...I'll admit it, this is my childhood~!

Yu-Gi-Oh actually played a big part in my younger years, and it still does to this very day. It's one of the first anime I ever really got hooked on. The storyline had always intrigued me to no end, and I absolutely love the complex characters!

Now, before we begin, I just wanted to give you a heads up on the reader's name which is "Kiyoko Tamazaki". The reason as to why I've given the reader a 'name' is because I'm really throwing my heart and soul into this story here, and it really helps me to have some closure with the character I created and allowing "you" to go through trials and tribulations like a 'normal' person.

All right~ now that that's been all cleared up, it's time to get down to business.

This historic game…

It can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt…

In ancient times, the game was used to predict the future of men and kings…

But the magic ceremonies where destinies were actually decided were known as "Shadow Games"

The school bell rang, signaling students that it was now time for recess, causing loud and joyous cries to fill the air as students scrambled about to exit their classrooms and head outside.

"Recess! Time for basketball!"

"Let's let the girls play!"

One male student strayed behind, tossing a basket ball up and down in the palm of his right hand. Peering over his shoulder, the young man caught sight of the smallest boy in his class, tinkering away with one of the unique games he had brought along to school to entertain himself. Allowing his feet to carry him over to the small boy's desk, the young man arched a brow, wondering why this boy always refused to go outside and mingle with the other students. Deciding to be the bigger person, the young man cleared his throat before speaking.

"Hey Yugi!" the young man called the smaller boy's name, startling the younger one as the pirate in the center of his barrel game shot out due to too much pressure having been added by the small, plastic sword he had been carefully inching inward, "Don't you wanna play some basket ball instead of staying in here?"

Yugi shyly glanced up, giving the older male a weak grin before averting his gaze and resuming his previous task of playing his game. "I'm fine…" Yugi responded in a meek tone, carefully picking up the small, plastic pirate toy and inserting it back into the center of the barrel so that he could restart the tedious game. "Every team I join just loses anyway…"

The young male gave Yugi an odd look before throwing the towel in and moving on to exit the classroom so that he could join his other peers. Gentle amethyst eyes watched the other teen take his leave, signifying that Yugi was now the only student left behind. Anxiously leaning forward a bit to take a quick glance through the door of the classroom to make sure no one was going to enter, a smile lit up Yugi's face when he finally came to the conclusion that he was alone. Leaning back, Yugi reached below to grasp a hold of his backpack, his smile widening as he placed the rather bulky item on the top of his desk.

"I'd like to go play with everyone…" Yugi commented in an absentminded tone, pulling open the top of his backpack while his free hand delve in to rummage around for the particular item he was looking for, "but I keep plenty of games in my bag…"

Excitement begin to flood through Yugi as he eagerly continued to search for that 'item' stored somewhere along with the many other games he had brought with him, "Yes! Today is the day I complete it!" Yugi exclaimed in a breathless whisper, his smile breaking into a full blown grin, "The treasure I always carry!"

Yugi's eyes flashed with life the moment his hand brushed against a rectangular object. Allowing his hand to tightly grasp his treasure, Yugi hurriedly pulled the object out of his box to place it in front of him on his desk. The mysterious treasure was a historical golden box. In the center of the box was the eye of Horus, surrounded by Egyptian hieroglyphs that appeared as though they had been carved expertly.

Inside this box is my greatest and most secret treasure!

It has a riddle!

This treasure "can be seen, but you haven't seen it"…

What could that mean?

The answer…

Before Yugi even had a chance to open the lid to his treasure, the golden box was suddenly snatched right out his grasp. Whipping his head around, Yugi groaned, his heart dropping at the sight of the two bullies that had been harassing him these past few weeks, Joey Wheeler and Tristan Honda. It was Tristan who had snatched his treasure, carelessly tossing the fragile object up and down in the palm of his right hand while sneering at Yugi.

"Heh heh… Yugi, what are you doing in here alone? It's way too dark and gloomy!" Tristan mocked the smaller boy, continuing with his careless action of tossing the golden box up and down, a smirk making its way onto the older male's lips at the sight of Yugi's distress. Allowing his brown eyes to drift over towards the object that Yugi was gazing at, Tristan released a devious chuckle, "Hey…this must be your treasure!"

Joey arched a brow at this bit of information, leaning forward a bit to read the riddle engraved on the ancient box, "It can be seen, but you haven't seen it…?"

