I've got most of this story planned out, I'm just not too sure of which endig I want to do. Please check out the poll I created for it, let me know which one you guys would rather have.
14
"I like playing my Tamagotchi and Game Boy. They take me back to the old days when times were more simple." — Kreayshawn
"Good morning, Yugi-kun," Naomi greeted her friend one morning.
"Good morning, Naomi-chan," Yugi greeted her back.
After that night where he had been attacked by Shadi she had seemed like a different person. Oh, that calculating coldness was still there, but she wasn't that way towards them at all. They saw a new variety of emotions from her. They saw her shyness, and how she would tilt her head when slightly confused. Jounouchi thought it was cute when she did that, and Yugi was inclined to agree with him.
"Oho, walking to school today?" Sugoroku asked them and Naomi gave a sheepish nod. "I've got something for you two."
Naomi blinked at the tamagotchi clone in her hand and smiled at the purple color. She gave a smile of thanks before Yugi started to play with his. She found herself reading the back of the device and noted that a pet would form within three hours and die fairly quickly. That was a little sad. She felt a hand grab her wrist and she looked to see that Yugi was pulling her behind him. They were going to be late.
When her mind shattered, Fred had taken the liberty of taking some of her future knowledge away. It was everything he saw as unimportant. The smaller games that happened before Death-T, Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, and the millennium world. Everything else was going to be a surprise to her. It didn't bode well. She couldn't remember this one, she just knew that there was a problem that would happen. Mainly because it stood out from their other days.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Yugi asked her as they walked to school together.
"Yeah, I'm good," she said, giving him a small smile, "sorry if it's awkward for you, Yugi-kun."
"It's not," he stated, feeling like he had insulted her, "it's nice seeing you smile more, I just don't want you to feel like you have to."
Her wide-eyed look was paired with an owlish expression. He turned a light pink and looked back down at the game in his hand. Why had he said something like that? He had feelings for Anzu! But, he couldn't help but chance a glance at Naomi as she looked at the game herself. He had always thought she was pretty, even before he knew her personally. His mom had once called her a serious looking girl, but was glad that Naomi turned out to be a decent person. She pressed a button and her eyes lit up in delight at the egg on the screen. He quickly looked away while his ears burned.
"Are you going to name it, Naomi-Chan?" Yugi asked.
"Maybe, I want to see what it ends up looking like," Naomi stated.
"I'll name mine U2," Yugi said with a grin and Naomi gave a soft smile at that.
Jounouchi joined them and she noted he had a pet as well. She guessed it was really popular. It would die down when Duel Monsters grew a bit more. It would be Seto's doing as well. Death-T put so much into motion. She chanced a glance at her phone and noted that Industrial Illusions was being asked for permission to use the cards in a databank. It was approved and she started to worry a little. How different would Death-T be?
"It'll be okay!" Mana informed her with a kind smile. "The Pharaoh won't let anything happen to you."
"It's the other way around," Mahad reminded his student.
Though, he wondered that as well. His friend's reaction to Naomi's fear of heights had been enough to tell him that the feelings were deeper than he originally thought. Everything was up in the air and it made the three magicians worry about what would happen. He ran a hand through his hair in thought, a habit he was picking up from his living student. This unknown could have terrible consequences.
"Woah, he grew," Yugi stated as his digital pet beeped.
Naomi looked down at her own and saw that it had grown as well. She gave it some food and raised a brow. The small ball of fluff looked familiar and she tilted her head in thought. Ah, it looked like Kuriboh but with a pair of horns. Naomi wondered if it was taking inspiration from the scapegoat card. It moved in its game before jumping a little as she clicked a button to clean the area.
"Good morning!" Anzu greeted them before noticing the games in their hands. "You guys have pets too?"
"Yeah," Yugi confirmed with a happy smile.
"You don't, Honda-kun?" Naomi asked and he shook his head.
"I've got the real deal, I have a dog at home," Honda answered and she nodded.
"I have a cat, I understand," Naomi said.
"It's so cute!" Anzu stated, looking at Yugi's pet before looking towards Naomi and giving her an expectant look. "So is Naomi-chans!"
