Chapter 3
Moi-Moi: First off, Happy New Year everyone! I'm happy to see that some people are enjoying the story so far. I'm enjoying it too. I can't help but entertain the idea of a plot alteration where Yugi and Anzu have never met… Maybe another time then? ;D
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Why hadn't he studied? Yugi had gone to bed early and woken up on time, as suggested before taking a test. But, he regretted to admit that he had forgotten to make the most important of preparations. Yugi nearly groaned as he dropped his head onto his desk and test paper.
"You look most grieved, Yugi-kun. What is wrong?" Kagome asked with a worried frown.
'He forgot to study. And now he is going to fail,' Atem supplied. Kagome looked between Atem and Yugi, a worried frown on her face.
'Thanks for the support, Pharaoh,' Yugi droned dryly.
"Is that all?" Kagome smiled and waved them off. She was sure that it was far worse. With a smile, she floated over the shoulders of several other students, her eyes scanning their papers and markings. Yugi's eyes went wide before they darted around the room frantically. It took several seconds before he remembered that no one could see Kagome. "Yugi-kun, it seems that "C" is most popular for number one," Kagome said with a smile.
'Kagome-chan, I can't cheat. That's wrong!' Yugi exclaimed.
"Wouldn't failing be wrong as well?" Kagome asked with a questioning expression.
'Yes, but…It's more "bad" than "wrong". It was my mistake not to study. I'll accept the consequences,' Yugi sighed.
Kagome frowned before rejoining Yugi's side. "You are very remarkable, Yugi-kun. I admire your morality. If you like, I could fill out the answers for you. Technically, you would not be doing the cheating," Kagome winked. Atem chuckled once as he rolled his eyes. Kagome shot him a dry look before smiling at Yugi once again. Yugi shook his head with a fond smile before quickly filling in his best guesses.
'No thanks, Kagome-chan. I'll be fine,' Yugi smiled as he got up to hand in his test.
"Perhaps you would rather take me up on a previous offer instead?" Kagome hinted as she languidly floated over Anzu's head. Yugi blushed once again at Kagome hints before taking his seat with his head hung to hide his ripe blush.
'Why are you so keen on interfering with Yugi's love life?' Atem asked with a curious glint in his violet eyes. Yugi desperately wished that his seat would swallow him whole.
"Because there is nothing purer than innocent love. And I can tell that Yugi-kun's got it bad. I can also tell that this Anzu-chan has some sort of feelings for Yugi-kun too. She just doesn't realize it yet," Kagome said with an exasperated sigh and roll of her eyes.
Atem frowned. He could tell that she was lying to him. He prided himself on his ability to see through lies quite easily. Although she hid it well, there was more to her story that she wasn't telling him. He narrowed his gaze at her as she smirked at him.
'You really think so, Kagome-chan?' Yugi asked suddenly with an anxious expression.
With a sly look, Kagome smirked at the Pharaoh before smiling at Yugi. Atem over exaggeratedly rolled his eyes at her childish behavior before turning his eyes onto his host. Like dangling candy before a child, Yugi seemed to gain a new light about him at Kagome's words. Atem watched them with guarded eyes. The last thing he wanted was for Yugi to be crushed by Kagome's ideas. He would have to watch her carefully.
"If what you've told me is correct, you've known each other for some time. Correct? I am sure that you two have grown rather close. Is it possible that she only sees you as a dear friend," Kagome mused with a thoughtful expression. Yugi's hopes deflated at once as he sunk down into his desk. Of course Anzu would only see him as a friend. He should have known. Even Kagome could see it. Atem shot Kagome a glare. Why would she purposefully raise his hopes only to shut him down? Disregarding both boy's reactions, Kagome smiled. "We'll just have to change that."
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"Kagome-chan, are you sure about this?" Yugi asked as he sat cross-legged on his bed. He stared up at Kagome's floating form with an unsure look, doubt running though his eyes.
Kagome placed her hands on her hips, a loud breath escaping her. She shot Yugi a look before speaking, "Yugi-kun, I'm telling you. I know what I'm talking about. Trust me, Yugi-kun. You're a very nice guy. Girls would be lining up at your feet for you to court them if you only had a little more faith in yourself."
'A word of advice, Kagome? Humans don't use the word "court" anymore. I believe that it is "go out" or "date" now,' Atem smirked from where he leaned against the wall with his arms folded. He had stood back to allow Kagome to instruct Yugi, not making a sound other than soft chuckles and scoffs here and there.
Kagome rolled her eyes at him before shooting him a strained smile. "Thank you, oh All-Knowing Pharaoh," Kagome bowed extravagantly. "Nonetheless, you must have more faith in yourself, Yugi-kun. A little faith plus a new attitude and you can become the most eligible bachelor of the 21st century. I guarantee it!"
Yugi raised a brow at Kagome before chuckling sheepishly. "If you say so, Kagome-chan…" it wasn't that he didn't believe her. I was just that he doubted she could change his entire attitude with her "lessons". But, if she insisted on trying why not let her?
Kagome smiled again before staring directly at Yugi. She took the time to truly observe him. Yugi was very kind and compassionate. Not only that, he possessed some wisdom that normal teenagers shouldn't have. He was definitely one of a kind. But, where he excelled in kindness and trustfulness, he failed in self-confidence. Now that she thought about it, he was near the exact opposite of the Pharaoh. She was sure that the Pharaoh didn't completely lack any sense of kindness just as Yugi didn't lack any sort of confidence. Perhaps them being bonded was more than just a coincidence?
