Zaira's p.o.v.

I woke up groggy in the morning. I was used to sleep everywhere, so I wasn't that beat up. I took my bag over one of my shoulders and walked around in the city. I got a little surprised. The night I arrived here, I was too sleepy to even care where I was or where I was going. However now it was daylight, the city was full of life. Second of all it was more high tech than the rest of the cities I had been to. It was even more clean. I walked around and was thinking on how I should get my breakfast, when a robot walked over my path and took some of the trash from the streets. I think they were called litterbots. I was almost drooling when I saw two apples on the streets. It had some holes in it, but it was still food. However, of course the Litterbots walked over to the apples and said "Trash identify" opened it's mouth and ate it. I was furious. I grabbed the litterbot and was in a intensive fight with it.

"That was my food!" I scream and hit the litterbot on its head. It was circling around and was screaming "Error, Error!". I should give it Error! I forced my way into it mouth and almost had the apples, when suddenly a big guy on a skateboard hit me by accident. He hit the litterbot as well, and it was circling around again. I swinging around as well with my arm stuck in it's mouth. Suddenly I could hear a voice yell:

"Ah stupid Bronk! I will win the race!" and suddenly a boy was running down from the stairs, and of course he slammed into me and the litterbot.

Trash, me, the litterbot and the boy flew through the air. I fell down on my back and hit the ground pretty hard. I could hear a scream, and a minute later, the boy landed on my stomach. I felt all air being shot out of my body for a minute. However, I noticed that the boy was lying on top of me, with his chest at my stomach and his head hanging to one of the sides of me. I also noticed the two apples a little away from me. YES, I thought. However the boy was still lying on me. He sounded like he was a little confused and dizzy. This was kind of embarrassing.

"Um that stupid Bronk" the boy said and was half awake by now "I will get you for that!". I sighed a little.

"Hey move kiddo!" I said angry "You are lying on top of me!".

"Hu?!" He said and then he noticed me. He got up pretty fast and was totally red in the face. I got up on my feet's too.

"Um sorry" He apologized before we were suddenly surrounded by a lot of litterbots.

They were collecting the trash around here. I noticed they had taken the boys dueling deck as well. I didn't have a deck. However, I steal a duel gazer and a disk a few weeks ago. Again not proud of that at all. The bots also took my food. The boy looked really shocked at the litterbugs. So did I.

"Hey give me my cards back!" He yelled.

"Hey that's my food!" I yelled. We had said that at the same time.

The bots, and the boy stopped suddenly up. The boy was in a awkward position, by trying to grab as many cards as possible. However, now he was just looking at me.

"Um you eat from the trash can?" He asked confused. I turned a little red.

"Um of course not" I lied "However, when you slammed into me my lunch got into the litterbots mouth!". Not the best cover story, but the boy believed me.

"Um sorry about that" he once again apologised before he continued his fight with the litterbots, who was calling his deck dueling trash.

I was laughing inside, but I did help getting his cards back, and at the same time got the apples back into my bag without he noticing. At last we were finished and the boy smiled, when he had his precious deck back.

"Um thank you... um what is your name actually?" the boy asked.

"Zaira" I said "Um what is yours?". He looked at me and shook my hand.

"I am Yuma. Yuma Tsukumo" the boy Yuma said. "So where are you going? On the way to school? I have never seen you before.". I flinched a little.

"Um no" I said in half a lie "I um just moved in this morning, so I am just walking around checking the city? My parents hadn't enrolled me to a school yet".

"Oh I see, wanna get a tour with me then?" Yuma replied. However before I could answer, a giant bell ran. Yuma looked really shocked now.

"Oh no I am late for school!" He screamed up and waved at me "Bye Zaira, see yer some other time!". And then he rushes off. I couldn't stop smiling. Him Yuma sounded like an interesting kid.

Time skip.