"I named him U2," Yugi chuckled, "it's weird, you really get attached to your pets huh?"
"What does yours look like, Jounouchi-kun?" Naomi asked and he quickly showed her.
Naomi supposed it could be cute. It looked like a pepper with a question mark over its head. Jounouchi started to sweat as he looked at Naomi's pet. The small monster was adorable, how fair was that? Why did his come out looking so weird?
"It's so ugly," Anzu stated and he frowned.
"Yeah, and it looks like it got your bad attitude," Honda added and he glared at them.
"Shut up!" He snapped and Yugi gave a light laugh.
"They say you transfer your personality to your pet in the way you take care of it," Yugi stated and Naomi was sure that was on the back of the little machine, "so with thousands of creature tips, there's an infinite number of unique pets."
"I suppose that's what could make it fun," Honda commented and then shook his head, "my dog just went into heat, at least with the digital ones you don't have to worry about that."
"Digital pets have the ability to make too," Yugi stated and Jounouchi let out a surprised sound, "the ports on the back allow you to link it with your friends, so the pets can share personality and data with one another to make an even more unique pet!"
"All right Yugi!" Jounouchi exclaimed with a wide grin. "Let's you and I mate right away!"
"I didn't need to hear that," Honda muttered before looking towards the source of a snort.
Naomi had a hand on her mouth and was looking to the side as her cheeks turned a light pink. She had found that funny? He rubbed the back of his neck in thought as they all gathered around to watch the pet's communicate with one another. Jounouchi's pet had a little mean streak.
"Why is it bullying U2?" Naomi asked, turning her gaze on Jounouchi.
"I'm ashamed of him," Jounouchi awkwardly admitted as his pet had his head patted by U2.
"The data exchange is complete," Yugi said as a few series of beeps came from the games.
"Naomi, exchange with me as well," Jounouchi pleaded and she gave a soft sigh before holding out her pet.
The group huddled around again as Naomi's little pet simply stared at Jounouchi's. It was like a standoff, a strange standoff between two pets that didn't even really exist. The little monster floated over Jounouchi's pet before simply plopping down on top of it. The group blinked in confusion as it looked around before slamming it's head into it.
"I thought my pet was bad," Jounouchi commented.
"Mine probably knows what yours did to U2," Naomi countered, scratching her cheek in thought.
"Can we also exchange data?" Yugi asked, looking down at U2 in thought.
He wanted U2 to have some of Naomi's strength. Jounouchi and Naomi detached their pets when the beeps sounded and everyone watched as U2 met Naomi's little monster. That unofficial name was bestowed upon it by Honda of all people. Naomi's little monster seemed to be kinder to U2 than Jounoichi's pet. Mana giggled a little at the sight of the monster nuzzling U2 in greeting. Anzu watched as Naomi turned a light pink. She'd barely had the pet for a day, yet it picked up on her fondness for Yugi?
"I wonder what kind of data he got from you guys," Yugi said in thought as Naomi elbowed a snickering Jounouchi.
Honda and Mahad both gathered that's why their pets had greeted each other that way. Jounouchi was one of the few people that could get her to act like a kid around him. He annoyed her, and he knew which buttons to push. She had made it so easy. Naomi was about to elbow him again when she froze in place before narrowing her eyes at a bigger student.
"Hey, Yugi," the taller student called, "you wanna see my pet? My pet is special."
"Oh, Kujirada-Kun," Yugi stated, surprise evident on his face, "you're raising a digital pet too?"
"Of course I am," Kujirada confirmed with a haughty laugh, "but mine's different from your ordinary pets!"
"What makes you think you're pet's so special?" Jounouchi asked, stepping up to the teen with a slight glare. "What, does it have papers?"
"Don't you know?" Kujirada asked. "There are hidden characters in these digital pets."
"What makes a hidden character differ from a normal one?" Naomi asked, watching as her little monster moved from side to side without a care in the world.
"The hidden characters always have a star in their graphics, and a normal pet doesn't live longer than twenty-one days while it's been over two months for mind," Kujirada informed them, not seeming to mind giving them information.
"He looks like a little shit," Naomi bluntly stated as she looked at his pet, "just because he's a glitch in the system, it doesn't mean he's any more special than our pets."
