Blue: ~it is the day before Christmas and she is smiling with great anticipation. ~ "Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all get nice presents tomorrow and get to spend a happy day with your friends and loved ones."
Yami Blue: ~stands next to her with a frown in his face and his arms crossed over his chest. ~ "Humbug…" ~he whispers to himself in annoyance. ~
Blue: ~hears what her yami just said and recognizes it to be exactly what the character scrooge use to say about Christmas in the movie A Christmas Carol. ~ "Humbug?" ~ she laughs a little in amusement. ~ "Do you even know what that word means?"
Yami Blue: ~feels pretty much like the old man in the movie he was watching earlier when people made fun of him for not liking the ridiculous holiday. ~ "Not really… but I do understand the sentiment."
Blue: ~ thinks of his yami to be a lost cause, but still she tries to be polite. ~ "Just go watch the rest of the movie and we'll talk later ok! Right now I wish to finish this chapter."
Yami Blue: ~ gestures with a jump of his shoulders and goes away uncaringly. ~
The Prophet
Chapter 7: "Isn't that what we always say to people?"
By Blue
Téa, Mai and June where sitting on the floor around the coffee table of Yugi's living room, while laughing and playing around with their Duel Monster cards. June was holding Téa's favorite card The Magician of Faith and reading out her fortune while the other two girls listened with great interest.
"Well by your card I can tell that you are very supportive of your friends as well as your dreams. You have a very clear vision of what you want to become in the future and you are not afraid to follow your convictions." Téa a blinked a few times before blurting out her amazement.
"Holy cow, that was awsome!" The boys were now entering the living room to join up with the tree girls, wend they heard her Téa's declaration.
"What was?" Tristan asked. He and the others boys had been in the next room using the phone to order the food. They were now eager up to join in the conversation and to find out what the girls had been doing while they were away.
"June can tell a duelist personality and future by looking at his favorite cards." Téa explained to the boys.
"It's like reading out people's fortune. I guess you could say it's only a simple party trick but she's actually very good at it." Mai said to her boyfriend Joey in a mocking way, as if he needed more explanation than the others.
"Really… What did she say about you Mai?" Joey tried to tease her back but she only responded smugly.
"I gave her my Harpy Lady and she told me that people often shy away from me because of my strong character and remarkable good looks." Every boy sweat-dropped at her egotism before Téa spoke again.
"That's not all she said." Joey caught on Téa's mocking tone and asked quickly.
"Oh yeah, what else?" His question was directed to Mai but Téa answered for her.
"That she acts arrogant and defensive only because she is afraid of getting hurt." Mai blushed a little as the boys began to sigh in awe and amusement.
"Aw… That's so sweet!" Joey said softly to her ear in a teasing undermining way while Mai took the opportunity to pull him closer making him fall down to the floor next to her.
"If you think my fortune was so amusing then why don't you try it, lover?" Joey's glared at his girlfriend in annoyance. Not only couldn't Mai take a joke but she also liked to embarrass him in front of his friend by calling him corny pet names.
"Sure, why not… Here is my card June, The Flame Swordsman." Joey said while handling June his monster card.
"Wow… a samurai, how cool!" She said with amazement elevating Joey's ego instantly.
"Yeah, I'm cool!" Joey said proudly while the others sweat-dropped again.
"She meant the card stupid." Tristan rapidly made clear to his bigheaded friend.
"Oh! Yeah, I knew that!" Said Joey after realizing his mistake and trying to dismiss his discomfiture.
"Anyway, what can you tell us about Joey's card June?" Ryou asked the girl while sitting next to her. Yugi, who was now in control of his body while Yami rested in his soul room, came to sit next to Téa making her a little nervous by their closeness.
"Well, because the samurai is such an honorable warrior I would have to say that you have a high sense of honor yourself, Joey. You stick strongly to your values… and you're very protective of your friends and loved ones… but you must be careful with your tamper. You might hurt someone dear to you with that strong pride of yours."
"You don't say…" Téa snickered with evil intent making Tristan flinch in response. Joey only stared back at her defiantly.
"Watch it…" He said in warning but his girlfriend's ways rapidly shut down his defensiveness,
"Oh, don't be so grouchily honey, you know she speaks the truth." Mai said tenderly while pinching his cheek and caressing his head affectingly.
