V.E.: Oh boy, I may as well by shooting myself in the foot. I have no notes, no ideas, just an overwhelming desire to write this. And this is going to be hell. This is might be short and choppy, so please forgive me. I knew that this chapter was going to come, this isn't one of my added notes or details. But I sincerely was not looking forward to writing about this.

I do look forward to writing about Regina and Brittany getting their just desserts(which I think the majority of the readers would agree with me.)

Still, this is a necessary chapter because it goes into Atem and Mana. Which events would lead into Mana and Kisara's friendship(why I made them friends, I'll go into it in my end author's note).

Kisara sighed as she looked at her hand, a grim feeling on her mind. Then she placed the cards down on the table.

"I'm done."

Mana looked at her friend incredulously.

"What?! Already? But we just got started."

"Mana, I am not a card person and I am pretty sure I told you that when we first met. The only reason I watch Duel Monsters tournaments on television sometimes is because of…you know."

Mana sighed.

"Alright, alright. So what do you want to do? We've got the whole house to ourselves."

The two friends were currently in Mana's kitchen, with a deck of cards to the side. They did have the whole house to themselves; Mana's mother was working late in her firm, Mana's father had a restaurant of people to cook for, and Mahad was absent for reasons unknown to Kisara.

On Kisara's end of possibly concerned people as to her not(not that Regina would have been concerned for the same reasons), Regina for some reason had gotten very snappy, probably do to something at work. As much as Lena and Carrie would miss Kisara's dinner, they could also easily order a pizza for one night. Unlike their mother, they didn't mind Kisara at Mana's house so long as she didn't forget to do their bidding.

It had been almost two weeks since the dance and it was doubtful the two would ever forget it considering the way it had played out. No one could forget the marvelous Blue Eyes White Dragon Girl(which had been universally decided as someone not from their school otherwise they would have recognized her). It certainly wouldn't be forgotten by these two anytime soon, despite their attempts to act as if nothing had really changed.

Kisara couldn't help but be shocked as she saw her necklace in Seto Kaiba's hands. She could have melted upon the spot. Of all the places it could be! She was glad it wasn't completely and forever lost, but this was the next worst thing. There was no way she was ever getting her dragon back. One of the only things she had left of her father was gone forever.

But the way Kaiba had acted with it, as if it was a great treasure, shot pleasure through her body in ways she had not thought possible.

Mana on the other hand, hadn't visibly changed at all. She still avoided contact with Atem Muto in all ways possible and didn't pay attention to anything talked about the Dark Magician's Girl.

Still Kisara couldn't help, but wonder what Mana was really thinking. More than ever, she felt the need to ask Mana what had happened between the two.

Kisara had a suspicion, a feeling like those two had crossed the lines between friends a long time ago, but she wouldn't know for sure what they were until Mana confirmed it.

But for now, it might just be best to make small talk. She would work up to the question later.

"So is your brother stuck at the museum with the tablets?"

Mana shook her head, a small smirk betraying her.

"Oh no, Mahad already did that for two day's straight. He's going out tonight."

Kisara felt her eyebrow raise.

"Is there some Duel Monsters Tournament going on that I haven't heard about?"

"Nope."

"Then what is your brother doing out? You said so yourself, he has no life outside of work."

Mana chuckled a little.

"Oh he used to."

Kisara suddenly felt some sympathy for Mahad. Had Mana tricked him into doing something and was now currently cursing his sister's name?

Mana pouted as she saw the look on her friend's face.

"What's with that look?! I'm not completely heartless with my brother. He's actually doing something he's been wanting to do for a long time."

"You're not going to tell me anything are you?"

"Nope. It's Mahad's business and as much as I want to tell, it's really up to him."

Kisara sighed.

"Alright. So what else do you want to do tonight?"

Mana pretended to think for a moment.

"Up for watching Star Wars?"

Kisara smiled.

"Which episode?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe episodes Four through Six."

Kisara shook her head as she chuckled slightly.

"Why do you have such an extensive movie collection?"

Mana shrugged.

"I don't know. It isn't really that strange to me. Well?"

Kisara got up from the table and began to walk over to the cupboard.

"I'll get the popcorn."

"Yes!"

RING!

Mana jumped up from the table.

"I'll get the door. You go through the cabinet and get the set out."

Kisara nodded as she saw her friend walk out of the kitchen and go up to the front door.

Mana opened the door with a smile, unknowing who was on the other side.

"Hell….lo."

Atem Muto was right outside her door, caught in the light of the outside light. The sky was beginning to turn darker as night crept in. But that didn't stop Kisara from seeing the expression on Atem Muto's face, surprised at seeing his ex-best friend at the door.

For a moment, the two just stood there, as if not knowing what to say to each other now that they were together.

Finally, Mana broke the silence with an even voice.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Atem was treading on eggshells and he knew it, so he decided to get to the point.

