The next two days went past much easier with the help of Yugi and his
friends. Besides the walk Pegasus had insisted everyday and the meals, Lia
was pretty much free to do as she wishes, but she knew it would be
different after tonight. After tonight, she would officially be Lia
Monnétte Pegasus, heiress of Maximillion Pegasus.
"And I summon the Dark Magician, in attack mode." Yami Yugi declared,
laying a card down on the table. "Dark magic attack!"
"There goes my Mystical Elf." Lia said in dismay. She drew another card.
Her eyebrows arched up, her eyes narrowed, and she smirked. Yami flinched,
his violet eyes questioning. Kaiba usually smirks like that when he had
just drawn...
"Blue-Eyes-White-Dragon, white lightening attack!" Lia commanded. Yami
groaned.
"Looks like Yugi has finally met his match." Joey whispered to Tristan who
whispered back, "No way, he's letting her."
Bakura interrupted, "She has Kaiba's talent, she just needs some
instruction and confidence. She needs people to help her explore that
talent."
Just then, they all heard a squeal as duel monster cards flew over their
heads, "Yugi, you dog! You let me win!!" Téa giggled as she watch Lia as
she faced an innocent-eyed Yami, whose lips curled up with a fond smile at
her. Téa appreciated her friend's help of distracting the younger girl from
tonight. It had only been two days, but their friendship was beyond time
itself. Unlike Kaiba, Lia was drawn to their warm friendship like bees to
honey and unlike their attitude toward Kaiba, the boys adores Lia more than
they'd like to admit.
"Hey, it seems like I'm not the only puppy-dog around here anymore." Joey
leaned back on his chair. "Don't you guys think she'd make a great duelist?
She should be in the tournament. All the guys would be willing to loose
their star chips just to have a chance to duel her and introduce
themselves."
"I'd like to think they'd duel me because of my ability, not my
looks." Lia said earnestly, a stab of pain entered her heart. That's
exactly what her brother would have said. None of the others noticed her
pained eyes.
"With your looks, who needs ability?" Tristan waved it off, sure of
himself. Bakura, noticing the unhappy expression on Lia's face, cleared his
throat.
"What are we suppose to wear to the party tonight? I heard the party
is a formal, due to all the media and press that are going to be there on
the account of the announcement..." His voice trailed off as a pair of eyes
casting a dirty look at him turned to his direction. Remembering they
weren't suppose to mention about tonight, his expression changed to horror
as his eyes popped twice its size.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He cried as Joey made a lunge for
him, determined to squish him for ruining their plans. Fortunate for
Bakura, before Joey could reach him, there was a knock on the door. One of
Pegasus's co-workers came in, his arms loaded with white cardboard boxes.
"Gentlemen," he nodded to the guys. "These are compliments of Mr.
Pegasus." He set four of the boxes down. "He hopes it's to your liking." He
checked a slip of paper and looked around. Joey walked over and pulled the
lid off the top box.
"Whoa!" He exclaimed. "You mean we actually have to wear these?! I
was just going to wear my regular clothes." The man ignored Joey and turned
to Téa and Lia.
"Ladies, I'll lay your dresses away in Miss Lia's dressing room.
Surely it would be to your convenience." They nodded. The man continued,
"Mr. Pegasus wants to make sure you boys make yourself presentable tonight,
especially--" He checked his slip of paper again. "--Yugi Muto and Joseph
Wheeler." This time, Joey and Yugi nodded. "If you boys have any trouble
with the tuxes, there are instructions in the box. Good day to you all." He
left for Lia's room with four boxes. Lia noticed the names on the boxes. It
was dresses for her, Téa, and Mai Valentine. The last box was for Bandit
Keith. Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Bandit Keith were the champions for the Duel
Monsters tournament and were staying at different parts of the castle. The
boys turned to Lia after the man was gone.
"Lia, did you know anything about this?" Joey demanded. Lia shrugged,
though her eyes were bright. Merriment dripped from her lilting voice.
"Pegasus did mentioned some appropriate clothing for you, Yugi, and
Bandit Keith, but I didn't know he was also going to present tuxes to
Tristan and Bakura as well." Tristan and Bakura groaned.
"We were almost off the hook. So close, just a few more hours."
Tristan muttered.
"Maybe it won't be that bad." Bakura said, looking sadly at his jeans
and sneaker. "But I really don't think my Millennium Ring would go with the
tux."
"Well, it's going to take more than Pegasus to make me wear this.