Unable to watch his treasure being handled so carelessly, Yugi jumped out of his seat and launched himself forward, catching Joey and Tristan by surprise as the small boy raced to retrieve his treasure. Jumping back to avoid Yugi's attempt at a swipe, Tristan held the golden box high over his head and out of Yugi's reach, frustrating the smaller boy to no end as he jumped up and down to try and somehow reach his treasure (even though it was a futile attempt). Yugi could feel his stomach coil in anger, his brows furrowing together as he continued in a vain effort to try and retrieve his personal item.

"Tristan…give that back!" Yugi cried out in exasperation, his brow twitching in annoyance when the older male merely blew him off and childishly stuck his tongue at him, "Give it back!"

Completely blowing the smaller boy off, Tristan sidestepped past Yugi, his eyes locking on his partner in crime who was currently leaning against the closed door to the classroom, watching the scene unfold with a rather nonchalant expression on his face. Smirking at the sounds of Yugi's anxious protests, Tristan pulled his arm back, preparing himself for a pitch, "And he passes to Joey!" Tristan shouted, throwing the golden box towards his best friend.

Yugi watched on in dismay with how his treasure with being handled. "Ah! That's very valuable to me!"

Joey effortlessly caught the golden box that had been thrown his way, peering down at the strange object with a conceding glance. "Since you're acting like such a girl about it, this must be pretty valuable!" Joey commented, tossing the golden box up and down in the palm of his left hand, his honey eyes observing Yugi's frantic behavior as the smaller boy jumped up in an effort to try and retrieve his treasure, "All your jumping around is getting irritating! Quit it Yugi!" Joey snapped, his brow twitching in annoyance.

Catching the golden box as it fell back into the palm of his hand, Joey leaned down so that he was eye-to-eye with Yugi, his honey eyes staring straight into Yugi's amethyst ones as a smirk began to make its way onto Joey's lips. "I'll teach you how to act like a man!" Joey declared, eliciting a rather startled expression from Yugi.

Joey arched a brow at Yugi's lack of enthusiasm. Releasing a small huff, Joey pulled back, resuming his full height and holding the golden box high over his head and out of the smaller boy's reach. "Look! I'll give back the box…" Joey began, slamming his right hand on his chest in an effort to get Yugi motivated, "if you try with all your might to get it back!"

Yugi stared at the older teen with disbelief. Lowering his head so that neither Joey nor Tristan could see his expression, Yugi's shoulders began to shake before the young boy suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, "BUT I HATE FIGHTING AND VIOLENCE!"

"So loud!" Joey huffed irritably, staring down at the young boy with a rather disgusted look, "But no guts behind it…"

"Anyway…" Yugi began in a small tone, holding out his hand while avoiding eye contact with the blond bully, "give back the box!"

"Not a chance!" Tristan sneered, pushing past Yugi and making the young boy stumble.

"So what's in this box, anyway?" Joey mused to himself, tilting the box this way and that while pondering over what it was that could possibly be inside, "Only one way to find out," Joey confirmed with a nod of his head, allowing his right hand to drift towards the lid of the golden box, earning a panicked yelp from Yugi in response as the small boy watched the bullies handle his treasure.

"Y…you can look, but don't lose it!" Yugi exclaimed in a rushed tone, his face paling at the sight of Joey popping the lid open a smidge which only seemed to increase Yugi's anxiety, "It's incredibly valuable!"

Opening the lid just wide enough to cast a quick peek inside, Joey's once curious expression soon melted away into one of distaste, "Whaaat…that's dumb," Joey snorted, snapping the lid shut and carelessly tossing the golden box in Tristan's direction, "Here, Tristan."

However, before Tristan even had a chance to reach out for the golden box, he suddenly doubled over in pain when a swift kick had been applied to his shin. Cursing loudly at the pain throbbing wildly in his injured shin, Tristan whipped his head around to cuss out whoever the heck it was that had decided to deliver such a low blow to him, only to find his jaw drop at the sight of your small form glaring back at him with Yugi's beloved treasure held firmly in your grasp.

"If it's so dumb, give it back to Yugi!" you snapped irritably, delivering one last kick to the fiend's stomach, sending Tristan stumbling back into Joey. Allowing your honey eyes to narrow at the two delinquents who have been harassing your dear friend for…ah, who knows how long now, all that mattered was that they get the HECK outta here.