"Mahad texted me to come over. Something about a talk."

Mana's face turned confused.

"What? But Mahad's out tonight with…"

BZZT!

Before Mana could unintentionally give away what her brother was really doing, her phone bussed. She got out her phone out of her pocket and looked at the text.

Turnabout is fair play sis.

Mana gritted her teeth.

"Oh, he is so in for it when I see him again. This prank should involve snakes and maybe some.."

Mana's voice trailed off and then realized that Atem was still there.

"I'm sorry, you came here for nothing. I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Just before Mana closed the door, Atem stopped it.

"Mana, please.."

"Atem, its late. I don't want to talk right now."

Atem gave Mana an even look.

"When has it been a good time to talk? Please Mana, just listen."

"I don't want to!"

"You're being stubborn!"

With the unfolding conversation going on, Kisara wished she was anywhere but here. She always respected people's privacy and this felt like an incredible intrusion on Mana's.

Not that the way those two were carrying on seemed to care they had someone there, of course Atem may not have realized she was there.

"You're hardly the one to talk about being stubborn, 'Mr. Do Anything to Win A Duel.'!"

"You have to bring that up now?"

"What do you want?"

Atem's expression was straightforward.

"Like I said, to talk."

Mana tried to close the door.

"I don't see what there is to talk about."

Once more Atem stopped her, his face determined.

"Yes, there is."

Mana sighed.

"I thought I made myself perfectly clear…"

"I'm sorry alright!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!"

Even Kisara cringed from the venom in her best friend's voice. But she could also see the hurt behind the anger in her best friend's face.

"You don't just say those things to a person and then come back thinking everything's going to be the same. Well, it's not!"

"I know it was wrong, but…"

"BUT NOTHING!"

Atem flinched as if slapped and then looked beyond Mana at Kisara. To which she sent the sheepish expression of 'I really don't enjoy watching this.'

To her surprise, Atem didn't glare at her like last time. He didn't smile either, but at least that was an improvement; and given the circumstance he was in, it was hardly to be expected.

Mana's voice became more hallow, dead even.

"Just go."

"Mana, I…"

Mana's voice became firm.

"JUST GO."

Atem hesitated for a moment. His face became subdued.

"Alright, fine. I won't try to talk to you again."

With that, he let the door close in front of him as he turned to go. After the door slammed shut, there was nothing but silence as Mana just stood there. Then Mana strode over and sat on the couch.

Kisara crossed over and sat beside her friend before she knew what she was doing. Up close, she could see the tears rolling down Mana's face. It was so different from the confidant perky girl Kisara had come to know. This was someone who had been hurt and couldn't hide it or hold it in anymore.

It was a good thing that the two were alone right now. Kisara knew Mana's meltdowns were nothing she wanted anyone to see. There were some people that wanted comfort and from people, but Mana and Kisara were alike in that regard. They just wanted someone there to cry on.

She immediately wrapped her arms around Mana and just with that Mana's sobs came out. Kisara was taken back the girls' bathroom, only a short time ago in which the situations were reversed.

But Kisara didn't say anything, didn't pose any question. And she wouldn't until Mana was ready to.

Eventually, the crying slowed down which turned into some hiccups. Kisara got up to get Mana a glass of water which she accepted with a grateful nod. She drank it down in a couple of gulps and set it on the table. Her arms hugged her legs on the couch, near to her chest.

In the end, Mana broke the silence.

"You're not going to ask?"

"Not if you don't want me too."

Mana gave a small laugh.

"You know, I've been expecting you to ask, but you never did."

Kisara shrugged in response.

"It wasn't my place to ask about."

Mana just smiled, waiting.

"Go ahead."

Kisara took a deep breath, wanting to phrase a question but instead stating a fact.

"You're in love with him."

For a moment, Mana stiffened. Then she just sighed.

"Yeah."

"For how long?"

Mana considered the question.

"Well I've liked him for a long time, but I didn't realize how much until two years ago."

"Does he know?"

Mana shook her head.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

Mana took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she started to speak.

"Do you remember when I told you about going to the tournaments?"

Kisara didn't know where her friend was going with this.

"Yes, you said they were fun."

"Yeah, they were. Except for the groupies. Ever since Atem started dueling, there would always be the girls screaming his name whenever he went on. Some of those girls were crazy, though I must say Vivien Wong was probably their queen bee."

Kisara gave an uneasy smile. She had heard enough about the kung fu duelist and not a lot of it flattering to her common sense.

"In a way, I'm jealous of Tea. I mean, she hasn't told Yugi how she feels, but it's not like she has any competition. Well there's Rebecca, but Yugi just thinks of her like a younger sister or cousin."

Mana's fingers twitched slightly as she continued.

"And I never told Atem that some of them had mailed me some letters."

Kisara got the underlying meaning.

"How bad?"

