Episode 14: A Fiery Game on a Date
Saturday had arrived at Domino High, Yugi was in his first morning class for the day, just a little before the start of the period. Most of everyone was wearing their lighter uniforms, since most of the students finally received their other clothing. Those that did have them were told to begin wearing them, while everyone else would keep theirs until they got the thinner clothing so they knew who still had to order them. Naturally, Yugi and his friends were amongst those that had the spring uniform, so everyone was in with the style. And it was a good thing as well, April was almost done and May would be starting in just a few days. Which meant that it was getting warmer out and outdoor themed attractions were starting to open up. That was what Yugi saw in the newspaper this morning, along with something slightly more disturbing.
"Hey, hey, did you guys see what was in the news?" Yugi had the paper laid out on his desk, turning to the headline of the story.
"What do you have there, Yugi?" Anzu asked as she and the other friends of 1-B looked at the paper. The shortest male pointed at the title of the story, for everyone to see.
"Another serial arson incident!" Yugi stated.
"No way, that's three times in just this week." Jounouchi pointed out, leaning against a desk as his hands were in his pockets.
"Serial arson?" Miho asked, sounding scared.
"Apparently there's this arsonist that has been causing multiple fires at many public locations. Last night, he attacked the Domino Department Store and set fire to the ninth floor." Yugi explained. "He's mostly known for setting up special devices to cause a fire spot on, and will contact the police directly once they arrive to give them a quiz."
"Quiz?" Anzu asked.
Yugi nodded. "He gives the police a chance to guess where the fire would start. If they guess right, he would turn himself in, but if they guessed wrong, which they always have, he sets off the fire."
Honda looked over the article, reading over the words and the scenario. "They sure didn't skip out on the details. Says here the guy asked the police if he would set fire to the floor lower than six or higher than seven. The fire ended up going off on the ninth floor."
"Did it say if there were any casualties?" Miho wondered, still scared to hear more.
"Nine people ended up getting first to second degree burns and even smoke inhalation, but they said they should make a recovery soon." Yugi stated. He held his face in his hands as he rested his elbows on his desk. He knew there were usually victims with this arsonist, so far there have been few fatalities, but there were still deaths nonetheless. "This is such a horrible crime!"
"I gotta say, I didn't take you for the kind of guy to be into this kind of stuff." Jounouchi admitted.
"Well, you do tend to get into it when you hear a lot about it." Yugi pointed out.
"Still, he does have a point. This is just terrorist level threatening." Honda added. "I hope they can catch this guy soon before he causes any more damage."
"At least it's only fire, could be worse. He could be a bomb detonator." Jounouchi shrugged.
"That still doesn't make it any better." Anzu glared at him. "The results are the same, regardless."
"It feels like the world has grown more dangerous over the years…" Miho commented, shaking worriedly.
Honda looked over at her, giving a reassured smile. "Don't worry, Miho. If that man comes anywhere near you, I'll be sure you are safe."
Jounouchi laughed. "Just remember, you ain't fireproof." The blond stated as he walked off. Honda gave a glare over at his friend while Miho was none the wiser.
Yugi kept reading over the paper, wanting to know more details in regards to this case. This criminal clearly had a fascination when it comes to a quiz, as if he was treating this like a game. Maybe the culprit was that confident he wouldn't get caught? While he was reading over the articles, Anzu stared at him from above, her mind wandered as she thought back to that time Kokurano tricked her into making her part of a psychic vision he had, only to use it to try and take advantage of her. She was rescued in the end by the same guy that protected her in Burger World, but was unable to see his face yet again. There was one detail though, that she noticed. 'The man that saved me yesterday had a wound on his hand… the same one that Yugi has right now.' Her orbs landed on the small bruise on the back of Yugi's hand, though he did not seem bothered by it.
'Does this mean… could it be possible that the one that saved me was Yugi? He was upset after what Kokurano said to me…' She now understood Yugi's jealousy, which would be a reason he could have watched over her to protect her. However, the more she looked at him, the more her theory started to fall through. 'But, the one that rescued me was strong, confident and even slightly threatening. Yugi is nothing like that at all.' Anzu noted as she looked at her friend, while he turned the page of his newspaper. 'Maybe he's just hiding it?' Anzu questioned. 'It can only be brought out a certain way? How can I bring 'that' Yugi out?' Her eyes glanced down at something that the paper had printed. She reached over, grabbing the newsletter and looked over what she had seen. "Yugi, check this out!" She read over the headline. "Domino Amusement Park's Summer pool is now open!"
"Eh?" Yugi gasped, smiling upon hearing that. "It's open already?! Usually they don't open it until mid May!"
"Must be because it has been getting hotter outside than people anticipated." Anzu noted, noticing the smile on Yugi's face. That was when she had an idea, involving the park. "Say, Yugi. Since tomorrow is Sunday, how about we go together?"
"To the amusement park?" Yugi asked, his smiling widening. He loved that idea, seeing it as a great way to hang out. "Sure! Should we see if everyone else is free?"
Anzu quickly shook her head. "Actually, I want it to just be the two of us." Yugi blinked, hearing her response so suddenly.
"Just us two?" He asked. She nodded her head, smiling. It was kind of strange that she only wanted him and her to go alone, but Yugi didn't think it was too strange. Plus, they hung out alone with each other a few times now, so he didn't think it would be anything different. "Alright, we can always hang out as a group later."
"Then it's decided! Let's see… what time does it open?" She looked at the paper, trying to find out the hours of business. "Hmmm… looks like it opens at nine in the morning."
"How about you stop by the Game shop at 8:30?" Yugi suggested. "We can take a bus ride to the amusement park and be there by the time it opens."
Anzu smiled as she agreed to that idea. "Alright, I'll bring a bag with us so we can store our towels and swimwear. Oh, should we also bring some lunch with us?"
"I think we would be alright if we had some extra money." Yugi pointed out. "We can just get food at the park if we get hungry."
"Fair enough! Plus it would be one less thing to carry." Anzu noted. "Alright, it's settled!" She declared. Yugi grinned, happy that they would be doing an activity tomorrow. It would make it seem like everything had gone back to normal, and give them a break. The bell soon rang, indicating the start of class. Yugi grabbed the newspaper and started to put it back in his bag. Everyone were taking their seats, preparing for the next lessons in their education.
The day went by quickly, and Yugi couldn't be happier. He had to go home and start packing up for the amusement park. He loved theme parks, with all the attractions and the exciting rides. He hadn't been to one in ages, and the fact he was going with Anzu made it appear even more desirable. As of now, Yugi was currently getting his shoes on his feet, switching them so he could put his school ones in the locker.
"Well, I thought you would have been home by now." Yugi perked up hearing a familiar female voice. He looked over, seeing the lavender haired girl.
"Sparkle!" Yugi gasped, seeing her there and waved.
She gave a wave back. "Heading home by yourself? I usually see you going with your friends." She noted as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ah, well… I have a lot to do today and everyone else is busy as well." Yugi stated, tying his shoes together. Sparkle didn't say much to that, only gave a small nod. The young boy looked up at the tall girl, as a thought crossed his mind. "Uh… can I ask you about… Kokurano?" Yugi questioned.
Sparkle raised a brow. "What do you mean? What do you want to know?"
"W-well… I was wondering if he had been turned in to the police for his crimes. I'm only asking because you seem to be working with the cops and… uh, well… after what he tried to do to Anzu, I just wanted to make sure he didn't try anything again." Yugi stuttered with his explanation, he didn't want to pry into private matters but he figured that Sparkle would end up telling him anyway.
