AnimeAddict99- Hey there! Yes, this update took awhile…I wasn't sure what to put here. The beginning is kind of filler-ish. However, the end ought to be good- hopefully.
Take in mind that right now I'm doing this off the top of my head. I have absolutely no idea what this chapter is going to be about. Heck, I'm probably putting the chapter title in after I write the chapter.
Shuichi- That's 'cause I don't feel like giving you inspiration for this chapter!
AnimeAddict99- Grr….
Oh! And though it may seem a little Joey/Tea (one of my fav couples)…it's not. They are just good friends...very good…friends –with benefits! Haha…jk.
Disclaimer- I do not own Yu-gi-oh. If I did…uh…I would…uh…own it. Yeah.
Reviewer Responses From Yours Truly:
Princess of Thieves- Haha…oopsey. You know, somewhere in a small corner of my head…I knew I'd do something like that. ;; Thanks for the correction! Oh! And also thanks for the beautiful review!
Dark Magician Grrl- -smiles- I love your reviews! And believe me, Marik is going down. I think…I hope. Yeah, if everything goes as planned, and everything- (I swear, right now, I really twisted idea just got in my head! Yay!) Haha…that was probably the strangest response to a review- that didn't really have to do with the review- ever. –cheers- Thank you!
Dragonknighttara- Oops...did I make it sound that way? I do not like the pairing. I do not like the whole Yami/Yugi thing either. Phew, hopefully now I'm clear. :) Thanks for the review!
The pain-inflicted cutehelenjames- Oh god…here we go again. Before we know it, you'll be in a coma. TT Right now, I'm in good heath…I think…except this morning I was cutting a pear, and I cut my finger with the knife! I'm typing with nine fingers (the tenth is in a pretty band-aid). Haha…hopefully you won't get hurt to many times before this chapter is out. Thankies for the painfully beautiful review!
Also, thanks to: WillowFae, Anzufreakx, AnimeFantasy Fan, Celestialfae, foxymelody, Mysteriya, and Greater Lights. I love all of you!
AnimeAddict99- Thank you so much for the reviews! I have 80! 80! Wow! That means for next chapter…I have a goal of 90. So let's get there, guys! Yay!
Previously:
"He's go-go-od," she continued. "He re-rea-lly isss." She smiled.
Her smile was amazing…like that of an angle. She grasped his hand tighter.
"Ch-ek!" she coughed again. Blood splattered out of her mouth. Joey's eyes widened. Her coughing ended once more, and her smile faded. Her eyes dimmed as she felt herself drift off into the darkness. She had faith. She had faith in them.
She gave a chuckle out loud as her sleeping period began.
X,X
Chapter Nine: Defeat?
If He Can Touch You, He Can Hurt You.
Completed 3/10/06
She couldn't tell whether she had been sleeping for hours or days. All she could really tell was that she was tired, groggy, and didn't want to move.
So she didn't.
She inhaled and exhaled slowly, the heat from the radiator passing over her body. Tea's best guess was that she was in the hospital wing of the blimp. After all, she vividly remembered her defeat by Joey.
On one hand, she was scared of how Marik would punish her; on the other hand, she was relieved they knew her identity.
She sighed, slowly moving her position on the bed. She moaned, holding her head. She shook her head. Wasn't she supposed to be in the Shadow Realm or something? However, opening her eyes slowly, there was no realm of darkness in sight. Something else was there though- no, not the shadows, but, no!-
Joey!
He was there, only a few meters beside her…in another bed. Blinking twice, Tea's vision cleared even more. She gasped, placing her hands to her mouth. There was wires and machines set up beside him, a plastic cup over his mouth, helping him to breath.
Though she was in extreme pain, Tea stood up. She was clad in a short purple tank top, cut across the bottom of her chest. The area from below that to the edge of her belly button- was wrapped in bandages. She was then wearing her black skirt, and no shoes. However, her flats were placed on the ground beside her.
Tea approached the sleeping Joey and pulled up a chair beside him. She sat down, feverishly next to him, and placed her hand on his head, and stroked his hair. Her poor friend…she had got him mixed up in this. She sighed, and tilted her head back, breathing in the scent of- blimp.
X,X
After what seemed like hours, Tea felt Joey stir. She moved her hand from his hair, to see if it was only her imagination; but it was not. She smiled a tiny smile, happy to see her best friend awake. She placed her hands on her lap as his eyes blinked open.
He pulled the oxygen mask from his faced and gave a feeble cough. His cobalt eyes gave a loving gaze as she sighted the first person since his wake- Tea.
He smiled, brushing a piece of his dirty blonde hair behind one ear.
"Te?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes sadly. "It that you?"
She nodded suddenly, happy to see that he was okay.
"Wha-what happened to you?" she stated. She was so concerned, and didn't know what else to say.
He laughed as he leaned up against the wall so that he was facing Tea.
"Marik beat the crap out of me," he said, scratching the back of his neck. Tea's eyes showed sorrow. "Just kiddin'," he added. "You think I'd ever let a guy like who hurt you…beat me easily?"
Tea gave a small chuckle.
"Nah…" he muttered. "I was about to deliver the final blow…seriously…but 'since it was a Shadow Game…but all of my strength was gone…and I fainted. So I lost."
Tea nodded. "It's weird," she stated. "Both of us lost in a Shadow Game…but neither of us got sent to the Shadow Realm."
Joey bobbed his head. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Weird."
"Weird," Tea agreed.
X,X
There was much noise outside, but through the window, all Tea could see was a cloud of darkness. She shivered at the sight and turned her back to it.
Joey was still in his position, sitting on the bed, eager to get up and out.
He was in no condition, however, and he seemed to realize that. Regardless, he began to stand.
Tea, moved toward him, clutching her rib cage as she went, and extended her hand to Joey.