"One of the girls specifically wrote; 'You stupid whore, Atem Muto is mine bitch.'. And that's one of the tamer ones. I never knew you could fit that much cursing into a single sentence."

Kisara grimaced.

"And I thought Regina was self-esteem crushing. But why didn't you say anything? Atem might have been able to do something about it."

Mana shrugged.

"I thought if I told him about it, he would quit dueling and I couldn't ask him to do that. He loves it too much, besides we were just friends. I was comfortable with that."

Kisara nodded, following along.

"So what was it? Did he start dating someone?"

Mana chuckled.

"Actually, it was the opposite."

Kisara's eyes went wide.

"What?! You dated someone?! Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?"

Mana smiled sadly.

"Because it was over before the two of us were friends, but to be honest my friendship with Atem was ending before that."

"How so?"

She sighed.

"Do you remember those pictures that went around school?"

Kisara gulped, guilt rising.

"Ye..yes."

"It's alright, I knew it was Brittany and your stepsisters."

Kisara's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, you mean you knew?"

"Yeah, it had Middleton's perfectly pink manicured fingers all over the whole thing. I have no idea why she did it or how she got that picture. Just so you know, it wasn't a nightgown at all, it was one of Ishizu's dresses before Brittany got one of the computer club kids to…edit it."

Mana chuckled as she remembered a fond memory.

"Man, Atem blew up. I swore him not to say anything though. But after that, I can't explain it exactly, but things were different between the two of us."

"What happened next?"

"Well, I was out at the mall helping Mai with her shopping and I decided to take a break by the fountain. Just before I sat down, a really cute guy with curly brown hair and grey eyes behind glasses ran into me."

Kisara felt more curious.

"What was his name?"

"His name was Daniel. He was incredible embarrassed about the whole thing and offered to buy me coffee. We managed to get into an interesting conversation and I gave him my cell phone number. I didn't tell Atem or anyone else about him, in fact the only person aside from you who knows is my mother and that's because I asked her for her advice. Not even Mahad knows."

"I don't understand. If you love Atem, why did you go out with Daniel?"

Mana looked up and back at Kisara, she had her head down during the conversation until then.

"Just because I love Atem, doesn't mean I am going to stay single for the rest of my life because he doesn't love me. If he has groupies, I could have a date."

Mana's face grimaced.

"Of course, that's what I thought."

"I take it, Atem found out."

"Oh yeah. I was on the way home from a coffee date with Daniel when Atem came up, grabbed my hand, and dragged me home. I didn't understand what he was so upset about until we got inside my house. Luckily, no one else was home.

"I won't tell you exactly what happened. Here's the shortened version; he was incredibly mad I hadn't told him. I told him I didn't see why it was his business and he said I was his best friend , of course it was his business. That kind of made me mad and lead to me telling him what I thought of his life.

"Anyway, the insults got louder and more personal, until finally he said; 'You really are a whore if you go for any guy that smiles at you.' ."

Kisara's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe it. Atem Muto called Mana a whore? His best friend? Oh boy, that explained a lot.

Mana continued after seeing the disbelieving look on her friend's face.

"It was a smack in the face. I couldn't say anything after that, except to tell him to get out.

"After that, I ended it with Daniel. It disappointed him, but he got over it. I still see him at Starbucks at the mall now and then. But I also ended it with Atem and by extension, all my old friends. I knew that if I didn't, they would keep telling me to make up with him. And I just can't do that."

Kisara soaked everything in. She still had a question to ask though.

"Why me?"

"Because you were probably one of the only people in school who wouldn't ask. Because I needed someone to talk to. And because even before this happened, I wanted to get to know you. I always wondered what you were like."

Kisara felt a little embarrassed her face reddened.

"I don't see why. I mean…"

Mana smiled as she hugged her friend. This wasn't a 'I need someone to let me cry' hug, this was a 'I'm glad you are here now' hug. Kisara hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around Mana, returning it.

A moment later, Mana sprung up.

"You know what, I don't think I'm feeling like Star Wars. Maybe next time."

Kisara thought for a moment.

"Why don't we try something new?"

Mana smiled as she went over to the DVD cabinet and pulled out a DVD.

"Here's something, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I think my parents watched it once. Sounds good?"

Kisara shrugged.

"Might as well try it. I'll get the popcorn."

"Kisara?"

She turned back to her friend.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks…for everything."

Kisara smiled as she turned back to the kitchen.

"I know."

I should be the one thanking you.

V.E.: That turned out better than I hoped it would. I still can't believe I got this don in one day, without notes. That reminds me I gotta, watch Prince of Persia when I get that chance.

Note: I like the idea of Kisara and Mana becoming friends. Maybe it's because they would be good at making sure Atem and Seto didn't kill each other. But for some reason, I feel like if they knew each other in the Memory World they would have become good friends.

Next chapter: Simply put, all hell breaks loose.

Please review!