Hello lovely readers! I can't tell you how much your reviews and support means to me! These next two chapters won't be quite as eventful as the last two, but I think you'll enjoy them anyways.
And I guess there's no fooling you guys either. Most of you guessed the identity of last chapter's mystery guest correctly.
Thanks to ptd163, Mixer18, xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx, TFRiD Queen, AnimeKiwi369, FiringShootingStar, Rose-Aki, LadyRosalie29, RunoandAkizafan, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, Shinn Tsukishiro, ProChampionDuelistA.K. , Tornado-22, dbzgtfan2004, FanficFemale, Xen Kenshin, and jtdarkman for reviewing!
As always, a special thanks to my lovely beta ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh 5D's or any other aspects of the Yugioh franchise. All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.
Chapter 6
The next day, Akiza woke to the smell of something sweet and delicious wafting into her room. She left the fringes of her pleasant dreams of the day before and stretched while sitting up in her bed, curious as to the source of the sugary aroma. Her parents were still out of town, and none of her friends had spent the night. All Akiza knew was that her mouth was watering, and she had a feeling she knew who was responsible for her hunger.
She got out of bed and slipped on a white tank top over her bra and panties, which was her standard sleeping attire, or lack thereof. There wasn't any reason to cover her body since the only other person occupying the house had seen her pleasuring herself just over a day ago. Akiza walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, the sweet scent growing stronger.
It was a bizarre sight. The stove was on, flames at cooking level. Pans and spatulas were hovering over the fire, making breakfast on their own accord. She saw a wooden spoon stirring itself in a bowl of batter. A floating pan flipped the flapjack inside of it, shaking itself to ensure a thorough cooking. A day ago, Akiza would have been surprised. Now, the magic meal-making was expected with the greatest sorceress in all of Duel Monsters living with her.
"Morning," the Dark Magician Girl said. She was sitting at the table with her legs propped up, reading a raggedy-looking brick of a book that Akiza assumed fell under the category of magic or enchantment. "Care for some pancakes? They're strawberry flavored."
Akiza sat down at the table, feeling very out of place in her own house. "Sure," she said. "I would ask where you learned to cook, but I'm not sure I want to know the answer."
"Just try some. You'll fall in love almost as hard as you fell for Yusei," she replied. She snapped her fingers, and a plate sped its way onto the table in front of Akiza. A pan dumped a stack of four strawberry pancakes on the plate, topped with powdered sugar and a slice of butter while a hovering jar tipped and poured a sticky coating of pink strawberry sauce over the golden stack. A napkin tucked itself in Akiza's lap. Four thin slices of strawberry sat themselves on top of the pancakes, and the stack was topped off by a spot of whipped cream from a floating can.
Akiza sat in awe. "My Ra, I feel like I'm being served a royal breakfast," she replied. The pancakes looked so perfect that she almost didn't want to eat them.
"Well, I thought we could celebrate a little bit after yesterday," the Dark Magician Girl said, not looking up from her spellbook. "I'd say you did a great job."
"Thanks, Dark," Akiza replied. "As I said before, I couldn't have done it without you. And thanks for breakfast, too." She picked up her silverware and neatly cut off a slice of pancake. She popped it in her mouth, chewing slowly, and her eyes grew wide as her taste buds lit up. "These... are... amazing!" she cried, ravenously taking another bite. "You have to show me how to make these!"
"Good idea. That way you can serve Yusei breakfast in bed," the Dark Magician Girl teased.
Akiza was irked at this comment until she realized that it might not be a bad idea. Although, she knew she had a long way to go before she and Yusei did... that. They were still skipping around each other like flustered pigeons, but hopefully that would change in the very near future.
The Dark Magician Girl's raunchy comment made her think. A troubling issue that had been bothering Akiza ever since the previous day slipped back into her mind, causing her stomach to churn with trepidation. She set her silverware down, suddenly not feeling hungry.
"Dark?" Akiza whispered, her eyes downcast.