"Kiyoko!" Yugi's cry of relief immediately drew your attention to the smaller boy, your eyes softening for just a moment before hardening once more as you directed your glare back to the two older teens.

"Tamazaki!" Joey and Tristan spat your last name, causing your brow to arch with how overdramatic the two young men were being.

"Picking on weaker people… you guys are the dumb ones!" you scolded, pointing accusingly at the offending males. Jerking your arm so that it was now pointing in the direction of the door to the classroom, you hissed at the two bullies before stamping your right foot to express your anger, "Now beat it!" you snapped, gesturing wildly to the door and watching on in complete satisfaction as Joey and Tristan scrambled to race out the door while shooting you some rather dirty looks over their shoulders.

"Damn you, nosy woman!" Tristan shouted, shaking his fist in your direction.

"This isn't over! We'll remember you!" Joey threatened, shooting you one last smoldering glare before disappearing completely with Tristan at his heels.

Releasing a small huff once the two pestering males had taken their leave, you made your way over to Yugi, delicately placing his treasure back into his eager hands. Giving your friend a bright smile, you watched on in delight at the stressful expression on you dear childhood friend's face quickly dissolved to be replaced with a dazzling smile of his own. "Well here it is," you giggled, gesturing towards the golden box in Yugi's hold, "your precious item."

"Thank you, Kiyoko!" Yugi expressed his gratitude, his cheeks flushing with color as he carefully took a few steps backward towards his desk, delight flashing across his features when he noticed that you followed his movements. Chuckling fondly as he watched you plop down in a seat placed in front of his desk, Yugi took his own seat, his brilliant amethyst eyes observing you as you leaned forward to place your elbows on his desk and your chin in the palm of your hands.

Yugi chuckled at your typical antics, his eyes flashing with mirth as he directed the topic of your discussion back to the moment you had those two bullies fleeing the scene, "But wow, that was great! One word from you, and they ran!" Yugi mused, casting a brief glance in the direction of the door where Joey and Tristan had disappeared.

"There's no need to flatter me," you commented offhandedly, "I just saw a nice guy being taken advantage of, and that really didn't sit well with me," you huffed, puffing your cheeks out a bit to perform a pout which in turn elicited a delighted chuckle from Yugi in reply. Furrowing your brows at the thought of the two males that had been so careless with Yugi's precious item, you released a small snort before finishing your speech, "I didn't want them tossing you or your treasure around!"

Leaning back in your seat, you cast a glare out the window where the boys and girls were currently playing basketball. Yugi followed your gaze, curious as to why you seemed so agitated at the moment. "All the guys in this class are just like those two!" you grumbled, narrowing your eyes at the sight the boys trying to coax the girls into doing some rather odd poses while trying to make a shot, "A while back the boys invited the girls to play basketball with them. Tea and I immediately thought it was weird…"

Yugi arched a brow, wondering where you were going with this. However, his curiosity was soon answered when you suddenly responded heatedly, "Basketball isn't meant for looking up girls' skirts!"

Tearing your gaze away from the despicable sight outside, your honey eyes blinked owlishly for a moment when you were met with a rather precarious sight of a flustered Yugi, his face beet red as he sputtered some kind of nonsensical response to your latter exclamation. Giggling at the rather prudish reaction elicited from your BFF, your eyes flashed with mirth before you changed the subject to spare poor Yugi from further embarrassment.

"Say, Yug…" you began in a lighthearted tone, snapping Yugi out of his daze as the young man cast you a curious glance. Returning to your previous action of leaning over Yugi's desk, you gestured towards the golden box laid out before your eyes, your honey gaze meeting Yugi's amethyst ones as you then proceeded to ask your question, "what's in this thing, anyway?"

A smile lit up Yugi's face, his hands placing themselves over the lid of his treasure as his eyes sparkled, "Well, I guess I can let you see…" Yugi began in a teasing tone, his smile widening at the sight of your eager face, "but you have to promise to keep it a secret…" Yugi informed you, his smile morphing into a full-blown grin the moment he heard your excited promise to keep this confidential.

You were literally on the edge of your seat, your stomach performing summersaults at the prospect that you were going to see Yugi's most prized possession. You found yourself holding your breath as Yugi's hands lifted the lid off the golden box in a slow, teasing manner, only adding to your anticipation. However, you decided it was definitely worth the wait when the lid was removed to reveal a box full of multiple glimmering gold pieces. Your jaw dropped at the magnificent sight as you reached in to delicately pick up a small piece, gazing at the item in fascination as the small object glimmered brightly in your hold.

