind him. Staring at Yami who was looking at him worriedly, Yugi tried his hardest to calm down and just ignore the two boys.

"I bet he's talking to the same ghost boy who haunts the house. Say Yugi, what new story are you going to tell us today? He played catch with you?" the boys burst out laughing. "I bet you've never even seen him yet?" the boy continued to tease, and at the comment, Yami rose an eyebrow only for his gaze to snap back to Yugi who shouted.

"Of course I saw him, Joey!" Yugi exclaimed, turning around to stare at the dirty blond haired boy. Honey coloured eyes widened in mock surprise, turning to his friend to grin.

"What idiot would actually believe that?" Joey said, chuckling.

"It's true! I saw him, and it's true that he's my friend now!" Yugi cried.

"Joey, I think he lost it," the other boy said, putting a hand on Joey's shoulder.

"You're right, Tristan," Joey said, and he turned back to Yugi to glare down at him. "No one has ever seen the ghost, Yugi," he grounded out seriously. "What makes you think he'll be friends with some wimp like you?"

"I'm not a wimp!" Yugi exclaimed, pursing his lips tightly, and Yugi spun around when Tristan dropped down on the bench. Yami jumped out of the way before he was sat on and stood next to Yugi, watching the boys curiously.

"Yugi, are you okay? Are these your friends?" Yami asked, completely unsure about the boys. Yugi however said nothing, his eyes locked on the two boys.

It was then Joey's turn to sit down next to Tristan on the bench, and together the two grabbed one of Yugi's arm and pulled him down, forcing his to sit squished between them. Yami continued to watch unsurely, making no move because of the reassuring gaze Yugi quickly shot him.

"I bet the ghost is really old..." Joey drawled, looking at Tristan with wide eyes.

Yami's mouth hit the ground at the comment. "Hey! Who are you calling old?! I'm only sixteen, mind you!" Yami exclaimed angrily, only to stop and go off into his own little world. "Well, I would be twenty right now if I wasn't dead... But HEY!"

Even though Joey and Tristan didn't hear Yami's outburst, Yugi sure did. He was having a hard time holding in his laughter, but in the end he allowed a smile to escape.

"Hey, what are you smiling about?!" Joey asked, facing the shorter boy. Yugi was happy to answer the oblivious boy's question.

"I think Yami isn't all that happy about you calling him old."

Joey and Tristan looked at Yugi, then at each other, and then burst out laughing.

"Haha! You even know his name?!" Joey cried. "And he's here, huh? Where, I don't see him anywhere!" Joey said, and he waved his arms around, looking for the ghost.

Yami rolled his eyes as the blond completely missed his location, and Yugi did the same.

"You'll see what I mean one day," Yugi just said softly, secretly casting Yami a knowing glance. Yami returned it with a smirk.

Tristan laughed. "Oh yeah, we'll see alright."

"Yeah, we'll see you make a fool out of yourself," Joey finished as they laughed once again.

Yugi shot the two an annoyed glare, but then a thought came to mind, one he should have voiced a long time ago. "What do you two want with me anyways?!" he snapped angrily, looking back and forth between the two.

"Nah, just wanted to say hi," Joey said cheekily.

"I doubt it," Yugi said, mostly to himself before looking at the two. "Your hellos usually means that you want to say something, and or do something to me."

Joey grinned.

"Aw he knows us so well!" Tristan teased, giving Yugi's shoulder a shove.

"Well yes, there is something we wanna say..." Joey trailed off.

After a few seconds of silence, Yugi cried out. "What?!"

Joey snickered. "The sports competition is next week, and I'm totally going to win it. Just wanted to let you know," he boasted.

"Yeah!" Tristan exclaimed. "Joey won it last year, and he's gonna do it again. You'll always be second place Yugi. Remember gym class last week? You'll always be at the end, or lower, depending on how worse you get," and the both of them then hi-fived each other, squishing Yugi even further.

"Okay, why are you telling me though?!" Yugi cried from the middle. Joey and Tristan looked at him before they burst out laughing, again. It seemed to Yami that everything Yugi said was an absolute joke to the two boys. They were quite annoying, that he had to agree, but harmless. Yugi seemed to be alright handling it on his own. He was always a fierce little boy.

"Because! You signed up for the competition, haven't you? With your skills you're bound to lose, so just back out, loser!" Loud laughter soon filled Yugi's ears.

"I am not a loser!" Yugi shouted. "And I won't back out. You're just scared that I might beat you! I have all this week and next week to practice. I'll beat you and show you that I am not a loser," Yugi cried.

"Yeah right. That's what you keep saying," Joey said, and Yugi fumed.

"You know, the prize is a cool red bike! And first place blue ribbon," Tristan said.

"I'm going to win it, and you'll bow down to me, Yugi Moto!" Joey declared, and the two continued to laugh hysterically as Yugi glared and pushed the two away from him before getting up and walking away, stomping and muttering as he walked up to the front door of the school.

