The Blue Eyes
Chapter 1:
As Zelah (now Zelah-Amenti of the Dragon-deck) lay in bed that night, trying to go to sleep despite her neighbors loud (bad) music, she imagined all the things she would do if she lived in Yugi's world. Suddenly, something occured to her. "Why not?" she whispered, not worrying about anyone hearing her talk to herself. After all, her parents were off on "business" and her only neighbor- a college kid- was listening to mindless noise. Sometimes, she imagined that someone was listening, but she didn't bother that night. She was listening to herself, and that was enough. "Why can't I live like they're real? Why can't I live like a duelist?" She grinned. "I will be fooling everyone. They will think I'm just another face in the crowd, but really? I'm a champion. Or I will be, once I've fought in some tournaments. I've heard that there will be one at the Kansas State Fair next week."
Zelah nodded to herself, standing up to roam the halls, as she had given up on sleep. "I will go to this tournament. I will do my best to win, and if I know Kansans, I will win. Then, maybe Mom will let me go to a bigger tournament somewhere." She snorted. "What kind of duelist has to ask permission? I will just tell her; the way she tells me that she's going someplace. She will be glad I'm finally coming out of my shell." That last part she said imitating her mother's voice, then she snorted again. "Its not like I'm in the 'Cocoon of Evolution,' or something."
*Well... maybe I am...*
Zelah lay in bed for a while longer. Her neighbor's music went out, and all was silent, but she still couldn't sleep. Finally, she gave up. "Guess I'm not getting any sleep tonight." Putting a robe over her thin nightgown, Zelah padded out into the hallway connecting her room to the rest of the wing. She glanced at the old clock that stood at the end of the hall, the one that her parents said would be hers. "Nearly midnight. Lovely time to be up and about," she muttered sarcastically.
She continued to the large doors that seperated "her" wing from the rest of the house. Starting to open the left one as she always did, she paused. *Might as well walk like a champion,* she thought, and pushed both doors as wide open as her arms would reach, then strode into the upper hall. The red plush carpet streched from her doors to her parents' (unoccupied) wing, with a starcase descending from the middle of the left. Zelah paused at the top, surveying the main hall. It was almost as big as the entire rest of the house, really. The staircase split into two, and curled around a raised stage area. Imbedded into the stairs was a huge entertainment system, including (but not limited to) cd and dvd capabilities, a plethora of recording options, and a karioke set-up. On the right end of the main hall was a bar, on the other a slightly raised stage with a grand piano on it. That was Zelah's, and as she rested her eyes on it, she began to trot gracefully down the stairs. She really did feel special, and important. It was midnight, she was alone, and she was in her element. As she approached her piano, Zelah-Amenti of the dragon-deck was prepared to fill her home with sound, as she knew that she could on that instrument. On her way, though, the phone rang.
Sighing, Zelah turned, and ran up to the entertainment system, which (in addition to the previously mentioned items) was also a phone. Slapping the answer button on the console built into the stair rail, Zelah tried to sound sleepy, in case it was her parents. "Yeah? Who is it?"
"That you, Zelah? Yeah, I guess it would be... no-one else's home." The voice was Perdia, Zelah's half-sister. *Why is she calling? She doesn't like us any more than we like her...* The family was not very unified. Especially after Perdia's brother (and Zelah's half-brother) suicided. The amazing entertainment center had been his design, and he had even helped design Pegasus' dueling centers. *What? Where did that last part come from? Am I thinking duel-monsters already?* Perdia spoke again, then, "Um, hello? You there?"
"Yeah," Zelah said quickly, before Perdia hung up. Something important must have happened for her to have called, and a feeling of dread was beginning to gather in Zelah's stomach. "I was just wondering... How did you know that our Mom and Dad were gone? Well... our Mom... my Dad..." Perdia usually got hung up over that; Zelah didn't feel like going the rounds.
Perdia, whom hadnever been a subtle person, dropped the bomb. "Because they never will be. The hospital called me, I guess because I'm the oldest one. A drunk ran into their car on their way home. Your Dad was killed instantly. Mom only lived long enough to..." her composure broke, and so did her voice, "to say that she loved us... that she loved me and wished that she could see me again..." She sobbed a moment, and Zelah was too shocked to say anything. *It can't be...* Her eyes stung with the beginning of tears. "I tried, but I didn't get here in time... She's gone." The line went dead, and Zelah stood listening to the dialtone until the operator came on. Numbly, she funbled to hang up.