"Now this could get very interesting." Yugi and Yami though in unison while admiring June's little game.
"Say June! Why don't you tell Tristan's fortune next? I bet he's dying to know!" Said Yugi cheerfully when in reality it was more likely that every one else but him was eager to know what she would say.
"Go ahead June… here is my favorite card. It's called the Cyber Commander." Tristan took out his card and gave it to June.
"Ok… Hm… Your monster looks like some kind of war hero… so you must be the kind of person who's not afraid of any confrontation. You are a high-achiever, go-getter kind of guy who always rise to the challenge and is well known for his accomplishments. As a friend you are a very reliable person to have around, but you often feel the need for recognition as well as support from your friends." After June finished her reading the room fell silent for a moment making her uncomfortable.
"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" She asked worriedly.
"On the contrary, I think you were very precise." Said Yugi.
"Yeah… you described Tristan perfectly." Téa added before Joey burst out with a declaration.
"Ok… ok… I admit it! I was jealous, ok!" Said Joey to Tristan in the form of an apology.
"You what?" Tristan asked flabbergasted by his friend sudden outburst.
"I shouldn't have said all that stuff about you not being good enough for Serenity and I am sorry, ok!"
"Who's Serenity?" June whispered to Ryou.
"Joey's little sister." Ryou whispered back.
"Is that why they were fighting this morning in the hallway?" She asked once more and Ryou nodded in return, while Joey continued to apologize in the background.
"You have always been a good friend to me, and I should be happy that my sister likes you." Joey declared sincerely but Tristan didn't seem satisfied with his friend apology.
"Then why aren't you?" Tristan asked.
"Because… when I was little Serenity was like, the person I cared most about in the world and she was taken from me by my own mother no less." Joey paused a moment before continuing his declaration with some sadness.
"And now that she is finally back into my life and you started dating her I felt like she was being taken away from me all over again." Everyone in the room looked at Joey with great sympathy. Tristan was about to say something to his depressed friend but then Joey began to speak again.
"I knew she had to find a boyfriend some day… and that I would resent him eventually for some reason… I just didn't wanted it to be you. You're my best friend." Tristan was moved to tears and so were most of his other friends after he grabbed Joey's head in a headlock with immense familiarity and affection.
"So are you, knuckle-head." Tristan said tenderly while messing his hair and laughing fondly. They had both finally resolved their differences, but it seemed there was still someone in the room who had some issues to resolve with the two boys as she promptly stood up to hit each one of them over the head.
"Ouch!" Tristan and Joey cried in agreement.
"Téa! What's the big idea?" Joey demanded for an explanation, which she complied heatedly.
"You two are a couple of jerks, you know that! Do you have any idea of the aggravation you have put us through? The next time you idiots have a big fight over something as stupid as this I'm going kick both your asses, you hear me!" Everyone in the room look terrified at a pest off Téa wend suddenly June burst out with spontaneous laughter.
"You guys are a riot!" She said between laugh making Mai and the boys laughed at Téa. Téa joined them as well as she realized how silly she must have looked.
"Hey… you still haven't told Yugi's fortune." Mai commented.
"Hey, that's right! It's Yugi's turn." Téa exclaimed with excitement. She was very eager to hear what she would say about the boy.
"Oh. I don't know you guys…" Yugi said timidly.
"Oh, come on, Yugi. It's all in good fun." Tristan and Ryou said in support.
"Yeah Yug, give her your Dark Magician! Everyone knows that's your favorite card." Joey also urged him, feeling very curious.
"Go ahead aibou." Said Yami silently to his partner.
"I am very curious to know what she'll say." Yami insisted and Yugi complied with his request.
"Ok… here you go June." June took gladly the card in her hands and began to inspect it meticulously.
How curious…this magician has the face of boy yet his eyes and expression are as cold as those of a grown man. This card has the same duality as Bakura's Change of Heart only in this one the two opposite forces work together as a team. This harmony make him strong…no, more than just strong it makes him very powerful… powerful enough to…For the second time in that day June had a vision. It had only been pieces and bits of quick images as always, but some stuff did come out clearly this time. She had seen herself kneeling before some sort of king or ruler inside what seem to be a grand Egyptian throne room. And she had felt the painful sting of pressing metal cutting at her wrists, like if her hands had been bound strongly together.
