Moon Shadow: Hey everybody thanks for the reviews!
Endless Myth: Yeah, we really appreciate the feedback! Actually, it was more positive than we would've thought!
Moon Shadow: I really have nothing to say-
Endless Myth: For once!
Moon Shadow: -So, here's chapter three! Hope you enjoy it!
*** Chapter Three
Ben Caraway listened absently as his father yelled at him.
"...Only person good enough to beat you would be Yugi Motou himself but you still don't appreciate it, do you, no, you just go somewhere with your little friends and never mind how much work I do for you, well I have news for you, Benjamin Caraway, you can't go anywhere until I say you're ready for nationals, and that's the truth..."
He tied up the laces on his shoes and jammed his hat onto his head, smashing down his red hair. Glancing bitterly in the hall mirror, he saw his reflection sitting on the stairs. Tall, wiry, red hair, t-shirt that was too big for him on his skinny frame-that was him, all right.
"...Are you even listening to me? You had better be listening, young man, or there will be dire consequences for you, ever since you mother left, I swear you've been very surly and I'm not sure I like your attitude...maybe you should go live with your mother, is that what you want? Because if that's what you want to do, it can be arranged, and not a moment to soon, in my opinion..."
God, what a question. Did Ben ever want to go live with his beautiful, kind mother! But she had left him with his father and gone off to marry some guy who Ben had never met. The new husband hadn't wanted Ben to live with them, though, so even though Ben and his father would've both liked for him to leave, it was impossible.
".... And if you don't start being more grateful, I swear you'll be out of this house the moment you turn eighteen and you can forget about college! And good riddance is all I have to say! But..."
Ben grabbed his stuff without a word and ran out the door, slamming it behind him. His father said it like leaving would be a bad thing. Ben flipped up his skateboard and rode downtown to the park where he was supposed to meet Tim and Matt. His father would never give up. Ben didn't care, though. He had heard it before, and he would hear it again, so what was the point of listening?
When he got to the park, Tim and Matt were already there, talking in low voices. They didn't even see him until he was next to them. They were sitting on a low brick wall, their backs to the street. It was a gorgeous spring day; the sky was bright blue, the sun was out, and it was fairly warm. Ben jumped off his skateboard and approached his friends.
"Hey guys."
They turned. "Oh. Ben. Hi." Matt said, and looked back at the fountain that was spouting water.
Ben turned to Tim. "What's wrong with him?"
Tim sighed. "That's what I've been trying to figure out for the last half hour." He shook his head. "This boy doesn't need a friend; he needs a guidance counselor!"
Ben smiled. "Hmm. Would he be sad about a certain someone whose name is L-e- e?"
Matt looked up sharply. "No!"
"Sorry, sorry. Hey, Tim, would you have a practice duel with me? If I lose my title in nationals, I don't know what my dad is gonna do to me."
"Was he at it again?" Tim asked sympathetically while getting his deck out.
"Just a little bit..."
"Man, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well...you can go first."
"Cool." Tim drew five cards from his deck and studied them. Ben did the same. He hated this game. A lot of people thought it was fun, but for him, it was just repetitive and dull. He had played this so many times, gone through the motions, the little rituals so many times that there was no fun in it anymore.
"Okay-I'll play this in defense mode." Tim set a card on the top of the wall that they were using as a field. "And this card face down."
Ben sighed. "Judge Man in attack mode, one card face down, and attack your face down monster with Judge Man." Tim flipped his card over.
"Mystical Elf." He set it in the graveyard. Matt was watching them play.
"I have never understood what is so fascinating about this game." He said exasperatedly. "It's stupid." He watched for a minute as Tim made his next move. "It's also addictive."
The game was over in a matter of turns. Ben's strategies never failed, and they were also hard to counter. Tim collected his cards. "Ben, I really don't think you have anything to worry about at that tournament."
"I'm not worried." Ben slipped his deck into his pocket. "I don't even care. It's just my dad who cares." He looked down. "I just can't wait until I graduate next year."
"Why?" Matt asked, curious.