"Hmm?" the spellcaster answered, nose still buried in her manuscript.
"Can I... ask you something important?"
"Sure," the Dark Magician Girl answered.
Akiza sighed. "Well... the whole breakfast in bed thing... it... I mean..."
The Dark Magician Girl looked up from her book, understanding the subject matter from Akiza's demeanor. "Oh, I see... This is something about sex, isn't it?"She closed the manuscript and leaned forward on the table, giving Akiza her undivided attention.
Akiza flinched at the word. "N-no, it's... I mean, yes, but..."
"You know, at some point you're going to learn that your unhealthy amount of self-consciousness will only lead to embarrassment around me," she said playfully.
Akiza became frustrated with herself for always falling back into her shy rut. She hated feeling so exposed about so many things, and she resolved to try harder at breaking out of her shell. "True," she replied. She gathered her thoughts before she spoke. "Alright, I... I'm scared that I won't be able to please Yusei."
"Please Yusei?" the Dark Magician Girl echoed. "Where's this coming from? Yesterday you were shy about trying on clothes for him, and now you're thinking about how to give him satisfaction in the bedroom?"
"No, it's more than that," Akiza replied. "It's just... if he returns my feelings, then won't he want more of me? Won't it be time for us to... do it?" She shook her head. "I'm scared, Dark. I... I love Yusei, but I don't think I'm ready to share my body with him yet. I just... I'm..."
"You're what?"
Akiza looked away in shame. "I'm a virgin."
The Dark Magician Girl continued gazing expectantly. "So?"
Akiza ran her hands painfully through her hair. "What if Yusei wants more of me and I'm not ready? What if I can't please him and he resents me for it? What if-"
"Whoa, whoa, time out," the Dark Magician Girl said, interrupting Akiza. "You're still just a teenager here. What gave you the idea that being in a relationship means you're immediately required to have sex with the one you're committed to?"
Akiza's eyebrows feathered. "Because, I... I don't know. Isn't that just the way it works?"
"Come on, I know that's not the full truth," the spellcaster replied. "You can trust me. What makes you think that?"
There was no fooling the Dark Magician Girl, Akiza realized. The teen was filled with shame at what she was about to reveal. "Fine... In my life before, when I was the Black Rose... most people hated me, but there were some guys who tried to approach me. A few of them were kind at first, but they all turned out to be selfish jerks. They all wanted the same thing from me, and every one of them called it love when they tried to get in my pants. All those guys trying to get me into bed was the closest thing to affection anyone ever showed me back then. After a while... I guess I just started assuming that you couldn't have love without having sex, too."
The Dark Magician Girl gave Akiza a sad smile, now knowing her friend needed more help than she first realized. It made sense, after all. Akiza's previous life as the Black Rose left her almost no opportunity to receive genuine love or affection, and her years of being alone and hated left her devoid of much knowledge about romance. All that considered, it was almost expected for her to have a warped view of sex.
"Let me be the first to tell you this, Akiza; it wasn't love that made those guys try to take you home with them, it was their egos. Some guys sleep with women because they want to be cool or gain a sense of power, not because they care about the girls they take to bed. If a guy just wants you for your body, that's not love. That's selfish lust. Not that lust is a bad thing, it allows couples to share a special and rewarding desire for one another. But when people let their lust run rampant, they can emotionally damage others and themselves."
"I know all that," Akiza said. "But what if Yusei wants to make love and I'm not ready? Or worse, what if I'm terrible at it?"
"First of all," the Dark Magician Girl said. "Being in a relationship doesn't mean you have to have sex right away. In fact, many relationships fail because they are based on sex, and the two people involved never truly get to know each other on a deeper level. Lots of couples wait several weeks or months before having sex so they can get to know their partners better, and some people even wait until they are married because they want to save their virginity for their future spouses. If Yusei really loves you - and trust me, he does - then he will be willing to wait as long as you need."
