Yu-Gi-Oh! Love Selflessly (Version 2 - SEMI FINAL)

Chapter 19

Emiko sat up the next morning and glanced over at the clock on Bakura's bedside table. It read 6:37 AM.

"Wow. What a night. It's so early," she thought, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and folding her covers back. She yawned, stretching her arms over her head. She rubbed her eyes and stood up, grabbing her locket off the nightstand and walking over to the window. Outside, it was still dark, but there was a faint glow on the horizon which told her that the sun would be rising very soon. She sighed.

"Well, Seto. Mokuba," she thought, "Today is the day. I have to beat Bandit Keith. I have to." She gripped the locket in her hand and gritted her teeth. She was still nervous about duelling Keith, but she knew she had to beat him. Her brothers' souls were riding on her victory. She thought, "Can I really beat him, though? Even if I do, how in the world is anyone supposed to beat Pegasus? He beat Seto like it was nothing. I don't even come close to my big brother in duelling skill." She turned around, looking at Bakura, who was still fast asleep on the couch, wrapped up in a thick blanket. She looked down at the locket in her hand and clicked it open. She furrowed her brows and thought, "I won't stop. I have to bring our family back together again." She gazed down at the old photo, her mind flooded with happy memories of her time at the orphanage with her brothers. Playing tag on the playground with Mokuba. Sitting on Seto's bed with them both, listening to the oldest telling bedtime stories. Playing chess and often losing to Seto. There was so much laughter then. Smiles all around.

"We used to be so happy," she thought, smiling, "It was easier then. Nobody trying to capture us one-by-one. No company to worry about. Just what book we were going to have Seto read or what game we were going to play." She let out a long sigh. She thought, "That all changed after Gozaburo showed up." She closed the locket, her thoughts invaded by the horrible memories of the abuse she and Seto were subjected to. The tutors that would shout at them or threaten to hit them if they so much as looked out their windows. She shuddered at the thought of Seto's outbursts which were usually followed by harsh beatings from their step-father. She bit her lip, pulling the locket over her neck. She walked over to the bathroom, looking into the mirror. She had light bags under her eyes, but she just splashed some cold water on her face before going back out to the window. As she looked out at the rising sun, she heard Bakura stirring awake behind her. He muttered softly, "Oh, good morning. You're awake already?" She sighed, "I couldn't sleep any longer. Did I wake you, Bakura?" He shook his head and ran his fingers over his knotted, messy hair.

"No," he said, "I'm a light sleeper. I tend to wake up with the sun." She said, smiling at him, "Wow. Must be nice." He sat up and said, stretching, "Yeah, I suppose so." She said softly, pulling her red vest on over her long-sleeved, black shirt, "I'm still not sure about this. What if I can't beat Keith...or Pegasus?" He said, his tone serious, "I believe in you. Don't forget, Yugi and Joey are also in this tournament. No matter what happens, no matter who wins, I'm sure your brothers, Joey's sister, and Yugi's grandfather will be saved." She looked down at her feet. She thought, "I hope he's right. It's impossible for us all to win, though." She looked back up, then stood up. She walked to the door and grabbed her backpack off the floor, put her boots on and looked back at the clock, which now read 7:29 AM. She said, giving her best effort to sound confident, "Then, let's go." He nodded and followed her lead.

Down the hall, Yugi sat up in his bed, lost in thought. He thought, "That wasn't an ordinary dream. I know my grandpa was trying to send me a message from the Shadow Realm." He glanced over to his Millennium Puzzle on his bedside table next to the clock which read 7:32 AM.

"What could the secret to my Millennium Puzzle be," he wondered, "How do I control it? I'm not sure, but I'm running out of time." He stood up and threw the Puzzle's cord around his neck and buckled up his shoes. He thought, his brows furrowed, "I have to win this. For Grandpa, for Emiko's brothers, and for the entire world." He heard a knock on the door, tearing him out of his thoughts, and said, "Who is it?" The door opened and Joey came in, followed by the rest of the gang. Téa said cheerfully, "Hey, Yugi!" Yugi said, "What's up, Téa? How you doing, guys?" Téa asked, "Aren't you ready yet? You're going to be late." Joey teased, "Yeah, and if you're late, they'll disqualify you right out of the tournament!" Emiko just smiled. Yugi grabbed his jacket off the coat rack and threw it over his shoulders dramatically as though it were a cape and said, his voice more confident and with determination in his eyes, "Let's do it."