She blinked a few times, only to finally sigh. "Well, I guess I can understand your concern. Rest assured, he will be facing a harsh trial. Between messing with equipment in the gym and drugging a female student, and even trying to injure you… he's not only expelled but will be charged with many misdemeanors."
"What about the fire at Shiba's apartment?" Yugi had to ask.
"Well, so far they haven't found any evidence linking it to Kokurano, but they are examining it more thoroughly. Though they mostly believe it was the work of the Arsonist." Sparkle explained.
Yugi flinched, being reminded of that terrorist that was loose and causing so many fires. No one knew where he would strike next or what his new target would be. "Have you heard any word about the case?"
Sparkle shook her head. "Unfortunately, we haven't gotten anywhere in that case. We don't know his identity, or are able to trace his calls with the police. Until we can actually get one of his 'quizzes', as he calls it, correct he won't turn himself in freely."
Yugi sighed sadly, he really hoped Sparkle and her police acquaintances could apprehend him soon. "It always feels like no matter what, there's some sort of bad situation going on somewhere." Yugi muttered under his breath.
"Well, that is life. Even though we are suffering over here with a terrorist, someone out there is having the time of their lives. Or maybe they are having it far worse than we are at this moment. We can't always be there to help everyone with their problems. If we could, everyone would be better off, but at the end of the day we are all human and we have limits." Sparkle pointed out. "All we can do is give it our best and hope it's enough."
Yugi looked up at her, giving a smile her way. She was right, just because bad things were happening out there, didn't mean they had to stop being optimistic. "Well, I'll be rooting for you to catch that guy! I'm sure you will get him eventually!"
Sparkle giggled at his comment. "Thanks for the support. So, any plans tomorrow on your day off?"
"Oh… well, Anzu and I are going to be heading to the amusement park tomorrow." Yugi admitted.
"The amusement park?" Sparkle repeated as she tilted her head to the side.
Yugi smiled wider, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, it was her idea for us to hang out there tomorrow, since that is when it will be officially opened." He laughed slightly, explaining the situation to her.
Sparkle blinked her eyes, looking at the young boy. As her head turned to the side, she spoke up. "If I may ask a personal question, do you have some sort of relationship with Anzu Masaki?"
Upon hearing that, Yugi gasped as his face went really red. "E-Eh?! Uh… n-no!" He tried denying it as he waved his hands. "Anzu and I a-are childhood friends! W-we only began hanging out more r-recently with everyone else."
Sparkle did not believe him for a second. "Really? Because from what I heard, you ended up calling Kokurano out for making Anzu believe that her secret man that was watching her from the shadows would appear before her and take her into his arms. Going so far as to call him out for hitting on her."
"B-because I was trying to prove that he was a fraud by creating the predictions he said he saw!" Yugi declared.
The purple haired girl waved a finger at him. "But at the time, you didn't know he was behind his predictions coming true." Yugi opened his mouth, wanting to protest more. Only to quickly shut it as he had no comeback. She was right, he could not defend himself there. Sparkle sighed, running her hands through her hair. "Look, I'm only going to say this once. You don't have to take my advice but at least listen. It's none of my business who you fall in love with or who Anzu falls for. However, if you do have any feelings for her, I suggest that you actually gain the courage to say it to her face. Hiding your feelings from her and expecting her to make the first move is a coward's way of thinking. If you want her, you have to go for her! Tell her your true feelings, or else you will be left in the dust. Even if she doesn't return said feelings, you can at least feel better knowing you confessed, rather than live the rest of your life in regret. And if she goes off with someone else, it's her choice. In the end, she's happy and as long as he treats her right, that's what matters."
Yugi did listen to Sparkle, hearing her out in her wisdom. Yugi did always like Anzu in such a way, but maybe it was because she was the only girl that approached him? Does he… really truly love her? Does she even like him in that sense? After the love puzzle, he was wondering if maybe it was true but… Yugi didn't really know what to think. "Anyways, see you around. And have fun on your date tomorrow." Sparkle said, walking away from him. The young boy turned over to where she was, wanting to correct her saying it wasn't a date, only to see she was already gone. Yugi sat there a bit longer, letting what Sparkle said sink into him.
The rest of the night, Yugi was slightly restless as he had so many things on his mind. The arsonist that was loose, the things Sparkle had said, and his quote unquote date with Anzu. Yugi didn't think it was going to be a date, but the more he considered it, perhaps that was what it would end up being. Once morning rolled around, Yugi got up a little after seven to start preparing for the fun day he was going to have. He ended up wearing his school uniform, since he didn't really have any summer clothes he could wear at the moment. Plus, they were going to change once they got to the pool, so it didn't really matter.
He packed his swimming trunks and sunscreen as well as a beach towel. Once that was done, he headed downstairs to get some quick breakfast. His grandfather was at the table, reading the newspaper. "Ah, good morning Yugi."
"Morning grandpa." The young student greeted his grandfather.
"Are you ready for your day with Anzu?" Sugaroku asked. Yugi told his grandfather about his day with Anzu, which he was more than willing to give him some money for since it sounded like a fun day. He was, however, keeping his eyes on Yugi in a strange manner. When he heard that it would just be his grandson and Anzu going to the amusement park, he had a strange feeling there was something going on. Of course, he kept those remarks to himself, due to not wanting to embarrass his grandson.
Yugi sat at the table, eating the meal that his guardian had prepared for him since Sugaroku knew he would be awake during this time. As Yugi ate, he answered his grandfathers' question. "Yeah, we may be gone most of the day though." He told him.
Sugaroku waved his hand. "That's fine. As long as you come back before the sun sets, you two still have school tomorrow after all."
"We will, grandpa." Yugi assured, finally done eating only half of his food.
"Aren't you going to have a bit more to eat?" The old man asked.
"We're gonna be going into the pool at the park, so I don't want to eat a lot." Yugi stated, grabbing his silverware and going to rinse them off.
"You are going to eat though, right?" His grandfather gave him the stink eye.
"We'll grab lunch at the park." Yugi promised, finishing up his dishes and looking at the clock. Anzu should be arriving soon.
"Alright, well, I put in about 2200 yen for you. Hopefully that should be enough for a good lunch." He stated.
"Thanks again, grandpa. I promise to work hard to give you back that money!" Yugi assured him.
"Oh hush, don't worry about that." Sugaroku told him. "You just go have fun and enjoy your youth while you still have it." There he went again, wanting Yugi to have a fun and exciting life outside of the card shop. To give Sugaroku some credit, he was trying to make his grandson be pushed out of his comfort zone. Though it seems he doesn't have to do that as often anymore since now, he was freely going out with his friends pretty much every day off.
The two of them soon heard the door to the shop swinging open, and Yugi hurried out to meet up with the brunette who was standing there. She wore a white and green plaid dress that reached just to her knees and had spaghetti straps. "Morning Anzu!" Yugi greeted her, as he carried his stuff he was going to take with him.
Anzu waved, holding up a beach bag for them to take. "Do you have everything?" She asked.
Yugi nodded. "I got my swim wear, some sunscreen, a towel and 2200 yen." He explained, handing them to Anzu as she placed them in her bag.
"I got about 1500, so we should have enough for some snacks." She declared.
Sugaroku walked over, seeing the two teens ready to head out. "Alright, you two be careful now. But have fun as well."
Yugi and Anzu waved to him, the boy assuring him that they would. With that, the two left the store and headed to the bus stop, taking the transport all the way to the amusement park. Once they managed to get there, they could see how lively it was. Already, the two saw many people waiting at the entrance, trying to get a pass to go into the attractions. "Looks like many people had the same idea we did about coming early." Anzu noted, checking the time on her watch. "A little after nine, so the park should be open now!"