She also saw a short pursuit of armored royal guards from the same era following some sort of thief through the market place.
She was very confused by this vision as she rarely had vision of herself in ancient times.
"So…" Yugi asked wondering why she had been stalling when she had been very quick to tell the other's fortune.
"June?" Ryou call out to her softly and somewhat worried.
"Hm? Oh! Sorry guys. I was just admiring Yugi's card. He's magician is quite… interesting." She said trying to act casual and unaffected before she continued to tell Yugi's fortune.
"Anyway, here is what I see Yugi… Although you are somewhat pure and innocent at heart, you are very attracted to nature's dark side. It is no coincidence that you like riddles and mystery… that is because you were born with an innate ability for solving problems… you're destined to become a man of great importance in this world, as there will be great challenges laid before you… but in order for you to succeed you have to strengthen your confidence in yourself, and be willing to take some chances." June finished her reading of Yugi's fortune and the room fell silent for a moment once more.
"Wow…" Yugi exclaimed softly while the others looked at each other in secret understanding. June noticed with some discomfort how she had made everyone tense and felt the need to apologize.
"I am sorry…" She said a little saddened and everyone jumped in to chase away her fears."Oh No please…" Yugi said.
"Don't be sorry…" Said Mai."You got us all wrong…" Said Téa.
"Yeah, your readings are great!" Said Tristan."Yeah, very impressive." Said Yugi.
"Is just that Yugi's was a little…" Ryou began to say but Joey finished the sentence.
"Spooky…" All in the room, except June glared annoyingly at Joey for having such a big mouth as to say what was in everyone's mind.
"Spooky?" June repeated the boy's statement with some alarm. She didn't want her new friends to she think she was weird or scary. Joey realized how he had once more run at the mouth and tried to change the subject quickly to mend some of the damage.
"I mean… Hey, the pizza is here!" Joey said before jumping on his feet and running towards the door.
"Oh great, I'm starving!" Tristan replied before going eagerly after his friend. Téa and Mai had felt awkward staying there so they excused themselves to go to the kitchen to get some drinks, napkins and other stuff.
Ryou noticed how June kept staring at Yugi's dark magician so he tried to make conversation to clear the tension in the room.
"Yugi's Dark Magician is one of those unique cards I was talking to you about, earlier at school." Ryou commented sparking her interest.
"Oh, you mean like your Change of Heart?" June asked and Yugi answered.
"That's right! Both cards are extremely rare, as well as most on your sisters deck." This statement made June a little sad again.
"I wouldn't know…" She turned her face away from the two boys to look down."She is not a bad person, you know? But she likes to keep most stuff to herself… I wish I knew what her favorite card was. Maybe then I could understand her better." At this moment all the boys and girls that were missing came back to the room carrying food and drinks for all to share.
"Lets dig in everybody!" Joey announced cheerfully.
"Yes, but be careful is hot!" Tristan warned his friends as he laid the steaming pizza box on the coffee table."Here, you go guys." June said to everyone while showing them their cards,
"I wouldn't want to get your cards dirty." She smiled while they each took their cards from her hand.
"Is too bad there is no one left to read their fortune." Mai commented.
"And just when I was really getting to enjoy it." Said Joey. "Yeah… If only Grandpa would have chosen another day to go buying supplies for the store… I bet he would have loved to meet you June." Yugi said. "That's ok Yugi, I can always come by some other time." Said June smiling brightly, when all of the sudden someone came up with an idea."Hey… what about Yami?" Said Téa, brightened by the idea of getting to know Yami better and having him join them for dinner.
"June can read his fortune, right?" Téa question Yugi as if asking for his and Yami's approval.
"That's a great idea! I bet he could go for some pizza too." Yugi declared very positively, knowing very well what the spirit though of the idea.
"But, wait a minute Yug… Isn't Yami's favorite card the same as yours?" Tristan asked quickly.
"I don't know… I have never really asked him before." Yugi answered sincerely.
"Who's this Yami, you keep talking about?" June asked immediately curious.
"Oh, he is just my—" Yugi began to explain when he was quickly interrupted by Ryou.