"I'll hopefully get a Duel Monster's Scholarship." Ben answered. "Sara and I are planning to go to the same college so we can get married when we graduate." He gave a wistful smile. "Right now, college is the only thing I have to look forward to."
Matt started to say something, but Tim broke in. "Guys," he said quietly, "I have to tell you something." He brought out his sphere from the backpack sitting next to him on the wall. Ben gasped.
"Tim! Put that away!" Matt hissed. "You know your mother said to-" He grimaced. "I mean, you don't know who could be watching!"
Tim shook his head. "Lee has the other millennium sphere," he said softly.
"How do you know?"
"I just now-I saw her. I just know."
"But that means-"
"I know. Shut up! There must be a mistake. I have to find out if she knows what it is, and if she knows how to use it."
"Tim, it's dangerous, we don't know what the spheres will do if we bring them close together!"
"Yes, but-" Tim was cut off mid-sentence by a new voice. A female voice.
"Yeah Lear! Could be dangerous, never know what could happen." The three boys looked up and saw Lee Kaiba standing a few feet away from them, hip slung out carelessly, arms folded, her long, thick hair flowing down around her shoulders. The sphere of the future on a chain around her neck, hanging out in the open for all to see.
Tim leaped up. Ben had gone quiet like he always did around people he didn't know to well, and Matt was staring wordlessly at Lee, who, like always, looked spectacular.
It's times like this, Matt thought to himself, that she looks nothing like Tim. Nothing at all. But then at other times, they're practically interchangeable!
Tim stepped up to Lee. "How long have you been listening?" He asked, dangerously quiet. "How much did you hear?"
"I heard enough!" She tossed her head. "But if you want to know more, why don't you use your sphere?" She smirked. "I assume you know how to use it."
Tim's hand crept involuntarily towards the sphere that he had slipped quickly into his pocket. Then he stopped. "Only you, Lee, would use magic you don't understand for things like that."
"What makes you so sure I don't understand it?" She questioned. When he didn't answer, she continued, "Look, Lear, just because you're stupid doesn't mean I can't use magic to my own advantage!"
"Why you-"
"Hey, hey." Lee held out her hands peaceably. "I didn't come to argue with you, Tim." She laughed. "It's really sort of pointless, anyway." She dug in her purse and came up with an envelope. "I came to give you this." She held it out, and after a moment's hesitation, he took it. It was flat, and it didn't feel like there was anything inside it.
"What is it?"
"Open it and see." Lee craned her neck and looked behind Tim at Matt and Ben. "Hey Matt," she smiled at him. Matt mumbled something indecipherable and looked down. Lee shrugged and looked back at Tim, who was looking at the card inside the envelope.
"I gave this to you, Lee." he said.
"And I'm giving it back."
"No." He held the Magician of Faith out to her. When she didn't take it, he reached for her hand and pushed the card into it. "It was a gift. Keep it."
Lee stared at him. It was the second time she had been faced with his dark eyes, deep and full of meaning. "All right," she said. "All right." And he let go of her hand. Once again Lee looked over at Ben. "Good luck at nationals, Ben. Wish I could enter." she said. He nodded and kept his eyes on the ground.
"Catch ya later, Matt."
"Yeah," He managed to get out. "Later." This time he looked straight at her. He held her gaze for a minute, and then stared at a crack in the pavement.
"Bye, Tim."
"Lee-"
"What?"
"Maybe we could all-actually, never mind."
Lee walked away. Then she turned and yelled, "See? The spheres were within two feet of each other and nothing disastrous happened!" She grinned. "And happy birthday!"
"What?"
"Happy birthday!"
"Oh." Then he raised his voice. "You too!"
Lee turned one last time and ran around the corner. Tim unclenched his hand, and found, to his surprise, the Magician of Faith, and another card, Wingweaver. He stared at the second card, dumbfounded. He read and reread the blurb at the bottom of the card.
A six winged fairy who prays for peace and hope.
Peace, and hope.
Peace.
Tim grinned. She had given him a response to the Magician of Faith. She was declaring truce. "Of course." he muttered, smiling, then walked back over to sit by his friends on the wall next to the fountain. Two blocks away, walking down the street, Lee was smiling.