"Kagome-chan? Are you alright?" Yugi asked after some time. Kagome had been staring at him for some time, her eyes darting to the Pharaoh before moving back onto him. She looked to be thinking rather deeply as she started to pace mid-air.
"You two are a pairing created by a divine power. It's more than a coincidence. Tell me. How much have you learned from each other?" Kagome said after some time.
"From…each other?" Yugi said after some time. He was instantly brought back several months to the Ceremonial Duel. He had realized that he had learned to have some sense of self-confidence in himself. While he still held onto his shy persona, he was much better off than that time so long ago before he had met the Pharaoh.
Atem straightened up at Kagome's question. He could tell that Yugi was thinking of their last duel- the duel that had proven that they were not yet meant to separate from each other. Although they had already learned a great deal from each other, they still had much more to learn.
"I feel that we must take advantage of such an opportunity. We were both placed in your possession Yugi-kun. And there is much that we can teach you. So let's get started," Kagome smiled even wider now. "Yugi-kun, for all intents and purposes I am now Anzu-chan. Go ahead ask me to partake on a "date". And remember to have faith in yourself," Kagome said and smiled encouragingly. Standing before Yugi, Kagome even went through the lengths of dressing in the Domino High's female uniform. It's not like she had seen Anzu in anything else to have an idea of the girl's style…
"Um…okay," Yugi started. He opened his mouth to speak, but with Kagome's expectant eyes on him along with the Pharaoh's amused ones, he choked. His eyes adverted to look anywhere else, but at Kagome as his hand got lost in his hair. He could hear random sounds escaping his thick throat, no actual words coming out. When he felt a hand strike his head, he cried out in pain. "Kagome-chan, what?"
"Yugi-kun, I am right here. I am not on the ceiling. You must maintain eye contact. That it crucial! Now, try again," Kagome huffed.
"I don't think this is going to work, Kagome-chan. I can talk to Anzu-chan just fine, but when it comes to romantic stuff, I freeze up," Yugi shrugged with a hopelessly lost look in his wide, violet eyes.
Kagome sighed and bit her lip. This was not going well. She had to find a way to boost his confidence. Her eyes landed on where the Pharaoh was standing off to the side and staring at them with veiled indifference. She smirked as a wicked idea came to mind. "I have an idea. What better way than to learn by example?" Kagome said to Yugi before standing at the Pharaoh's side. Atem gave the girl a strange look, not liking where this was going. "I don't think I have to explain my idea to you. Do I?"
'No,' he denied with a dry, unamused look. Kagome let out a frustrated noise as she flailed her arms up once. Atem shot her a dry glare as she began going into the necessity of Yugi having a reference to fall back on. "Learning by sight" she had called it. Even after her pleas, he still denied her.
"Am I not good enough for you, your Highness?" Kagome huffed with folded arms.
'What does it matter? I wouldn't be really asking you out,' he retorted.
"Then it shouldn't matter! Just do it for Yugi-kun," Kagome exclaimed.
Atem stared at her for several seconds before letting his eyes fall on Yugi. Yugi sat on his bed with a small smile and highly amused eyes. Yugi sent him a "go on" gesture with a wave of his hand as he held back his laughter. At least he was getting some enjoyment out of this. With a sigh, he sent Kagome a dry look before nodding once. Kagome seemed pleased at his acquiescence.
"Hello, Pharaoh. What can I do for you?" Kagome smiled at him in a sweetly innocent way. Atem narrowed his glare at her. He could tell that she was getting a large amount of amusement out of him. He did not like being made a fool of. Suddenly and without warning, his expression shifted. Kagome frowned slightly. He was smiling at her slightly, but his eyes looked mischievous.
'Hello, Kagome. It would be my honor if you would do me the pleasure of being my date this Friday night. There is a movie that I think you would enjoy seeing,' Atem said and finished with his most charming smile. If he was going to ask her out, he would do it right. Whether he was forced to or not…
Kagome grit her teeth. He was messing with her! How dare he look at her like that when she was sure that he only tolerated her a best! She was far from liking him, but that didn't stop her from appreciating a handsome male's flirtatious efforts. It was too bad that she didn't like him… "I'm going to have to decline. I think that I'll be getting food poisoning that night," Kagome ground out.
'You cannot blame me for trying,' Atem sighed in false disappointment while sporting a smirk. He went back to his place leaning against the wall as Kagome began instructing Yugi again. His eyes watched her face again. He was sure that he had seen the false hate in her eyes fade for just a second before being replaced something akin to delight. He was sure that she did not truly hate him. She was only reciprocating his feelings towards her. Perhaps, he could try to trust her the way his Aibou had? She didn't seem to be trying to harm them. If anything, she was mostly keeping secrets from them. It was not as if he had been completely honest with her either.
Kagome watched the gears begin to turn in Yugi's head as she finished giving him some more pointers. She could feel the Pharaoh's gaze on her, but she didn't acknowledge him. When she saw that he wasn't going to stop piercing her with his eyes anytime soon, she turned her gaze onto him. He was a perplexing spirit. She had tried to figure him out, but his mind was like a maze. He was complex, but she realized that from her first meeting of him. She shot him a smirk that he returned. She'd figure him out eventually. And he would have to get used to her eventually as well. She could be more than charming when she was ready.
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This was it. He was sure of it. He could sense her power from anywhere. It was faint, but he could sense her dark magic above everything else. It had taken some time- 5,000 years in fact-, but she had finally slip up. She had once again come out of hiding and made herself easy for him to track. She was far east. It had been some time since he had been back home. Now, he had more than enough reason to call this hunt off prematurely. She was waiting for him and he'd be more than happy to take her back.
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Edited: 1/4/13
