Chapter Sixty-Two
62
"CONNAR!" Syrus called out for the girl everywhere around the dorm and even took to all of her favorite spots on the island that he knew about. But there wasn't a response from her.
"Awe man..." Syrus groaned, "I never could beat Connar at hide and seek..." he muttered, "If only I knew some expert at finding Connar-Oh! Hey wait!" Syrus blinked, "I think I DO know one!" he nodded firmly and took off toward the Infirmary.
"Connar is missing!?" Alexis and Zane both gasped after Norika had filled them in.
"Where could she be?" Alexis asked.
"Hard to say, Lex..." said Zane, "Connar has always been good at Hide and seek-"
"ZANE!" the shrieking cry of a blue haired school boy sounded from the door way as the small statured Slifer student stumbled into, panting out of breath where he found his older brother visiting Atticus with Alexis.
"Syrus?" Zane blinked.
"Zane..." he whined, "I can't find her anywhere..." he hurried over to his brother and gripped at his jacket sobbing lightly with his head down.
"Calm down, SY..." said Zane, " I can hardly understand you-"
As the boy rose his head to speak, he stopped short, catching eyes with Norika. She gasped slightly and averted her gaze, leaving Alexis with a curious expression.
"I think I need you help..." Syrus said softly to his brother.
"My help? But..."
"You should go, Zane." Atticus mumbled softly.
"What?" Zane blinked, "Atticus?"
"Come on, bro..." the brunette chuckled, "I know you care about her~ I don't think the babysitter in you ever grew up~" he chuckled.
"Heh...well..." Zane chuckled softly, "A babysitter's jobis never really done, I suppose." he stated, "Especially not when the baby you are sitting is named Connar Rose K."
"It's okay, Zane..." Syrus said softly, "I already know that the K in her name stands for 'Kaiba'."
"Ah, I see..." Zane blinked, "So...you figured it out, huh?"
"Wait, hold on!" said Alexis, "Connar is a Kaiba? Really?"
"Yeah..." Norika blinked, "It would seem so..."
"Wow..." Alexis blinked, "That's crazy..."
"Syrus seems really upset." said Zane, "I suppose I better try to help him...will you be okay?"
"I'll be all right." Atticus chuckled, "I'm in a hospital bed...not like I'm gonna be going anywhere anytime soon." he said, "Good luck."
"I'll help too." said Alexis, "With four of us looking-we can cover more ground-"
"Uh-Actually-" Norika spoke out, "I'm uh...here for a follow up." said Norika, "Go on ahead, guys..." she said, "I'll catch up after."
"Oh...all right." said Alexis, "I guess it will be just the three of us then."
"Yeah..." Syrus said softly, holding a heavy gaze on Norika who seemed to be deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"...Come on then." said Syrus, "We should really hurry."
"Right." said Zane and Alexis, following Syrus as he lead the way.
"...A Follow up, huh?" Atticus asked from his bed, "That's funny...I could have sworn I heard Nurse Fontaine say you were cleared." "Yeah? Well..." Norika muttered, "Who asked you?"
"Ahhhh~ So you WERE lying?" he chuckled.
Norika had nothing to say in response.
"...Your best friend is missing...and you're here? Hiding?"
"Best friend...yeah right." she mumbled.
"Now why would you say something like that?" Atticus blinked.
Norika took a long silence before letting out a longer and heavy sigh.
"How can I call myself Connar's best friend...when I don't know anything about her?"
Atticus blinked as he listened.
"We spent all our time together back at Duel Prep School,and yet I have never met thie boyfriend she was with for 3 years, even though I knew about him." she stated, "I've never been to her house, we never had a sleep over- We live in the same dorm and I still don't seem to know anything"
"Well if you think about it..." Atticus said softly,"You just found out she's a Kaiba...so when you put that into persepctive...That all makes sense now, wouldn't you think?"
"Yeah...I guess..." Norika sighed as she plopped herself on the bed next to his, "But that's another thing..." she blinked, "I spent all this time with her...and I had no idea she was the daughter of such a big name like Kaiba."
"I remember Zane mentioning that not a lot of people did." he blinked, "So you don't need to feel bad about that..."
"But I'm her best friend!" Norika huffed, "Or...I thought I was..."
"Apparently so is Zane's little brother, Syrus." said Atticus.
"What?" Norika blinked.
"Syrus has known Connar just as long...actually...if you want to get technical...I think he knew her longer." he blinked, "All those years...and while Zane knew about Connar's origins...his own little brother never had a clue." he said, "And yet...Even with that...Syrus made a choice." he stated, "He chose Connar." he smiled, "He's out there looking for her right now-and you're in here...wondering if you can call yourself her friend."