Something seemed to stirr deep within Zelah. It was another part of herself; something strong. *She was never here anyways. Everything is yours now. Well, everything except for what is Perdia's. None of your friends have to know that they're gone. They never saw them. If Perdia takes official custody of you, and pretends that this is her main residence, things will go on fine. You will miss her, but life will move on. Now, go play your music. It heals you.* Zelah obeyed silently. When she set her fingers on the keys, they began to play almost without her command.
The Doll's Funural... it was apropriate. The music filled the main hall with a deep sence of mourning, and tears streamed down Zelah's cheeks. *It can't be real. It can't be. It was a joke! Or... or... a wrong number! Someone else; not me!* With the last chord, Zelah curled in on herself and sobbed on the keyboard. *I can't be an orphan! I'm not!*
It wasn't until the next morning that Zelah-Amenti realized the first of two problems confronting her at the present. "Um... who is going to make me breakfast? Mom hates anything instant, and I can't cook!" She spoke aloud to herself as she dressed, and for once decided to put make-up on. It would cover the tearstains, and the dark bags under her eyes. She hadn't been able to sleep. "Wait!" She realized the second problem. "How am I going to get to school?" As Zelah paced the main hall, pondering these dilemma's, the doorbell rang.
The doors- huge, overly ornate affairs- were just across the main hall from the entertainment center and stairs, so Zelah reached it quickly. "Morning, Sis. Hardly a good one, but a morning. That's something." Perdia held out a cardboard box. "Unless Mom loosened up since I left," Perdia struggled to speak normally, "there isn't any cereal in the house, so I brought some. I'll take you to school this morning, but then I'm back to my place, so you'd best work something out."
"Thank you," Zelah said, smiling weakly, releaved. "Please, come in. I won't be long." Perdia nodded, and entered the main hall, looking around. Zelah was headed to the left of the stairs, where the kitchen was, when Perdia interrupted.
"Um... is my room still... you know..." She looked at her feet, blushing at her sentimentality.
"A disaster area? Spider-infested? A disgrace?" Perdia nodded. "She never touched it. I always kind-of wondered about that, but I guess she missed you more than she let on." Perdia nodded again, wearing the family's faint, solemn smirk, then went upstairs. Shrugging, Zelah continued to the kitchen.
"Raisin Nut Bran? Um... no wonder Mom always makes things from scratch." Following the directions infered from the package, Zelah poured the dry, flakey-looking cereal into a bowl, added milk from the fridge, and stirred. "Do I have to cook it or anything?" *No you don't, stupid!* The voice came into Zelah's mind from no-where. Unlike the voices she usually heard, this one wasn't Zelah's. It was harsh, and mature, with a heavy eastern accent. "I just... eat it cold?" *Duh! Honestly, how simple can you get?* Cowed by the voice's cutting tone, and quite honestly (and understandably) confused by its appearance, Zelah sat in the breakfast nook to crunch the cereal. "I guess it's not too bad..."
*The broad's comin. Finish stuffing the cereal into your gaping maw so you'll be ready to go.* "Um... you mean my sis?" *Duh.* Whoever- or whatever- the voice was, it enjoyed the word 'duh.' Trusting the voice, for no other reason than the fact that it would probably yell at her if she didn't, Zelah finished the cereal quickly, and placed the bowl in the sink. *You'll have to wash that yourself later, you know.* "But... we have a housekeeper!" The voice sighed. *Don't you know anything? Without your parents, there will be no more money coming in, and thanks to the extravagance of your pad here, money will run down quicker than you know. You had best get rid of the hired help and learn to do things yourself.*
Zelah turned to leave the kitchen, and was met by her sister. "Ready to go?" Perdia handed Zelah her bookbag (it always sat next to the piano, and had even when Perdia had lived there), along with a small package. "Open that tonight."
"Alright. And... thanks." Perdia nodded, and the two sisters left the house. The morning was a bit chilly to ride a motorcycle, but it was all Perdia had, and Zelah loved it anyways. Ninja motorbikes had always been her favorite. *Don't you dare lose that,* the voice warned her, as Zelah fingured the package. *That broad has no idea how important it is.* Zelah made a mental note to chew the voice out about respecting her family. Assuming it stayed. *Don't worry, Aibou. I won't be going anywhere...*
Aibou?!?
The game of duel-monsters is © the creators of Yu-gi-oh. The story is © me in idea, content, characters, events, etc. The beginning setting, while not completely realistic, is to be regarded as 'real life.' As the story progresses, the you may decide whether you think that the setting actually changes, or if it is all in the characters' heads. Don't forget to R&R!