"Get her!" screamed voices behind me. I was smirking. They couldn't get me. Never! I was clinging to a bag of food, I had stolen. But not from honest people like Yuma. I was always stealing from evil goons who was a threat to the city anyway. They could spare some food. I were at the docks. The most normal place for these kind of goons. I was of course disguised in a cloak, but the goons knew I was a girl, because of my voice. I had stolen a bag in their hideout, and got detected. I needed to get away fast. I actually needed a place I could call mine, but I only been in the city for a day. I shrugged. I will figure out something. I just knew. I hid in one of the dark alleys. I could hear footsteps and hid in the shadows until they was gone. As soon as they left, I ate a little of the food, and placed the rest of it in my own bag. Then I got rid of the disguise. I made sure the coast was clear, before I left the alley. I sighed. I needed to get a job or a real life. I began walking inside the city again. I was not sure where I should sleep today, but I knew I would find something. Suddenly I could hear a scream. I rushed towards it. I noticed the sigh "duel place". This was a place to duel? I grabbed my stolen D-gazer and placed it on my eye. I could suddenly see giant monsters and things like that all around me. I was really awesome. However, I still looked around to find out where the scream was coming from. I saw a boy, and he was dueling someone with a giant fish. He properly had a water deck then, I thought. He was standing on a platform, at the staircase, and it looks like he was about to get his butt kicked. I was sure I have seen that kid before. Then I remembered, it was that kid on the skateboard, who hit me and that litterbot this morning. Then that means, I looked around and found Yuma. He was standing close to the duel together with a girl? Was that his girlfriend? But whatever. The big guy got beaten. I walked a little closer. The others were so interested in the duel anyway to notice me.

"Haha. We had an agreement" said a voice suddenly. A boy with fish hair, walked over to the big guy. Was that the boy, he dueled against? However the fish haired kid took the deck from the big guy. I was stunned. I know I am a thief and all, but stealing someone's deck, was the same as stealing peoples life, their heart. Yuma was apparently agreeing with me, because he walked over to his friend and was staring at the fishguy. I followed in the shadows. Funny how people never notice what was happening around them.

"Hey!" screamed Yuma "That is Bronk's deck! You can't take it!". Okay, I thought, big guy was Bronk, have to remember that. The fish guy looked at Yuma.

"Who in the world are you?" He asked and suddenly two buddies of his showed. Oh so fishguy was a bully. I clenched my fists. I hate bullies! Yuma apparently knew who this bully was though. Apparently, he was called "Shark", a fitting name for one who bites his opponent's deck away from them, and uses water monsters, I thought. Shark and Bronk apparently had an agreement. The one who won this duel, also won the others deck, and Bronk had lost. So of course Yuma began challenging Shark to a duel.

"You are challenging me?" asked Shark and smirked. Yuma nodded.

"That is right" He said "But I see now that you are a big chicken yourself, if you are too scared to duel me. I want Bronk's deck back". I was surprised by Yuma's guts. That guy was having courage. I liked persons who where full of courage.

"So let's say we duel" Shark said "You want Bronk's deck back, but want in it for me".

Yuma looked stunned for a moment. He was looking at a golden key who was in a necklace around his neck. Suddenly Shark grabbed the pendant.

"That is a nice pendant" He said and grinned "That will do".

Yuma looked furious, but he couldn't do a thing, because Shark's two henchmen, was holding him. I clenched my fists and decided to let my presence be known.

"Hey! Let him go!" I yelled.

Everyone at the scene turned around and was looking at me. Even Shark and his henchmen. I rushed up the stairs and hit the two henchmen's in the face. They both fell to the ground. Shark and the boys looked shocked, but hey two of them got hit by a girl.

"Zaira!" said Yuma confused "What are you doing?". I bit my cheek. Yuma could remember me. His two friends looked at me. Yuma told them about not meeting this morning. I didn't care, I was staring at Shark.

"Give that key back Shark boy!" I sneered "It does not belong to you!".

Shark looked at me and smirked. He was holding the key in front of me, and before I could do anything, he slammed it to the ground and stepped on it. Yuma screamed. The key broke. Shark kicked the little destroyed piece away from here.

"Well sure" Shark said "Go on and take it".