"Wow, so pretty!" you breathed, carefully twisting your hand this way and that so you could gain a better visual of the tiny, shimmering object, "They glitter like gold," you mused, your eyes bewitched by the rather captivating sight of such an unusual, yet, breathtaking wonder, "What are they parts of?" you asked your dear friend, casting a brief glance back into the box where other parts were located, "They're disconnected…"

"It's a puzzle!" Yugi exclaimed, unable to contain his enthusiasm while reaching into the box to pull out two puzzle pieces, holding them up so that they glistened in the artificial light provided by the classroom, "I've never completed it, so I don't know what the shape will be," Yugi commented offhandedly, his expression turning curious for a fraction of a moment before morphing back into one of excitement, "in other words, it's a thing that 'can be seen, but you haven't seen it'!"

You pondered over the riddle, your curiosity spiking due to the mysteries surrounding Yugi's treasure. "How interesting…"

"I live in a game shop where there's all sorts of rare, unusual and exotic games for sale there. This was sitting in the corner gathering dust, and I found it…" Yugi explained, his eyes focusing on the bewildering puzzle pieces displayed in the golden box. Unable to keep his hands from tinkering away at the endearing challenge laid before him, Yugi began to absently fiddle with the multiple puzzle pieces while continuing with his speech, "Now I think of this puzzle as a memento of my grandpa."

"A memento, eh?" You watched Yugi's brows furrow together in concentration, his tongue slipping out a smidge (an adorable action Yugi always does whenever he's completely focused on something). You giggled at the determination flitted across Yugi's features. Placing your chin in the palm of your hands, you shot your childhood friend a smile, "Where do you think this puzzle came from, Yugi?"

Amethyst eyes peered in your direction, a smile breaking across Yugi's lips as he animatedly replied the answer, "The puzzle was found in Egyptian ruins!"

Your ears instantly perked after hearing the origin from which the puzzle was founded from. "…Egypt?"

Yugi eagerly nodded his head, gazing fondly at the golden box laid before him. You followed your friend's gaze towards the rectangular object, scanning the rather odd symbols inscribed with the breathtaking design. "Look, Yugi…the box is engraved with strange symbols," you pointed out, running your fingers over the hieroglyphs that were carved into Yugi's treasure.

"With an educated guess, I think I know what they mean, too…" Yugi could barely contain his excitement as his hands wrapped themselves around his treasure, gripping the box tightly. "The person who solves this puzzle will have one wish granted! I know it!" Yugi exclaimed in a rush, his cheeks flushing with color at the thought of such a wondrous thing. Taking notice of your stupefied expression, Yugi released a sheepish laugh, "Heh heh…maybe that's too fantastic, though…"

"But the puzzle is very difficult. I've been trying for eight years and I haven't completed it! Sometimes it gets me down…" Yugi sighed unhappily, slumping down into his chair a bit.

"Don't worry, Yugi. You'll get it! You just have to keep at it, that's all," you encouraged the boy.

Yugi blinked in surprise before a grin appeared on his face, "Yeah, I'll keep at it!" Yugi said with a nod.

"Say, Yugi?" you called the young boy's name, easily gaining Yugi's attention as his gentle eyes drifted over towards you. "What are you wishing for?" you asked curiously, amusement flooding your system when you noticed a rather dark blush staining Yugi's face due to your question.

"I can't tell! It's an absolutely confidential secret!" Yugi yelped, waving his arms frantically. "Sealed forever in an ultra-tight vacuum pack!"

You couldn't help but laugh at your dear friend's rather strange behavior. "Okay, okay! I get it."

"Crap. What a nerd…and that nosey woman!" Joey growled bitterly, stomping angrily through the halls with Tristan trailing loyally by his side. "Who's picking on weaker people!" Joey sneered, glancing over his shoulder and glaring down the hall towards the classroom where he had left you and Yugi. The anger roiling around in Joey's gut left the older teen feeling more than just a tad irritated. In fact, he felt downright pissed. His pride had taken a rather brutal beating, seeing as how he fled the scene as soon as a girl told him off, and not just any girl, but you.

…Small, stubborn, infuriatingly you.