"Yugi's older brother. Isn't that right you guys?" Ryou lied nervously while the others nodded in back awkwardly in agreement.
"Say Yugi… why don't we go up stairs and see if he wants to join us." The white haired boy asked while getting up and almost dragging his short friend out of the room.
"Hm… yeah sure." Yugi complied although he really didn't understand why Ryou wanted them to be alone. Once they where inside his bedroom and Ryou shut the door close, Yami appeared in the flesh next to his partner.
"So… I suppose there is something you want to tell us." Said the ancient spirit of the Pharaoh while crossing his arms over his chest.
"Why did you tell June that Yami is my older brother?" Yugi asked a little defensively.
"Isn't that what we always say to people?" Ryou declared flatly trying to dismiss the importance of the subject.
"That's right… people… not our friends. June is all right! Why won't you trust her?" Ryou backed away a little.
"Is not that I don't trust her, it's just that… it's complicated." At this moment Ryou's dark half also materialized in the room to join the conversation personally.
"Complicated, ha?" Bakura commented very displeased with his hikari.
"So, if the Pharaoh here is going to pass as Yugi's brother then who will I be… an occasional annoyance? You weren't even planning to introduce me to your friend, weren't you?" Bakura said accusingly making Ryou become gradually mad.
"Well… no… not yet anyway. Besides, since when do like spending time with my friends?" Ryou said defiantly and Bakura answered him with same sentiment.
"Since I spent a whole afternoon locked up in my soul room because you can't take a joke." Their voices were now loud enough to reach the others who were eating peacefully at the leaving room.
"A joke? The entire school thinks I'm gay because of you, and you think that's funny?"
"Enough!" Yami commanded.
"You two need to solve your differences, but now it's not the time." He began to push the two boys gently away from each other but this only made Bakura angrier.
"Ah, to hell with this! I don't know why I even waste my time with you fools!" Said the dark spirit while pushing Yami out of his way and going out of the room.
"Where are you going? Yami!" Ryou called out to Bakura but his partner paid no head, Bakura just kept walking away angrily and mumbling curses to the wind.. Ryou thought of going after him but Yami stopped him from doing so thinking that it was wiser to let the furious thief calm down before talking again with the boy.
"Let him go Ryou... The two of you need some time apart right now. You know he is not reasonable when he gets mad." He said calmly.
"But… where would he go? What if something happens to him?" Ryou said feeling very unease. It was true that he was still mad at Bakura but that didn't meant he had stop caring for his other half."Don't worry Ryou… I'm sure Bakura is quite capable of taking care of himself." Yugi said feeling sorry for the poor unfortunate soul who would cross the path of the angry spirit.
When Yugi, Yami and Ryou went back to rejoin their friends, June had asked about the intangible yelling that had been heard followed by the sound of someone storming out of the game shop, and Yugi tried to dismiss the subject saying that it had only been the actions of an impolite customer and then went on by introducing her to his "older brother" Yami. She was very impressed to see how much the two boys resembled each other but other than that she thought nothing about it. Ryou was glad to see that she didn't suspect anything but then he also felt ashamed for having to lie to her and sad for making Bakura go away. His plan had worked but still he could find it in himself to feel pride and enjoy the moment. He kept quiet most of the rest of evening before it finally got late and everyone went back to their respective homes.
Meanwhile, that same night at Kaiba's large residence, Seto's little brother Mokuba stepped quietly into the study to see how his brother was doing. He had missed his company during day and now he was very eager to tell him about his good day at school.
"Hey Seto! You in here?" Mokuba asked cheerfully but no one responded. The room was dark and cold with only the lightening of a gloomy fireplace as welcome. His big brother was nowhere to be seen making the little boy somewhat scared. "Seto…" He called out now softly and shyly and jumped on his feet when he suddenly heard the low unemotional voice of his brother coming from behind the back of a big chair. "What is it Mokuba?" Said Seto while looking out the big glass window. It seemed to Mokuba that his presence was very unwelcome as his big brother asked the question flatly without turning to greet him. "I… I just wanted to see how you where... Are you coming down for dinner?" Before Seto could give the negative answer to his brother, someone knocked politely at the door. "Sir… I have that information you requested." Said discreetly his chauffer and personal assistant Harold before entering the room with some papers and saluting the other young master."Go on without me Mokuba, there is some business I need to take care off first." Said Kaiba before getting up and taking the written reports from Harold's hands.