He was smirking. I looked furious at him, and without me thinking straight, I slammed his cheek pretty hard. I looked shocked. I had done that of pure impulse. Shark looked shocked at me, so did everyone around us. I sighed a little.

"You are a mean bully!" I scream "Yuma is right! You are just a chicken!". I began leaving, when Shark grabbed my hand. He looked pretty angry.

"Oh Yeah" He said and was staring me into the eyes. I stared back. Suddenly he let go of me and snort.

"Okay Yuma" Shark suddenly said "We are gonna have a duel this Sunday. If I win, your deck is mine. You win and your friends deck is yours".

Then he began leaving with the two henchmen's. I starred at Shark until he was out of sight. Suddenly I could fell someone grabbing my hands. I turned around and was eye to eye with Yuma. He was smiling at me.

"Well that was brave Zaira" He said "Thanks for saving me there".

"Yeah I must admit it was pretty reckless" The boy Bronk said and smiled.

"Yeah. No one stood up to Shark like you did" the green haired girl said happy "That totally makes me as a girl happy". I was looking confused at them.

"Um well I hate bullies" I replied and looked confused at them. Why in the world was they so nice to me. Yuma grinned and let go of my hands.

"Oh yeah I never introduced my friends" He said "The big guy is Bronk and the girl here is my friend Tori".

I looked at the girl. She was smiling awkwardly, and were actually blushing. I smirked a little. She had a crush on Yuma.

"So Zaira where are you going? Um living?" asked Bronk. I flinched a little.

"Um look at the time" I suddenly said and began running away. If they knew who I really was, they properly wouldn't be that nice.

Yuma's p.o.v.

Yuma looked confused, when Zaira suddenly rushed of like that! He wanted to thank her a little more. Maybe by inviting her home for dinner? Shark would never had dueled him if Zaira didn't stood up to him, the way she did. Yuma looked down at his broken key. He felt a little down!

"The girl Zaira is a little mysterious. Don't you think?" asked Bronk suddenly. Yuma looked confused at him. Tori did that as well.

"I am sure I have seen her somewhere before" Bronk added in "And it is not just this morning. I am sure I have seen her before". Yuma grinned a little.

"Ah you are just imagining that Bronk" Yuma said "I could feel she has a good heart". Tori grinned a little.

"You are not going to fall for this girl are you?" she asked. Yuma just grinned.

"Me? Falling for a girl. Please Tori" He said and grinned "I am in love with dueling. I am not good at that stuff anyway". Bronk looked at Tori.

"Yeah not good at that stuff Tori" He said in a worried tone. They began leaving.

"But I am really sure I have seen this girl before".

Zaira's p.o.v.

Time skip... some days later.

"Where is it!" I screamed and searched through some bushes "I am sure if fell down here. I must be around here somewhere!".

Suddenly I could see something shine in the sun. I rushed over to some bushes, and there it was, the broken piece of Yuma's key. I grabbed it.

"Hey isn't that you Zaira? " said a voice suddenly. I gasped a little. I turned around and saw Bronk behind me. He was smiling. I sighed relieved! I thought he was someone else. He looked curious at me.

"Um what are you doing?" He asked "You suddenly disappeared and we never saw you again". I looked at him, and showed him the broken piece.

"Hey you found the key piece" Bronk said confused "Does that mean, that you have been searching for this all this time?". I nodded.

"Um yeah" I said "Yuma has his match against Shark today right. I figured that he would need it. It sounded important to him". Bronk smiled and nodded.

"Yuma were right. You have a good heart Zaira" He said. I felt a little happy, but it disappeared soon again, and I sighed. Bronk noticed it.

"Something wrong?" He asked worried. I nodded a little.

"Yeah I have a good heart" I said "But if you knew the truth about me, you wouldn't think that. You will just do the same thing, the other people did".

"Um I don't understand" He said confused "What truth?". I just sighed, and gave Bronk the key piece.

"Please Bronk" I said "Just give this to Yuma". I began leaving.

Yuma's p.o.v.

Yuma was standing at dueling place, where he should duel Shark, however he was a little early. Tori was standing by his side, waiting like he was. He was kind of happy that she was here. It made him a little more brave.