Norika was dumbfounded.
When Atticus put it like that...she kinda felt...stupid.
"I'm not trying to make you feel bad or look stupid- so get that thought out of your head." he chuckled, "My point is this...It's not think things you know or don't know about a person that makes you friends." he stated, "It's the cherished memories you share with that person that solidify that bond." he smiled and turned his head toward her, "You don't need to know anything about Connar to be her friend...You just need to know Connar."
Norika sat in stunned silence.
He was right.
Here she was thinking that Connar never shared these things with her because she never saw her as a friend. It never dawned at her that Connar did this BECAUSE she was her friend...
Besides...with a big name like Kaiba...it'd be no surprise that people would want to try and take adavantage of that...
Perhaps staying quiet, was the only way Connar could think of to have a normal life.
"You know...Atticus?" Norika blinked, "Despite being a vegetable...you can be pretty wise."
"Of course~" said Atticus, "I have a little sister you know." he chuckled.
Norika sighed.
"After how horrible I've been...DO I even have a right to call her my friend?" she blinked.
"Oh, come on now..." Atticus chuckled, "I wouldn't say Horrible~"
"No, I was..." Norika sighed, "I've been horrible to her..."
"Oh...Well..." Atticus blinked, "Then...you should go help find her and...not be horrible?"
Norika leered at him with narrowed amber eyes as the bedridden brunette still managed a cheeky smile. They stared at each other a while before Norika finally caved.
"Yeah...I guess you're right..." she sighed and glanced up at him with a sheepish smile,"...Thanks."
XXXXX
It was all so overwhelming, when Syrus had burst into the infirmary in tears for his brother, who was visiting Atticus with Alexis at the time, and stated that Connar was missing. After being filled in of all the details she had missed, Alexis was still in shock.
"I can't believe Connar...is a Kaiba." said Alexis.
"Yes I must admit it's quite shocking." said Bastion who tagged along after having been pulled into the search by Syrus.
Zane was silent as his gaze hung on his little brother who seemed lost in his own thoughts as well.
"...I'm sorry I couldn't tell you Syrus." he said softly,"But I had to-"
"I understand." said Syrus,"...I get it. Really I do. It's just..." he paused as he tried to find the words.
"Just what, Sy?" Zane asked.
"...Just...a lot to take in and comprehend all at once..." he sighed and stopped in his tracks, "And Norika...she was so shocked by it...she couldn't even bring herself to help..."
"...Listen to me, Syrus." Zane said as he turned his brother toward him while he kneeled down to be at eye level.
"No matter the situation...or where she comes from" Zane stated,"Connar is still Connar." he said.
"That's right!" said a familiar female Slifer who startled the pow wow from behind as she made her way into the group, "She's still our Connar! No matter if she's Connar Rose K or Connar Rose Kaiba She's no different-right?"
"Norika!" Syrus blinked as the red head joined in with a sheepish smile. He thought back to the memories of his younger self, playing toy cars with the pink haired girl with big blue eyes and a bright smile, together, at a park in a sandbox. He smiled as he narrowed his eyes and nodded, "Yeah you're totally right!"
"Good." Zane said firmly,"Because we're her friends." he said,"And as her friends, we'll always accept her...no matter what." he smiled,"Especially now, when she needs us most."
Norika blinked and nodded softly.
"You're right..." she said softly,"Thanks, Truesdale."
"Sure." Zane said smiling tenderly,"Now let's go find our pesky little sister of a friend, shall we?"
"Right!" Syrus laughed.
"...You all are looking in the wrong places." Chazz said as he made his way to join the search party with Jaden in tow. Though no one left him a welcomed gaze,"Stop looking at me like that!" he huffed.
"Sorry Chazz...but you can't exactly blame them for being mad." said Jaden,"After all...you're kind of the reason she's in this mess."
"YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT!?" Chazz huffed.
"Well...atleast he seems to feel a little guilty..." Norika muttered.
"Nori..." Jaden chuckled with a sheepish grin.
"Listen up!" Chazz huffed,"I may be the reason she's in this jam...but it's not my fault!" he stated,"Even so..."he sighed,"You're right...I'm the one who put her there...that's why I'm also the one who can get her out of it."
he said with firm devotion.
"...You said we were looking in the wrong places..." Zane stated firmly with crossed arms,"So then...where else should we look?"
Chazz blinked and closed his eyes as he thought.
"There is... one place." he said softly, and everyone turned their attention onto him.
XXXXX
Connar stood about knee deep in a restless sea to calm herself and clear her head. The waves pushed her to and fro, unsteadying her balance on uneaven sand banks below as her feet sunk deeper. She gazed, head down at her reflection in an unsteady ocean, pink hair flowing wildly with the sea breeze.