"Ok… I'll see you later them." Said the little boy while excusing himself out of the room and wondering what was troubling his big brother to make him act as aloof and unfriendly as he used to do in the past.
After Mokuba left, Seto began a quick scan of the information his spies had gathered about his new rival in so short notice and found it to be unsatisfactory.
"Is this all they managed to find?" He asked very unpleased.
"Yes Sir, that is all… but if you asked my opinion on the matter Sir, I would have to say that most of the information is false is not completely made up." Said humbly his servant.
"Explain yourself, Harold." Said Seto feeling inpatient.
"I found some irregularities on her birth certificated as well on the other girl." Harold informed him making his master curious about a certain detail he was not awarded of.
"What other girl?" Seto asked and Harold responded by pointing out some pictures that were attached to the girl's files.
"This one right here… Her name is June Hashikawa. They claim to be sisters although they look nothing alike and there are no valid records that can prove their affiliation." Seto looked at the pictures of the young pretty girl and then at the one of his rival with a great more intensity. It was getting hard for him to visualize that pretty face as that of his enemy, so her turned the picture away hating her even more for being so attractive.
"They have counterfeited all the official documentation we could find. Nothing other than their actual address seems to be true, but they do seem live together and care for each other." Harold explained while Kaiba began to look at the pictures of their residence.
"This place looks too expensive for two girls to be renting it on their own. Where do they get their income?" Seto asked.
"They claim to be the sole beneficiaries of a substantial inheritance but we are still checking on that." Harold declared promptly.
"Good… I want no one to rest until I find out who they really are. Mind no expense." Said Kaiba in his usual business manner.
"As wish Sir…" The servant answered humbly while excusing himself out of the study and leaving his master to carry on with his scrutiny of the gathered information. Seto went back to sit at his chair, and look over at the useless information he had in his hands. He then came across her picture once more and began to remember what she had said to him just before unleashing her final attack.
"You are so predictable…" He frowned and silently cursed his good memory while watching how he burned some of the papers away with the use of the fire from the chimney.
"We shall see little girl… we shall see…" He whispered to himself before placing the remaining papers inside his desk and under lock, and leaving the stuffiness of his study to join his brother at the dinner table.
TBC
Blue: ~sees her yami entering the bedroom. ~ "So… did you like the movie?"
Yami Blue: ~ can't get pass the idea of his hikari looking lovely in blue silk pajamas. ~ "What is that you ae wearing?"
Blue: ~smiles and models for him playfully. ~ "Oh, you like it? This was one of Mom's Christmas gifts to me." ~ she giggles and scrambles away teasingly when her yami reaches out to touch the fabric. ~ "Oh! That reminds me, I got a present for you!"
Yami Blue; ~ widen his eyes by the unexpected surprise. ~ " You have a present for me?"
Blue: ~takes the present out of her hiding place and handles it to him. ~ "I wasn't very sure of kind of present someone should give to his yami so I just picked out something that I thought you would like."
Yami Blue: ~tears out the raping paper to finds a big heavy book with a hard leather cover. ~ "A book?"
Blue: ~smiles happily at his bewildered expression. ~ "Not just any book, is a journal… your journal. I already wrote something inside but please wait until you are in the shadow realm to read."
Yami Blue: ~stares at her in wonder, ~ "Why can I read it here with you?"
Blue: ~fidgets nervously like a shy little girl.~ "Well because… it's kind of embarrassing."
Yami Blue: ~tries to maintain his usual unemotional tone of voice but fails, ~ "I… I don't know what to say. I have nothing to give you return."
Blue: ~comes closer to him and gives him a quick peck on the check. ~ "You don't have to give me anything silly, it is always better to give than to receive." ~she leaves his side and jumps to her bed and covers herself to sleep. ~ "Merry Christmas Yami…" ~she says sleepily followed by a soft yawn~
Yami Blue: ~gives his hikari one of his very rare smiles that is both warm and sincere. ~ "And a Merry Christmas to you too, my hikari…" ~he says softly and with great affection before banishing himself to the shadow realm. ~