There's no way I'm wearing it." Joey said firmly, dropping the pressed
black tux jacket back into the box.
"You'd better, Joey," Yugi said, turning back to himself from Yami.
"You don't know what Pegasus would do to you." Joey snorted.
"Yeah, let that Flyin' Horse do whatever he wants, he won't get me in
that suit." He said determinedly.
"At least you guys have tuxes that are still worn today." Téa added
meaningfully. "I saw all of Lia's dresses. It looks like we're from the
17th century! Thank God Pegasus didn't supply us with hoops also." Téa
scowled. The guys snickered. "Oh, be quiet!" She snapped. To stop her
friends before the bickering gets any worse, Lia stepped in.
"Any body else wants to duel me?" She said cheerfully, holding up a
handful of cards.
"I will!" Joey called out, stepping away from the table. "I ain't
even gonna care if you win, Beautiful, I just want a chance to duel you and
watch you win." He kidded. His teasing was rewarded by another handful of
card that shower him over the head. He tripped on his own feet and sat down
hard on the floor.
"Joseph Wheeler!" Joey looked up to see Lia standing before, hands on
her hip. He recognized her anger whenever she calls him by his full name.
"I swear--okay, I can't swear." She admitted, but her eyes flashed and
burned good-naturally. "But I can promise you that if you don't wear your
tux this evening, you won't be laughing!"
"Miss Lia, Miss Téa," Pegasus greeted graciously at the bottom of the grand staircase. "May I compliment on how enchanting and charming you both look this evening?" "Thanks." Téa filled in the silence. "Thanks for the dresses too. They're quite lovely." She winced as the tight bodice jabbed her ribs for the third time. Pegasus took her praise and fixed his gaze on Lia face. Téa didn't blame him. She had done the same thing when she first met Lia. She guessed now it was something about the way Lia's mysterious blue eyes were framed by her arched brows. It gave her a look of intrigue, like a smooth skinned actress in an old spy movie. She hadn't always admired the enigmatic look. But since their long heart-to heart talk, Lia and her captivating looks didn't intimidate her anymore. She felt though as if they were sisters. "Now, if you don't mind excusing us, Miss Téa, my heiress and I must make a presence entrance of the castle." Tucking Lia's hands securely in the crook of his elbow, Pegasus led Lia away to the in the main lobby. Lia nervously looked back. Téa tried to give her a reassuring smile. "Téa? Hey, Téa!" An eager voice behind her said after Lia disappeared from her view. She looked back and found three of her buddies standing behind her. "Wow," Yugi's admiring eyes looked her from top to bottom, making her blush. "You look wonderful, Téa." "That dress has the most attractive affect on you." Bakura said, slouching, hands in his pockets. He looked embarrassed to be caught in a tuxedo. "You guys don't look bad yourself." Téa chuckled. "You guys actually look quite decent." It was true. Who'd have known that her best friends, who usually just settles with casually clothing, could look this stunning? She looked around. "But...where's Joey?" Her confused looked was replaced by concern. "Oh," Tristan dismissed the idea with a flick of his wrist. "That big bone head had decided to ignore our advises and presented himself with jeans and a T-shirt. The last time we saw him, two of Pegasus's assistants were dragging him back to his room to make him presentable." "Oh." Téa fanned herself. "God, it's hot in here. And all this material! I bet there are a least two dozen ruffle layers to make the skirt puff up like this!" She exclaimed. "Should we count it?" Tristan stooped down and lifted the top layer of the full skirt. He didn't get to two before Téa's fan smacked him straight on his perfect hair. "Hey!" Tristan stood up. "Do you know how long it took me to fix my hair tonight?" He snapped. He eyed Téa's brown upsweep was fastened with a mother-of-pearl comb. "Longer than both me and Yugi took, that's for sure." Bakura muttered. "That's a cool fan you have there." Yugi interrupted before Tristan can answer. "Can I see it?" Téa handed over her dainty fan. The boys studied it. It was a fan of violet wood, a perfect match with her violet blue satin dress with the French lace sleeve ruffles that quiver with her every movement. The end sticks covered with amethysts, one inset with a tiny mirror. "I've never seen anything so delicately built." Bakura said, stroking the smooth wood, until it was carelessly plucked from Yugi's hand. "My hair looks all right." Tristan examined his hair in the tiny mirror, taking no care on how he's handling the petite object. Téa rescued her treasure as a grumble caused them all to look up. "Joey!" Yugi exclaimed, viewing his friend. "You look great!" Joey ran a hand through his tousled hair and scowled. "You do look good, Joey." Téa said sincerely. "Yeah, Joey." Tristan agreed. "Where's the tea party you're going to?" He smirked. Joey scowled. "Don't rub it in." He said sullenly. "I didn't know part of the deal to be in the Duel Monster Championship was to wear a tux. Hey!" He suddenly said, looking around. "Where's Lia?" "She's making her presence known up in the entrance of the castle." Téa informed him, somewhat, sarcastically. Then, she lowered her voice. "Is the plan still up for tonight?" Tristan nodded. "Tonight is the night we get Mokuba out of his prison and off this island."