"Hey Yuma!" said a voice suddenly. He turned around and saw Bronk arrive on his skateboard. Yuma smiled happily. Another friend to cheer him on!

"Bronk! You made it!" He said happy. Bronk smiled.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. And here" he gave Yuma the broken key piece.

"Wait you found it" Yuma said happily, however Bronk shook his head.

"Zaira found it. She had been looking around for it, all this time" Bronk said and sounded a little worried "She really has a good heart, but Yuma I think she is in some kind of problems". Yuma looked confused at him. So did Tori.

"What do you mean in some kind of problem?" Yuma asked, but suddenly Shark had appeared. Together with his two henchmen's.

"You actually showed" Shark said and looked around "What about your little friend? Is she not gonna show, since I have a business with her as well. She slammed my cheek remember!". Yuma smiled a little. Shark had deserved that.

"Zaira is not gonna show" Yuma said "She doesn't have to show her face to a mean old bully like you. She is my friend". Shark snort a little.

"Less talk more dueling" He said. They started the duel.

Zaira's p.o.v.

I had just arrived on the dueling field, when I heard Yuma's outburst. I rushed over towards them, but I hid myself in the shadows again. I don't know why. It is not like I am afraid to face them, but I felt safer in the shadows. I could see the duel now. Shark had just arrived and was actually asking where I was. I smirked a little. He could properly remember that I slammed his cheek, and wanted payback. Maybe it really was a good idea to hid inside the shadows.

"Zaira is not gonna show" said Yuma suddenly "She doesn't need to show her face to a mean old bully like you. She is my friend".

I felt my heart sting. So he really saw me as a friend. If he only knew. If he knew I was a thief, then he wouldn't be my friend any longer. Who want's to be friends with a thief? However the duel started and I took my duel gazer on.

Yuma started off, by summoning a monster. I don't know why or how, but I was kind of good at dueling strategies. However I never touch a deck or dueled for that matter? However I already knew Shark was a better duelist than Yuma. Shark summoned a water monster (What a surprise) and made a combo with a spell. He attacked Yuma and gave him serious damage. However Yuma didn't give up. He summoned a magician to the field and equipped it with a spell called "Wonder wand". His monster was now the strongest monster on the field. He attacked, but of course Shark was ready for him, and canceled Yuma's attack with a trap card. Yuma also got 800 points of damage. However Yuma then lay down a trap card and ended his turn. I facepalmed a little. You can lay trap or spells, and you never tell witch it is. However it was Shark's turn again. He summoned a weak monster with a special eff. It could destroy a spell or a trap card on the field. He destroyed Yuma's wonder wand. Now he had the upper hand again.

"Haha. You really believed you could win Bronk's deck back" Shark said and grinned "Ha! Let's face it Yuma. I stomped your little key, and  I am gonna stomp you. Maybe then you will learn your lesson, and don't challenge stronger opponents".

I clenched my fists and looked angry at Shark. Yuma did the same thing. I was about to rush out there, when I heard Yuma talk.

"You are wrong Shark" he said"I will never learn that lesson. Because I will never give up. Because I am feeling the flow". Suddenly a light shut out from Yuma's key. It was shining so brightly. I had to close my eyes.

When I woke up I was actually floating in midair. I was totally scared, but then I noticed, that I didn't fall. I was actually flying?! I looked around and noticed the crumpled pathway. I had been here before. In my dreams. I took a look in front of me and saw a creepy door in front of me. The same door I saw in my... wait hold on! This door was different. It was creepy, but not the door I saw in my dreams. Then I saw a person standing in front of the door. Wait that was Yuma?! I began flying over to him. I could hear the creepy voice from the door. It was the same from my dreams.

"Have you the courage to unlock this door?" It said "It is time to decide Yuma. What will it be? Do you have the courage?". Yuma looked determined at the door.