Yugi was both nervous yet excited about today. He was happy that he would be spending time with Anzu, but also worried that he would be spending time with Anzu. He still couldn't get the words Sparkle said out of his mind. He didn't want to assume this was some sort of date, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to be sure. He looked over at the brunette, as they walked side by side. "H-hey Anzu… I wanted to ask you something. Since it seems to be just t-the two of u-us… Is this a d-da…" Yugi couldn't finish his sentence, he was too embarrassed just attempting to say it.
Anzu changed the subject, grabbing some of the yen in her hand. "How much do you think we need for the entrance tickets?"
"Oh! I'll go grab them for us!" Yugi told her, being handed the cash as he went over to the front of the park, where a lady in brown hair and uniform was smiling as he approached her. "Excuse me, two tickets for students please." Yugi said.
"One student and a child, you mean?" The lady asked with a smile.
Yugi looked at her confused. "Who's the child?"
"You boy, elementary school students get the child's price." The lady explained.
Yugi glared at her as he blushed, hearing her reasoning. "I'm not a child! Despite my appearance, I'm a high schooler from Domino High!" He declared. To prove it, he showed her his ID so she understood. The lady looked at it for a moment, then back at Yugi who still was flustery angry.
"O-Oh! I'm terribly sorry…" She apologized as she handed him his ID and went to ring them up. "Two tickets for high schoolers… that will be 1000 yen each." She declared. Yugi paid her and grabbed the entrance passes. He came back to Anzu that was waiting and handed her one of them.
"I can't believe she thought I was an elementary schooler. I could at least be in middle school, it wouldn't have been that humiliating." Yugi complained.
Anzu giggled slightly. "At least we got our tickets. So, let's go! It's going to be hot out, so I say we head to the pool first." Yugi nodded, agreeing with her. They went inside, looking around until they found out where the pool was. After that, they went to rent a locker and began to change into their swimsuits. "Meet me by the water slide, Yugi. I'll have to put my suit on and get the stuff in the locker." The young boy agreed with her orders. He hurried into the locker room for men, changed real quick and put his stuff in his own locker. Once that was done, he headed to the slides and waited for Anzu. At the moment, he had on some blue swimming trunks. Though on the topic of swimwear, Yugi wondered what kind of outfit Anzu had on. This would be his first time seeing her in such fashion. Knowing Anzu, she probably would have on a bikini.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Anzu called out behind Yugi. He turned around, smiling as he wanted to see her. The moment his eyes laid on her figure, his whole face heated up to the point he was red in the cheeks. Anzu wore a lapis bandeau style swimming suit, showing off a lot of her legs and even cleavage. She had a pink water tube with her, and bore a smile upon her face. "I had to get a water tube since we are going on the slide." She explained. Yugi still looked at her, trying but failing to hide his flush. "Alright, let's hurry up while there's no line." Anzu grabbed Yugi's hand, walking up the stairs all the way to the top of the slide. Thankfully, no one had wanted to try out the new attraction, so they were the first to go. Yugi had to admit, Anzu's body was dynamically sexy. He knew she had grown a lot since their elementary school days, but he never saw her in such attire to actually realize it. It was all the more reason he saw that her and Yugi did not match at all.
"Do you want to ride in the front?" Anzu asked. Yugi still had a blush on his face, as he looked at his friend out of curiosity. She went on. "I figured you could sit in the front and I can be in the back of the tube. Since you're smaller, it would be a better position for both of us." Yugi looked at the pink pool floaty, as he now realized she was referring to the object. He nodded, as he figured it would be better anyways. They set the craft on the slide, getting on in their positions. Once they got the go, they slid down in enjoyment. Well, Anzu was enjoying the ride, Yugi was screaming in slight panic at how fast they were going.
Once they had gotten to the bottom, they both fell from their tube and landed in the water. Anzu was still giddy from the experience. "That was more fun than I thought!"
Yugi coughed up a bit of the water, but he also smiled. "It really was."
The brunette grabbed their floaty, walking over to him. "Shall we go on the side again?" Yugi was a bit hesitant, but soon nodded as he wanted to make Anzu happy.
They ended up going down the slide two more times after that. Then swam around a bit, playing water tag and splashing around. They were in the pool for an hour, before Anzu suggested that they sun-tanned for a bit. Yugi agreed, since he was getting tired and wanted to just be with Anzu. They used the towels they brought with them and laid them on some nearby chairs. The high school girl laid there, placing her arm over her forehead to cover her eyes from the harsh rays of the sun. Yugi had his eyes glazed over at her, watching her. They stayed there for a while, agreeing to go back after about half an hour.
Anzu glanced up at the sun, admiring how shiny it was. She was enjoying this day, it had been really fun and she was glad to be spending time with Yugi. It had been too long since just the two of them hung out. Though she wanted it to be the two of them alone for different reasons, she still was pretty merry about this date. Anzu turned her gaze as she heard the chair beside her move. She looked over, seeing Yugi sitting up and staring off in the distance. The burnette noticed how different he looked, like the shape of his eyes were slanted more and were piercing with determination. 'Yugi?' Anzu sat up, staring at her 'friend'. 'He looks like…'
Yugi gasped, as all of a sudden he felt his face get hit with some water. Anzu watched, seeing a kid in green swimming trunks splashing Yugi with a water pistol. The younger kid was laughing, until Yugi got up from his chair and started chasing said kid. "What was that for, you brat!?" He yelled, chasing the child.
Anzu watched, smiling slightly. "Ha-ha… looks like it was just my imagination." She realized, leaning back against her chair. "In the end, Yugi acts just like a kid. He can't be the same guy that saved me on his own… But then again, if Yugi really saved me those times… how do I make that side of him come out?" Anzu wandered. She thought back to the situation where she had to be rescued in those times. Perhaps that was the key? "I wonder… if by being in danger… would that be enough to make the other Yugi appear?"
Yugi ended up losing the kid that had squirted him with water. He was a panting and furious mess, he just hoped that Anzu didn't think he was childish. "Man… can't I go one day without someone butting in with me and-" He didn't finish his sentence as he suddenly heard screaming.
"Somebody! Help! I'm drowning!"
"Anzu!" Yugi gasped, looking over as he saw her in the deep end of the pool, waving her arms around and calling out for help. Of course, she was only pretending to drown in an attempt to bring out the other Yugi. The high schooler ran over, jumping into the pool to get to her. "I'll save you!"
"Someone! Please help me!" Anzu begged, acting as best she could. As Yugi jumped in, two other guys rushed to her side, helping her float.
"We got you. Are you okay?" One of them asked her.
"O-oh… thank you…" she muttered, not really pleased with the results. She looked back over at Yugi, who was actually drowning and screaming out for help. Thankfully, a third guy was able to lift him up out of the water and help him cough up the liquid in his lungs. Anzu leaned against the edge of the pool, looking over at Yugi.
'I guess this isn't enough to bring that Yugi out.' Anzu sighed, disappointed that she wouldn't see that cool Yugi. Though maybe it was a bit of a stretch. After that fiasco, the two high schoolers decided they had enough of the pool. They planned on going on a few wild attractions, then grab some lunch and finish off some games before heading home. They changed out of their swimwear, and went around the park to figure out which ride they wanted to go on first. Perhaps a fast one since they didn't want to go on a very extreme ride after they ate.
"What ride should we go on first?" Yugi asked Anzu, wanting her opinion.
"Hmmm…" Anzu looked around the park, trying to determine which ride would be best. "Is there any ride that you don't like in particular?"