As the group approached the sand Chazz looked around for the pinkette, noticing a white headband beneath his feet. He leaned down to pick it up and looked up toward the waves.
"Connar!" Chazz's voice called out from a distance, startling her as she turned her head toward the shore,"Connar please...let's talk about this!"
"NO!" Connar snapped as she waded deeper into the bobbng ocean,"Don't come any closer-EEK!" It seemed the further out she went, the more restless the waves became.
"Connar, STOP!" Norika called out as the wind picked up,"That's dangerous!"
"Who cares if it is!?" She called back as she waded a little deeper and hugged herself while the rising water chilled her bones, while the wind chilled her body. She was determined to stay there a bit longer.
"We care, Connie!" Syrus called out to her,"Please come back to shore!"
"No, I don't want to!" She shook her head,"Please just leave me alone! Let me just stay here for-Aiieeyaah!" a bigger wave washed over her nearly knocking her into the water while he friends called out to her.
"Quickly! Get a preserver!" called Zane
"I'm on it!" said Jaden
"Zane! What are you doing!?" asked Syrus
"Syrus, you stay there!" Zane called back.
"CATCH!" Jaden tossed a life preserver into Zane's hands as he ran out onto the pier and tossed it out in a perfect ringer around her.
"Got ya!" Zane grinned in relief as he tried to pull her in.
"HEY!" Connar huffed as she found herself being pulled toward the pier toward Zane,"What part of leave me alone do you not understand!?" she huffed.
"Uhm...the LEAVING part, I think!' called Norika, "You're in the middle of the fucking OCEAN Connar! We're not leaving you alone!"
"Especially not in the middle of the Ocean!" said Zane,"So you can just forget that!"
"...I'm not even in the middle of the ocean..." she pouted,"My feet are still touching!"
"Not for long they won't" Zane stated,"The tide is rising and the wind is getting stronger...Now come back to the shore line or I'll have to be forced to dive in after you!" he huffed,"And I really don't want to have to do that Connar..."
"Well I really don't want to have to come to shore right now." she pouted stubbornly.
"Well I'm not leaving until you come back in...so I guess I'm fishing then!" Zane sighed as he pulled the rope and tethered it tighter so that she wouldn't be swept away by the current and she huffed and puffed her cheeks resting her chin in her folded arms on the edge of the floatation device.
"You really are stubborn...aren't you, Connar!?" Chazz huffed as he waded out little by little to get closer to her, "Can definitely see the Kaiba resemblance in you~"
"I wonder who made me that way, Princeton!?"
"...Your dad, maybe?"
"...Yeah...that might be a good guess..." she sighed and closed her eyes as tears beaded down her cheeks, stinging Chazz right in the guilt.
"You need to talk to her, Chazz!" Jaden stated.
"Careful you don't screw up an make it worse!" Norika called out.
"Wow..." Bastion blinked, "No pressure or anything..."
"Will you SHUT UP!?" Chazz huffed," I know that!" he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair,"Connar...look." he sighed,"I get that you're mad at me...and you have every right to be." He said as he blinked,"But right now...we have a bigger issue...and it involves both of us."
Connar blinked and looked at him.
"Please, Connie..." he blinked,"I can't get through this without you...I need your help...and if not for me...then for our school!"
For your school...
Connar stared at him silently for a while before averting her gaze.
"Then...after it's over..." he sighed,"You can hate me. And I'd deserve it." he blinked,"Because I've been a horrible friend..."
"Yes. You have." she stated and he gulped,"You've been a horrible friend...but..."
"...But?"
"...But I don't...hate you." she sighed,"I can't. Honestly? I don't think I ever could." she blinked,"Because the truth of the matter is...the reason you can hurt me like this is because...you're the only one who knows me so well."
"Huh?" Chazz blinked.
"Sure...I can talk to many people..." she stated as she looked around counting the worried faces that gazed upon them,"All of them could be good listeners..." she sighed as she rested on Jaden for a moment and shifted over to Norika and blinked,"But being a good listener doesn't mean they get it." she sighed, " No one can understand..." she blinked,"Because no one else has been through it...but you have." she sighed,"That's why, you can. Which is why this just..." she sighed once more and ran her fingers through her hair,"It isn't easy."
Chazz blinked a few times and sighed before approaching her and cupping her shoulders before turning her toward him.
"You're right." he said firmly,"I do get it." he stated,"But...when has it ever been easy?" he blinked,"Hasn't it always been hard to be us?" he shrugged as he held her head band up for her,"It's not about having money and wanting for nothing in life, with the world at your finger tips..." he blinked,"It's about all that pressure it comes with..."he said,"But you and me...we're different." he stated," We do have one thing in common."