Augh. That just did NOT sit well with Joey. Gritting his teeth angrily, the blond released a string of profanities under his breath, earning a concerned look from his partner as the two continued to trail down the halls of their school. Neither teen seemed to notice the looming shadow of a senior student who appeared to be blocking their path, and as a result, Joey and Tristan ended up colliding into the (much larger) man's chest, small grunts leaving their lips as the two males found themselves stumbling back just a bit due to their unexpected collision.

"Ah…it's…it's…" Tristan stammered, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face as he gazed fearfully up at the senior student who was currently glaring daggers at him and his friend, Joey. Gulping nervously, Tristan took a few steps back, unable to take the heated gaze from the menacing older teen.

The senior student narrowed his eyes, simply referring to his towering state over the two shorter males to gain a sense of superiority. "What do you mean 'picking on'…" the man sneered, earning confused looks from Joey and Tristan before realization hit them that this dude had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Never one to back down from a fight, Joey glared back at the larger male towering before him. "I might've meant you!" Joey snapped irritably, his tone dripping with disrespect while straightening his back so that he could also give off an air of superiority, "Now move it!"

"Ah, um…" Tristan quickly interrupted before a brutal fight ensued, hastily grabbing his friend and jerking him back while covering his mouth with his right hand to prevent Joey from further delving them both into trouble by engaging in a verbal battle. Shooting Joey a warning glance to 'shut the hell up', Tristan then averted his gaze back to the menacing senior, smiling nervously while stuttering out a reply. "We didn't mean anything!"

Satisfied by Tristan's submission, the senior turned his back on the two younger males, sending them a glare over his shoulder before reciting what he wanted to say, "Bullying is wrong!" and with that, the senior student took his leave.

"Yeah! That's very true!" Tristan hastily agreed, nodding his head vigorously while still maintain a firm hold over Joey's mouth, turning a deaf ear to his friend's muffled protests.

*Joey! Pick your fights better, you idiot! That's the demon of morals, Ushio!* Tristan thought urgently to himself, his eyes locked on the back of the menacing senior. *He enforces the school rules on everyone! Don't get excited and mouth off around him!*

Quickly glancing back to see if Ushio had left the hall, Tristan released a relieved sigh and removed his hand off of Joey's mouth. "He's gone…he's gone…"

Joey gasped, holding his throat with both hands while shooting his friend a glare. "You jerk…that hurt!"

"That was scary…" was Tristan's only reply, holding his heart with both of his hands while trying desperately to catch his breath.

"USHIOOOO! SOMEDAY I'LL FIGHT YOU!" Joey shouted angrily with an irk mark, waving his fist threateningly down the hall and eliciting quite a few odd stares from some various students who were now returning from recess.

"Crap…now there's nothing to do!" Tristan growled bitterly, kicking the wall next to him out of frustration.

"Oh yeah, I have something." Joey replied with a grin, reaching inside his jacket to retrieve something.

"Hm? What is it?" Tristan turned his attention towards his friend.

Joey held out his right hand, revealing a puzzle piece that he had stolen from Yugi. The piece had the eye of a horus engraved on it. Tristan could only gap at the unbelievable sight. How on earth did Joey manage to do that? Wracking his brain in an effort to see if he recalled his partner ever having reached into Yugi's treasure box to remove one of its pieces, Tristan found himself drawing a blank. His curiosity was answered by his smug friend.

"While I was looking at Yugi's treasure box, I secretly took this! He didn't even notice it was gone. Now his puzzle is useless without it!" Joey said with a smirk, clenching his right hand into a fist and encasing the puzzle piece within his hold. "Without this piece his riddle becomes 'it is a treasure, but now the treasure is lost'!"

"Oh wow. Joey, that's slick." Tristan commented with a grin.

"As for this thing…" Joey said, turning towards an open window located to his right, "Take that!" Joey shouted, throwing Yugi's precious puzzle piece right out the window. The two teens watched on in complete satisfaction as the puzzle piece soared through the air and crashed down into the water of the school's swimming pool which was located just below.

*Keh, this treasure stuff…looks more like a rotten lie! This kinda stuff makes me sick!* Joey thought to himself, swiftly turning around and continuing his way through the hall. "Let's go," the blonde suggested, causing Tristan to loyally trail after him as the two males began to exit the scene, smug expressions flitted across their faces at the thought that Yugi's treasure was now forgotten at the bottom of the school's pool.