"Need help?" she asked timidly.
Joey smiled for a moment, and took Tea's hand. He then turned his head away.
"How…how can you hate me?" he muttered.
"Huh?"
"After…all I did…all I said…" he paused and sighed, "how can you not look at me in disgust?"
Tea looked into his sky blue eyes, shocked, and chuckled softly. She bent her head slightly and placed it on his chest.
He continued to look despondent and contrite.
"There…are a lot worse things than what you did, Joey, that have been done to me." She bit her bottom lip, whimpering. "Plus, Joey, you are my friend- and will always be. What you did- I mean, it was an accident. I'm sure if you could go back in time…knowing it was me-"
"I would have never dreamed of it," he ended. Tea nodded, removing her head from his chest. Joey's eyes slanted into a sympathized expression. Then the words she said hit her.
"There…are a lot worse things than what you did, Joey, that have been done to me."
His mouth opened halfway, pondering the endless possibilities. "Did...he…he…" Joey began, his face still in a state of alarm.
The blonde turned away, not wanting to ask the question in his head.
"Huh?" Tea asked quietly, scratching her head.
"Never…mind…" he muttered. He gave a small grin. "Come on, I say we go and see that duel out there."
Tea's eyes widened. "You baka! You're hurt! I'm hurt! We're hurt! We can't possibly-" But Joey was already on his feet and placing Tea's arm over his shoulder, as a small crutch.
Joey's body was not physically hurt like Tea's. He was just extremely worn out- he had almost fallen into the Shadow Realm after all.
Tea gave Joey a small smirk of disapproval, but it soon faded away and replaced with rolling eyes.
"Let's-a go," Joey stated as he helped Tea slowly leave the room.
X,X
They roamed down the long hallways of the blimp, directing their way to the elevators. They didn't talk, only the occasional winces and coughs filled the air. Tea limped onto the elevator with Joey beside her. Tea smiled at her friend with a small ounce of fear in her gut. She wasn't sure she wanted to face everyone. Not here. Not now. Not yet.
The elevator came to a halt, the door opened slowly, like a jar of molasses. Before them was the duel. The duel. It was almost over, and Tea could tell that the victor would be Yami.
Seeing the group of spectators gaze over at them, Tea smiled feebly. She hobbled over to them with Joey. As they reached their destination, Tea removed her arm from Joey wrapped it around Tristan, Serenity, Duke, and finally…Ishizu. Her comrades with spilling questions out like bullets, but Ishizu hushed them, telling them that all would be said later- when everything was okay.
Tea nodded in agreement as she turned to face Ishizu. The two girls excused themselves from the crowd, walking away to the opposite wide of the spectator area.
Once they were there, the questions started coming, and Tea did her best to answer each and everyone of them.
"Tea…" Ishizu finally stated with concern. "My Millennium Necklace, as you know, can sense things to come. Not all times has it been correct, but the scene I saw recently in my head was so vivid, so real. I believe…there is no escape from it."
Tea blinked. "What…what is it?" she asked quietly.
Ishizu drew in a deep breath as she prepared herself. "I saw…I saw Marik. He was attacking you, and you were close to breaking down. There was darkness, and both of you were surrounded by it- there was no way out. I…do not know what will become of this, Tea, but you must be careful, you must-"
"Ishizu," Tea stated, shaking her head. "That's impossible. Yami is about to beat Marik once and for all, and-"
And he did. At that moment, Yami delivered his final blow on the crazy yami, and Tea turned to watch with shocked eyes.
Her mind was taken off of the evil omen as she saw the chained Malik fall to the ground. She gave a smile. It was the Malik she had called her boyfriend. She ran over to him, despite her limp, at a quickened pace from before.
"Malik!" she cried, tears emerging from the young woman's eyes. Why? Why do I still feel like I need him- after all this? She sobbed as she feel to her knees. Malik's breath was normal. That was a good sign. She gave a concerened smile. He smiled back, his lavender eyes flickering open.
"Tea…" he muttered sadly, yet lovingly, expressing all of his regrets in that one word. "It wasn't me…" he whispered, "I tried my best not to hurt you…but he…he…was in control." She could see Malik's cold tears run down his face.
"Forgive me, I beg of you," he sobbed, his head on Tea's lap, looking up at her pale face, which was now layered in pink. The tears kept coming, and all Tea could do was stare at this man.
She was not the only one staring at Malik, however. Behind her, a disapeering Marik stood, laughing violently. He was in back of her, and intently schemed. Tea's head turned at his laugh, seeing his body fading from Earth; however, his ominous doing was not yet compete.
His large, muscular arms wrapped around Tea's waist from behind. She gasped, feeling him pull her closer to his warm body.
"Wh- Get away from me!" she yelled, drawing everyone's attention. They, too, shouted for her release, but none was found.
Marik continued to laugh, and then put his mouth near her ear.
"You're coming down with me, little apricot," he whispered seductively. "Then we'll be together- in the Shadow Realm."
Tea's eyes widened as Ishizu's vision began. She yelled and screamed, and protested, trying to twist away from the yami.
"Come now, dear," Marik whispered. "There's work to be done."
Tea's eyes filled up with tears as she reached her arm out to Malik, who by now, was on his feet.
"Tea!" he cried.
She sobbed. "Malik!" she called. Her body too, however, began to fade, and in only a matter of seconds, Marik was gone.
And so was Tea.
X,X
AnimeAddict99- Yay! That's the end of chapter 9. It's quite funny actually. Chapter 9 is 9 pages long. 9,9,9,9! Hehe…sorry, I'm a tad bit hyper. I'm on my way to fencing lessons.
Okay then, only a few, (okay, 3 or 4), chapters until this story is over.
Until then, please review! Let's get a total of 90 reviews people!
3 A.A.