"Everyone's pet is special," Anzu agreed with a frown.
The bell rang and they all moved to their desks. Yugi and Naomi were worried about something. U2 had been hiding his head in fear and made Yugi frown a little. What could possibly be scaring his pet? Naomi was more worried about the dark sensation that was coming from Kujirada's area. It wasn't the boy himself, not it was coming from his digital pet of all things. She closed her eyes for a few seconds before sighing. There wasn't anything she could do until a move was made.
Yugi and Naomi ended up walking home together after school. Naomi didn't mind doing so, it was on her way. Yugi scratched the back of his head as U2 beeped at him, finally showing his face again. Weird. Something even weirder happened to him.
He blacked out.
"Oh, it's been a while," Naomi commented as she looked at the pharaoh.
"You're back to normal," he quietly said, and she noted the relief on his face.
"Sorry I worried you," she apologized before glancing at the never ending sea, "but…is that why you came out?"
He looked to the side, and didn't answer. Mana watched from the card with a small smile as Mahad frowned a little. This was odd behavior for his friend. It had to be the memory loss. The pharaoh had been more confident when talking to others, even people he had been interested in. Then again, one day he seemed to stop finding others around him interesting in that way. He looked up at his student and started to make a timeline. She had to have appeared around that time.
"My other self is worried about something," the pharaoh stated, not seeing Naomi's expression fall before she quickly blanked it, "do you know what it could be?"
"It's the digital pet that Kujirada owns," Naomi stated looking forward as they made their way to her house, "there's something off with it, a harsh glitch in the system."
He hummed to show he heard her and she put her hands into her skirt pockets. At least, she would've if her left hand hadn't been grabbed by the pharaoh. Her eyes widened a little before a small smile appeared on her face. He couldn't admit it out loud that he wanted to see her, but he still showed it. It was incredibly sweet. Naomi stopped in her tracks as she saw a car speed past them.
"Are you all right?" The pharaoh asked, his eyes narrowing a little at the car.
"That was Seto's brother," she thoughtfully said, "I wonder what he's doing."
"I wouldn't worry about it," he said and she let out a strange sound.
"Knowing the Kaiba's you should be," she warned, and he raised a brow.
Naomi wondered if his lack of memories caused an even bigger hit to his personality than she originally thought. She felt her mouth open in a silent objection as he quickly pulled her behind him. He was certainly making sure she got home without any stops. Eventually, they came across her home.
"Thank you," Naomi softly thanked before moving forward.
The pharaoh brought a hand up to his cheek as it burned along with the tips of his ears. She gave him a small kiss as thanks. He gained a smile, a sliver of his true self starting to show. The insanity that plagued him slowly receded the more he helped his friends.
"I'm home," Naomi called, watching as Bast pounced on a sleeping Fred, "nice jump, Bast."
Bast purred at the compliment and Fred gave his charge a dry look. He was a god! He should be worshiped by humans, yet here he was looking after a kid he had messed up. He'd been around humans for too long, he grew attached. He watched as his charge had mercy on him and picked up the cat, giving it a small kiss to the cheek. Mana cheered happily from her card, absolutely adoring the small house cat. It was too cute! Life was pretty good, even with the occurrences that came from the pharaoh's destiny. She took out a small device and pressed a few buttons.
"You've got a real pet, and a digital one," Fred commented, looking over her shoulder at the digital pet, "it looks like one of the scapegoats."
"Funny, I thought it looked like Kuriboh," Naomi dryly stated, "it reminds me of my familiars back when I was a witch."
A part of him wanted to see what that form looked like. She gave him a raised brow before heading to her room to get her homework done, and sleep. Mana and Mahad went to rest in their portraits when she sat down at her desk. She gave them a fond look as Mana yawned and closed her eyes. It was oddly sweet. She looked down at her homework and gave a soft sigh. It was too easy, like it usually was. The rest of her day went by without any issues.
"Did you sleep?" Jounouchi asked as they walked to school together.
"Of course I did," Naomi answered, giving a small yawn, "just not very well."