"And?" she blinked,"What's that?"
"We always went against that grind." he smiled at her as he slowly slid her head band back onto her head and he held out his hand to her,"This involves you too Connie...come back with me, we'll figure it out together."
"I just don't know if I can, with you." she sighed shaking her head,"I feel like I'm drowning...no pun intended." She gave an awkward chuckle as she pointed out her awareness that she was indeed floating in the ocean in a life preserver.
"I know, and I get it Connie." said Chazz as he moved a little closer and held out his hand again,"That's why I'm telling you to swim to me, you dork."
"Give me one good reason why I should even trust you now!?" she huffed.
He blinked and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Because I'm here..."he said softly,"Choosing you...so can't you choose me too?" he blinked,"We're not our families...I understand you can't trust Princeton..." he sighed,"But...after everything we've been going through so far...don't you think you can come to trust Chazz as much as I've come to trust Connie?" he asked as he offered his hand one more time. She held onto her silence questioning on wheather to take his hand this time or not. He looked at her with pleading, desperate eyes. She let out a heavy sigh and returned a gentle smile.
"Okay...Chazz." she said softly with a defeated, sheepish chuckle, taking the hand he offered. Zane smiled as he helped pull them back to the shore, relieved that she was finally out of the water. Her friends all gathered and welcomed her back.
"CONNIE!"
"Huh?" She blinked and in a beat found herselt tackled back into the wake by a blue hand red,"Syrus!?" she blinked, "And Norika..."
"Don't ever do that again!" Norika huffed.
I thought I had lost you!" Syrus cried.
"S-Syrus-C-Come on!" She struggled trying to detach herself from his grip,"I wasn't literally Drowning!"
"But you WERE drowning!" said Norika snapped,"...All alone...without telling anyone...without telling me." she sobbed, "I've called myself your best friend for years... yet I still don't know anything about you..." she sniffed.
"...Norika..." Connar blinked.
"I know I'm a big cluts." said Syrus,"And I mess up all the time...and I'm not really good at anything." he sniffed,"I know all of that...but...still I..." he squeezed the girl a little tighter,"I still want you to talk to me...about anything really!" he sniffed,"Anything at all...I mean...we...are friends...aren't we?"
"Syrus..." she blinked and smiled warmly returning his hug, "You're right...we are friends...and I shouldn't have any right to be upset about dishonesty...when I can't even be honest with all of you." she sighed as she took a slow pan around at the people who gathered around her, giving a small smile as she nodded,"So allow me to re-introduce myself." she said as she took a step back and bowed politely,"...My name...is Connar Rose Kaiba...and I'm happy to have met all of you." she smiled.
"And we're all happy to know you too, Connie." Jaden said as he gave her a playful nudge,"So...about what went down in the Chancellor's Office..." he said,"What are you gonna do?"
Connar sighed.
"Well if it's already been decided...then there's not much I can do..." she said softly,"But...I might be able to make a phone call..."
XXXXX
"Connar!?" Mokuba blinked on the other side of the video monitor screen,"What are you doing, calling the business phone!? You know we're busy, and this line is not a toy!"
Connar and her friends stood gathered around the monitor, to support the nervous pink haired girl as she dialed the direct line. She took in a deep and shaky breath before finally maintaining a serious face. All of them just as nervous as she was at the possibility of who would be waiting on the other side of the screen.
"I called because I need to discuss business matters." she stated,"This is a sure fire line to talk to dad-I mean... - directly." she blinked,"So put him on."
"What!?"
"I know he's there, Mokuba."
"Well yeah of course he is but-"
"Please, Uncle Mokey?" she sighed,"This is important..."
"...All right, Connar." he sighed and turned to his side speaking to a presence who was just off screen,"Your daughter...wishes to discuss business with you."
"...Tranfer the screen."
"Yes sir."
They all gasped at the startling voice of the big wig they knew was on the other side and gulped as the video transferred, revealing Seto Kaiba's face on screen.
"Hello...dad."
"...Connar." he stated her name sharply sending chills through everyone.
"I...can hardly believe it's really him..." Norika whispered softly,"That just makes this all...too real."
"Yeah..." said said Syrus.
Seto Kaiba darted his eyes around the company she kept and let out a heavy sigh.
"You know I'm a very busy man, Connar." he stated firmly,"Yet, you call me on the direct business line...clearly you demand for my attention."
"That's-"
"Well now you have it." he said, cutting her off.
"I..."
"Need I remind you that You called Me on the business line?"
"N-No sir...I..." she sighed,"I'm aware of my actions."
"Good." he huffed,"Well?" he blinked,"I'm listening sweetheart." he smirked,"So...let's talk business."
To Be Continued