Heart of the Cards

The morning began slowly for me, but it was just another for Yugi and the gang--after all they did this every week. When I walked downstairsto the livingroom, Yugi was there."Good morning, Stranger," Yugi said to me that morning, which made me smile and giggle. "The name's Megan Luu," Yugi smiled in return. "Well, it's nice to finally know your name, uh, Luu?"
"Megan,"
"Heh, heh. Okay, Megan,"
We were both laughing. "Good morning, sleep heads," Soloman said comming into the room to join us. "Good morning, Grandpa," Yugi said, while I greeted in parsh unison by saying 'Soloman.' Soloman chuckled. "You can call me Grandpa if you like," He told me in responce. "Thanks, Grandpa," I said. "But, I have to admit that I like your first name," He chuckled a bit more, then brought me over a bundle of clothes.
"These belonged to Tea, but she wanted me to give them to you," Grandpa said as he gently put the clothes in my arms. "Um, thanks," I said. "And I'll, um, make sure to thank her later, too," Yugi smiled and looked at me. "Want to come to school with us today? You'll have to register as a new student, but, um," He offered, but trailed off at the end. "Sure," I replied happily.
I went upstairs, took a warm shower, got dressed, combed my hair, and brushed my teeth. After looking at myself in the mirror for a bit, I sighed, for I was missing home a greet deal already. I decided after a few minutes that it was time to go and joined Yugi downstairs. "You're going to be late, Yugi!" Grandpa called from the Game Shop. "Oh my gosh! You're right!" You called back. "Come one, Megan, let's go!" I nodded, then chased him out the door.
The day went by slowly, but finally it was comming to an end; break time AKA lunch. We were allowed to bring our lunches to the classroom and if we finished quick enough, then we could do things for the fun of it. Joey and Tea got into a duel with eachother and Joey lost a few times, then Joey challenged Yugi and Joey lost a couple of times. Finally, it was the fifth go-round with Yugi vs Joey.
"Hey, Joey," Yugi said. "Earth to Joey!" He said again, then laughed slightly. "Hey, are you in there? It's your turn," I giggled a bit watching Joey type on an invisable key board with his right hand and hover above the cards in his other hand. "Aw! Isn't he cute when he's thinking?" Tristan asked when he came back to the roomfrom the bathroom, all the whilehugging Joey around the neck.
"Hey, Tristan! Yugi here isteaching me how to play Duel Monsters," Joey said showing Tristan the cards he was holding. Tristan looked at Joey in confusion. "Drooling Monsters?" Joey gave an agravated look and pushed Tristan back saying: "Duel Monsters you nim-rod!" Tristan recovered and replied with a"Sheesh." Tea smiled and told Tristan: "They've been at it for hours. Joey's starting to get the hang of the game, but Yugi's beenan expert," I looked at Tea. "Actually, Tea, they've only been at it for thirty minutes. . . your duels with him for almost an hour," She gave me a look and I smiled. "But you dueled good, so you don't have to worry," Tea laughed slightly.
Joey gave a confident look. "Okay, Yugi," He said, then took a card from his hand. "It's time to duel!" He placed a monster on the feild in attack mode. "See each monster has an attack number and a defence number. First player to elliminate their opponent's life points wins the duel," Joey smiled happily. "Pretty good move, huh, Yugi?" Yugi smiled. "Yup. Pretty good move, but not good enough!" Joey through his cards behind him and looked at the Blackland Fire Dragon that Yugi just summoned in attack mode and shouted:"WHAT?!" He looked up at Yugi. "Thanks a lot. A card that powerful totally knocks me out," Tristan smiled ina musement. "Whow. You stink at this game Joey,"
"Ah, you did fine Joey; I just have better cards. You see, my Grandpa owns a game shop and I get all my best cards from him," Joey leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk. "Your own game shop? What are we waiting for? Let's go?" A sweatdrop came from my forehead. "Okay. Maybe I could even get Grandpa to show his this super rare card he's got,"I blinked twice and decided I'd respond this as nicely as I could."Didn't I mention the Kame Game shop yesterday? And besides, we're still waiting on the teacher to get backfrom lunch, so that we can finish the last lesson and go home," Yugi nodded and me and Joey growled. "Yeah," Yugi replied. "Well, I hope we get out of here as soon as possible," Joey snorted at me.
When we got there, Yugi opened the door for us and he and I took off our shoes upon entering. "Grandpa! I'm home!" He called into the game shop, then Grandpa came into the room. "And I see you've brought company," Soloman replied chipperly. "Gramps, could you my friends your awsome super rare card?" Yugi asked.
"Rare card? My special card? Hmm. . ."
