CHAPTER TWO, THE MEETINGS
The next morning, Caitlin woke up early. She didn't want to say goodbye to the others; it would hurt too much. She smoothed her red hair down with her hands and brushed her teeth with her fingers. She had to look her best if she was ever going to find someone to take her in, and although it didn't do much, it made Caitlin feel better to know she tried. By the time the sun as easy to see in the sky, it was time to go. Creeping through the back door, Caitlin made her way out into the city.
"Ok." She told herself, "Now I'm out and about and ready to find someone who will take me in or someplace to crash for the night. How the heck am I supposed to do that?" She scanned the think crowd for someone- anyone that could help her. The first person she set her sights on was an old man.
"Please-" She yelled, "Please sir can you help me?" She may not have a home, but she did have manners. Being polite and deceitful was her best weapon. Not to mention her only survival skill.
The old man grumbled, "I don't want what your selling, I'm not donating nothing, and I'm nobody to you so good day."
Quite taken back, Caitlin decided to skip this person, "Whatever mister."
The next person she tried was what looked like a mother, buying a cinnamon- bun in the local grocery store. Caitlin grinned, this was way too easy. A mother is a whole lot easier to talk to then a grumpy old man would be. She decided the best way to get the mother's attention was to be right next to her in the line at the store, so she casually strolled in. She watched the mother browse around, and as soon as the mother walked up to pay for the buns, Caitlin seized her chance. She walked up to the clerk next to the one the mother was using, picked up a bottle of water, and gave it to him.
"I would like to buy this." She said, loud enough for the mother to hear.
"That will be two dollars please." The clerk replied dully.
Caitlin dramatically searched her pockets and then gasped, "Oh no! I don't have any money left! I must have spent it all on a- uh- present for my sick brother! And I can't ask my mother for any because I DON'T HAVE A HOME!"
She waited for the mother to do something, but she just left with her package. Caitlin sighed and left the store, leaving the water on the counter.
"Poop." She groaned, "There doesn't seem to be anybody left with a kind heart enough to take in a homeless-"
*Crook*. A voice in her head echoed, *Homeless crook that had a place to stay but had to leave because you're a thief.*
"Shut up." She told herself.
She sat down on the curb and sighed. She just might have to go back to the antique store and try to find a place to stay tomorrow. Caitlin was about to give up when she saw a group of teens, about her age, apparently friends, walking up the street. One was a girl, the other four were boys.
"Perfect!" She exclaimed, "How do I get them to notice me though. I'm better at charming elders and stuff. But I don't have anything to get someone my age to notice me. Wait! I think I've got an idea!"
Caitlin started to stagger and limp down the street, finally, she yelped in pain and purposely fell over and pretended to twist her ankle.
"Ouch!" She yelled, "Ouch, ouch, ouch I THINK I HURT MY ANKLE!"
The girl stopped and looked at Caitlin, who was on the ground rubbing her ankle vigorously, causing it to go a light pink color. She forced some fake tears and bit her lip.
"Are you ok?" The girl asked gently.
Caitlin shook her head, "I hurt my ankle and I can't get up."
"Yo Tea," A blond haired boy came up behind her, "Who's your friend?"
"Well, I- don't really know yet." Tea said.
"What's wrong?" Another boy asked, his hair was a strange color, redish.
"I- I think I twisted my ankle or something and I can't get up." Caitlin cried, overly dramatic? Maybe...
"Well here, let me help you get home." Tea hoisted her up, "Where do you live?"
"I...I don't live anywhere." She wept.
"You don't? You mean you're homeless?" She asked.
Caitlin nodded, "I've been trying to find a place to stay for ages and I just can't find anyone with a kind enough heart to take me in!"
"Well, I'm sure my mom and dad wouldn't mind if you stayed with me for a while."
"Oh thank you uh- what's your name?"
The girl smiled, "I'm Tea!"
"Hi Tea, I'm Caitlin." She said politely. Forgetting that she was supposed to be in deep pain and standing up. No one noticed though, so things went well, "Who are these other people with you?"
Tea laughed, "Caitlin this is Bakura-"
"Nice to meet you Caitlin."
"-Tristen-"
"Hey."
"-Joey-"
"Yo."
"-And this is Yugi."
"Hi Caitlin!"
Caitlin smiled and just stared at Yugi for a while.
