Chapter Eight-The Night Before

Marik's plan had quite a few holes, even after several revisions. They still had a few questions left to answer. Where would Malik hold Marty "prisoner"? How would Marik sneak his Rod in? These were the most crucial of things needing answers. Of course, the older people refused to allow Martina to worry about that. They wanted her to focus on other things,and Seto Kaiba had the perfect distraction for her.

Seto was setting up home summer schooling for her, so she could go on to fourth grade in the fall. As it turned out, he'd found out that she'd missed so much school without General's help that she would've flunked out no matter what. So,he was making her re-take third grade over the summer. Martina didn't care. She'd rather do her work for Seto than her teachers in her world anyway. He made math more fun. Once, while they were going over fractions, he used his Duel Monsters deck, to demonstrate. "Alright, Marty. I've got eighty cards in my deck. The deck as a whole is one hundred. If I take twenty cards out, what is the fraction?"

"Twenty eightieths?" Martina was learning faster than Seto expected.

"Good! Very good." Seto smiled at her. "I think you're finally catching on. Now, in fourth grade, you're going to learn reducing and stuff like that, so why don't we work on that next week?"

"Can you teach fourth grade?" Martina didn't want to go to a new school. She liked being with Seto, who was acting more and more like the older brother she had imagined him to be.

Seto laughed softly. "If I spent all day teaching, who would run my company?"

"I could." Mokuba replied from the doorway. "I know how."

"No no no. You two are going to school. We can have mini sessions, but I can't be a CEO and a teacher. It doesn't work that way." Seto announced, before going to his office for the night.

"Almost had him!" Mokuba said to Marty. "Anyway, Malik, Marik, and Ishizu want us to come over there for a while. Marik's come up with a new part to the "Get Rid of General" plan. "

"Okay." Marty went to Seto's office door. "We're going to Marik's."

"Okay,Honey. Tell Mokuba to call a car when he's ready to leave. I don't you guys walking in the dark." Seto replied.

"Yes, Seto." She went with Mokuba to Marik's. "We have to call Frank when we're ready to go home."

"That's my brother. Of course, we don't have to. He always says that." Mokuba smiled at her. "Martina….um…are you happy here?"

"Oh yes! I have to admit. It's rather strange, not being able to watch you guys on TV. I never thought I would actually meet you, you know."

Mokuba grinned. "Well, are me and Seto the way you imagined?"

"Of course. Seto's a lot more laid back than they portray him on the show, but he's better that way. Also, there's a lot less dueling in real life. I like that." Marty smiled happily. "I wake up sometimes, in the bed Seto gave me, and I think I'm at home, until I see you at breakfast."

"Do you miss your world at all?" Mokuba asked, as they walked up the driveway to the Ishtar house.

"I miss Carol. She was the biggest Yu gi Oh fan. She got me into it. She had a lot of love for Bakura."

"Bakura? I know him. He runs a bookstore next to Duke Devlin's game shop. You know about Duke, right?"

"Yeah. The creep!" She scowled.

"You two seem to be having a lively conversation. Wanna let us in on it?" Marik smiled at his friends.

"It's over. I hate Duke." Martina pronounced, before marching past the young Egyptian spirit, and into the house. "Malik? Got any milk?"

"Yeah." Malik grinned. "How's Kaiba Academy going?" It was a joke between the two of them. Since the Ishtars had heard of Kaiba's teaching her third grade, they'd taken to calling her sessions with Seto Kaiba Academy.

"Perfectly. I should send my teachers in my world to Seto. He's better." She took the milk he held out to her. "Thanks."

"Welcome." Malik looked over at Mokuba and Marik. "Ishizu ran to Sadie's. She'll be back soon."

"That girl's always running somewhere." Marik remarked, as they all sat down. "Anyway, we don't need her to discuss the new plan."

"All right, so what is this new plan?" Mokuba opened his soda.

"I want to duel for Martina." Marik said slowly.

"What? Why?" Mokuba asked.

"Well, first of all, it's something I would do normally. Second of all..I can set the terms." Marik answered, staring at Mokuba with a mischievous grin. "Either way, he'd lose."

"I don't want to…" Martina whimpered,moving closer to Mokuba. Could her trust in Marik have been too fast?

Marik smiled kindly, patting her shoulder. "It's okay, Mar. We're not going to let General take you away again. We promised." He reminded her.

"If Martina says no…." Mokuba began.

"I don't want to be some prize, Marik." Martina spoke up suddenly, feeling rather bold.

"I think you mistake my intentions. I have no intention of keeping you dear one. It is merely a little insurance that I will win, and that you will be safe." Marik answered, feeling a little hurt that Martina thought he was reverting back to his old self.

"I…I'm sorry, Marik. I didn't mean to…." Martina started.

"It's okay. It is only natural for you." Malik replied, giving his former yami a sympathetic glance. "Come on. Let's go get some ice cream." Malik led Martina out of the dining room.

"I am so sorry, Marik. I thought she was getting over that." Mokuba sat down beside his best friend.

"I think she is right not trust me. She has that jewel that everyone seems to want. I'm known to be a greedy piece of shit. " Marik lamented. "Honestly though…all I want to do is help her."

"Then do what you're good at, Marik." Mokuba nodded. "Malik and Ishizu will talk to her, I'm sure. Martina's just nervous now. It's getting close."

"I will do my best, Mokuba. It won't be easy, as you can imagine." Marik retired to his room to think after that, leaving Mokuba to go in and get Marty to go home.

"Come on,Sis." Mokuba urged her. "We should get home before it gets too late."

"Oh, let her stay a little longer, Mo. We're talking trade. I like her cards." Malik smiled at Mokuba. "Please?"

"All right,all right, but not too long." Now I know how Seto must feel sometimes. Mokuba thought, as he settled in a chair, to watch Martina, whose nerves seem to have relaxed now.

"I'll trade you two magic cards for your Armored Lizard." Malik continued,returning his attention to Marty.

"Are you mad? Joey Wheeler gave me that card." She grinned. "I'll give you Magical Hats for your um….." She couldn't decide what card to trade him for. "Nevermind." Her attention returned to the plan to begin the next day. "Malik…where are we going to stay? His old warehouse?"

"That's one idea. Or we could go to your house." Malik looked at Mokuba. Do you think your brother will mind?"

"No. I don't think so. He knows the plan." Mokuba said. "He will, however,mind if we're late getting home again. " Mokuba pulled Martina to her feet. "You two will have plenty of time to talk while Marik duels for you."

"Wait, I never agreed to that!" Martina protested.

"Let him do things his way, Marty. He gave his word not to resort to his old ways. I believe him. Now come on." Mokuba tugged her towards to the door.

"Okay okay,I'm coming." She waved to Malik and Ishizu, as a pit formed in her stomach. Tomorrow was the day it would all end.