"Miss Lia, Miss Téa," Pegasus greeted graciously at the bottom of the grand staircase. "May I compliment on how enchanting and charming you both look this evening?" "Thanks." Téa filled in the silence. "Thanks for the dresses too. They're quite lovely." She winced as the tight bodice jabbed her ribs for the third time. Pegasus took her praise and fixed his gaze on Lia face. Téa didn't blame him. She had done the same thing when she first met Lia. She guessed now it was something about the way Lia's mysterious blue eyes were framed by her arched brows. It gave her a look of intrigue, like a smooth skinned actress in an old spy movie. She hadn't always admired the enigmatic look. But since their long heart-to heart talk, Lia and her captivating looks didn't intimidate her anymore. She felt though as if they were sisters. "Now, if you don't mind excusing us, Miss Téa, my heiress and I must make a presence entrance of the castle." Tucking Lia's hands securely in the crook of his elbow, Pegasus led Lia away to the in the main lobby. Lia nervously looked back. Téa tried to give her a reassuring smile. "Téa? Hey, Téa!" An eager voice behind her said after Lia disappeared from her view. She looked back and found three of her buddies standing behind her. "Wow," Yugi's admiring eyes looked her from top to bottom, making her blush. "You look wonderful, Téa." "That dress has the most attractive affect on you." Bakura said, slouching, hands in his pockets. He looked embarrassed to be caught in a tuxedo. "You guys don't look bad yourself." Téa chuckled. "You guys actually look quite decent." It was true. Who'd have known that her best friends, who usually just settles with casually clothing, could look this stunning? She looked around. "But...where's Joey?" Her confused looked was replaced by concern. "Oh," Tristan dismissed the idea with a flick of his wrist. "That big bone head had decided to ignore our advises and presented himself with jeans and a T-shirt. The last time we saw him, two of Pegasus's assistants were dragging him back to his room to make him presentable." "Oh." Téa fanned herself. "God, it's hot in here. And all this material! I bet there are a least two dozen ruffle layers to make the skirt puff up like this!" She exclaimed. "Should we count it?" Tristan stooped down and lifted the top layer of the full skirt. He didn't get to two before Téa's fan smacked him straight on his perfect hair. "Hey!" Tristan stood up. "Do you know how long it took me to fix my hair tonight?" He snapped. He eyed Téa's brown upsweep was fastened with a mother-of-pearl comb. "Longer than both me and Yugi took, that's for sure." Bakura muttered. "That's a cool fan you have there." Yugi interrupted before Tristan can answer. "Can I see it?" Téa handed over her dainty fan. The boys studied it. It was a fan of violet wood, a perfect match with her violet blue satin dress with the French lace sleeve ruffles that quiver with her every movement. The end sticks covered with amethysts, one inset with a tiny mirror. "I've never seen anything so delicately built." Bakura said, stroking the smooth wood, until it was carelessly plucked from Yugi's hand. "My hair looks all right." Tristan examined his hair in the tiny mirror, taking no care on how he's handling the petite object. Téa rescued her treasure as a grumble caused them all to look up. "Joey!" Yugi exclaimed, viewing his friend. "You look great!" Joey ran a hand through his tousled hair and scowled. "You do look good, Joey." Téa said sincerely. "Yeah, Joey." Tristan agreed. "Where's the tea party you're going to?" He smirked. Joey scowled. "Don't rub it in." He said sullenly. "I didn't know part of the deal to be in the Duel Monster Championship was to wear a tux. Hey!" He suddenly said, looking around. "Where's Lia?" "She's making her presence known up in the entrance of the castle." Téa informed him, somewhat, sarcastically. Then, she lowered her voice. "Is the plan still up for tonight?" Tristan nodded. "Tonight is the night we get Mokuba out of his prison and off this island."