Akiza nodded. The idea of waiting for a while seemed like a good thing. It would give her and Yusei time to learn how to be more than friends. "I... I guess that makes sense, and it does take a lot of pressure off me. But when the time does come, what if I can't please him? I told you, I'm still a virgin-"
"And there's nothing wrong with that," the Dark Magician Girl replied. "Your virginity is special, Akiza, and you shouldn't just throw it away. Sex is a special thing that you should share with someone you love and trust. It doesn't make you weird or prudish to still be a virgin, especially at your young age. It just means you're waiting for the right person. And as for pleasing Yusei, I wouldn't worry about it. He just got his first kiss, so I'm sure he's still a virgin. If you truly love the person you're making love to, then you shouldn't have any trouble giving Yusei all the satisfaction he needs."
"Really?" Akiza asked.
"On my honor as a sorceress," the Dark Magician Girl promised."And don't worry if it gets awkward or something goes a little wrong. Just laugh it off and resume what you were doing."
"I'm still afraid he won't like my body," Akiza said.
"Akiza, you made Yusei faint because so much of his blood went to his you-know-what that there wasn't enough left to power his head," the Dark Magician Girl teased. "I'd say he already thinks you have the body of a goddess. And if it does turn out that one of you is bored or unsatisfied during sex, then there are plenty of ways to easily spice up your love life. Sex should be the last thing on your mind, Akiza. If you let it happen when the time is right, when you and Yusei are so in love that you have no doubt you want to share your body with him, then it's the most beautiful and pleasurable thing you'll ever experience. And that goes for Yusei as well."
Akiza smiled. In light of everything her friend had just said, she really had nothing to worry about. The time to share herself completely with Yusei would come, but she wouldn't try to rush it. Instead, she decided to enjoy every moment with Yusei and do what felt comfortable and natural.
"Thank you, Dark," Akiza replied. She suddenly realized the hilarity of the situation and started giggling uncontrollably. "Wait... did the Dark Magician Girl really just give me 'the talk'?"
The spellcaster raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Hmm, I suppose I did."
The rest of the day passed quickly for Akiza. After breakfast, she went for a jog across the street from the Izinski residence, where a beautiful rose garden grew. She had started doing it as a way to stay fit, since her new life no longer required her to constantly be on the run from potential threats to her safety. She asked the Dark Magician Girl if she wanted to join her, but the spellcaster elected to stay inside and read her spellbook.
Akiza ran though the garden, all the while reliving the life-changing day that had passed. Her thoughts drifted to Yusei. What would happen now that he knew of her feelings? Granted, he didn't know the whole truth - that Akiza loved him more than anyone, and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him - but he was now aware she wanted to be more than just friends. She knew she should have felt happy about that fact, but deep down, she couldn't help but regret that she and Yusei were no longer 'friends' by definition. She wondered if it was possible to be friends with someone you love and decided to ask Dark about it when she got back.
Her pondering made Akiza feel several things, but none as prominent as a longing for Yusei to call her with his answer. She respected and cared for him enough to give him the time he needed, but her heart simply did not want to wait. It was ironic to Akiza that her desire to finally confess her feelings to Yusei were immediately replaced by an even greater desire for him to return her feelings after the fact. She could still feel his lips on her own.
Half an hour passed, and Akiza returned to her house out of breath, where the Dark Magician Girl was still reclined in the kitchen chair with her nose in her book.
"You should get some fresh air every once in a while," Akiza said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "What's in that book anyways?"
"Just some esoteric scholarly stuff about the history and significance of the Chaos monsters and the two Envoys," she explained. "They're powerful Duel Spirits that were more prominent back in Yugi's time. I doubt any still exist in this realm, but I like to know about my order's history. You'd probably find it boring."
Akiza sat down beside her and stole a glance at a page. The writing was in a language that she didn't recognize, but she did recognize a picture in the top right. "Hey, isn't that the Dark Magician of Chaos?" she asked. "One of Yugi's ace monsters?"