*What's with his hair?*
Shaking her thoughts out her head, she said, "Good to know you!"
"So Caitlin, you're homeless?" Joey said.
*Didn't we already go through this?*
"Yeah," Caitlin again touched the scarab in her pocket, her hand darted back when she realized what she had done, "I've lived on the streets since I was nine! I used to live in an antique store with a few other homeless kids but- something happened."
"More kids?"
"Yeah, but I-" Then she noticed something around Yugi's neck, "You have a millennium item too?"
Yugi was caught by surprise, "Oh, uh, yeah its- too? You've got an item TOO?"
.Oops.
"Oh no, I didn't mean to say that, I just, an old friend of mine had one. She...yeah." She forced a laugh.
*Haven't even been here for a day and I've already blown my cover.*
Yugi, Tea, Joey, and Tristen all seemed to be fine with her excuse, but Bakura seemed to be suspicious.
*I'm gonna have to do some explaining later, but for now, I'm gonna stick with that story. Hopefully that Bakura person will forget.*
"Who's your friend?" Bakura asked.
*Poop. *
"Uh, my friend? You mean the one with the uh, item?" Caitlin stumbled over her own words worriedly. Bakura simply nodded and Caitlin racked her brain for a name.
"I uh, her name is Ja-Je-Jo-Bob."
Tea arched her eyebrow; "A girl named Bob?"
"Well, her real name is um, Bobra but we call her Bob to get on her nerves." She put her hand into her pocket and held the beetle. She always felt better to hold it, and she was always fidgeting.
"What have you got in your pocket?" Bakura asked.
"Nothing!" Caitlin shouted, a little too quickly.
Everyone stared.
*This is just getting better and better...*
"I mean," She added, "I don't have anything in my pocket I don't know where you got that idea." She smiled to hide the fear.
"Really?" Bakura thought.
Before anyone could ask anymore questions, they heard a voice behind them. Everyone looked to see who it was. Caitlin felt very, very sick when she noticed the teen standing behind them. It was the very one who had funded the exhibit.
"Kiba?" Yugi said in amazement, "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to report a robbery." He said cooly.
"Get outta here slime ball." Joey growled, "We didn't steal anything."
"I was going to put a poster up in the shop. What was stolen was very valuable. It was the Golden Scarab Beetle."
Caitlin shifted uneasily against the wall. Luckily Kiba didn't notice, but Bakura did. If Caitlin wasn't so afraid she was going to get busted, she might have been very frustrated that Bakura was watching her so closely. Acting like she didn't know what the beetle was, she kept quiet.
"Golden Scarab Beetle?" Yugi exclaimed, "I've never heard of that!"
"You wouldn't." Kiba said, putting a sign on the door of the shop, "I would
however. I paid for it to be put in the museum to boost my publicity. Archeologists think it may be an unofficial millennium item with unknown powers. I was going to have the research here, where people could pay to watch the examinations. The scarab beetle was supposed to make my millions but-" He stopped and looked at Caitlin suddenly, just noticing her standing her standing there, "-it was stolen."
"We didn't steal anything here Kiba, we're all the good guys." Tristen said.
"There are a few here, who weren't so good at one time." He glanced at Joey and Tristen had to hold him back to keep him from jumping on Kiba.
"That's behind me Kiba! And- Tristen will you let go of me so I can beat the living snot out of this-"
"I didn't really think YOU would." Kiba said, "None of you have experience with stealing things -especially Joey- not to mention none of you fit the description of the crook. However-" He stopped and looked hard at Caitlin.
"Who-" He said, "Is this? I haven't every seen her before."
"Back off Kiba, Caitlin wouldn't steal anything." Tea said.
"How could you know for sure? She fits the description of long red hair. And isn't it suspicious that she turns up at the exact time the robbery is committed?" Caitlin got her muscles ready to run at anytime. She clenched the scarab in her pocket; this was almost too close to stay calm.
"She didn't steal anything Kiba-" Bakura started, "She's been with us and we haven't noticed anything suspicious. I've checked her pockets when she wasn't looking."
Caitlin blinked, what the heck!? He never even looked at her pockets let along searched them. She wouldn't let anyone check her, one of the reasons she was still alive was her reflexes. Why on earth was he lying on her behalf? She didn't know whether to think this guy was insane or a lifesaver.