"Please, please?" Yugi begged. "Pretty please?" Joey asked. "Hmm," Soloman thought, then smiled at us. "Ha, ha! How can I refuse?" He asked, taking a box out from under the counter and setting it in front of us. "You kids are in for a treat. I don't take this card out too often. Ready?" He picked the card out from the box and showed it to us. "Here it is. The Blue Eyes White Dragon; so rare, so powerful, I never let it leave my hands!" Joey said: "Awwsome," Tea said "Cool," and I said "Pretty!"
Tristan took it straight from Soloman's hands. "Hm. Doesn't look all that special to me," He said. Grandpa snatched it back. "Ah! This card is priceless; there are only four of them an all the world!" Joey grinned. "Speaking of priceless, I'm ready to trade!"
"Not for this card,"
Huh? Nah, I didn't mean that card. I ment show me some other cool cards to get me started,"
My Yu-Gi-Oh! memory found me turning around just before Kaiba opened the door. "Hello, can I help you?" Grandpa asked. "If you can't, it certaintly wouldn't surprise me," The dark voice from the door shot back quite unnicely. "Seto Kaiba?" Yugi asked. "Kaiba!" Joey shouted. "Doesn't he have a big, fancy company to run? What's he doing down here?" Tristan asked.
I was shaking slightly, because though I wanted to answer: I realised I shouldn't. I wanted to help them once I realized that I had come in right before the first episode, but I alsorealized that doing that might mess up the series of events and mess up the destined ending. "Not that it's any of your bussiness, but I came to see the card," Joey and Yugi smiled. "Hey, are you into Duel Monsters, too? This is perfect. Maybe we could duel together sometime," Joey asked invitingly.
Kaiba walked closer to us and I hid behind Yugi. "Me duel you? I would have more of a challenge playing Solitare," Joey blinked. "What?" He asked confused. "I am the number one duelist in the country and the favorite to win the Duel Monsters' Champion Ship," Kaiba said. "Heh. You wouldn't last two minutes ina duel against me," He finished with an insult. Joey got mad. "Ohh, I'm shaking. Maybe you'd like to settle this with fists instead of cards?" Joey shaid showing Kaiba his fists."Whow!" Yugi said, jumping in front of his best friend and uncovering me--he sure did make a great hiding place for about a minute, but he failed as perminent protection. I was scared.
"Take it easy Joey," Yugi said putting his hands up onto Joey's chest to protect Kaiba. "But, Yugi, Kaiba's asking for it!" Kaiba opened his eyes with a smile. "Now does this shop have any worth-while cards or not?" He asked, when he noticed the Blue Eyes and pushed me aside to look at it. "Can it be?" He asked. "The Blue Eyes White Dragon in a dump like this?!" I kinda remembered what Kaiba was thinking. It was the card he was searching for.
Suddenly, Grandpa closed the case and startled Kaiba. "Well, enough window shopping. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Soloman asked. Kaiba growled, then brought out hism metal case, crashed it onto the desk, then opened it up. "Listen old man. Give me your Blue Eyes White Dragon Card and I'll trade you all of these!" All of the gang was impressed, but I wasn't. I was still scared, I mean, would wouldn't be? It was still hard to believe I was in their world.
"Ah, nice," Grandpa said. "But no thanks," Everyone was startled by this, but me, because I knew why. "Fine," Kaiba said desperatly. "If you won't trade, then maybe you'll sell it. Name your price, I can pay anything you ask," Soloman just smiled. "I'm sure you could," He told the billioniar. "But this card is worth more to me then you could ever offer. Not because of it's power or because it's so rare, but because of what it means to me. This card was given to me by a dear friend and so I treasure this card as I do my that friend, so parting with it is completly out of the question!"
Kaiba gasped. "No!" He cried, then tightened his hands in a fist and began shaking in furry. "You'd feel the same evenif it were a common card, right, Grandpa?" "Exactly," Soloman replied. "You see this precious card has bonded with my heart," "Fine!" Kaiba growled as he slammed the lid of his silver case down. "I've heard enough of your non-sense!" We turned to watch him go. "Senial old fool!" He said walking out the door. "That was mean," I whispered.
The next day, I was feeling sick and Yugi and Grandpa told me to stay in bed. I remembered that Gradpa wasgoing to be kidnapped that morning, but I remember that everything was going to turn out fine. I fell asleep, then woke up at the end of the day to the sound of Joey shouting into the game shop. 'Oh, no,' I thought, then got up immiditaly and changed my clothes. I ran downstairs.
"Grandpa's been kidnapped!" Yugi told me as I ran into the game room and sneezed. "He'll be okay," I told him.
"You think so?"
"I know so," I told him, then put my hands on his shoulders--I just washed them. "But you have a job to do, so do it well!" I told him and he nodded at me. "Let's go!" The run to Kaiba Corpalso known asKC was a long and tiring one, but we made it. We ran straight into the elevator--with me getting bashed into the wall behind Joey. "Ow," I said. "Sorry," He said simply.
