A/N: Happy Father's Day! An especially happy one to all you dads who have stayed with your families and maintained healthy relationships with all the members in them. Despite your teenage kids yelling and screaming about the unfairness of punishment for smoking pot, they'll thank you in the end.
Anyway, sorry about the lack of consistent updating. That should be rectified shortly, as I have a due date for the final chapter of this story in mind. I'll let you know if I achieve that goal.
Mira: Well, don't worry. Kyle and Monica's creator encourages people to peep in... including yourself!
Voakands: That's a fair question. He'll see his share of action soon enough, though, so I hope you'll stay tuned for that. Thanks for the criticism; I do appreciate it.
Eusine: You've got the idea, m'friend. And now to build on it.
Lumen: Keep those eyes popped, that event might occur at any time! You know me too well.
-------
A Week Later
--
Kyle stepped through the door of his apartment, shut it, slumped against the wall, and grinned at the ceiling. Wow. What a roller coaster ride.
He'd just gotten back from another date with Monica; this time they'd gone out for dinner to a casual sit-down restaurant. He'd stuffed himself with a giant bacon cheeseburger platter while she'd delved into a fajita combo. Afterwards, they'd shared a huge brownie topped with two scoops of chocolate ice cream. They'd giggled like a pair of hopeless lovebirds as they'd fed each other portions of that brownie mixed with the slowly melting ice cream.
While they'd been waiting for their food, they'd engaged in a couple of friendly duels by sacrifice rules; they were quickly becoming the standard for duelists everywhere. It was almost as if everyone was in preparation for another huge tourney, though nobody could say when such an event might take place.
That's our fourth date so far, he thought. And it's got no signs of slowing down. This is great.
I am sure Chubs will be most disappointed in his predictions, Theoris commented.
Kyle chuckled. He just might be, at that. He went to sit down on his couch. For now, though, a little R&R. And checking the deck.
As he removed his deck from his pocket, however, he noticed that there was a pile of carefully stacked cards already on the coffee table. He frowned and picked up the pile. I don't remember putting this here...
You did not.
He raised an eyebrow. You know something about this?
That "pile" is a deck. I had been giving consideration to building one.
This time the other eyebrow went up to join its partner. You're building a deck, Theoris?
I do not believe it is anything to be proud of yet. But I am taking my cues from an expert, am I not?
Kyle grinned. Hard to say.
Until you tell me otherwise, I shall assume that I am. In which case, I simply need to discover a style with which I am comfortable, and set up a series of cards suited to that style.
Yep, you're getting it. Kyle considered the alleged deck. Can I take a look at it?
If you wish.
I'm just interested to see what you're into. He began to flip through the configuration – and found himself rather pleasantly surprised. Wow. This isn't half-bad, Theoris... in fact, it's not bad at all. He grinned. Very much into the soldiers, I see.
I was in the Egyptian standing army, Kyle. The role of a soldier is to protect the land on which he lives, and also acquire new land when need be. A most honorable profession, would you not agree?
Of course I would. Kyle cocked his head. When have you been building this, anyway?
While you sleep. You have no use for your body during that time, correct?
Kyle snorted. Does that make my body a time share?
"Time share"?
Meaning one of us gets to use it at certain times and the other gets to use it the rest of the time. The term generally applies to buildings, but it works here, too.
...My apologies. I do not mean to act out of turn. I do realize that it is your body I inhabit, not my own. Theoris sent a wave of disappointment – directed at himself. Even Khensthoth would not have been so petty as this.
Don't worry about it, Kyle assured him. If there's something you want to do while I'm sleeping... as long as it isn't dangerous, and you're not going to get caught... I'm okay with it. He smiled. Hey, if nothing else, now we'll have something we can both relate to.
Nevertheless... I did not approve when Khensthoth took control of my own body...
But I'm not you, and you're not Khensthoth, Kyle reminded him. You're building a Duel Monsters deck, and that could be taken to mean that you want to embrace one of the facets of this world. Which is good, because you'll have to get used to this world.
This game is one of the few things that seems to have survived to this era, Theoris noted. It had a much dangerous form in my time.
Well, whatever happened back then, you obviously made it through. And now the game is relatively harmless... long as no one else comes around looking to play Shadow Games with me.
To be honest, Kyle... this is why I was constructing a deck. So that if I must ever engage in such a game, I would not be ill-prepared, and I might wage a battle in a style I am comfortable with.
You think you may have to play a Shadow Game?
It is apparently not out of the question for you to do so. It may yet occur.
Let's both hope it doesn't.
--
The Next Day
--
Kyle felt bored. There was no real reason, other than that he didn't have classes or work today. He'd already slept in a good portion of the day, but he wanted something to do.
That led him to mount his motorcycle and head off to the mall. Who knows? The card shop there might have a sale going.
Sale? Do not all stores have "sales"? They would not attain riches if they did not, would they?
Kyle grinned as he pulled up to a red light. Okay, yeah, there are two different meanings for the word "sale" these days. It can mean you're selling something, or it can mean that the price of something has been reduced in order to encourage buyers to get whatever the item is.