"Not really. I love them all." Yugi told her.
"Really?" She smiled at Yugi, though wasn't surprised by his answer. Her eyes quickly darted over to a stall, seeing a strange figure in sunglasses looking in their direction. She didn't pay much attention, so she ignored it at first and pointed in front of her. "How about we try the rides over there?" She suggested. Yugi agreed, walking over with her to the area they wanted to go to. As they walked, Anzu turned around, noticing the guy that she saw earlier suddenly jumped into the bushes. She had a feeling who it was, but didn't say anything because she didn't want to bother Yugi. Him and her turned around a corner, but Anzu stayed there for a moment, testing a theory.
It didn't take even a few seconds after they turned the corner, she felt someone run into her. Anzu screamed, shouting even. "Someone help!" Yugi turned around, hearing Anzu cry while the blond guy gasped from the ground. "Yugi! I think he's a pervert! I felt him touch me in a weird place!" Anzu screamed as she had a blush on her face.
"Wait, wait, wait!" The guy got up from the ground, trying to defend himself as he took off his glasses, revealing the brown eyes of their classmate. "It's me! Don't go telling stuff that isn't true!"
Yugi and Anzu were shocked, looking at the blond as he was caught red handed. "Jounouchi?" Anzu placed her hands on her hips, looking displeased. "What is the meaning of this? What are you doing?" She demanded an answer.
"Eh…. uh… well…" The blond rubbed the back of his head, trying to come up with an excuse, one that would be believable.
"Did you come here by yourself?" Yugi asked.
"Uh…. yeah, just me here." He admitted.
Anzu glared at him, not buying it. "Why were you following us like a stalker then?"
"I wasn't following you, per say. I just noticed you two were alone and thought you guys were on a date."
"D-date?!" Yugi blushed, hearing his words.
Anzu looked over at the short boy, noticing his embarrassment. She looked back at the blond. "So what if we are? It's none of your business!"
"I just wanted to confirm it so I wouldn't disturb you!" Jounouchi yelled back at her.
"Or were you going to mock us for being on a date?" Anzu retorted.
Yugi shook his head, managing to get back to reality as he saw the two still arguing. He looked between them and tried to settle the feud. "Hey, hey, it was all just a misunderstanding. How about we drop it and we can maybe hang out together?" Yugi suggested.
Anzu raised a brow his way. "But Yugi, what about us? It was supposed to be a day with just the two of us."
Yugi was about to speak, only for Jounouchi to intervene. "No, she's right, Yugi. I disrupted you guys so the least I can do is get out of your hair." Anzu was relieved for a moment, glad Jounouchi was kind and smart enough to get the message. However, her worries came back as he smiled. "After we all eat some lunch!"
The girl of the three sighed. "Only you can think about food no matter the situation."
"We could get something to eat now and then go on the slow rides. After the water slide, I think I've had my dose of adrenaline for the day." Yugi admitted, being reminded how much fun and terror was in that water attraction.
Anzu gave a small smile his way, understanding how he felt. She figured he would rather take it easy after nearly drowning anyways. "Alright, we can eat." She then glared at the blond. "But after the food, you leave us alone! Deal?" He nodded, having no disagreement with her. She smirked again. "Alright, you guys go and get the food, I'll scout out ahead and see what slow rides are open for us. I'll meet you at the food court." Anzu promised as she started running off to check out the attractions.
"What kind of food do you want?!" Yugi called out to her as she was starting to get out of sight.
"As long as it isn't greasy, get me whatever!" She called out, before being out of eyeshot from the two. Yugi and Jounouchi looked at each other, confused by her behavior, but went along with it.
The two went to some stalls, getting a few treats for themselves. Yugi saved Anzu three sticks of dangos, while he was eating some matcha adzuki Takoyaki with Jounouchi, along with a taiyaki they both ate. They sat around a small table, waiting for the brunette in the hopes they could eat together. Yugi looked around, trying to find her but no luck. "Anzu sure is taking her time…"
"She's probably just upset because I interrupted you guys on your date." Jounouchi mumbled, eating a whole bread ball from his platter.
"Well, she did make it clear she just wanted it to be the two of us…" Yugi noted. "Though, it would have been nice if you came with us…" He tried sounding polite, but even Jounouchi could tell how much he really wanted it to have been him and Anzu.
"Hey, Yugi… we've known each other for a while right?" Jounouchi asked, getting a nod from his friend. "So, can I ask you a personal question?" Yugi nodded again, a bit more hesitant this time. "What exactly is the relationship between you and Anzu?" When he heard that, Yugi's face went back to a shade of red. He looked around, trying to come up with an answer but every time he tried to speak, it came out as a stutter. Jounouchi laughed slightly, seeing his reaction. "I know it isn't an easy topic, but I mean, when I overheard you and her talking about this date yesterday, I got a little curious." Yugi listened, hearing out Jounouchi. "I know you two are childhood friends, but I honestly believed that you two were secretly dating. So… I kind of came here to determine that for myself…"
"Wait…" Yugi blinked, calming down and he heard his friend's side of the story. "You really were spying on us?"
"I didn't spy on you the whole day, I got here far later and only saw bits of you two at the pool. I kept my distance and just watched you guys. Honestly, you really aren't much boyfriend material. Then again, it doesn't help that you got matched up with Anzu, who is far more sexy than I really thought. Not to mention independent, short tempered and very confident."
Yugi sighed, holding his face in his hands as he placed his elbows on the table. "Where are you going with this, Jounouchi?"
"I'm just asking what your feelings are? I mean, do you like Anzu that way? As more than a friend, I mean?" Jounouchi finally asked.
Yugi did let that question sink in, thinking it over before finally giving his answer. "Honestly, I always admired Anzu. She was everything I wanted to be: strong and confident. We always had each other's back in elementary school. When we drifted apart during middle school, I realized how different we became. Sure, we were still friends, but things changed. So did she. I guess when you've been with someone for so long, you can't help but admire them for who they are."
"You ain't answering my question." Jounouchi pointed out.
Yugi hummed, realizing he had to give a straight answer instead of beating around the bush. "I wouldn't be against Anzu and me being a couple. And… maybe she feels the same way from her letter."
Jounouchi perked up upon hearing that. "What letter?"
"You know… that puzzle letter?" Yugi tried to remind him. "You were there when it happened."
The blond bit his lip, looking down as he rubbed the back of his head. Guess neither Anzu nor Cosmo ever told him the truth, and he didn't finish the puzzle if he didn't know who it was really from. As much as it would put Yugi in a confused pain, there was no way he was going to let his friend live the rest of his life believing in something that wasn't true. "Ugh… I'm sorry Yuge, I have to come clean!" Yugi blinked, hearing his friend speak with such grief in his voice. "I wasn't supposed to say anything, but you have to know. That puzzle… it wasn't from Anzu."
Yugi blinked, staring at his friend. "W-what?" It was all he could say.
"When the girls asked me to see them, before Honda tried to beat me for skipping out on cleaning the school. They wanted to ask me what kind of gift you would like to have. I let you take my cleaning shift so we could go to the game store to pick out that puzzle. Your grandfather said that was how he got your grandma."
Yugi nodded solemnly. Now that he thought about it, he did remember Sugaroku telling him that story. But he couldn't really believe it. "B-but… it was Anzu that told you to… she called you…"
"Yugi, you've known Anzu much longer than I have. Don't you think that she is the type of person to say what is on her mind rather than saying it through a letter? She would tell you if she loves you rather than disguise her feelings behind some puzzle." Jounouchi pointed out. Rather than protest, Yugi took that to heart. Admittedly, Jounouchi did have a point. Anzu really wasn't the type of girl to hand out gifts to confess her feelings unless she was there to tell it. While he never saw the handwriting of the puzzle, the way it started out really didn't sound like the brunette either. She never admired Yugi for his confidence, that was what he admired about her! The young high schooler slumped in his seat, slightly disappointed upon his realization. The blond noticed this, giving a sigh. "I'm sorry, Yuge. But someone had to tell you at some point. I thought Anzu finally told you."