He shrugged at that answer, it was usual for her so he wasn't about to lecture her. His pet beeped at him and he gave it some food. Naomi played with hers as well and he looked over her shoulder at it. It had simply grown a little bigger, her little monster was holding onto some of the digital food and nibbling on it.
"It certainly eats a lot," Naomi dryly stated.
"Yeah, but I haven't seen any other pet getting that big," Jounouchi commented as they walked up to the school, "can we even still call it your little monster?"
Naomi gave him a look before walking into the school. He blanched a little before hurrying after. He hadn't meant to insult the pet. He rubbed the back of his head as they changed their shoes before heading up to the classroom. Naomi smirked as they passed Chono. The woman hadn't bothered her since the pharaoh cursed her. The woman glared at her before a crack appeared in her heavy makeup. She quickly covered her cheek before hurrying away to fix it.
"I'm surprised Chono-sensei hasn't tried to take the digital pets yet," Anzu commented as they entered the room.
"No clue," Honda shrugged.
"It's a small gift, let's not think too deeply about it," Naomi stated, making them jump.
"Stop scaring people," Mahad quietly chided Naomi, making her smile a little.
A part of her enjoyed startling her friends, they had fun reactions. She put her bag on her desk and took her seat. Yugi sat in his seat and stretched a little. Hopefully, classes went by fast so they could all hang out. Anzu and Naomi didn't have to work and Honda had the time to hang out at the arcade with them. Jounouchi didn't like going home, which they all understood, so they tried to spend as much time with him as they possibly could. A loud series of beeping caught their attention and Naomi picked up her digital pet.
"Hey, the data exchange from yesterday went through," Naomi stated, and everyone huddled around.
Naomi's littler monster had grown quite a bit bigger and was floating around the screen in an energetic fashion. It paused and looked at the screen, showing that the horns had grown longer and in a shape that was incredibly reminiscent of Jounouchi's pets question mark. It shyly hid its face behind its claws, a trait from U2.
"It's so cute," Anzu grinned and Naomi turned a bright pink.
"Really can't call it your little monster anymore," Jounouchi stated, resting his arm on Naomi's head as Yugi gave a small chuckle before looking towards his game.
"I wonder when ours will go through," he said and Naomi gave him a tiny smile in response.
Chono came in and they had to return to their seats. Naomi looked to the side as she began a lecture on a topic she didn't fully care about. She was more worried about the increased darkness from Kujirada. His digital pet was covered in a thick, black smoke. She could sense its darkness all the way from where she was sitting. That wasn't a good sign.
It came to a head when they went to get food during lunch.
"Hey, my data's all gone!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he went to check his pet when they came back.
"How?" Yugi asked as Naomi opened her curry bun.
"I don't know, it was there when we left," Jounouchi said, showing their friend the screen
"The screens blank," Yugi stated, his eyebrows rose in shock.
"That's horrible," Naomi said, her voice a little muffled by her hand as she covered it so she could eat.
"You could sound a little more heartbroken about it," Jounouchi huffed at her and she motioned for the digital pet.
He placed it in her hand and she studied it for a few seconds. She was used to such things breaking, so she knew how to do a very small soft reset. It was how she brought back her tamagotchi when she dropped it in her first life. Jounouchi watched as she dug around in her backpack and brought out a small box. Out came a screwdriver and he made a face as she opened the back of it and gently pressed a button.
"I can't get back the previous data, but I can restart it so you can get back to that point," Naomi explained, closing up the back as the soft reset took hold, "just be a bit more careful with it in the future."
"Thank you," Jounouchi quietly said as she handed it back to him before picking up her curry bun and biting into it, "you're next burger's on me."
"Nah, just be more careful," she waved him off, not really bothered by helping out her friends.
"Hey!" Anzu's shout grabbed their attention as cackling followed it. "My Sumomo!"
"Kujirada's pet ate Sumomo?" Yugi asked in shock.
"That has to be a glitch in the system," Naomi commented, narrowing her eyes at Kujirada, "the developers wouldn't put in a cannibalism mechanic…so how?"
Her mind liked the puzzle that came with such a glitch. She tried to mentally solve it, but there wasn't an obvious solution. It was why she tended not to get involved with the technical process of Industrial Illusions. She would probably drive her brother crazy by trying to create rules for his game. She wisely stayed back to be an observer.