As soon as we came into the main room where Kaiba wanted us to be, Soloman was laying on the floor. "Grandpa!" Yugi shouted, then ran over to him and kneeled down. "Grandpa? Are you okay?" Soloman sat up. "Yugi, I failed. I wanted to teach that boy Kaiba a lesson about the heart of the cards, but I lost," He then leaned over in pain. "Grandpa," Yugi said. "How's the old man feeling, hm?" Kaiba asked from his post by a door.
We all ran over, well I walked slowly and carefully over and everyone else ran. "Kaiba! You sleeze! Whathave you done to him?!" Joey yelled and Kaiba smiled. "We had a duel, that's all. Witheach of us putting up the most valuable card as the prize, but I guess playing against a world champion like myself was too much stimulation for the old fool" The rich man said amused. Tea pointed her right hand at Kaiba quickly. "Kaiba! You should be ashamed of yourself!" She yelled. Kaiba looked up. "It was fair," He said, then took out a card from his pocket--the Blue eyes. "And look at the sweet prize I won," He ripped the card.
Even I gapsed at that even though I'd seen it a million times on TV it was much more horrible when you're accually there to see it happened. "Grandpa's most treasured card!" Yugi gasped with barely any air. Kaiba dropped the peices to the floor. "Yes, the Blue Eyes White Dragon is a rare and powerful card. . . and this one will never be used against me," I hid behind Tristan.
Grandpa held his hand out towards Kaiba. "M-my Bl-Blue Eyes Wh-White Dragon. M-my treasure," Then boundled over in pain again. "Grandpa, hold on" Yugi said, then looked at Kaiba. "How could you do such a thing?!" He asked, I walked over to Yugi and kneeled beside him and Grandpa who handed Yugi his deck. I cried as I heard what Soloman said. . . and looked up at Kaiba sadly. "But Grandpa, you need help; I've got to get you to a doctor!" My friend replied to his Grandfather. "Sounds like an exuse," Kaiba said, and I looked up at the devil who had stepped closer to us.
"Your friends can care for your Grandfather while you and I duel," Kaiba said smiling. "Unless you're afraid," Joey leaned forward a bit. "Take him Yugi!" Yugi turned around to face his friends. "We'll take care of your Granpda while you take care of creapy Kaiba! Teach that rich, spoiled bratt what a real duel's all about!" By this time I was comming to remember my cold and sniffled a bit. "For your Grandpa, Yugi," Tea said confidencially. "I don't know," Yugi replied.
"Trust me," Joey said. "You're like the best duelist I've ever seen and you've got the Millennium Puzzle! You can do this, Yugi. I know you can!" "We all do," Tea agreed with a nod. "Okay, Grandpa. I'll do it," I smiled at Yugi. "I know you will, my boy," Grandpa replied.
Tea pulled out a marker from her small back-pack that was with her. "Everyone, put your hands together and I'll mark us with a special sign," She said. "Everyone, but me," I said, then stayed near Grandpa. "He can do it, Grandpa. I know he can," Soloman looked at me. "Thank you, my dear. . . you and Yugi will be great friends some day," I smiled. "I hope so," I told him. "I've only been here a day and you both are already like family to me," His smile widened a bit. "I'm glade," He replied.
"Why don't you run home to your mommy," Kaiba told me. "You obviously don't belong here," I snorted, then stayed where I was without fear--for the first time since I'd been there. "I know I have a reason in this world and so does Yugi. . ." I told him. "He'll show you! You'll see!" Tea called an ambulance as Yugi and Kaiba walked off into the room Kaiba came from. Tristan put Soloman on his back. "I thought you told Yugi he'll be okay?!" Joey yelled at me. "I did," I said gently. "And he will be,"
We ran to the ambulance that had just pulled up outside without another word to eachother, until we got outside. "Joey. Megan, Tristan,and I will take Yugi's Grandpa to the hospital. Why don't you get backin there and cheer Yugi on?" Joey raised his fist in confidence. "Okay. Take good care of him you two, especially you, Megan," I nodded, then Joey ran inside.
I stayed by Yugi's Grandpa for a bit with Tea next to me in the ambulance. "Everything will be okay," I chanted to the both of them, because the doctors and nurses were ignoring me. When we got to the hospital, Tea and I bothhad to chase them down while they ran away with Grandpa for a bit. They took him into the emergency room and took care of him, so that he could recover from his earlier heart attack.
They brought Yugi's grandpa into a better room after a bit and Tea told me to stay with him, because she had togo to the bathroom badlyand Tristan had to talk to the doctor. I nodded and sat next to him. "Hey, Grandpa," I said. "Yugi might need your help later, but you should save your strength until he does," I told him with a slight smile. I sighed, then started to sing quietly as though to comfort us both.

"Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

So, go ahead and hate your neighbor,
And go ahead and cheat a friend.
But, do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after. . .
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
'With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there.'

So, go ahead and hate your neighbor,
And go ahead and cheat a friend.
But, do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after. . .
One tin soldier rides away.

Now the valley cried with anger,
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it. . .
'Peace on Earth' was all it said.

So, go ahead and hate your neighbor,
And go ahead and cheat a friend.
But, do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after. . .
One tin soldier rides away.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify in the end.
Won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after. . . .
One tin soldier rides away."

"Oh my gosh, Megan!" I jumped, because I hadn't noticed Tea enter the room. "That was beautiful!" I smiled shyly and she came over and sat in a seatbeside. "I'm sure that if Grandpa is awake, then he'd agree," I nodded to her. "But, he's very tired. . ." I told her sadly. "Must have brought him so comfort though," She told me. "Where'd you learn to sing like that?" She asked. "Well. . . I've been singing since I was really, really little," I told her. "I've always wanted to be a singer, but after awhile I just--I just couldn't sing in front of people much anymore,"
Tea just smiled at me. "It's okay, Megan," She told me. "Just as Yugi and Joey had me follow my dreams, I encourage you to follow yours," I smiled at her with a glow in my eyes. "Really?"
"Really,"
"Thanks, Tea!" I said, then hugged her. "No problem," She said. I let go, then smiled at her. "I like giving hugs," I said nervously and she laughed gently for a bit. "That's okay, Megan. You have a way of making people smile and hugs really help," A glow went through my eyes again. "Thanks, Tea,"
"You're welcome,"
"I can't say much for the future, because I don't want to spoil what happens. But in a latter episodes, we get to see you dance. . . you're good at it,"
"Aw, thanks, Megan," She said andI smiled. "You're welcome," I replied. "What episode would today be?" She asked suddenly curious. "Episode One," I told her. "Heart of the Cards. . . but I can't tell you the name of the Season this is yet, otherwise I might spoil something and ruin a future event," She nodded at me.
"Interesting," Tea replied. "I probsbly would have named this episode the same thing after what just happened to Grandpa from what Kaiba did," She told me. "I have a feeling he just needs someone to care for him," I told her. "He's just a slate of stone that's been out in the snow too long right now, but I'm sure that, together, we can make him become a slightly better person someday. I mean, maybe there's more than what our eyes can see about him right now," Tea nodded. "I agree. No one is completly bad,"
Tea blinked a bit, then looked at me. "Yugi," She told me softly and I nodded with a smile. After a bit, Tristan walked into the room. "You were there, too," Tristan said to Tea. "Yeah," She replied. "He's almost won the duel, I think," He told her and the both smiled. Suddenly, Grandpa woke up and we all looked at him. "Ah, Grandpa's awake!" Tea said. "Yay!" I said happily. "Yugi won," Grandpa said. "I told you he would," I replied with a thumbs up. "Indead you did," He replied with a smile and I gave a quiet sneeze. "Maybe we should get Megan some could medicine while we're here," Tristan said playfully and we all laughed a bit. "As long as it's free for being a good little girl," I joked back and we laughed a bit more.