Chapter Twenty-Six
26
"No...Not yet."
What?
"It is not time for you to be here yet...it is not the time...:"
What is this...voice in my head...?
"Soon though...very soon."
What's...soon?
"Very soon...you will come back here again."
"You will see me again!"
But...who are you?
All was black in Connar's disconnected mind...
"I'm back Connar." Chazz spoke out as he placed more notes on the table next to Connar's cot. She was still unconscious, but he continued to gather her notes for her and visit on occasion to check on her.
"The nurse says it would be good to talk to you while you're in here...even if you're not awake." he said awkwardly,"Apparently it's believed that coma patients can still hear, and so hearing a familiar voice might beckon you to wake up again..." he said, "Though...I'm not sure if my voice holds any exception to that claim..."
He stood in silence for a while and sighed.
"I'm sorry Connar...that slacker is the reason for this and I won't be able to be the one that makes him pay for it." he grumbled,"Apparently he and Syrus are supposed to duel some top shot tag duelists for their punishment, if they lose...they'll be expelled. Hmph." He muttered,"Well I guess so long as someone does it..." he huffed and fell silent once again, "And then there's Norika..." he stated, "She was part of it too...so why should she get off scott free!?" he huffed, "I always told you she was a bad influence-" he sighed, "...Why are you so bad at picking friends...?" he blinked a moment in silence before continuing, "...I hear they called your dad." he said softly, shifting a concerned gaze to the unconscious body on the cot,"Bet he's pissed...I'll pray for you-" He was interrupted by the sudden swinging open of the door to her room while an ash haired male came rushing in.
"Connar!? Connar!" a young man called her name,"Connie, it's uncle Mokey, can you hear me?"
"Hey...I know you." Chazz said suddenly startling the older male into looking his direction,"You're...Mokuba right?"
"Huh?" the male blinked,"That's right. I'm Mokuba Kaiba, I'm Connar's uncle." he said sternly,"You're Princeton, Aren't you? What are you doing here?" he asked,"Connar isn't supposed to be having any visitors right now."
"Uh, That's..." before he could get another word out, a looming presence of a brunette male hovered over him.
"What are you doing here!?" a stern, raspy voice asked with sharp intent,"I thought I made it clear that my daughter wasn't to have any visitors."
"Ahh, !" Chazz jumped back a bit and quickly gave a polite bow,"My apologies, I'm a class mate of your daughter's." he said quickly," I was here dropping off some notes and lesson plans she missed from the day's classes and I was just leaving."
"Chazz Princeton...so I see." His sharp blue eyes narrowed as he gazed down upon the obelisk blue student, sending chills through him. Without much else to say he kept his head down, which was probably the safer choice,"While I appreciate that you took the time to concern yourself with my daughter's missed studies, but she won't be needing those."
"What?" Chazz blinked,"Why is that..."
Though he wasn't sure that he wanted to hear the answer.
"Come on Seto..." Mokuba said softly,"Connar is in a hospital bed right now. Don't you think you're coming off a little harsh?"
Chazz kept his mouth shut. It was overwhelming being in the presence of such a famous man. Not that it was the first time he had met Seto Kaiba. His family often had meetings with Kaiba Corporation, it was just the first time he remained so close under his looming presence for this long. He fidgeted nervously trying to find the right words to say and the proper way to speak to the man when he noticed Connar's body beginning to stir.
"...Connar?" he blinked curiously and watched her stir, hoping that it was a sign of her waking up soon.
"Ms. Connar... !"
What...? Kaibaman? Kaibaman is that you?
" ! We have finally connected!"
Kaibaman? What happened?
"I'm sorry to say, but I wish I knew myself."
The spirit's voice echoed in her subconscious.
"You made a connection with a spirit of some sort then lost all connection to your own world!"
With a Spirit? That's right, I remember now...
That blue haired boy with the pink eyes...the one who looks like me...
Is he another Duel Spirit?
"I'm sorry... but I can't say that he was..." he said softly, "I wish I knew, myself."
he said apologeticly.