"I'll show them. I'll show them all," Yugi said to himself angrily as he swung the doors open. "Then we'll see who's bowing down to who!"

Yami ran up to him and put a hand on the little boy's shoulder.

"Who were they, Yugi?" he asked, watching as Yugi pulled him into the boy's bathroom before speaking.

"Some boys that picked on me ever since I started school here," Yugi said with an irritated look. "They're always saying how great they are, and rubbing it in my face just because I'm a little smaller than them. They are always underestimating me. I just want to shut them up, just once!" Yugi yelled.

Yami was taken aback from Yugi's tone of voice and anger, but quickly recovered seeing Yugi's determination.

"Then I guess you'll have to try harder," Yami said.

"I do! I try very hard to win! Or atleast beat Joey. But, I just never do and he wins because he's strong and taller and faster than me, while I'm just short and weird..." Yugi said sadly, trailing off.

"Yugi, you're not weird," Yami said, getting down to a knee in front of the boy. "You can be just as fast as those boys, and with a little more belief in yourself, you'll see. You'll win the race next week. I'll help you, and those boys won't ever dare to tease you again."

Yugi looked up at Yami slowly at first, and seeing the assuring look in Yami's crimson eyes, he broke out into a smile and hugged him.

"Thanks, Yami!" he cried, stepping away quickly. Yami nodded.

"Anytime."

The bell was then heard throughout the school, and in seconds the shouts of children reached their ears.

"Gotta go, Yami," Yugi said, fixing the strap of his bag. Yugi waved goodbye to Yami before going, leaving Yami smiling and waving goodbye, watching him leave. After a moment and Yugi was long gone, Yami stopped.

"Hmm, now what?" he asked himself, looking around the bathroom. His eyes then brightened as he thought of an idea. He began to giggle like an excited child before hurrying out of the bathroom. Standing in the middle of the hall as students went into their classrooms, doors being shut, Yami grinned to himself with his hands on his hips.

"Time to scare some people," he said softly, a wicked smile on his face before he vanished into a dust of smoke.

Five minutes later…

"Ghost!" the teacher screamed, and she stood back in horror to stare at the snake that was hissing at her from the chalkboard before running out of the classroom, following her student's example. In no time the entire class was screeching in the hallway.

Yami stood, laughing as he made his way out into the hall to watch the scene unfold. Several other kids came out of from their own classrooms followed by their teachers to see what the commotion was about, and the students managed to explain bits and pieces of what happened.

"Ms. Kurosawa," the Principal said, stepping forward. "What happened?"

The woman trembled. "T-The animals on the b-board ch-changed colours, and then the-the snake I drew on the board c-came to l-life, and- and… started hissing!"

The Principal widened his eyes and went into the classroom to see for himself. Looking into the classroom, he saw chairs and tables upturned form the kids racing out of the classroom as fast as possible, but on the board was just a jungle drawn in colourful chalk –in normal colours - and animals from lions, snakes, tigers, birds, etc. not seeing anything out of the ordinary, especially the smug ghost that stood next to him, the Principal shook his head and left the classroom.

"Alright, that's enough everyone!" he yelled. "Back to class! Now!" The Principal then walked up to Ms. Kurosawa who was still looking very unsure. "Ms. Kurosawa, I don't know what you and your class saw, but there is nothing wrong in the classroom. Now please, return to class." Ms. Kurosawa looked at him and sighed, wiping the sweat off her forehead, nodding.

Yami who was still watching all of this continued to laugh, only to stop and look down when he felt a hunch. He grinned when he saw Yugi looking up at him with an accusing expression.

"Yami… what did you do?" Yugi said slowly, crossing his arms. Yami chuckled.

"At first I was teaching that Joey boy a lesson in ghosts, but I guess I got a bit carried away," he laughed, watching the students slowly edge back to class. Yugi shook his head.

"Yami, I think you should go home now," Yugi said, a small smile escaping his lips.

"Aww, but Yugi," Yami whined, not wanting to end his fun so soon.

"Yami, now," Yugi said sternly, and it was then when Yami slouched, knowing he couldn't say no to Yugi.

"Oh alright…" Yami drawled, and he glanced at the still scared kids one last time. "Can I atleast scare your Grandpa?" he asked hopefully,

"Yami?!" Yugi exclaimed, and Yami chuckled.

"Just kidding," and he waved to Yugi one last time before disappearing, hopefully this time to return home. Yugi shook his head to himself, watching the spot where Yami had stood before heading back into class, the door closing behind him.

And there we have it! The end to another great chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Please tell me what you think by leaving a lovely review. Remember, review to get me give you a quick update. Trust me, they work. Two updates in 24 hours is proof! :D Done talking now. –hugs–

Thanks again my awesome readers! Bye for nooooow.