Tim burst into his house at five o'clock, and found his family in an uproar.
"Tim! Can you baby-sit Lizzie tonight?"
"No, I was going out with Tina-"
"Great. I'll have to find a baby-sitter." Cindy sighed as she fastened on an earring. "How is it that everyone is busy today? Maddie, Jon and you all have dates, Alisa is driving Christa, Hope and Jack to the movies, and Ryan and I have a dinner party to go to..." she wandered out, still talking to herself. Tim jogged up the stairs to his room and hurriedly ran a comb through his ruffled blonde hair. He splashed some water on his face and ran back downstairs to meet Tina, stopping only briefly to wrestle down and tickle his younger brother Jack. But when he reached the door, he still had five minutes to spare.
"Ti-im!" Cindy called from the living room, " Come here and get Lizzie-Beth to go to sleep, she won't settle down and I don't want the baby- sitter to have to deal with her when she's like this-" Tim was already in the room, cradling his sister.
"Oh, good," Cindy beamed at him. "I'll just go finish getting ready if you can..." she left the room leaving it strangely quiet. The only sounds were those of the hectic jumble of children in the front hall. Tim pressed Lizzie against him. She cried and pushed on his chest.
"Shh, Lizzie, quiet down." Tim rocked her back and forth. She still fussed and fidgeted. He stroked her cheek with one hand and sang softly to her.
Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me. The wind is blowing, harsh and cold and strong. Rain is falling, down to touch the earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me.
Tim whispered the last line, and set his sleeping sister down in her cradle, her hand curled and lying under her cheek.
"Tim..." he whirled around and saw none other than Tina Bellevara, straight brown hair wrapped up in a bun, her blue eyes stunning and cold.
"Tina!" He gathered her in his arms and kissed her. "Hey, who let you in?"
"Cindy." Tina hugged him. "Happy birthday."
They heard the doorbell ring, and Tim groaned. "Thanks. Lets go, Tina."
"Why in such a hurry?"
"I don't wanna have to meet the baby-sitter."
"Oh."
They went out through the back door just as Cindy let the baby-sitter in.
"Oh, hello, dear," they could hear her saying. " Thanks for coming on such short notice." They didn't wait to hear her answer. Tina and Tim had run, laughing, out of the house and around to her car.
Later, around ten, Tina's car pulled up in front of the Lear house again. Tim leaned over and kissed her before unfastening his seatbelt and leaving the car. As he was ducking out the door, she clasped his hand.
"Tim what was song you were singing to Lizzie when I came in?"
"Oh. That." He shrugged. "It was something my mother used to sing to me."
"It was beautiful," she said, and let go of his hand.
"Thanks." he smiled. "Good night."
"Bye. Call me, okay?"
"You got it." Tim ran up his front walk and opened the door. He kicked off his shoes in the front hall and went in to the kitchen. He didn't see the baby-sitter anywhere, and ran hurriedly through the rest of the downstairs rooms.
Tim stopped right before he entered the living room. He could hear a soft voice singing. He stood, his back to the wall, and stared at the clock on the opposite wall, listening to the familiar voice sing the last line of his song. His mother's song. The Windsong.
...Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean...fire be lit...in me...
Her voice faded into silence and Tim rounded the corner. Just as he had dreaded, he saw Lee bending over Lizzie's portable cradle as she set his beloved sister down. He cornered her.
"What are you doing here?" he cried at her, even though he knew the answer.
"Hey, Tim, chill out!" She answered coolly. "I'm sitting for your sister." She looked down at the sleeping Lizzie. "She's adorable."
"I know." Tim stepped towards Lee. "That song. Where did you learn it?"
"What song?"
"Windsong. You were singing it a minute ago. Where did you learn it?"
"Oh, that old song..." Lee went vague. "I'm not sure...I've just always known it. I don't know where I first heard it." She stared into space. "I think I first heard it when I was a baby."
"Oh." Tim backed away from her and looked down at the ground, tracing the pattern in the carpet with his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"My mother used to sing me that song. Before...before I came here."