The Dark Magician Girl nodded. "Yeah, and it never hurts to brush up on my old master's history either. Maybe I can still learn a thing or two from his battles."
"Oh, that's right. I forgot that the Dark Magician trained you," Akiza commented. She frowned. "Hey, Dark? Can I ask you another question?"
"Shoot," the spellcaster replied.
"Is it possible for two people to be in a relationship and still be friends?"
The Dark Magician Girl closed her book and took a second to gather her thoughts. "Personally, I think the best relationships are between people who were good friends before-hand,"she answered."And if you're scared that you and Yusei won't know how to act around each other when you do become his girlfriend, remember this; just act like best friends, but only closer."
"Best friends... but only closer," Akiza repeated.
"Yeah. Do stuff together like always, but hold hands while doing it. Watch movies like before, but now you can cuddle. Share those special moments together, but kiss to make them perfect. Does that make sense?"
Akiza nodded. She had never seen it that way before, but she liked the point her friend was making. She and Yusei becoming a couple didn't mean they were throwing away the friendship they had before, it meant that they were taking that bond of friendship they shared and using it to build something even more special.
"You make everything so simple and clear," Akiza said. "How?"
"Love is a complicated thing," the Dark Magician Girl replied."Fortunately, I've learned a lot about love in the centuries I've lived."
"Well, I'm still working on my first century, so I've got a long way to go," Akiza joked. She stood up and made for the stairs. "I'm going to hop in the shower."
"Mmmhmm," the Dark Magician Girl said matter-of-factly. "I know what happens in a teenage girl's shower. And don't sweat it, I won't be observing like last time."
Akiza glared and stomped up the stairs, frustrated that she was so easily read by the Dark Magician Girl. All the spellcaster could do was smirk at her master's indignance.
Evening came, and Akiza still had the house to herself, with the exception of her ever-present friend. Her parents were still out of town, and they wouldn't be back until late that night. They told Akiza that they would see her in the morning. After a quick exchange of 'I love you's', Akiza settled in for the night. Her day had been productive if nothing else.
She was doing some physics homework in her room when her phone rang. A glance at the caller-ID made Akiza's heart skip a beat. She dropped her pen and quickly stood up.
"Oh, Ra, it's Yusei!" she exclaimed.
The Dark Magician Girl looked up. She was floating in the air above Akiza's bed, still captivated by her book. "Well? Aren't you going to answer it?"
Akiza started to panic. "But what if-"
"Answer the damn phone!" the Dark Magician Girl cried.
The teen flinched and flipped it open. She was barely able to breathe as she slowly raised it to her ear. This was a call she had been both anticipating and fearing because it was the first time she and Yusei would talk after her confession the previous day.
"H-Hello?" Akiza said.
"Hey, there," Yusei answered from the other end.
She looked up at the Dark Magician Girl for help, but the spellcaster was nowhere to be found. She silently cursed the crafty duel spirit and tried to stay calm. "H-Hey, Yusei," she replied shakily. "How are you?"
"I'm good," he replied. "Just calling to say hi."
"Oh," Akiza answered. So he hadn't made up his mind yet. "Well, thanks. It's always good to hear from you."
"Same for you," he replied.
The two talked for almost twenty minutes. Yusei told Akiza about how he, Jack, and Crow were taking their runners out for test runs that week and that he would be extremely busy. Akiza told Yusei about her physics test and the paper she was working on. It was a normal conversation between two best friends, just like they always had. But all the while, Akiza felt like Yusei was building up to something, or perhaps that some dynamic of their conversation was different than before. If so, the cause was obvious.
"Well, I better be getting to bed," Yusei said. "We have a long day tomorrow."
"Same here," Akiza replied.
There were a few beats of silence when neither Yusei nor Akiza spoke. Each was waiting for the other to say something, but Akiza was all out of words. She didn't know what to do next. Normally they would say an amiable goodbye and try to meet over a meal the next day. But that seemed to not be an option given what had come to light the day before.