"He was certainly no type of duel spirit that I knew of...but he seems deeply rooted in you." he said,"You two seem to have some sort of connection...as though you knew each other."
Know each other?
Yeah...he felt so...familiar, but...
But I have no idea who he is or how he could know me...
"Nevermind that now." he said softly,"We have finally reconnected which means your consciousness must finally be connected to your waking world once again." he said,"We will try to solve the situation of this matter later, for now , you must wake up!"
What...? Wake up?
"Yes...Wake up!"
A sudden light of white flashed in Connar's mental vision, which then soon blurred up and took form of the cieling panels of the infirmary.
"Ah-Connar?" Chazz blinked,"Connar, you're awake!"
"What!?" both the Kaiba brother's gasped and rushed over to each side of her bed, While Chazz stood at the foot of it.
Her blue eyes opened slowly and soon had the shine return to them as she took in the scenery.
"Uncle Mokey...?" she said weakly.
"Connar! Oh thank goodness!" he had tears in his eyes as he slowly lifted her into his arms and hugged her tenderly,"The nurse said that you had collapsed and wouldn't wake up...we were so worried...!"
"We...?" She blinked and slowly shifted her gaze over to the presence on the other side of her cot.
If Uncle Mokey was here...it could only mean one thing.
"...Papa..." she said weakly and swalled hard at a forming lump in her throat. Her father leered down at her with an angry expression, and she knew she was in trouble...and no matter how high she pulled the sheets to cover her face, there was no hiding from him.
"Don't you dare hide from me!" he snapped," You are in big trouble young lady!"
"Seto, please-!" Mokuba hissed motioning with his eyes that there was still another presence in the room, but her father showed no mercy.
"You deliberately disobeyed me!" he stated,"For that you will be punished!" he stated,"Like any other student, you will be treated as such for trespassing... " He said,"You are to be suspended!"
"What!? Suspended!?" she gasped.
"And when I get you home-You are grounded-!"
"B-But-"
"No buts, Connar Rose!"
"Seto, please!" Mokuba huffed.
"I...I'm sorry to interrupt." Chazz spoke up suddenly gaining the brothers's attention."But actually, two of the three other students who dragged her along on their adventure to the abandoned dorm are actually being given a chance to redeem themselves with a tag duel." he stated,"If she is to be treated like any other student...then wouldn't it only be fair to punish her the same way?"
"What?" Connar blinked, "Are you serious?"
"Hold on..." Mokuba blinked, "You said, two out of three...who was the third?"
"Norika Satsuna." said Chazz, "And from what I gather, SHe has more of the story on how Connar wound up in this state-"
"No way!" Mokuba gasped, "...Norika?" he blinked, "She's Connar's best friend...you're telling me she knows what happened!?"
"Now hold on a minute!" said Connar.
"I will not!" Chazz snapped, "Honestly Connar, how can you defend them when they just DUMPED you here!?"
"...What?" Connar froze.
"Jaden! And Norika!" he huffed, "They dragged you here and left you before disappearing themselves before getting caught." he stated," Jaden is getting what's coming to him but why should Norika get off scott free!?" he stated before turning back toward the Kaiba brothers, "If you wish for it, sir, I'd be more than happy to handle Norika myself!"
Seto blinked as he listened without a word, the intensity of his gaze unchanging.
"Seto...you can't be seriously considering this-"
"Do as you please." said Seto, interrupting Mokuba before he could even end his sentence, "See what you can find out..."
Chazz's eyes widened and a smirk creased his lips.
"Thank you, sir!" he said as he plkaced a palm to his chest, "I assure you, you won't be disappointed~" as he took his bow, Chazz stood up right and walked out in perfect posture.
"I don't know about this, Seto..." said Mokuba, "Are you sure we can even trust a Princeton? And to sick him onto Norika like that..."
"I am not responsible For Norika." Seto said Firmly, "However, if she really does know what happened here, I'd like to be filled in..." he blinked, "Even if it takes a Princeton to do it."
"But Papa, please-Norika-!"
"That's enough out of you, Connar!" he snipped, silencing her immediately.
