Change of Heart

Yugi looked himself over in the mirror. His new outfit looked cooler than the school uniform he usually wore. All the shiny buckles and the leather and the sleevelessness made him look like a bit of a rebel. Yami was the one who looked good in it, though. The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle struck an imposing figure in leather and metal. If Yugi looked more like Yami, maybe he could act on the feelings he was beginning to haor Tor Téa.

"Is there anything I can do?" Yami asked. The spirit appeared to be sitting on the bed, dressed similarly to Yugi, though he knew only Yugi could see him, and that the spirit existed in his mind and in the Puzzle, not the physical world--except when Yami was in control, the magic of the Puzzle altering his body to look older, stronger, more confident by its very strength. A far cry from the whiny little schoolboy he was alone.

"Not unless you know a wo geo get Téa to like me." Yugi sighed. Yami said nothing, merely growing introspective. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Yami responded. "We should probably see if the new arrivals for your grandfather's shop are in yet."

"Right." Yugi said, heading out the door of his room, with Yami's spirit-image close behind. Yugi sometimes wondered why Yami bothered, since it would be so much easier to just ride in the puzzle...but then again, he supposed even spirits need exercise. Yami gave a little chuckle, and Yugi knew that Yami's bond with him had allowed him to hear that. "Any new cards delivered today, Grandpa?" Yugi asked.

"As a matter of fact, there was a box delivered about dawn." Grandpa replied. "Do be a good lad and unpack them for me, would you, Yugi?"

"Sure, Grandpa." Yugi replied, opening the box with a box-cutter. Inside were twenty-five bound bundles of cards, each one marked to contain 40 cards. There was one that was loose, however, the odd card out. Counting the bundles, Yugi found each one to contain exactly forty. He looked over the loose card--a Magic card called Mesmeric Control.

"That's an interesting card." Yami said. "And it doesn't seem to belong with the others."

"You're right." Yugi agreed. "Grandpa, do you mind if I have this card that was loose?"

"Of course I don't, Yugi." Grandpa replied cheerfully.

Once the cards were on display, Yugi decided to take a walk to clear his head. He'd barely gotten two blocks when someone pulled him into an alley.

"Gimme all yer money, kid!" a gruff voice demanded.

"I don't have any money!" Yugi insisted.

"Bullshit!" the voice responded. "Get it out!"

"Yugi, let me handle him!" Yami exclaimed.

"Alright." Yugi responded, and the Millennium Puzzle glowed. Yami took a breath and reached into his pocket.

"Yeah, that's right, no funny stuff." the mugger said.

"Right." Yami replied. "There's nothing funny about what I'm going to do to you." He drew his deck from his pocket.

"I don't want your cards, punk, I want your money!"

"What a pity, because the only thing you're getting is The Mystic Box!" Yami exclaimed. Suddenly a pair of boxes appeared, closing their triple doors on Yami and the mugger. Yami's box was skewered by over a dozen swords. Yami then emerged from the other box unharmed. The would-be mugger was another story. Yami slipped his deck back into his pocket and left the alley. "That wasn't pleasant." he remarked to himself.

"Yami?" Téa asked as she encountered him.

"Téa!" Yami responded. "It's nice to see you."

"What were you doing in that alley?" she asked.

"I used the power of a Magic card...in the real world." Yami remarked. "It's as if I've always known how to do it, but never thought about it until now."

"Whoa." Téa responded.

"I could show you with a different card if you like." Yami offered. "Perhaps one with a less unpleasant effect, in some place a little more private?"

"Um, okay." Téa replied, leading the way to the high school track. She slipped into the unlocked storage room, where the mats and such that the athletes used to cushion falls from the pole-vault were stored.

"Uh, Téa, while Yugi is sheltered within his corner of our mind, there's something I want to ask you." Yami said.

"Yeah?" Téa asked.

"How do you feel about him? Personally?"

"I, uh, that is..." she stammered, flushing. Yami recognized the nonverbal signals she was unwittingly sending.

"Never mind. You don't have to answer if the question makes you uncomfortable." Yami said. "I was going to show you how a Duel Monsters card works in real life, wasn't I?"

"Uh, yeah, thanks." Téa stammered, relieved at the change in subject.

"Here we go, then." Yami said, drawing the card Yugi had obtained that morning, and holding it up. The power of the Millennium Puzzle energized the card, allowing its magical effect to occur in the real world. "Mesmeric Control!" Yami said as the card activated. Yami looked at Téa, who merely stood there, staring blankly at nothing. "Téa?"

"Yes, Master?" Téa replied flatly. Yami smiled. He'd just found a way to help his friend Yugi...

Several hours later, Yugi awoke in a darkened motel room. Wondering where he was, he sat up quickly in bed, but soon felt a gentle hand on his bare chest, urging him back down.

"It's okay, Yugi." Téa whispered. "Our friend Yami helped me realize what I need to be happy."

"Oh?" Yugi asked. "What's that?"

"To make you happy." she replied, straddling him as the covers slipped from her body. As the moonlight in the small room silouhetted their bodies, thgic gic card Mesmeric Control could be seen leaning against the Millennium Puzzle on the nightstand.

End.