"Of course I have! " He screamed and jumped up and placed the key inside the giant lock. Wait! His key was whole again? How did that happen? However the door opened. I saw some bright light shoot out of the door, and saw Yuma, in some way, got blasted out of the weird realm. However, I was still floating in the air. Suddenly, I could feel a powerful force, and I got pulled towards the door and landed on the same pathway, Yuma stood on some seconds ago. The door was closed again, however the creepy door was looking at me, and was it grinning?!

"Welcome Zaira" It said and grinned.I got up on my feets and glared at the door.

"What's the meaning off this?" I asked confused "What just happened? Why am I here? Where am I? Aren't you the voice from my dream?". I think I actually could go on, but I needed to breathe. The door laughed.

"Patients my dear Zaira. Soon everything will be revealed. However for that to happen, you must protect this Yuma boy. Your paths are connected". I was confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. The door smiled (If a door can do that?!).

"Without you, Yuma can't fulfill his destiny. And without him, you can't find what you have been looking for. Your truth. You two are connected, like you are to the ghost. Trust the Yuma boy" The door said "Now go Zaira". I could feel the same force like before and I got pushed out of this realm too.

I returned back to the real world only to see Yuma get slammed by one of Shark's attack. He had suddenly this huge dragon on the field. It was called a "Number card". I have no idea why I knew that, however Shark attacked with the dragon and destroyed his magician. However I wasn't actually looking at Yuma anymore, because beside him was now a floating Ghost?! It was white and had some weird marking on it's body, but it was staring at Yuma for some reason.

"Rise" It said "Rise and duel".

Yuma got surprised up on his feets, and was looking at the ghost. I was confused who was that gloomy guy.

"Who are you?" asked Yuma. The ghost looked at him for a moment.

"Astral" He said "It is my name if I recall".

However then Tori and Bronk were asking who Yuma was talking to, and I figured out, me and Yuma was the only one who could see him. Yuma flipped totally out and was trying to point out where Astral were standing, but his friends couldn't really see him. I shook confused my head too. Then I looked at Shark and noticed that he also had changed. He had a purple aura around him and the number 17 was visible on his arm. Again I questioned why I knew what had happened to him. Shark's number card now controlled him.

"Maybe I really lost it" said Yuma suddenly and I turned my attention to Yuma.

"What have you lost?" said Astral confused "Maybe we can find it together".

I giggled a little, but seen in Yuma's case, it really didn't help. Then I remembered was the door told me "Your two are connected! Like you two are connected to the ghost". I looked surprised at Astral. Was he the ghost? However, Astral told Yuma that he had lost his memory, and I was really feeling with him, because I knew what it was like, to have lost memories. Shark interrupted and told them, that they were having a duel, and apparently Astral could duel also. The duel continued.

Time skip of the rest of the duel.

Yuma had tried out many combo's in that duel, and he apparently also had a number card. Number 39 utopia. I had a hunch that Astral had, had this monster, but in the end Yuma won the duel. I also noticed that because Shark lost, his two henchmen ditched him. So must for friendship! I also noticed that Astral was taking/absorbing the number card from Shark. Suddenly, our eyes meet. Mine and Astral's. We were staring at each other. Astral looked puzzled or something. Yuma and his friends didn't notice me though. Without the others noticing, he flew over to me, and we were again staring at each other.

"You are Zaira" He suddenly said. I looked confused at him.

"And you are Astral" I said. Astral nodded. I continued "Why do you know my name?". Astral looked confused at me.

"I do not know" He said "However I have a feeling we have meet before. Why are you hiding?".

I sighed. I tried to explain myself to Astral, and in the end, he promised not to tell Yuma, that we meet here. He flew back to Yuma. Shark woke up and actually returned Bronk's deck back. He had kept his word, maybe Shark wasn't such a bad guy after all. I decided to leave too. I still needed shelter for the night, and it was getting pretty late. I don't know, why I didn't decide to go to Yuma and the floating ghost Astral, right away. Maybe because I have a hard time trusting people. But hey that is understandable, since everyone I ever trusted, bailed on me, and even turned me into the police. So what would be different here, I thought. However later I was sadly mistaken.

A,N: Um my first Chapter. what do you think? Hoped you liked it.