"Gimme your pet too," Kujirada ordered Yugi, easily snatching the small device and connecting it to his, "you need to rejoice! Your pet will become part of the ultimate pet!"
U2 took one look at the special monster before rushing around the area as fast as it could. Naomi watched as the frantic beeping showed more intelligence than there should be. Her hands were clenched and she frowned a little. It just wasn't fair. Mana let out a worried sound as Mahad pulled his helmet down. He didn't like the idea of something getting eaten like that, even if it wasn't real. The shadows erupted from the puzzle and a beam of light hit the digital pet just as U2 was grabbed.
"The exchange is happening!" Yugi exclaimed.
U2 shifted a little as its hands slowly clenched into fists. Naomi wondered why the pets were so dramatic. It punched the special pet and Jounouchi cheered for it. That had to be data from his pet, the larger hands had to come from Naomi's. The pet beeped in anger as it beat up the special pet. No, that was Naomi. They all turned towards Naomi as U2 finished off the pet before clapping dust from its hands.
"What?" Naomi asked with a slight frown.
"No wonder you didn't seem too worried about bullies," Honda dryly commented, referring to when she first started at Domino High.
"Too bad my pets is gone," Kujirada said in relief, "but now I can finally get some sleep."
"I guess he wasn't that bad of a guy after all," Jounouchi stated, watching as Kujirada walked away.
Naomi wondered that. She had an arm wrapped around her shoulders and she sent Jounouchi a small glare before pushing against his face. Her cat-like behavior made him laugh a little before releasing her. She moved to stand behind Yugi, knowing he wasn't going to try something like that. Even though she cared, she still didn't want to be hanged onto. At least, not at the moment. Yugi gave a light chuckle at his friends before glancing at his pet.
It wouldn't be too long before U2 vanished, he should spent some more time with the pet.
Their time after school was spent at the arcade and Anzu was somehow able to drag Naomi onto a dancing game. Her countless hours of dance practice came through as she easily beat the shorter teen in the game. Naomi pushed her hair back from her sweaty face and wondered when she had gotten bad at such things. She used to be able to beat anyone in any kind of game. Was she that out of practice? She looked down for a few seconds in thought. She was, she would have to remedy that.
And soon.
"You look winded," Yugi commented, as he was walking her home.
"Anzu-chan certainly has skill when it comes to dancing," Naomi admitted, "I think she'll be able to become a dancer in New York without a problem."
Yugi smiled at that and rubbed the back of his head in thought. The last time they walked home together he couldn't remember how he got home. It was weird, and worrisome. The amount of times he'd blacked out were starting to become more and more obvious. He only started to notice after Shadi, after being told about another him.
"Hey, what's bothering you?" Naomi asked, picking up on his worried energy.
"Is there another me?" Yugi questioned, and he watched her eyes widen.
"Honestly?" She quietly asked before making a face. "I thought there might've been, but I don't think it's another you."
Yugi paused for a few seconds. He didn't think he would get a straight answer out of her. She gave him a sad smile before pointing towards his puzzle. He looked down at it and frowned. Just what was she trying to say?
"The day you solved that, the day I noticed that there was something else attached to you," she said, tilting her head in thought, "instead of another you, it's more like the puzzle was haunted."
That was the best way she could put it. Naomi hoped that her words would make sense to Yugi and he would be able to talk to the pharaoh a lot earlier than he should. Perhaps it would stop the blackouts that Yugi was experiencing. Or, maybe she could talk some sense into the pharaoh, he might do it if she asked. Mana would agree with her on that one. Mahad was watching Yugi in thought as the teen started to really study his puzzle.
"Are you…" Yugi trailed off, not knowing how to ask what he wanted to. "Are you friends with the spirit?"
"I don't know, but I do know he's very protective of you," Naomi answered, not sure what she and the pharaoh were, "next time he shows up, I'll see if I can get him to start talking to you…if that's what you want."
"If you can," Yugi agreed, surprised she would help him, "how'd you know that the puzzle had been solved, Naomi-chan?"