Then the stores do not want the items they have "on sale"?
Sometimes, that's the case. That's a clearance sale; they want to have space to sell other things. When something's on a clearance sale, usually the price is drastically reduced. Other times, the stores want to compete with their counterparts.
Compete? As in a game?
Kyle thought for a minute, trying to find a way Theoris would understand. In the markets you visited in your time, were there several vendors that were trying to sell the same thing?
It was not a usual happenstance, but there would occasionally be a traveling vendor selling various items. His price would be such that either we would choose him or choose the vendor in order to keep as much currency we had already earned as possible.
Kyle laughed out loud. You were cheap!
Theoris considered this term for a few moments. I suppose we were. But for good reason, I believe. "Money" was not so widespread in Egypt, or in my time, as it is here and now.
Kyle parked his cycle on the west side of the mall and headed inside. I suppose not. Sucks to be you.
Sucks...?
Kyle laughed again, drawing the attention of a couple people heading out the door he'd just entered. Never mind, Theoris. My point is that the way the traveling vendor worked is kind of the same way competing stores work. In order to draw customers in, stores will advertise a low price of certain things, lower than their competitors choose – or can afford – to match.
So a store solicits your attention by saying you are not required to pay the amount other stores ask?
Exactly! That gives us the freedom to choose the service we want.
Are there competing prices for every item to be found in a store?
Most stores operate that way, yeah. Anywhere you can find something, you can probably find it in a competing store for a higher or a lower price.
How can you be expected to find everything you need in one place?
Oh, you can. The problem is always the price. Generally people want to save as much of their money as they can, just as you did back in your time. That means visiting different stores, because one store can't have a lower price than every other store has for all of their stock. They wouldn't make any money that way.
...This system is utterly confusing.
Kyle laughed yet again. Maybe. It works for me, though.
The mall's various walkways were crowded, even on the second floor. Kyle had to be very careful not to bump into people, though at times, it couldn't be helped. Fortunately for him, none of those he brushed by seemed to care; they were busy with their own affairs, such as picking through the goodies they'd just bought or talking the ears off their friends.
Kyle's eyes wandered as he walked along. Hmm, one-day half-off sale at the donut shop... candy store has assorted Duel Monsters candy... He rolled his eyes. The term "eat me" takes on a new meaning there...
"Eat me"?
...Never mind. He took the escalator and noted along the way that the local jewelry store was closing up early. Hmm. You'd think they'd stay open longer for the kids in secondary school that can't get out here until late afternoon. Or maybe they're just having one of those days...
Kyle knew what "having one of those days" was like. He'd had far too many of them.
He stuck near the second floor railing and idly looked down at the first floor shops as he walked along. Babbage's, K&B Toys, RadioShack... all full of customers...
His eyes flicked across the center of the first floor walkway–
And he spotted an unmistakable figure.
Uh-oh.
Her? Again? Will she never stop pursuing you?
If it was me she was after, she'd've had me by now. She's certainly pretty enough and smart enough.
Despite Monica?
Kyle ignored the comment. She wants something.
Other than your Labyrinth Brothers?
I'm about to find out.
Are you sure that is a wise course of action?
No, actually, I know for a fact that it isn't. But on the other hand, if I ignore her, she's gonna give chase. You know that from previous experience. Better to just get it overwith. Besides, this gives me a chance to at least talk to her.
Kyle took the next available U-turn junction with an escalator and went back down to the first floor. He approached the person in question and crossed his arms. "You wanted something?"
Jade hadn't once looked up from the massive fantasy novel she was apparently engrossed in, not even when Kyle had spotted her. With deliberation, she produced a bookmark and placed it between the pages, then snapped the book shut. She looked up at him, her green eyes ablaze. "If I didn't, you wouldn't have seen me."
Kyle tentatively sat down next to her. "Your talent for avoiding sight gets to be rather irritating for someone who might want to find you."
"I've told you before. If I don't want to be found, there's no point in looking for me. I'll let you find me when I want you to find me."
"Fine, so you decided you wanted me to find you here. Why?"
She pulled a scrunchie from the pocket of her blue windbreaker and bound her brown hair into a ponytail. "It suits me. You have something I want. Several 'somethings', in fact."
"And you've got something I wouldn't mind having. I guess we understand each other."
"We've defeated each other for rights to the Labyrinth Brothers we wanted."
"Your point?"
"I want to duel you again. Winner take all."
Kyle frowned. "You're not serious. I've got three cards to the combo; you only have one."
"I'm quite serious, and I'm aware of your advantage, thank you very much." Jade got to her feet and tucked her book under her arm. "But perhaps you fail to realize there are better cards than the Labyrinth Brothers."
"Not at all. If you think that's the case, go ahead and keep thinking it. Next tournament we meet, you'll find out how wrong you are." Kyle also stood and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm not interested in dueling for them now."
"Fine, then I hereby challenge you to a duel."
"Denied."
She raised an eyebrow. "'Denied'? You're not worried about word getting out?"