Yugi had his eyes casted to the ground, letting this news sink in. "Thanks Jounouchi… for telling me the truth." Yugi told him, giving a small smile. "I guess I should have realized it wasn't Anzu's style. I was so shocked by the fact she sent me something, I didn't question it."
Jounouchi smiled, shoving the rest of his snacks to his friend. "Look, it's all in the past. She may not have sent you that letter, but some other girl did. Even if Anzu never acknowledges how you feel, or accepts those feelings, there are plenty of other girls that would be eager to line up and be with you. Trust me, you have a better shot of getting a girlfriend before me or Honda." Yugi gave a slight giggle upon hearing that. He doubted that it would be true, but appreciated that Jounouchi was trying to make him feel better.
"I guess even if this wasn't really a date, at least the two of us had fun." Yugi noted, eating some more of his food. The blond nodded in agreement, hoping that his friend would feel better now. "Though… if I can ask…" Yugi's amethyst eyes looked up at his buddy. "Who was it that sent me that letter?"
Jounouchi blinked, hearing Yugi's question. Should he answer that? If Anzu didn't say that she was not the sender, then she probably didn't tell Yugi that Cosmo was the one who wrote on the puzzle. He had a terrible feeling that if he answered truthfully, he would get an earful from the brunette and might complicate Yugi and Cosmo's relationship. Although, wouldn't it be better that he knew? After all, he still thought the green haired girl was a good match for him. Even if he doesn't think so, he wouldn't let those feelings ruin their friendship. He figured it couldn't hurt to tell him the truth.
"Yugi?! Jounouchi?!" Before he could say anything, Jounouchi and Yugi turned around, seeing a familiar purple-haired girl with a stunned expression on her face.
"Sparkle?!" Yugi gasped.
"What are you doing here?" The blond of the boys asked.
"I should be asking you that." She stated, her hands on her hips.
"Oh, Yugi and Anzu were hanging out together today. I just came here a bit late." Jounouchi explained.
"Really?" Sparkle looked over Yugi's way for a moment, before shaking her head. "Look, you three need to get out of here, now!"
Jounouchi and Yugi got up. "What's going on?" Yugi asked.
Sparkle looked around, leaning closer. "I'm not supposed to say anything, because we aren't supposed to create a public uproar. But… you know that arsonist that has been causing fires around Domino? He's here! At the park!"
The boy's eyes went wide, horror written on their faces as the color on their skin drained. "A-Are you sure?!" Yugi asked, still unable to believe her words.
"Yes! This morning, he called the station to give out a quiz. He wanted to know if it would be hotter than 39 degrees Celsius today. Naturally, we guessed wrong during the eleven o'clock weather report. However, he gave us another challenge, to guess where to find the biggest pool in Domino."
Jounouchi gasped, knowing full well the answer. "The Amusement park's pool…"
Sparkle nodded. "We came here and started securing the park. We are currently evacuating everyone. Which is why you two and Anzu have to leave now!"
"But… we don't know where Anzu is." Jounouchi stated.
"Do you have any idea where she would be going?" Sparkle asked.
The blond rubbed his chin. "She said she wanted to check on some slow rides since we were planning on eating. She headed over there." He pointed to where Anzu walked off.
Sparkle looked over, trying to figure out what was over there. "The only ride in that direction would be the Ferris wheel…"
"Ferris wheel?" Jounouchi repeated. "Sounds like the perfect ride."
Yugi's eyes were wide, all he could think about was Anzu being caught in a fire because of that loose criminal. He didn't want to see that, and knew that he had to make sure she was safe. Without thinking, he ran over in the direction of where the Ferris wheel was. Ignoring his name being called by the other two, he rushed over to the ride to hopefully find Anzu and get them out of the park before it was too late.
Meanwhile, Anzu was currently inside one of the ferris wheel carriages, the third one out of the twelve. She was sitting there, enjoying the ride. The line was short and she didn't want to go back just yet. So, she hopped on and figured she would go a round or two. As she was being lifted up, she thought about how Jounouchi had interrupted their date and it still made her ticked off. "Stupid Jounouchi… Why did he have to come along on this date?" She sighed, leaning against the seat. "I should have known he would have tried to disrupt this day." Her eyes glanced out of the window, looking over the park. At least Yugi tried to be the middleman and made it so everyone was happy. He even was willing to ditch his friend to go back to it being him and her. And yet here she was running away and acting like a child. "I should head back soon. They must be worried. Plus, I really am starting to get hungry." She noted, patting her stomach as it began to growl.
Yugi had arrived at the ferris wheel, frantically looking around. "Anzu?! Are you here?!" He shouted.
The brunette looked out the glass, seeing him searching for her. When he looked up at her, Anzu could see how frightened he was. Why did he look so scared? She was about to call out to him, assuring him that she would be down soon. The ride would be over in a few more minutes. Before she could even get his attention, the Ferris wheel started to shake, slowing down until the carriages stopped. She looked below at the park, starting to panic upon hearing the sirens.
Yugi looked up at the third car on the ride, calling out to Anzu. Soon enough, a lady made a broadcast across the park. "May I have your attention! A criminal is loose in the amusement park and has taken control of the Ferris wheel."
Upon hearing that, Anzu's face drained of color. "A criminal?! Don't tell me… it's that arsonist!"
"Customers, please follow the police orders and quickly evacuate the park to your nearby exits." The lady on the speaker ordered. The ground began shaking, and Yugi barely dodged the stampede of people rushing past him, trying to get out before they got in harm's way. The young boy fell to the floor, watching everyone else leave while he was left behind. Yugi hoped Jounouchi was at least safe, but knew that Anzu was not so lucky. He managed to pick himself up just as Sparkle ran over to his side.
"Yugi! Are you alright?" She asked.
He looked over at her, before pointing up at the small space his friend was trapped in. "Sparkle, Anzu is trapped in the ferris wheel!" He screamed. The lavender haired girl looked up, seeing the brunette in the car. She started scanning the other carriages to see how many more were trapped.
"Sparkle!" Yugi turned, seeing the familiar detective who helped take down the criminal at Burger World and got the Rintama gang. He approached the two students, looking over the situation. "Why are you here with a civilian? You have to get him out of here!" Detective Takahashi ordered.
The young woman looked up at the cop. "Takahashi, there are people trapped inside the Ferris wheel. Three of the carts are currently occupied. One of them has Yugi's friend in there." She told him. " Anzu Masaki, Yugi's friend, is in the third cart. A mother and her child are in carriage number six, and there appears to be someone in 13." Sparkle explained, pointing them out.
"But why has the Ferris wheel stopped?" Yugi asked with concern. "Did the criminal take it over?"
"Apparently he is planning on using it in his next game." The inspector stated.
"That means he could very well set any of the carts off in flames if he wanted to." Sparkle noted.
"Set in flames?" Yugi repeated, looking back up at the brunette who pressed her face against the glass. "No way…" He started to grow even more fearful, if the cops were to lose at this game, Anzu would most likely lose her life. Sparkle could sense his fear, holding onto Yugi's shoulders to try and reassure him. She couldn't say anything though, because she herself was clueless about the situation.
