Chapter Eighteen
18
"Ms. Connar !? Oh dear..." The tall male spirit knelt down next to Connar, "She seems to have passed out."
"A Ghost...it's a ghost." she mumbled softly in her dizzy spell, "Ghosts appeared from the well...the magic well..."
"A Ghost!?" Kaibaman huffed stubbornly, "How dare you? I find that offensive."
Chazz was ducked into the plants having a panic attack of his own.
What's going on!?
it doesn't make sense...
None of this makes sense!
He thought to himself. Meanwhile Norika had no idea what he was freaking out about.
"Chazz? What's up?" she asked this waving for his attention, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"What!?" he huffed, "You mean you can't SEE that!?"
"See what?" she blinked.
SO...she really CAN'T see!?
He was shocked. It was so clear. A well appeared and duel monsters came out of it and were now talking to Connar. Meanwhile from Norika's perspective, she saw the well. That was weird. But she saw nothing else. In face, she was confused on just who the hell Connar and Jaden were talking too. Because from what Norika could see, there was no one else there.
He had a camera. He could snap a few photos, collect the proof he needed...But Norika's point remained. He'd just get in trouble too. He didn't know weather to play hero and rescue the girl who was lost in shock or get out of the situation all together due to being in his own state of shock.
Meanwhile Dark Magician Girl and Jaden lingered back giggling at the other spirit's protest.
"Well in her defense, you did just kind of pop out of a well." stated Jaden.
"Not to mention visiting her dreams as a disembodied voice didn't really help." teetered the Magician, who worked in cahoots with Jaden on the teasing factor.
"I had to! " he protested, "If she doesn't get a handle on her situation...everything will rear its ugly head in a bad way..."
"Come to think of it..." Connar sighed as she sat up shaking her head. There was no logical explanation as to the the situation at hand so there was really no point even trying to make sense of it. All she could do now was give in, but she did wonder something.
"That was you in the dream, right?" she asked, "What was with taking the disguise of that boy...?"
"A...boy?" Jaden blinked with just as much confusion in his eyes as Connar's curiosity.
"I hate to burst your bubble ..." said Kaiba, "But the boy you saw in that dream was not me."
She gulped.
Then...who was he...?
She shivered.
Why do I feel...incomplete?
That feeling scared her.
"It's a sign..." stated the spirit, "Your past is coming back...and if you don't face it, you will fall under."
..."Fall under?"
That didn't sound good at all.
"If that's some sort of joke...it's not a good one." said Jaden with clenched fists. But Kaibaman, much like his inspiration was not one built for joking.
Connar shook her head.
"What are you even doing!?" she huffed, "Why are you here? Showing up in my dreams and being weird!" she panted heavily with trembling fists. She had a mix of emotions...anger...confusion...familiarity...fear.
The taller spirit stood over her. Looking down on the girl, whose long pink hair draped over her face. Who avoided eye contact with him. He didn't need to remove his mask to reveal the pain he was feeling.
Connar...
Jaden blinked and narrosed his eyes sadly.
"...Do you not remember, ?" Kaibaman asked as he knelt before her, "In your very first duel with Zane, that was when you used me, for the first time."
"Wait...You dueled Zane before!?" Jaden asked, this caught his attention, and now he was excited.
"Uh...I..." she blinked, "I'm not sure..." She pondered a moment. She couldn't recall for a lot of events in her past. But as she closed her eyes and tried to let these words resonate, something seemed to loosen inside...and memories would flash themselves from time to time.
" I was...so little." Connar stated, "But in that duel...Zane lost on purpose-huh!?" The girl blinked as suddenly their surroundings changed.
"Woah, what's going on!?" Jaden asked. As they glanced around they seemed to be in an apartment building..or a house. It was early morning, and on the floor before them, there were a couple of paper duel mats set up, and two young duelists playing on them. A Young Connar who looked to be the age of 6 or 7, and Zane Truesdale, who looked to be no older than somewhere between the ages of 8 and 10. Normally Connar liked to play with her custom made duel disk, but it seemed early in the morning so the two were probably trying to avoid a ruckus.
"It's your move, Connie." the young boy smiled, "What will you do?"
"I don't think there's anything I can do, Zane." The girl squeaked sweetly,"Your cyber dragons are so strong...I'm definitely going to lose in my next turn."
"Don't say that Connar." Zane chuckled," A Duel isn't over until the last card is played."
"But there are no more moves I can make." She said softly, "Still...if I am going to lose anyway, then I may as well go down fighting!"
"That's the spirit-huh?" The boy blinked as she slapped down a warrior onto her field between his dragons and her life points.
"Kaibaman? Why did you play that card?" he asked curiously,"Kaibaman is a pretty cool card on its own, but if you don't have the right cards to utilize him, he won't be much help to you at all." he stated.
"No way would papa let me have his Blue Eyes White Dragon!" she giggled. But this only left the boy with more questions.
"Then, why did you play him?" he asked, "He's completely different from the rest of your deck, it throws off its entire balance."
"I played him, because Kaibaman is my hero!" she said," He's a super hero! Win or lose, I know Kaibaman will always protect me!"