"You didn-" She started to say, but was nudged hard in the ribs by Bakura. She didn't like people taking care of her, she could live just fine by herself. What was he doing? The only reason she didn't speak up again was because Kiba was watching her expression closely and she didn't want him taking her Beetle. No way no how.
"You have?" Kiba seemed as surprised as Caitlin was, "Then I'm sure it would be fine for me to check myself later on. I'll come back soon as I can, right now, I have to put up more posters."
After he left, Bakura grabbed Caitlin and pulled her into an ally with such force she couldn't stop him. He pushed her as far as the ally would go and turned around to make sure no one was watching.
"Your friend named Bob had an item? Really Caitlin at least think of a better excuse next time. Now," He said, a tone of gruffness to his voice, "Why didn't you tell us you had an item? Maybe because you stole it?"
Caitlin didn't say anything. Bakura smirked, "Where is it?"
Caitlin hesitated a little, but then she took it out of her pocket.
"Well, that's something." He seemed to be- all right to trust, but she couldn't be sure.
"Yeah," She touched the jewel on the back of the beetle, "I'm going to keep
it, I just, need to lay low for a while. It's mine so I'll keep it close and to myself, except for you who will tell no one." That last line she said a bit threateningly. "Well, I might tell Tea, Joey, Tristen and Star- head."
Bakura raised his eyebrows, "Star-head?
"Yeah, I mean have you noticed his hair?" She laughed, Bakura didn't. He seemed so stiff compared to his more- not stiff self earlier. Why didn't this seem right?
Bakura smiled, "I won't tell. And I'll make sure Kiba doesn't find it."
"Great!" She said, "But, we'd better get back with everyone else." She wouldn't admit it, partly because it was an insult, but all of a sudden the ally seemed to get a little creepier when he was smiling like that...
"You go ahead." He said, "I'll be there soon."
Caitlin left and told the group that Bakura was coming, what she didn't know was that Bakura wasn't a usual teen.
"This will be the easiest steal yet." He thought to himself, grinning, "However, If Kiba finds it, I won't be able to steal it as easily. So I'll be glad to keep it secret for as long as I need it to be. "
The next morning, Caitlin woke up early. She didn't want to say goodbye to the others; it would hurt too much. She smoothed her red hair down with her hands and brushed her teeth with her fingers. She had to look her best if she was ever going to find someone to take her in, and although it didn't do much, it made Caitlin feel better to know she tried. By the time the sun as easy to see in the sky, it was time to go. Creeping through the back door, Caitlin made her way out into the city.
"Ok." She told herself, "Now I'm out and about and ready to find someone who will take me in or someplace to crash for the night. How the heck am I supposed to do that?" She scanned the think crowd for someone- anyone that could help her. The first person she set her sights on was an old man.
"Please-" She yelled, "Please sir can you help me?" She may not have a home, but she did have manners. Being polite and deceitful was her best weapon. Not to mention her only survival skill.
The old man grumbled, "I don't want what your selling, I'm not donating nothing, and I'm nobody to you so good day."
Quite taken back, Caitlin decided to skip this person, "Whatever mister."
The next person she tried was what looked like a mother, buying a cinnamon- bun in the local grocery store. Caitlin grinned, this was way too easy. A mother is a whole lot easier to talk to then a grumpy old man would be. She decided the best way to get the mother's attention was to be right next to her in the line at the store, so she casually strolled in. She watched the mother browse around, and as soon as the mother walked up to pay for the buns, Caitlin seized her chance. She walked up to the clerk next to the one the mother was using, picked up a bottle of water, and gave it to him.
"I would like to buy this." She said, loud enough for the mother to hear.
"That will be two dollars please." The clerk replied dully.
Caitlin dramatically searched her pockets and then gasped, "Oh no! I don't have any money left! I must have spent it all on a- uh- present for my sick brother! And I can't ask my mother for any because I DON'T HAVE A HOME!"
She waited for the mother to do something, but she just left with her package. Caitlin sighed and left the store, leaving the water on the counter.
"Poop." She groaned, "There doesn't seem to be anybody left with a kind heart enough to take in a homeless-"
*Crook*. A voice in her head echoed, *Homeless crook that had a place to stay but had to leave because you're a thief.*
"Shut up." She told herself.