"Hmm... so Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale are to partner up for a tag duel huh?" he seemed to ponder to himself in silence for a while before reaching his own conclusion.
"Very well." he stated, "I suppose if they are getting a chance to duel it's only fair that I give you, as another student, the same chance." He said this, but it didn't seem like he was completely sold on it just yet.
Connar blinked.
"So you want to tag duel with me and Norika-"
"Norika is not my responsibility." said Kaiba, "YOU Are."
Connar froze up and gulped.
"And the fact remains, Connar Rose, that you deliberately broke the rules and disobeyed me." he huffed, "As such...I will be handling your punishment...personally."
Mokuba heaved a sigh as he watched the startled child tremble slightly beneath the heated gaze of her father. He gave his brother a look, but Seto didn't seem tp pay attention as he pulled a chair beside his daughter. He wore a pained expression on his face as he placed a palm on her head. Mokuba sighed once again. It was beneath this man's hand that she could feel the pained it caused him to have to be so harsh. But she understood...and she sighed and averted his gaze down.
"Yes sir..." she said softly, "I understand."
Mokuba blinked and gave a soft chuckle gently patting the student on the shoulder.
"I hate to trust the care of my daughter in the hands of a Princeton..." Seto huffed,"That family has been trying to turn up my company more times than I can count..." he sighed, "Perhaps I should have thought more before sicking him on Norika." he stated, "I know she is your friend...but he seemed certain she knows something...and if she does..." he sighed, "Though...I wouldn't be surprised if he found some way to sabotage that duel...just to find somewhere to pit blame, under my name."
"Papa..." Connar spoke up softly,"Princeton isn't like that...he plays honorably..."
"Hmph." Seto huffed.
"Still though." Mokuba said softly taking a seat on the other,"He didn't have a bad idea."
"About th duel?" Seto asked.
"Well yeah..." Mokuba chuckled,"I mean he did raise a point, if the other two students are getting that oppritunity, then perhaps in spirit of the school... and in the name of punishing her we should honor it?"
"Hmmm..." Seto hummed for a while as he thought it over, inch by inch raising the girl's hopes of possibly finding a way out of the mess she got herself in,"I suppose you're right." he said,"If they are gonna get a duel, then Connar, so will you." he blinked," I agree to that much."
"What!? really!?" she beamed in relief. Though much too soon.
"So be it...I will arrange your opponent." he stated,"If you lose you will be expelled, and when we get home...you are grounded." he huffed,"Win, you'll be cleared. But you're grounded. Take it or leave it."
"Grounded!?" she pouted,"How can I be grounded in a boarding school!?"
"Don't test me." he hissed and she shut right up immediately.
"Right, okay, yes sir." she nodded profusely,"I understand and accept the conditions."
"Very good." Seto smirked and crossed his arms as well as one leg over the other,"And Mokuba...since you have been so kind to volunteer yourself...you will be her opponent."
"What!? Me!?" he blinked and Connar shared his surprise.
"That's right."
"You mean...I have to duel Uncle Mokey, to determine wheather I stay or go!?"
"Correct." Seto said as he stood to rise and turned his back glancing backwards over his shoulder at his daughter who was at a loss for words."So you best get plenty of rest sweetheart, after your release, your future in this school will be determined." with a smirk following soon after this statement. Seto Kaiba then took his leave, with his tailcoats fluttering behind him.
"Dramatic as always..." Mokuba mumbled,"Me and my big mouth..." he sighed,"I'm sorry, Connie."
"It's all right..." she sighed,"I disobeyed my father...I broke the rules...I deserve to be punished, just like Syrus and Jaden." she sighed, "But...Norika..."
Mokuba sighed and gave a saddened smile.
"I'll give you time to get ready." he said,"Once you recover, Big brother and I will arrange a private duel to determine your future with Duel Academy. So don't hold back..." he said softly," Because I won't."
With that Connar let out a heavy sigh and rested her head back on the pillow, to which Mokuba then switched off the light and left her to rest for the night.
To be Continued