"Wait." Lee looked confused. "Mrs. Lear isn't your mother?"
"Nope." He met her gaze. "My real mother took off for New York yesterday."
"I'm sorry." She would never get used to his eyes. They were full of sadness and pain and caring. She could get lost in his eyes if she wasn't careful. So this time it was Lee who broke away. "I'm really sorry, Tim."
"No, it's cool." He said. Then, "Oh, let me pay you. You can go, I can watch Liz the rest of the night."
"Oh-no." Lee gathered her purse and headed for the door. "Really, it's on me."
"No-"
"Seriously." She smiled. "Tell your mother-tell Mrs. Lear to call me anytime."
"Well-if you're sure." He walked her to the door and opened it for her. She faced him before leaving.
"You miss her a lot, don't you?" she asked quietly. He nodded and before he knew it he was crying into her shoulder and she was hugging him. And she stood there hugging him in the doorway until the phone rang and he pulled away from her.
"I should answer that," he said, his voice hoarse. She nodded and started to leave, but he called quickly,
"We're going ice-skating tomorrow down in Domino. Would you-do you wanna come?"
Lee nodded again. "That would be great."
"Good. I'll IM you about it."
"Do you have my screen-name?" she asked, practically.
"I can get it from Tina."
"All right. See you then." Lee walked out of the house, and pulled the door shut softly behind her. Sitting in her car before she turned it on, she looked down at her lap and found that there were, for some reason, tears on her own cheeks.
***
A year after leaving Joey at Duelist Kingdom, Mai Valentine sat in her apartment, cradling her two children, her twins, her boy child in one arm, and her girl in the other. She bent over them and sang softly in her pretty voice.
Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me. The wind is blowing, harsh and cold and strong. Rain is falling, down to touch the earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me.
***
Moon Shadow: Well? Deliver the judgment. *Winces*
Endless Myth: Calm down. We know they'll hate it so what's the use in hoping?
Moon Shadow: We'll see about that...please R&R!!
Endless Myth: Yeah, we really appreciate the feedback! Actually, it was more positive than we would've thought!
Moon Shadow: I really have nothing to say-
Endless Myth: For once!
Moon Shadow: -So, here's chapter three! Hope you enjoy it!
*** Chapter Three
Ben Caraway listened absently as his father yelled at him.
"...Only person good enough to beat you would be Yugi Motou himself but you still don't appreciate it, do you, no, you just go somewhere with your little friends and never mind how much work I do for you, well I have news for you, Benjamin Caraway, you can't go anywhere until I say you're ready for nationals, and that's the truth..."
He tied up the laces on his shoes and jammed his hat onto his head, smashing down his red hair. Glancing bitterly in the hall mirror, he saw his reflection sitting on the stairs. Tall, wiry, red hair, t-shirt that was too big for him on his skinny frame-that was him, all right.
"...Are you even listening to me? You had better be listening, young man, or there will be dire consequences for you, ever since you mother left, I swear you've been very surly and I'm not sure I like your attitude...maybe you should go live with your mother, is that what you want? Because if that's what you want to do, it can be arranged, and not a moment to soon, in my opinion..."
God, what a question. Did Ben ever want to go live with his beautiful, kind mother! But she had left him with his father and gone off to marry some guy who Ben had never met. The new husband hadn't wanted Ben to live with them, though, so even though Ben and his father would've both liked for him to leave, it was impossible.
".... And if you don't start being more grateful, I swear you'll be out of this house the moment you turn eighteen and you can forget about college! And good riddance is all I have to say! But..."
Ben grabbed his stuff without a word and ran out the door, slamming it behind him. His father said it like leaving would be a bad thing. Ben flipped up his skateboard and rode downtown to the park where he was supposed to meet Tim and Matt. His father would never give up. Ben didn't care, though. He had heard it before, and he would hear it again, so what was the point of listening?
When he got to the park, Tim and Matt were already there, talking in low voices. They didn't even see him until he was next to them. They were sitting on a low brick wall, their backs to the street. It was a gorgeous spring day; the sky was bright blue, the sun was out, and it was fairly warm. Ben jumped off his skateboard and approached his friends.