She sat down on the curb and sighed. She just might have to go back to the antique store and try to find a place to stay tomorrow. Caitlin was about to give up when she saw a group of teens, about her age, apparently friends, walking up the street. One was a girl, the other four were boys.
"Perfect!" She exclaimed, "How do I get them to notice me though. I'm better at charming elders and stuff. But I don't have anything to get someone my age to notice me. Wait! I think I've got an idea!"
Caitlin started to stagger and limp down the street, finally, she yelped in pain and purposely fell over and pretended to twist her ankle.
"Ouch!" She yelled, "Ouch, ouch, ouch I THINK I HURT MY ANKLE!"
The girl stopped and looked at Caitlin, who was on the ground rubbing her ankle vigorously, causing it to go a light pink color. She forced some fake tears and bit her lip.
"Are you ok?" The girl asked gently.
Caitlin shook her head, "I hurt my ankle and I can't get up."
"Yo Tea," A blond haired boy came up behind her, "Who's your friend?"
"Well, I- don't really know yet." Tea said.
"What's wrong?" Another boy asked, his hair was a strange color, redish.
"I- I think I twisted my ankle or something and I can't get up." Caitlin cried, overly dramatic? Maybe...
"Well here, let me help you get home." Tea hoisted her up, "Where do you live?"
"I...I don't live anywhere." She wept.
"You don't? You mean you're homeless?" She asked.
Caitlin nodded, "I've been trying to find a place to stay for ages and I just can't find anyone with a kind enough heart to take me in!"
"Well, I'm sure my mom and dad wouldn't mind if you stayed with me for a while."
"Oh thank you uh- what's your name?"
The girl smiled, "I'm Tea!"
"Hi Tea, I'm Caitlin." She said politely. Forgetting that she was supposed to be in deep pain and standing up. No one noticed though, so things went well, "Who are these other people with you?"
Tea laughed, "Caitlin this is Bakura-"
"Nice to meet you Caitlin."
"-Tristen-"
"Hey."
"-Joey-"
"Yo."
"-And this is Yugi."
"Hi Caitlin!"
Caitlin smiled and just stared at Yugi for a while.
*What's with his hair?*
Shaking her thoughts out her head, she said, "Good to know you!"
"So Caitlin, you're homeless?" Joey said.
*Didn't we already go through this?*
"Yeah," Caitlin again touched the scarab in her pocket, her hand darted back when she realized what she had done, "I've lived on the streets since I was nine! I used to live in an antique store with a few other homeless kids but- something happened."
"More kids?"
"Yeah, but I-" Then she noticed something around Yugi's neck, "You have a millennium item too?"
Yugi was caught by surprise, "Oh, uh, yeah its- too? You've got an item TOO?"
.Oops.
"Oh no, I didn't mean to say that, I just, an old friend of mine had one. She...yeah." She forced a laugh.
*Haven't even been here for a day and I've already blown my cover.*
Yugi, Tea, Joey, and Tristen all seemed to be fine with her excuse, but Bakura seemed to be suspicious.
*I'm gonna have to do some explaining later, but for now, I'm gonna stick with that story. Hopefully that Bakura person will forget.*
"Who's your friend?" Bakura asked.
*Poop. *
"Uh, my friend? You mean the one with the uh, item?" Caitlin stumbled over her own words worriedly. Bakura simply nodded and Caitlin racked her brain for a name.
"I uh, her name is Ja-Je-Jo-Bob."
Tea arched her eyebrow; "A girl named Bob?"
"Well, her real name is um, Bobra but we call her Bob to get on her nerves." She put her hand into her pocket and held the beetle. She always felt better to hold it, and she was always fidgeting.
"What have you got in your pocket?" Bakura asked.
"Nothing!" Caitlin shouted, a little too quickly.
Everyone stared.
*This is just getting better and better...*
"I mean," She added, "I don't have anything in my pocket I don't know where you got that idea." She smiled to hide the fear.
"Really?" Bakura thought.
Before anyone could ask anymore questions, they heard a voice behind them. Everyone looked to see who it was. Caitlin felt very, very sick when she noticed the teen standing behind them. It was the very one who had funded the exhibit.
"Kiba?" Yugi said in amazement, "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to report a robbery." He said cooly.