"I don't even care anymore. You can try to blow my reputation all you like, but I won't spend all my time fighting you over the Labyrinth Brothers. I've got other things I'd rather be doing."
Jade pursed her lips. "You're hard to convince."
"Duh. 'Impossible' is a more accurate term." He cocked his head to one side. "You didn't seriously think you could talk me into it, did you?"
She didn't respond; instead, she turned around and began to walk away.
Kyle stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. As soon as I blink, she's going to disappear.
Just turn around and enjoy yourself. You have no reason to pay attention to her.
He felt an itch in his right eye, and he couldn't help but blink twice to get rid of it.
When he looked up...
He frowned. Or maybe I was wrong...
He could still see Jade moving slowly away.
Does she want me to follow her...?
Be careful, Kyle. I have never perceived her to be one to so easily give up.
Kyle felt a sudden urge, and he actually found himself rationalizing following Jade. The bathroom's in that direction, anyway.
Kyle!
Don't worry, Theoris, it's just a bathroom break. Kyle started after Jade, moving with the urgency one might expect when one needs to visit a convenient bathroom... but he also kept one eye on her as he moved.
She turned right and moved into the hallway at the end of which the bathrooms resided.
Kyle began to wonder. Does she know ahead of time where I'm going and what I'm going to do? Is that how I always end up spotting her right when she says she wants to be found?
Doesn't matter, I still need to go.
With that rationalization in mind, he ducked into that hallway, as well.
The hall was a good fifty feet in length, and at the end of it, there was a right turn and another hallway at least that long. Along the far wall were the bathroom doors.
Jade had disappeared.
Kyle sighed, knowing not to look for her, and made for the men's room. It was just beyond the corner of the turn, and he decided to jog for it. Been a while since I've jogged.
But just as he moved past the corner, a hand shot out and grabbed his arm. He was stopped in his tracks and pulled backward. He twisted around, lightning-fast, to look into the face of the perpetrator.
Jade yanked Kyle to her, then released his arm and wrapped her arms about his neck...
And kissed him.
Kyle!
Kyle's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he awkwardly tried to push Jade away, but she had a secure hold on him and wasn't letting go so easily. The kiss wasn't rough, nor was it passionate...
It's... it's...
Jade wasn't forcing herself on Kyle, although she'd initiated the kiss. Instead, she seemed to be inviting him to take control of it.
I have my deck on me, but she's not going for my pockets...
Kyle's eyes were still open, and he looked into what he could see of Jade's face. Her eyes were closed, and all indications seemed to say that this really was what she wanted to do.
And, even as absurd as it was...
Kyle began to respond.
His hands drifted up to her cheeks, and his fingertips glided down her smooth skin. He kissed her in return, his lips moving against hers...
KYLE!
He suddenly "awakened" and stopped responding to her kiss. His fingers went rigid, and he grabbed her face and pushed her away.
They were both breathless for several moments. Her warm breath landed on his cheek, and a small part of him wanted to just pull her to him and kiss her again. He looked into her eyes. "Nice try. But trying to seduce me – and outside a public bathroom – isn't going to help your case."
She sighed, removed her arms from his neck, and planted her hands on her hips. "Look, I'm not trying to destroy your life or ravage your deck, I just want those cards."
"Sanga of the Thunder and Suijin are my cards," Kyle responded. "I earned them, the same way you earned Kazejin. And Sanga, for that matter. You want them, you're going to have to earn them from me."
"There's nothing I can give you in exchange?" Jade's blazing green gaze caught his eyes and held them. "Nothing at all? It would be much simpler if I could just find something you wanted and give it to you with the Brothers as payment... dueling for them is rather a messy business, as we both know."
Kyle offered a wry smile. "Thanks, but no thanks. I told you, earn them. You'll get your chance at the next tournament. There'll be no edging around it as long as I'm their owner." He cocked his head. "You're about the most stubborn person I've ever met."
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't get what I wanted nearly as much." Jade allowed a hint of a smile. "You're quite the challenge. I like that."
"Glad to hear it. But right now, I'm just here to have a good day."
"Oh, am I interrupting your 'good day'? Heavens, what shall I do?" Jade scoffed. "Honestly, you and your whining about my 'intrusions' all the time. You're not even here with your girlfriend; you're window-shopping with not the slightest clue what the hell you're looking for. It's not like you're on a dance floor." She gave him a pointed look. "Trust me when I say I know you've had worse days than this. Just because I'm here doesn't mean your 'good day' is gone."
"No, but your entreaties for my cards are occupying a good portion of it." Kyle crossed his arms. "We've both made it clear what we want – one of us a bit more so than the other. But in the end, neither of us is going to be willing to give up what we have."
"Come now, Kyle, think about it... what if you win?"
"I've got too much to lose."
"You can't always focus on your prospective losses, Kyle. If I'd done that when I started dueling, I would never have made it as far as I have." She stepped away. "Consider it. I'll see you when you've made your decision."
She stepped back around the corner.
Kyle moved after her. "Wait–!"
She was gone.