"Hey guys."
They turned. "Oh. Ben. Hi." Matt said, and looked back at the fountain that was spouting water.
Ben turned to Tim. "What's wrong with him?"
Tim sighed. "That's what I've been trying to figure out for the last half hour." He shook his head. "This boy doesn't need a friend; he needs a guidance counselor!"
Ben smiled. "Hmm. Would he be sad about a certain someone whose name is L-e- e?"
Matt looked up sharply. "No!"
"Sorry, sorry. Hey, Tim, would you have a practice duel with me? If I lose my title in nationals, I don't know what my dad is gonna do to me."
"Was he at it again?" Tim asked sympathetically while getting his deck out.
"Just a little bit..."
"Man, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well...you can go first."
"Cool." Tim drew five cards from his deck and studied them. Ben did the same. He hated this game. A lot of people thought it was fun, but for him, it was just repetitive and dull. He had played this so many times, gone through the motions, the little rituals so many times that there was no fun in it anymore.
"Okay-I'll play this in defense mode." Tim set a card on the top of the wall that they were using as a field. "And this card face down."
Ben sighed. "Judge Man in attack mode, one card face down, and attack your face down monster with Judge Man." Tim flipped his card over.
"Mystical Elf." He set it in the graveyard. Matt was watching them play.
"I have never understood what is so fascinating about this game." He said exasperatedly. "It's stupid." He watched for a minute as Tim made his next move. "It's also addictive."
The game was over in a matter of turns. Ben's strategies never failed, and they were also hard to counter. Tim collected his cards. "Ben, I really don't think you have anything to worry about at that tournament."
"I'm not worried." Ben slipped his deck into his pocket. "I don't even care. It's just my dad who cares." He looked down. "I just can't wait until I graduate next year."
"Why?" Matt asked, curious.
"I'll hopefully get a Duel Monster's Scholarship." Ben answered. "Sara and I are planning to go to the same college so we can get married when we graduate." He gave a wistful smile. "Right now, college is the only thing I have to look forward to."
Matt started to say something, but Tim broke in. "Guys," he said quietly, "I have to tell you something." He brought out his sphere from the backpack sitting next to him on the wall. Ben gasped.
"Tim! Put that away!" Matt hissed. "You know your mother said to-" He grimaced. "I mean, you don't know who could be watching!"
Tim shook his head. "Lee has the other millennium sphere," he said softly.
"How do you know?"
"I just now-I saw her. I just know."
"But that means-"
"I know. Shut up! There must be a mistake. I have to find out if she knows what it is, and if she knows how to use it."
"Tim, it's dangerous, we don't know what the spheres will do if we bring them close together!"
"Yes, but-" Tim was cut off mid-sentence by a new voice. A female voice.
"Yeah Lear! Could be dangerous, never know what could happen." The three boys looked up and saw Lee Kaiba standing a few feet away from them, hip slung out carelessly, arms folded, her long, thick hair flowing down around her shoulders. The sphere of the future on a chain around her neck, hanging out in the open for all to see.
Tim leaped up. Ben had gone quiet like he always did around people he didn't know to well, and Matt was staring wordlessly at Lee, who, like always, looked spectacular.
It's times like this, Matt thought to himself, that she looks nothing like Tim. Nothing at all. But then at other times, they're practically interchangeable!
Tim stepped up to Lee. "How long have you been listening?" He asked, dangerously quiet. "How much did you hear?"
"I heard enough!" She tossed her head. "But if you want to know more, why don't you use your sphere?" She smirked. "I assume you know how to use it."
Tim's hand crept involuntarily towards the sphere that he had slipped quickly into his pocket. Then he stopped. "Only you, Lee, would use magic you don't understand for things like that."
"What makes you so sure I don't understand it?" She questioned. When he didn't answer, she continued, "Look, Lear, just because you're stupid doesn't mean I can't use magic to my own advantage!"