The inspector's phone soon rang, which he picked up immediately and set it on speaker for everyone to hear. "Hello?" He called out.
"Are the balloons prepared?" The one on the other end asked, in a twisted voice. Two officers came over, holding up a couple of balloons in their hands. Sparkle and Yugi watched, wondering what was to come. "This quiz will be much tougher than the last ones. This is not just guessing a big or small number, but will require much more deep thinking and observation. In fact, I dare say this is more of a game than a quiz."
"A game?" Inspector Takahashi repeated. "You expect us to participate in such a trivial sport?!" He was upset about the situation, this mad man was treating this as a fun activity when lives were at stake.
"You can refuse, of course. But if you do, I'll just set all of the carts on fire one by one." The criminal pointed out. "Of course, if you manage to win the game, then no one has to die."
Takahashi covered the phone, looking over at the other cops and Sparkle. "Any sign of him yet?" He asked, mentioning the one behind this crime. The cops shook their heads, indicating they had no idea of this man's location. Which meant they had their hands tied at the moment.
"Takahashi, we have to comply." Sparkle told him. He looked over at the young girl, ready to protest, but she kept going. "If we don't accept, he'll end up destroying the Ferris wheel. With civilians trapped inside, we can't take the loss. Besides, we can use this opportunity to search around the park and look for him. If we find him, we can end this." Yugi looked between her and the Inspector. The older man clearly was not a fan of the idea, but Sparkle did make valid points. At the moment, they had to agree for a chance to ensure the safety of those that were trapped.
Takahashi uncovered his phone to speak to the criminal again. "What kind of game are you setting up?"
"First, you best try your luck." The Arsonist told him. "Release one of the balloons and see what happens."
"The balloons?" He repeated. The Inspector looked over at the many colorful rubber attached to strings, wondering which one to release. No doubt it was some sort of trap, but he had to obey or else suffer severe consequences.
"Any color will do, just hurry and pick one!" The Arsonist exclaimed, growing impatient. If he was kept waiting for too long, he would end up destroying the Ferris wheel all together, everyone was sure. Takahashi took the white balloon, holding it tightly for a moment, still unsure about this ordeal. When he let it go, everyone watched as the balloon floated over the Ferris wheel, going higher and higher. The ones on the ground waited, wondering what would happen now that that object was released. The rubber soon came over to Anzu's carriage, being caught in one of the bars. The brunette looked down, feeling her heart skipping many beats. She felt her hope fading as she wondered if she would ever get out of this alive. Her eyes casted down to where Yugi was, wondering how he was handling the situation. No doubt he was just as terrified as she was.
After a few minutes had passed, everyone began to breathe a sigh of relief. But it was celebrated too soon as the Ferris wheel shook, causing the people inside their carriages to cower in fear. They looked over to the cart with a large one painted on it, seeing the inside being covered in flames.
"The first gondola is one fire!" One of the cops stated the obvious.
"Anzu!" Yugi called out. Thankfully that carriage was empty, but who knows how long it would be until their luck would run out.
"Looks like you choose wisely." The criminal on the other end chuckled. "Alright, now it is time to explain the rules. Depending on what color balloon you release, I will blow up a certain gondola based on that factor. The Ferris wheel is supposed to represent something in this park, and the colors of the balloon are you hint. If you can figure out what the Ferris wheel is supposed to represent, you win and I will turn myself over. As long as you don't pick the balloons that are corresponding with the gondolas with the people inside, you should be able to avoid any casualties. But you best hurry."
The Inspector looked over at the cops. "So, this really is a game based around luck and brains…" He lowered his head, feeling ashamed. "I don't think I will be able to do it. I'm no good at games."
"Whether we are good at the game or not shouldn't matter! We have to do something or those people will die!" Sparkle pointed out.
"But, who here would be willing to play along with this person's game?" The Inspector asked.
Yugi knew what he had to do, as scared as he was, Anzu's life was at stake. And he was not going to sit back and let anything happen to her. He stepped up, the Millennium Puzzle around his neck glowing as he felt a wave of confidence flow into his form. Anzu, still terrified from where she was, noticed 'Yugi' stepping forward to the cop.
"I'll accept this challenge." He declared.
"You?" Takahashi blinked, looking at the other cops to see if they were okay with it. Sparkle noticed the sudden change in 'Yugi'. She saw this before… but didn't question it. As risky as it would be, she knew this would be their only chance of capturing this criminal. She was willing to put her fate in this 'Yugi' if it meant that outcome.
The lavender haired girl looked up at the leading officer. "Let him handle it, he's our best bet. He knows what he's doing." Inspector Takahashi looked between the young woman and the high schooler. As hesitant as he was, he himself lacked the skills of game gambling. They didn't have much time anyways, so he could not argue. He handed the phone to 'Yugi', who took it and listened to the conversation. Anzu looked down, seeing 'Yugi' take action. It reminded her of when she was being carried down the school halls, and how she believed her savior was 'Yugi'. Now she was certain, it had to be 'Yugi' who saved her, and he was about to do it again.
'Yugi' spoke into the phone, talking with the culprit. "Are there any other rules involving this game?"
"Oh? You want to face this challenge?" The culprit asked, noticing the different voices on the other end. "Very well. The only other rules are that the time limit is 15 minutes."
"Fifteen?" 'Yugi' repeated, seeing the watch on his wrist, which showed the time 12:50 PM. Which meant that at 1:05, the time limit would be up, and everyone would lose.
"Now then, if you end up getting the answer wrong, or set fire to a gondola with a passenger inside of it, that means you lose this game." The Arsonist explained.
"And what happens if I don't find the answer before time runs out?" 'Yugi' questioned.
"Then that means you also lose, making the remaining triggers set off to set fire to every other gondola." He explained.
'Yugi' looked up at the Ferris wheel, mostly glaring up at the one which held Anzu hostage. If he didn't think this over carefully, then he could very well lose her. 'I promise… I definitely will save you no matter what!' He thought to himself, determination flowing through his veins. He held up the phone again. "Alright, I'm ready."
"Very well. Let the game begin! The fifteen minutes start now!" The Arsonist declared.
'Yugi' looked over the Ferris wheel, then back over at the balloons to try and think over the connection. Sparkle approached, looking over at him. "So, what do you have so far?"
'Yugi' looked back at her as they shared their notes. "The white balloon set fire to the first gondola, so that means that the colored balloons must represent which carriage gets destroyed."
"But all of the carriages are the same color, just numbered differently." Sparkle pointed out. "Unless they are different in terms of what's inside of them or how they are labeled by the staff?"
'Yugi' came to the same conclusion, but he wanted to be certain. He turned to the cops. "Is there anyone here that's a staff member at this amusement park?"
Takashai looked to his crew, summoning a man wearing a green cap and light moss colored outfit. "Yes, I work here and tend to the rides."
"Do those gondolas have any other labels on them other than their numbers?" He asked.
The staff member shook his head. "Not really, we just refer to them as carriage one, carriage two, and so on."
"What about differences in color on the inside?" Sparkle asked.
"Nope, all of the seats and flooring are the same color inside." The staff member informed her.
"So much for that theory." Sparkle sighed in annoyance.
"The Arsonist mentioned that the Ferris wheel is supposed to parallel something inside the park." 'Yugi' stated.
"Do you think it's an attraction here at this park with numbers and colors?" Sparkle wondered.
"That is the only other safe bet we can make." 'Yugi' admitted.
"If you are still clueless at this point, perhaps you try releasing another balloon?" The Arsonist suggested on the phone. "I will give you a hint to help, release a balloon that is the color yellow."