"I found the last piece and brought it to Mutou-ji-san, you're the only person I know of that has a gold puzzle," she answered with a sheepish smile.
"That's not it, is it?"
Yugi called her out on that slight lie. She looked at him with wide eyes and wondered why he would think that. What had she done to make him suspicious? He let the puzzle in his hands drop as Mana brought a hand to her mouth in thought. How had Yugi figured out that Naomi was hiding something? Was it their pharaoh giving off feelings, wanting her to tell the truth to one of her friends? Or was Yugi that observant.
"For that full story, I would need Fred's help," Naomi said, rubbing the back of her head in thought, "will it be okay for you to stay behind a little longer?"
"Why Fred-san?" Yugi asked, and she took that as a yes.
"He's the reason I'm like this in the first place."
Yugi was confused by that. She couldn't look at him as she opened her front door. He walked inside the first and Fred peeked through the living room doorway, Bast on his head. Yugi wasn't prepared for the information given to him by his friend. It was given over tea of all things, and matdongsan as she called it.
"I don't think she knows how to proceed, which is why she wanted me here," Fred started for Yugi and he gave the man his full attention, "Naomi here was in the cycle of rebirth for a long time."
"Huh?" Yugi asked, his blanched expression would've been funny if it wasn't for the topic.
"This idiot didn't know how to not get hurt helping another person," Fred bluntly said and Naomi shot him a look before looking to the side in silent agreement, "so, I tossed her in as punishment…it wasn't like she didn't agree to it."
"I didn't know it would be that long," she grumbled at him, her arms crossed across her chest.
"Naomi-chan, isn't Naomi-chan?" Yugi asked and she tilted her head to the side.
"No, I am…I just have the memories of each Naomi before me," she said, tapping her chin in thought, "it's the baseline personality that is the same, but each rebirth brings about a new person…I'm not explaining this well."
"All you need to know is that Naomi is who she says she is and she can do magic," Fred bluntly informed Yugi and she shot him a dirty look, "and I'm the god that did it to her."
"Rethink those words," Naomi bluntly stated.
"Is that why you're so good at class?" Yugi asked and she sent him a look as well.
"Yeah, rebirth is basically just restarting a game if you think about it," she said, "I'm unlucky enough to remember it, others don't."
Yugi was quiet as he digested the information given to him. His best friend, because she really was that to him, was someone that had been reborn countless times. First he learns about the puzzle and then that information. He didn't know how to process it. Naomi was just as she'd always been, the one friend that stood by him yet now there were more reasons behind the way she acted. Why she sometimes drew back when socializing. If she had been reborn countless times, then what was the point in making friends if she was just going to leave them.
"I understand if this makes things awkward, Yugi," Naomi stated and he shook his head.
"It's just a lot, and it makes me worried about what comes next after this," Yugi admitted, he didn't need the existential crisis so late in the day.
"I don't know either, it's been an instant rebirth so I'm curious as well," Naomi admitted, they both looked towards Fred.
"Don't look at me, it's different for Gods," Fred informed them, "we just reconstruct. I don't know about you guys."
"It's probably nothing," Yugi said and Naomi blanched.
"You have the spirit of a puzzle haunting you," she commented and he shrugged.
"It's best not to think about it," Yugi wisely said and she nodded her agreement.
Yugi had a good point. She chuckled as he ate one of the matdongsan and then made a face. He'd never had snacks like that before, and he gave a wide smile. He liked them. He rubbed the back of his neck in thought. He would have to think a bit more about everything.
"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" Yugi asked Naomi and she shook her head.
"I don't have any work and my brother's been busy so, I have some spare time," Naomi answered.
"Let's walk home together again," Yugi suggested and he watched her shoulders lower a bit, "there's a store on the way that you might like."
"All right," Naomi agreed, glad she hadn't lost her best friend.
That had been a genuine worry of hers. Yugi went home and she headed up to her room. Mana and Mahad shared a look as she sat down on her bed. Yugi was incredibly open minded, and a good friend. If he was uncomfortable, then he was good at hiding it. Still, they needed her to continue helping the Pharaoh.
All Naomi knew was that the game of life moved on, with or without her.