"Why you-"
"Hey, hey." Lee held out her hands peaceably. "I didn't come to argue with you, Tim." She laughed. "It's really sort of pointless, anyway." She dug in her purse and came up with an envelope. "I came to give you this." She held it out, and after a moment's hesitation, he took it. It was flat, and it didn't feel like there was anything inside it.
"What is it?"
"Open it and see." Lee craned her neck and looked behind Tim at Matt and Ben. "Hey Matt," she smiled at him. Matt mumbled something indecipherable and looked down. Lee shrugged and looked back at Tim, who was looking at the card inside the envelope.
"I gave this to you, Lee." he said.
"And I'm giving it back."
"No." He held the Magician of Faith out to her. When she didn't take it, he reached for her hand and pushed the card into it. "It was a gift. Keep it."
Lee stared at him. It was the second time she had been faced with his dark eyes, deep and full of meaning. "All right," she said. "All right." And he let go of her hand. Once again Lee looked over at Ben. "Good luck at nationals, Ben. Wish I could enter." she said. He nodded and kept his eyes on the ground.
"Catch ya later, Matt."
"Yeah," He managed to get out. "Later." This time he looked straight at her. He held her gaze for a minute, and then stared at a crack in the pavement.
"Bye, Tim."
"Lee-"
"What?"
"Maybe we could all-actually, never mind."
Lee walked away. Then she turned and yelled, "See? The spheres were within two feet of each other and nothing disastrous happened!" She grinned. "And happy birthday!"
"What?"
"Happy birthday!"
"Oh." Then he raised his voice. "You too!"
Lee turned one last time and ran around the corner. Tim unclenched his hand, and found, to his surprise, the Magician of Faith, and another card, Wingweaver. He stared at the second card, dumbfounded. He read and reread the blurb at the bottom of the card.
A six winged fairy who prays for peace and hope.
Peace, and hope.
Peace.
Tim grinned. She had given him a response to the Magician of Faith. She was declaring truce. "Of course." he muttered, smiling, then walked back over to sit by his friends on the wall next to the fountain. Two blocks away, walking down the street, Lee was smiling.
Tim burst into his house at five o'clock, and found his family in an uproar.
"Tim! Can you baby-sit Lizzie tonight?"
"No, I was going out with Tina-"
"Great. I'll have to find a baby-sitter." Cindy sighed as she fastened on an earring. "How is it that everyone is busy today? Maddie, Jon and you all have dates, Alisa is driving Christa, Hope and Jack to the movies, and Ryan and I have a dinner party to go to..." she wandered out, still talking to herself. Tim jogged up the stairs to his room and hurriedly ran a comb through his ruffled blonde hair. He splashed some water on his face and ran back downstairs to meet Tina, stopping only briefly to wrestle down and tickle his younger brother Jack. But when he reached the door, he still had five minutes to spare.
"Ti-im!" Cindy called from the living room, " Come here and get Lizzie-Beth to go to sleep, she won't settle down and I don't want the baby- sitter to have to deal with her when she's like this-" Tim was already in the room, cradling his sister.
"Oh, good," Cindy beamed at him. "I'll just go finish getting ready if you can..." she left the room leaving it strangely quiet. The only sounds were those of the hectic jumble of children in the front hall. Tim pressed Lizzie against him. She cried and pushed on his chest.
"Shh, Lizzie, quiet down." Tim rocked her back and forth. She still fussed and fidgeted. He stroked her cheek with one hand and sang softly to her.
Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me. The wind is blowing, harsh and cold and strong. Rain is falling, down to touch the earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me.
Tim whispered the last line, and set his sleeping sister down in her cradle, her hand curled and lying under her cheek.
"Tim..." he whirled around and saw none other than Tina Bellevara, straight brown hair wrapped up in a bun, her blue eyes stunning and cold.
"Tina!" He gathered her in his arms and kissed her. "Hey, who let you in?"
"Cindy." Tina hugged him. "Happy birthday."
They heard the doorbell ring, and Tim groaned. "Thanks. Lets go, Tina."
"Why in such a hurry?"
"I don't wanna have to meet the baby-sitter."