"Get outta here slime ball." Joey growled, "We didn't steal anything."
"I was going to put a poster up in the shop. What was stolen was very valuable. It was the Golden Scarab Beetle."
Caitlin shifted uneasily against the wall. Luckily Kiba didn't notice, but Bakura did. If Caitlin wasn't so afraid she was going to get busted, she might have been very frustrated that Bakura was watching her so closely. Acting like she didn't know what the beetle was, she kept quiet.
"Golden Scarab Beetle?" Yugi exclaimed, "I've never heard of that!"
"You wouldn't." Kiba said, putting a sign on the door of the shop, "I would
however. I paid for it to be put in the museum to boost my publicity. Archeologists think it may be an unofficial millennium item with unknown powers. I was going to have the research here, where people could pay to watch the examinations. The scarab beetle was supposed to make my millions but-" He stopped and looked at Caitlin suddenly, just noticing her standing her standing there, "-it was stolen."
"We didn't steal anything here Kiba, we're all the good guys." Tristen said.
"There are a few here, who weren't so good at one time." He glanced at Joey and Tristen had to hold him back to keep him from jumping on Kiba.
"That's behind me Kiba! And- Tristen will you let go of me so I can beat the living snot out of this-"
"I didn't really think YOU would." Kiba said, "None of you have experience with stealing things -especially Joey- not to mention none of you fit the description of the crook. However-" He stopped and looked hard at Caitlin.
"Who-" He said, "Is this? I haven't every seen her before."
"Back off Kiba, Caitlin wouldn't steal anything." Tea said.
"How could you know for sure? She fits the description of long red hair. And isn't it suspicious that she turns up at the exact time the robbery is committed?" Caitlin got her muscles ready to run at anytime. She clenched the scarab in her pocket; this was almost too close to stay calm.
"She didn't steal anything Kiba-" Bakura started, "She's been with us and we haven't noticed anything suspicious. I've checked her pockets when she wasn't looking."
Caitlin blinked, what the heck!? He never even looked at her pockets let along searched them. She wouldn't let anyone check her, one of the reasons she was still alive was her reflexes. Why on earth was he lying on her behalf? She didn't know whether to think this guy was insane or a lifesaver.
"You didn-" She started to say, but was nudged hard in the ribs by Bakura. She didn't like people taking care of her, she could live just fine by herself. What was he doing? The only reason she didn't speak up again was because Kiba was watching her expression closely and she didn't want him taking her Beetle. No way no how.
"You have?" Kiba seemed as surprised as Caitlin was, "Then I'm sure it would be fine for me to check myself later on. I'll come back soon as I can, right now, I have to put up more posters."
After he left, Bakura grabbed Caitlin and pulled her into an ally with such force she couldn't stop him. He pushed her as far as the ally would go and turned around to make sure no one was watching.
"Your friend named Bob had an item? Really Caitlin at least think of a better excuse next time. Now," He said, a tone of gruffness to his voice, "Why didn't you tell us you had an item? Maybe because you stole it?"
Caitlin didn't say anything. Bakura smirked, "Where is it?"
Caitlin hesitated a little, but then she took it out of her pocket.
"Well, that's something." He seemed to be- all right to trust, but she couldn't be sure.
"Yeah," She touched the jewel on the back of the beetle, "I'm going to keep
it, I just, need to lay low for a while. It's mine so I'll keep it close and to myself, except for you who will tell no one." That last line she said a bit threateningly. "Well, I might tell Tea, Joey, Tristen and Star- head."
Bakura raised his eyebrows, "Star-head?
"Yeah, I mean have you noticed his hair?" She laughed, Bakura didn't. He seemed so stiff compared to his more- not stiff self earlier. Why didn't this seem right?
Bakura smiled, "I won't tell. And I'll make sure Kiba doesn't find it."
"Great!" She said, "But, we'd better get back with everyone else." She wouldn't admit it, partly because it was an insult, but all of a sudden the ally seemed to get a little creepier when he was smiling like that...
"You go ahead." He said, "I'll be there soon."
Caitlin left and told the group that Bakura was coming, what she didn't know was that Bakura wasn't a usual teen.
"This will be the easiest steal yet." He thought to himself, grinning, "However, If Kiba finds it, I won't be able to steal it as easily. So I'll be glad to keep it secret for as long as I need it to be. "