"Is that right?" Zane blinked. He was astonished at this small girl's view of the game and the belief of the cards she used, win or lose. For someone so young to care this much only shows how much she as a duelist loves her cards. He chuckled softly and gently placed his hand over his deck.
"I surrender, Connie."
"No way! Zane surrendered!?" Jaden was just as shocked to watch this as the young Connar in this flashback was.
"I told you."Connar stated,"Zane lost on purpose."
"Yeah but...why?" Jaden blinked.
"Funny..." she chuckled, "I aske that same question..." she gave a broken smile with folded arms as she went back to watch the scene of her packed away memory unfold.
"Why Zane!?" The young girl blinked, "You're clearly winning! Why are you quitting all of a sudden!?"
"I'm afraid I just don't stand a chance against the bond you have with Kaibaman." he stated, but this only left the small child more confused. At this expression the young boy chuckled softly and changed his position taking the card she had on the field as he spoke, "You see Connie, when a Duelist bonds with a card as strongly as you have bonded with Kaibaman, then that card becomes significant." he said softly, "It will suddenly posses a strength like never before."
"Like your Power Bond?"
"Hmm...yeah, I suppose you could say it's a lot like Power Bond." he chuckled, carefully returning the card back to its holder's hands.
"I hope someday, Syrus will see this the same way you do." he smiled, "Oh look, Syrus is awake."
A small blue haired boy wobbled down as he tried to fit his glasses on his face blinking as he noticed the set up on the floor.
"Awww you guys were dueling without me again!"
"Well you were asleep Syrus."Zane chuckled.
"So why didn't you wake me up?"
"Because SyRy you were asleeeeeeeep~!" the young girl threw herself onto her back and giggled.
"Oh well...I'm sure Zane won again anyway. Zane always wins"
"Actually, Connar won." Zane chuckled. The claim threw young Syrus into shock.
"No way! Connar duel me next, okay!?"
"Okay, but why do you suddenly want to duel so much?"
"Because! You beat Zane!" he said, "And if you beat Zane, and I beat you, then that means I beat Zane too!"
"Oh, is that how it works?" Zane asked playfully
"...Doesn't it?" the younger brother whimpered softly, but was soon interrupted by the grumbling of his tummy. It was about lunch time for small children.
"Well that sounds like lunch time to me." Said Zane, "Who wants chicken nuggets?"
"NOOOO!"
The flash back faded away with two small children attacking in a playful pounce before disappearing leaving the echo of Jaden's hysterical laughter in its place meanwhile the pink haired slifer hid her face in shame.
"You should have never seen me like that..." She mumbled.
"Awe come on, you were cute!" Jaden teased.
"But..." She blinked and locked eyes once again with the spirit who showed her this past,"...How do you have this memory?"
"I've been with you for a long time, ..." he said softly, I have all of these memories, and if you will allow me, , we can work to recover them together."
Connar shifted her gaze, lost in her thoughts.
"You should do it, Connie." Said Jaden as he hooked his hand over her small shoulder, "It's pretty clear to me that this spirit belongs with you."
Connar thougt for a while more, shifting her gaze between her encouraging friend, and the hero she idolized as a child.
"Well...I guess when I think about it...My life would have never been the same, without Kaibaman." The young girl caved into a gentle smile.
"Well then if that's the case, then my job is done~" The Magician girl teetered in delight with a wave of her staff and faded into light, "The journey from here, I leave to you~" With a farewell wink, Dark Magician Girl was gone, at least until the next time she wanted to come out and play.
And so, there were three.
A Slifer boy, A Slifer Girl, and a Duel Spirit who wanted nothing more to have back what was lost.
"So ..." he knelt before the girl respectfully holding out his hand, "Shall we?"
"Sounds good to me...Partner." The two exchanged a a smile, and he stood to rise, swinging his hand forward to clasp with hers before fading into a light that surrounded her, and shrunk into her deck. Amongst the stacked cards was a glow, so she fanned them out and pulled her favorite warrior. The color that was once faded was now vibrant with spirit light, and she smiled.
"Welcome back...Kaibaman." She grinned, finally feeling fulfilled.
"That's a pretty sweet partner you got there, Connie." Jaden grinned as he gave his friend a congratulatory pat on the back, "Now we better head back quick..." he stated getting ready to run before he was stopped by a dainty hand that gripped his jacket sleeve.
"Not yet, Jaden..." Connar said softly as she slid her card back into her deck and shuffled, "Our last duel was inconclusive." she stated and quickly shoved her deck back into its holster, "If you give me the chance...I'd like to duel you, one more time."
Jaden stared at her for a while, before curving his lips into a knowing smile.
"Yeah...I thought you might." he said, as he dropped down the knapsack he had been carrying since they left. Connar wasn't sure what it was for or why he brought it. She thought perhaps it had snacks in it or something, but she could tell by the thud it made on the ground that it weighed much more than a couple bags of potato chips. Jaden tugged at an item within and suddenly tossed a duel disk to Connar's chest, while he clasped one on his own arm.
"Connie..." Jaden grinned, "Get your game on!"
To Be Continued