"I haven't forgotten what you said," Yusei whispered. "And I promise, I'm trying as hard as I can to discern my feelings."
Akiza smiled. That was all she needed to feel at peace; the knowledge that Yusei was still thinking about her confession, and that he was willing to take a risk with her. "Thank you, Yusei. I know it's hard, but just remember that I'm always here for you."
"And I'm always here if you need me," Yusei replied. "Well... goodnight, Akiza. I'll talk to you later."
"Goodnight, Yusei," she said. "I'm looking forward to it."
She slowly closed the phone and set it down beside her. Everything seemed to stand pleasantly still in the wake of the call. She turned off her phone and put up her homework before walking over and shutting off the lights in her room.
The Dark Magician Girl materialized in front of her. "Was that so bad?"
"No," Akiza answered. She smiled again. "It was wonderful, actually."
"I'm glad." The spellcaster stretched her arms and yawned. "Well, it's getting late. I think it's time for us to turn in."
"Do you need a bed to sleep in?" Akiza asked. "We have a guest room."
"Nah, I've got it covered," she replied. "When I'm in this realm, my card is a sanctuary of sorts. It links me from this realm to my own and contains everything I need to sustain myself. Normally I wouldn't need much sleep at all, but traveling to your world is exhausting for duel spirits."
"Links you to this realm?" Akiza repeated. "Does that mean you're bound to your card?"
"That's right. You're very perceptive," the Dark Magician Girl complimented. "Any duel spirits summoned by a duelist are bound directly to the cards that contain their spirits. The only way for a duel spirit to be autonomous of its card in this world is if they travel here on their own accord, but such a journey requires a very large amount of power. I doubt that there's two dozen duel spirits I know of that can achieve such a feat. And even if a spirit makes it here, its card still has a considerable amount of influence over it, although the extent of that influence is not always clear."
"Dark, I appreciate your little lessons, but a yes or no would've been fine," Akiza joked. "Although, it might be useful to know this stuff now that I'm dealing with duel spirits."
"Which is exactly why I'm giving you these 'little lessons,'" she said.
Akiza crawled into bed and threw her covers over herself. She turned out her lamp and laid her head down on the pillow, letting her sleepiness wash over her. "Goodnight, Dark."
"Goodnight, Akiza."
An idea occurred to the teen before she succumbed to sleep. She flipped the lamp back on. "Hey, Dark? Can you still see me if you're in your card?"
The Dark Magician Girl reappeared and smirked. "Why? Thinking of getting in some 'alone time'? Oh, wait, I forgot; you already pleasured yourself in the shower, right?"
Akiza looked at her with an irked expression. The Dark Magician Girl's constant barrage of sex-related quips were making Akiza callous to the subject when it occurred between the two. Perhaps that was the Dark Magician Girl's intent all along.
The teen stared daggers through the spellcaster, not dignifying her prodding with an answer. The Dark Magician Girl sighed. "No, I can't see you unless I consciously gaze out of my card. Geez, I thought it would be fun once you stopped being embarrassed about sex."
"Well, tough luck," Akiza replied, turning off the lamp once more. She rolled over and laid still. The Dark Magician Girl sighed and surveyed the room for a moment. She decided to be cautious as always and cast a few protective enchantments around the walls, most of them out of habit. She was about to enter her card again when she heard something.
"...alright, fine. You were right."
Her ears perked up, and she turned back to Akiza, her curiosity sparked. "About what?"
Akiza rolled back around to face her. "You know what," she replied with a begrudged tone.
The Dark Magician Girl's eyes widened. Maybe this would be fun after all. A mischievous smile crossed her face. "Which part? The shower or now?"
Akiza gave a labored sigh. "...Both."
"Oh... erm, wow," the Dark Magician Girl replied. "I'll, ah... leave you alone then." Akiza nodded, and the spellcaster turned back to her card."Hey, Akiza?"
"Yeah, Dark?"