"Oh."
They went out through the back door just as Cindy let the baby-sitter in.
"Oh, hello, dear," they could hear her saying. " Thanks for coming on such short notice." They didn't wait to hear her answer. Tina and Tim had run, laughing, out of the house and around to her car.
Later, around ten, Tina's car pulled up in front of the Lear house again. Tim leaned over and kissed her before unfastening his seatbelt and leaving the car. As he was ducking out the door, she clasped his hand.
"Tim what was song you were singing to Lizzie when I came in?"
"Oh. That." He shrugged. "It was something my mother used to sing to me."
"It was beautiful," she said, and let go of his hand.
"Thanks." he smiled. "Good night."
"Bye. Call me, okay?"
"You got it." Tim ran up his front walk and opened the door. He kicked off his shoes in the front hall and went in to the kitchen. He didn't see the baby-sitter anywhere, and ran hurriedly through the rest of the downstairs rooms.
Tim stopped right before he entered the living room. He could hear a soft voice singing. He stood, his back to the wall, and stared at the clock on the opposite wall, listening to the familiar voice sing the last line of his song. His mother's song. The Windsong.
...Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean...fire be lit...in me...
Her voice faded into silence and Tim rounded the corner. Just as he had dreaded, he saw Lee bending over Lizzie's portable cradle as she set his beloved sister down. He cornered her.
"What are you doing here?" he cried at her, even though he knew the answer.
"Hey, Tim, chill out!" She answered coolly. "I'm sitting for your sister." She looked down at the sleeping Lizzie. "She's adorable."
"I know." Tim stepped towards Lee. "That song. Where did you learn it?"
"What song?"
"Windsong. You were singing it a minute ago. Where did you learn it?"
"Oh, that old song..." Lee went vague. "I'm not sure...I've just always known it. I don't know where I first heard it." She stared into space. "I think I first heard it when I was a baby."
"Oh." Tim backed away from her and looked down at the ground, tracing the pattern in the carpet with his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"My mother used to sing me that song. Before...before I came here."
"Wait." Lee looked confused. "Mrs. Lear isn't your mother?"
"Nope." He met her gaze. "My real mother took off for New York yesterday."
"I'm sorry." She would never get used to his eyes. They were full of sadness and pain and caring. She could get lost in his eyes if she wasn't careful. So this time it was Lee who broke away. "I'm really sorry, Tim."
"No, it's cool." He said. Then, "Oh, let me pay you. You can go, I can watch Liz the rest of the night."
"Oh-no." Lee gathered her purse and headed for the door. "Really, it's on me."
"No-"
"Seriously." She smiled. "Tell your mother-tell Mrs. Lear to call me anytime."
"Well-if you're sure." He walked her to the door and opened it for her. She faced him before leaving.
"You miss her a lot, don't you?" she asked quietly. He nodded and before he knew it he was crying into her shoulder and she was hugging him. And she stood there hugging him in the doorway until the phone rang and he pulled away from her.
"I should answer that," he said, his voice hoarse. She nodded and started to leave, but he called quickly,
"We're going ice-skating tomorrow down in Domino. Would you-do you wanna come?"
Lee nodded again. "That would be great."
"Good. I'll IM you about it."
"Do you have my screen-name?" she asked, practically.
"I can get it from Tina."
"All right. See you then." Lee walked out of the house, and pulled the door shut softly behind her. Sitting in her car before she turned it on, she looked down at her lap and found that there were, for some reason, tears on her own cheeks.
***
A year after leaving Joey at Duelist Kingdom, Mai Valentine sat in her apartment, cradling her two children, her twins, her boy child in one arm, and her girl in the other. She bent over them and sang softly in her pretty voice.
Earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me. The wind is blowing, harsh and cold and strong. Rain is falling, down to touch the earth in motion, sand and rolling seas. Wind and ocean, fire be lit in me.
***
Moon Shadow: Well? Deliver the judgment. *Winces*
Endless Myth: Calm down. We know they'll hate it so what's the use in hoping?
Moon Shadow: We'll see about that...please R&R!!