"How do we know you aren't saying that to set fire to the people inside?" 'Yugi' pointed out, not fully trusting the culprit.
He giggled. "I sense you don't trust me, which is fair. I assure you it's safe. There is no one aboard that gondola, I promise."
"There is no way we can trust what he says!" Inspector Takahashi exclaimed.
"Easy, Inspector." 'Yugi' eased him. "I doubt he has any reason to lie. And at this point, we can use all the help we can get." He then grabbed the balloon with the color he was requested to get. "Besides, he wants to relish in this situation, enjoy it as best he can. He doesn't want this to end, which means he wants to keep the passengers safe if he wants the game to continue." Sparkle nodded, agreeing with what 'Yugi' said. He soon released the balloon in the sky, watching and waiting for something to happen.
They didn't have to wait too long, for soon another gondola was set on fire, burning the seat and flooring inside. "The tenth carriage!" Takahashi exclaimed, seeing the destruction of the second carriage claimed by the Arsonist.
"Correct, the yellow balloon represents ten." The criminal stated on the phone.
"So far, we know that the color white took out gondola one. And the yellow balloon represented gondola ten." Sparkle hummed while looking at the attraction.
"The question is, what's the pattern?" 'Yugi' wondered. There had to be some connection, but it wasn't staring him right in the face. He had to think carefully.
"Make sure to think it through, but don't take too long." The Arsonist reminded him. "You only have ten minutes left after all." Yugi looked at his watch, seeing it was already 12:55, time was slowly running out. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you went into this with confidence only to realize how regrettable your choice is now. If you rather switch with someone else, go right ahead."
Sparkle overheard him, looking at 'Yugi'. "Don't listen to him, I know you can handle this." She assured him. 'Yugi' looked over at Sparkle, hearing the support she was giving him. He still had time to figure this out, he just had to focus.
'The culprit is watching us from somewhere. Probably nearby if he can see the balloons.' 'Yugi' thought to himself. 'But where could he be? The whole park has been evacuated, except for us and the hostages.' If they could figure out where he was and apprehend him, then they could end the game quickly. Of course, it wasn't so easy to execute.
"Man, this sure is getting boring. Give me some more drama!" The culprit complained. "Come on, release another balloon and see which gondola gets set on fire next! Oh, I know! How about the pink one?"
"Is the pink one safe?" 'Yugi' asked, not trusting the guy now with how his tone had shifted.
"I can't tell you that, you already used up all of your hints. I just really want to see the pink balloon." He begged. 'Yugi' did not trust this, a part of him believed that it was a trap. Then again, he still was certain the Arsonist wouldn't want to end it here. And if he didn't obey… "Hurry up! If you don't release it, then I'll just set off a gondola with a hostage inside." He threatened.
"Hold on!" 'Yugi' pleaded. He hurried over to where the balloons were being held, taking a pink one as he looked up at the Ferris Wheel. 'He's still trying to enjoy this game of his. Best to comply while he is still entertained.' He let the pink one go, looking up at the ride to see which gondola would be destroyed next. He hoped it wasn't one with Anzu or the other passengers. Once it was out of sight, Anzu screamed as she felt an explosion near her own cart. Everyone gasped, seeing the fourth carriage being set on fire.
"Well now, how about we review what we know?" The culprit sarcastically said on the phone. "One is white, yellow is ten and pink is four. But, which one is say… three?"
"No need to rush. There's still plenty of time left." 'Yugi' reminded him.
"True, only seven minutes left though." He reminded the high schooler.
"What do you think? Any other ideas?" Sparkle asked.
"Now you're sounding impatient as well." 'Yugi' noted.
Sparkle raised a brow his way. "Can you blame me? We don't have much time left, and if we lose, the hostages are the ones that really suffer." She looked up, seeing Anzu in her carriage. The brunette was still pretty shocked after seeing the gondola next to her be set on fire. It started dying down, but smoke still emanated from it. She looked down to see 'Yugi', who was trying so hard to get them out of this mess. He still looked determined, but it was also mixed with panic as time was running out.
"Five minutes remaining." The culprit sang on the other end. "Perhaps you should try to release another balloon?"
"That guy is really rushing the clock, isn't he?" Sparkle grunted, getting fed up with this maniac.
'Yugi' agreed with her, but there was something about what she just said that caused a gear in his mind to turn. "Wait… Sparkle, say that again!"
She looked over at 'Yugi' confused, but repeated her statement. "The guy is really rushing the clock?"
His magenta eyes went to his wristwatch, seeing the time ticking away. "A clock…" He adjusted his watch, letting the glass reflect the image of the Ferris wheel. Sparkle leaned in, seeing what he was doing. "The numbers on the Ferris wheel look similar to the location of the numbers on the clock.
The girl's eyes went wide, realizing this. "You're right, I mean, aside from the thirteenth gondola it's a near perfect clock… That must be what the numbers are supposed to present and explains why he is so rushed in time!"
"But that still doesn't explain the colors…" 'Yugi' reminded her. "Unless…"
Sparkle snapped her fingers. "Unless he is referring to a clock that is color coded based on numbers!" She smiled, finishing the answer for him. Her eyes went even wider as she also knew what they were looking for. "The Flower Clock! It's a spring and summer attraction they made at the park!"
"Do you know where it is?!" 'Yugi' asked, becoming rushed as time was against them.
"It's in the plaza past the Ferris Wheel!"
"But what is the color of the flowers for three?"
Sparkle tried to think, but shook her head. "I can't remember off the top of my head! But I think I know how we can find out! Come on!" Sparkle ran off, heading past the ride. 'Yugi' followed, leaving the police and the Inspector where they were. 'Yugi' caught up as Sparkle ran with him by her side. "The Plaza is too far away from the Ferris Wheel, it would take just three minutes to get there!"
"So by the time we get there, it could be too late?" 'Yugi' asked, trying to breathe as they ran.
"That's why we're going to take a short cut, or in this case, another ride!" Sparkle pointed to a large Drop Tower just a few feet in front of them.
"Only one minute remaining…" The Arsonist warned on the other line.
"Strap in, I'll send you up!" Sparkle told him. 'Yugi' nodded, heading to the seats and putting the bar over his chest. Sparkle was able to get to the controls, pressing a few buttons, and watched as 'Yugi' was lifted into the air, at the very top. Once there, he looked around, trying to find the clock of flowers that Sparkle was talking about. It took him a bit of searching, but he managed to locate the plaza and found the clock on the ground, color coated by the numbers. One being surrounded by white flowers, ten with yellow flowers and four with pink. As for the number three…
"I know the answer!" 'Yugi' declared into the phone. "The third gondola is blue!" That was his final answer, and one he knew was correct.
"Ping pong!" The Arsonist mocked in a chime voice. "That is correct!" 'Yugi' smiled, happy that he, with the help of Sparkle, were able to solve the game.
"Now I see, the gondola numbers correspond to the flower clock." 'Yugi' told him through the phone.
"Very well done." The Arsonist complimented him. "Well, you win fair and square, so I will end the game." He promised. This also meant that he was willing to turn himself in, he seemed like a guy of his word, and was all too eager to head off for someone that just lost. Of course, that didn't seem like enough for 'Yugi'.
"No, how about we continue?" He told the criminal on the other end. "This time, we'll play a different game."
"Eh? What was that?" The Arsonist questioned. Was he serious? He won the game, why was this kid wanting to continue.
"For this game, I'll predict which gondola will be the next one to be set ablaze. And you will have to guess which one it is." 'Yugi' explained.