"I really enjoy being friends with you. Thanks for being a good sport through all this."
Akiza smiled back. "I've enjoyed it, too. And thanks for teaching me how to play the game, so to speak."
The next day passed surprisingly quickly for a Monday. Akiza woke up and performed her usual morning routine before meeting her parents downstairs. They were, of course, happy to see their daughter after a long weekend away. Her mother made a light breakfast for Akiza, and they conversed about how their weekends were. Akiza elected not to tell her parents about her confession to Yusei just yet. She didn't want them to think she was in a relationship when she wasn't. She finished her breakfast and was off to school.
Classes were mundane as usual, but there was nothing Akiza had too much trouble with. The more physics she did, the easier it became, and her normally frustrating class was now bearable. Her test was challenging, but her studying paid off, and Akiza knew she had done well. In every class, Akiza couldn't take her mind off of Yusei. What was he doing, thinking, feeling at that very moment? Was he thinking of her? Was he realizing he had feelings, too?
The Dark Magician Girl had elected to come with Akiza to school, the main reason being that she wanted Akiza to have possession of her card at all times. The spellcaster was mostly quiet, but she did have to snap Akiza out of her daydreams a few times. The spellcaster wondered how Akiza ever got by without her.
There were a few practice duels that day, and Akiza defeated all three opponents she was paired against with ease. It was no secret she was the best in the school, and she was quickly earning a reputation among even the most accomplished of duelists in New Domino. Even the Dark Magician Girl was impressed by Akiza's skills, which was a huge compliment coming from one of Yugi Moto's former cards.
After making it through class, Akiza met with Carly for a late lunch. They caught up after spending a few days away from each other, but Akiza didn't tell Carly about her confession, either. She was trying to keep the whole ordeal under wraps until Yusei was ready to tell her how he felt. It was less pressure for both of them if their friends weren't breathing down their necks the whole time.
Akiza went home after meeting Carly. She put on some jogging clothes, ran around the rose garden a few times, showered, and started on her homework. She got it done in about an hour, only getting stuck briefly on one problem. Dinner with her parents was nice, and Akiza wondered if the Dark Magician Girl needed any food. She gestured at the meal to the spellcaster quietly, but the Dark Magician Girl shook her head 'no.' She thanked Akiza but said she had everything she needed.
After cleaning up the dining room, Akiza retreated to her room, where she stripped down to her underwear and laid out her deck in a forty card spread. Her deck had been performing well, but she wanted to find a way to strengthen her early game. Akiza was finding it tough to be aggressive in her first few turns, and she had been searching for a way to speed up her deck. The Dark Magician Girl offered a few suggestions, but none of them solved the problem without compromising the consistency of the deck. Akiza swapped out two cards for testing purposes and holstered her deck in its deck box.
It was then that it occurred to her that she still hadn't heard form Yusei. The clock read almost nine, and she checked her phone to make sure she didn't miss his call.
"Did he forget?" Akiza wondered aloud.
"He said he would be busy today," the Dark Magician Girl replied. "If he doesn't call you tonight, he'll do it tomorrow."
Akiza accepted the explanation without question, knowing the Dark Magician Girl was right. She decided not to let it bother her and got ready for bed. She laid down to sleep when her phone buzzed, signaling she received a text message. She flipped open her phone and saw it was from Yusei.
'Hey, Akiza. Sorry I wasn't able to call you today, we just got back to the garage. I'll talk to you tomorrow when I get a minute. And don't worry, I'm still thinking about you.'
A warm feeling settled inside Akiza's chest. This was love she felt for Yusei, no doubt about it. She smiled and texted a quick reply.
'That's okay, I understand life can be crazy. Take your time. Looking forward to hearing from you.'
Akiza pushed send on the message when another thought occurred to her. She typed in one more message before shutting off her phone and going to sleep.
'PS - I'm always thinking of you, Yusei. You mean so much to me. Sleep tight.'
Her dreams were filled with longing for love as she yearned for him with all her heart.