The Arsonist laughed into his phone, cracking up at the suggestion. "You sure are an interesting character. I'll accept." He promised without any hesitation. He was going to jail anyways, and one last game didn't seem like it would hurt anyone. Plus, he was curious what 'Yugi' had planned. "But no changing the rules, that's my only condition. So, go on and release a balloon."
'Yugi' obviously could not do so where he was, however, that didn't mean he couldn't say the name of the color. "The balloon color I will give you, is white."
Again, the criminal crackled. "Nice try, but white was the first color to be released, remember? Don't tell me you forgot about that detail." He mocked.
"It was, that's the point."
"W-what are you getting at?" The Arsonist questioned, sounding baffled.
"You see, the clock's hands have passed into the post meridiem, meaning it's afternoon. As you are aware, the military tends to use a specific time system for soldiers. It is based on a 24-hour clock beginning at midnight which is 0000 hours and ends at 11:59 PM which is 23:59 for them. This is to eliminate the need for the A.M and P.M systems. The numbers 1 to 12 identify the morning hours, but for the afternoon, you just add the number that is supposed to be where the small hand is, and add that to 12. For example, 1 P.M in military time is 1300 hours. Right now it is 1:06, so we are in the afternoon numbering system. The one on the clock can also be incorporated as 13 if we use the military system. The Ferris Wheel even has a thirteenth gondola, so that is the one that will be set ablaze next."
"Stop screwing with me! What does military numbering have to do with the game?!" The criminal shouted on the phone, starting to become impatient once again. However, 'Yugi' was not done.
"You must be wondering why I think 13 would be the next one to be set on fire. Let me tell you this much," 'Yugi' smirked as he stated his explanation. "During this game of yours, you had to have been close by to watch our every move. That way you can see what colored balloons we let go to determine what carriage would be your next target. The thing is though, everyone has been evacuated from the park by the police. The only people that are here aside from me are the cops and the hostages in the Ferris Wheel. I know that there is one person in the third gondola and two in the sixth one. Then… there is the lone person in number thirteen… the gondola that doesn't rely on the standard clock. In other words, you have been watching us from carriage thirteen!"
There was a brief moment of silence at the end, both from Yugi and the Arsonist. "If you're saying that I'm wrong, then why not prove it by blowing it up?"
"W-why would I do that? If you claim that I am thirteen, then I wouldn't have put a trigger to set fire to that gondola." The Arsonist stuttered as he sounded like he was losing his calm demeanor.
"So you do admit it." 'Yugi' noted that he knew he won. "But it's too late. Very soon, the device will set off."
The Arsonist scoffed, not even phased by 'Yugi's' empty threats. "Don't screw with me! There is nothing in here! I made sure of it! Now quick your mind games and get me out of here!"
Despite his assurance, 'Yugi' glared over at the gondola the culprit was in. He was leaning against the glass, trying to locate the high schooler as 'Yugi' could see him clearly. His face was twisted, showing off his crazed expression to indicate that it was nearly the end of the game. "Are you sure? Maybe you should look more carefully." 'Yugi' warned, having the phone lean closer to his wristwatch, making it pick up the ticking noises coming from the small device.
The Arsonist in the carriage began to hear the noise, turning his head in many different directions to try and figure out where the source was coming from. He lifted up his red cap, trying to scan the area thoroughly. "W-where is that noise coming from?!" He started to panic, as the noise got louder yet he could not find where it was. "I-Impossible! There shouldn't be anything in here! What's going on?!"
'Yugi's' twisted smile grew more, knowing he had the criminal right where he wanted him. After everything he had done, this man would pay for his crimes against the public. Raising up his finger and pointing it in the gondola's direction, he declared his victory. "You will now receive the punishment game of fate!" Using the Millennium Puzzle, he shot a beam of light inside the carriage, hitting the culprit square in the face. He screamed, covering himself with his hands, as he felt his mind create the illusion of a strange box on the ground.
"W-what is this?" He picked up the device, unable to understand what was happening as he still had the phone to his ear. The powers of the artifact were already taking hold of his mind.
"The door of darkness has been opened." 'Yugi' declared. The device became hotter, starting to spark and create smaller flames. The Arsonist dropped the object, watching as it began to spread the fire, engulfing the inside of the gondola. He screamed, seeing and feeling the heat surrounding his body, despite it being not real. In a quick act to save himself, he pushed through the door, falling out from his cart and landing on some bushes that broke his fall. 'Yugi' watched it play out from where he was, knowing that he would not be causing anymore fires. "If you are going to play with people's lives for your games, you should be prepared to give up your own."
Eventually, 'Yugi' came down thanks to Sparkle's help. After unstrapping himself from the ride, the two of them headed back to the Ferris Wheel. Once they got there, the cops were carrying an unconscious man in red and orange from the bushes, no doubt the one who was behind this twisted game.
"Looks like he must have fallen out of the gondola." Sparkle noted, seeing the broken door of the carriage.
'Yugi' ran over to Inspector Takahashi while pointing at the unconscious man the cops were taking away. "He's the Arsonist, Inspector. The one that set up the game, he confirmed it through the phone."
"Are you sure?" 'Yugi' nodded. Takahashi looked over at the other officers. "Take him to headquarters, when he wakes up we'll see what we can get from him." The other cops agreed, taking the culprit away.
Sparkle walked up to 'Yugi', smiling. "Looks like you saved the day again. Dunno how you pulled such a miracle, but I am not complaining."
The high schooler handed the phone back to Sparkle as he grinned at her as well. "I trust you can handle the rest?"
She chuckled. "You go and see how Anzu is doing. She should be coming down now that we have control of the Ferris Wheel again." She pointed out as the gondola holding Anzu was slowly descending to the ground. 'Yugi' thanked her, as he ran over to check up on how Anzu was fairing.
The brunette watched from the window as she saw her friend come over to her while she was nearing the ground. 'So it really was Yugi that saved me again!' Anzu thought to herself as she got up and was near the door, ready to head out the moment it was near the booth. It was the staff members and a cop that let her out, helping her down to make sure she was alright. She then hurried over, seeing him and running to her friend. A smile was on her face upon reaching him. "Thank you, Yugi! Looks like you saved me yet again, huh?"
Yugi looked up at her, his purple eyes wide as he was relieved to see her safe and sound. "Anzu! Thank goodness you're okay!"
Anzu looked over Yugi again, seeing the child-like personality he had, as opposed to the confident one he put on moments ago. "Huh… it's the regular Yugi?" She muttered to herself.
"Are you sure you're alright, Anzu?" Yugi asked, making certain she wasn't harmed.
"Huh? Oh, yeah…" She reassured as she turned around and rubbed her arm, looking up at the sky. "But what happened to that cool Yugi from earlier?" She tilted her head upon asking that question.
Yugi seemed confused just as she was. "What cool me from earlier?"
The brunette realized she said that out loud and tried to hide her blush. "It's uh… nothing. Nothing important." She tried to change the subject, despite the bafflement Yugi was displaying. Still, her eyes took a glance his way as she was cetrain of one thing: Yugi was the person who saved her three times now. Even though it wasn't the badass Yugi that was with her now, they were the same person. Although she didn't get how it worked, she knew that if she was in danger again, that 'Yugi' would be there to help her.
"Yugi, how about we head back to your game shop? I think we've had enough fun here for one day." She suggested.
The young boy didn't hesitate to agree. After what happened, they both could just use a quiet afternoon. The police didn't stop them either, as both Sparkle and Takahashi agreed to let them go. They had already been through enough and with the culprit in custody, there was no point in questioning them now. Though if they do need any testimonies, they would call the high schoolers. So, they began to head to the exit, ready to go home and try to forget about the bad of this day, yet still reflect back on the good.