"Wanna play again?" Kyara asked as she drank the last of her coffee.
"Well-"
"Hey! Kyara!"
Upon swivelling around in her seat, Kyara found Joey standing at the door. "Joey?!"
The blond haired boy grinned. "The one and only!"
"God knows what the world would be like if there were TWO..." Kaiba mumbled sarcastically.
Stifling a giggle, Kyara waited until Joey seated himself by them before speaking. "So what are you doing here?"
"Me? Oh, we came to see you guys compete, but they aren't letting spectators in until half an hour prior to the first duels. So we decided to get something to eat, then head back to the dome."
"'We'?" Kyara looked out the window. "where's Te'a, Tristan, and Ryo?"
"Oh, them?" Joey smirked. "I think I walk too fast for 'em to keep up with me."
"I find that hard to believe." Kaiba said under his breath.
"Speakin of which..." Joy grimaced as he glanced at Kaiba. "What are you two doing here? Wait! DOn't tell me! Is this a DATE?!"
"No, you buffoon," Kaiba responded in his usual sarcastic tone. "We just decided to come here together."
Joey glared at Kaiba, but said nothing. Further conversation was postponed as three people entered the cafe. "Te'a!" Kyara cried.
Kyara's brown-haired friend nodded in greeting as she took a seat. "How ya doing, Kya?"
Kyara gave a sigh. "Well, my first duel's only an hour away."
"You nervous?"
"Not really," Kyara toyed with her now empty cup. "I never let the competitons I compete in freak me out."
"I don't see how you can remain so calm, Kya," Ryo remarked as he ordered a drink. "Have you seen how many people are entering this year?!"
"Tell me about it." Kyara mumbled. "Ryo, guess who I saw today."
"Who?"
"Toshiro."
Ryo's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Toshiro? That-oh," His eyes strayed over to Kaiba. "Oh, him. Good for you."
Upon hearing Ryo's sudden shift in words, Kaiba scrutinized him thoughtfully for a moment before casting his gaze back downwards again. Was there something about Toshiro he didn't know? Only one way to find out.
"What about Toshiro?" he asked, quiet enough so that only Joey and Ryo were able to hear.
At his question, Joey winced sligthly, as if shocked that Kaiba was talking. "How should I know?" Joey asked.
"I wasn't talking to you." Kaiba replied coldly.
"Oh..." Joey rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Tristan's eyes strayed over to the row of arcade games. "Hey, Joey?"
"What?"
"I think I see Tekken 4 over there!" he pointed towards the back of the room.
"Really?!" Joey leapt up from where he sat. "Then what are we waitin for?"
Kyara and Te'a giggled as they watched the two boys amble over to the games. "Wanna watch them slug it out, Te'a?"
"Why not?" she giggled and strode over with Kyara. "There's nothing else to do."
"So what about Toshiro?" Kaiba asked once the other four had departed, leaving only him and Ryo at the table.
"Well, I..." Ryo shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't think-"
"Tell me." Kaiba softened his tone the slightest bit. "What's between Toshiro and Kyara?"
Ryo sighed. "Look, there's nothing between them, Kaiba."
Though relieved, Kaiba made sure the emotion didn't register on his features. "Go on."
"There's nothing much else to say," Ryo replied. "I mean, Kyara always thought of Toshiro as an insensitive jerk."
"Really? How so?"
"Well," Ryo's eyes roved over to Kyara, then back to Kaiba. "Just don't tell Kyara I said this, okay?"
"It all depends on what you say."
With a sigh, Ryo explained. "Toshiro is a weird kinda guy, you know? Everyone in our fifth grade class knew he had a crush on Kyara. Well, then again, except Kyara herself, that is."
"So what?"
"Well, you know what they say, 'you always hurt the one you love'." Ryo said. "I guess it was Toshiro's own weird way of showing that he cared."
Kaiba snorted in exasperation. "Ryo, you're making absolutely no sense."
"Really?" he cocked his head to one side. "Okay then, look at it this way. He teased her a lot, all right?"
Shaking his head, Kaiba rose from his seat and began making his way over to the others. "Thanks for the info." he said shortly.
Kyara grinned as Kaiba joined them at the games. "Hey, Seto! Ever play Tekken 4 before?"
"Not really," he replied. "Is it anything like Duel Monsters?"
"Uh, no. Actually, more like X'Men versus Streetfighters. Watch."
Planted in from of the console, Joey wrenched his joystick from side to side. "Argh! Die, Hwoarang!"
Beside him, Tristan chuckled as Joey's health hit zero. "And that's another win for the Great Tristan Taylor!"
"No!" Joey banged his fist against the controls. "I demand a rematch!"
"Can I try, Joey?" Kyara stepped forward.
"Huh? Sure, Kyara." Joey stepped aside. "But I'm warning you, if I can't beat him, you don't stand much of a chance!"
"Oh, really?" Kyara giggled. "At least let me try!"
Tristan shook his head sadly. "All right then! But don't think I'm gonna take it easy on ya just cos you're a girl!"
At the character selection screen, Tristan immediatly chose his favorite fighter. "I'll take Hwoarang! He hasn't failed me yet!"
Kyara pushed her joystick upwards lazily. "Let's see...I guess Ling Xiaoyu will do for me."
"You gotta be kidding!" Joey cried. "Ling's too weak to stand up against Hwoarang! Get King, Law, or maybe Kuma instead!"
"No way." Kyara said over her shoulder. "I know what I'm doing, Joey. Watch me closely, you might just learn something."
"READY?" the game's mechanical voice asked. "FIGHT!"
At once, Tristan began punching the buttons before him. On the screen, a black and blue-clothed Hwoarang leapt at Xiaoyu. Kyara manuevered her character out of the way just before Hwoarang's attack could hit her. "Nice try." she giggled. "Miss again, and you'll feel the consequences."
Tristan jabbed at three different buttons. "Let's see how you handle Hwoarang's Icicle Breaker punch!"
Again, Kyara's nimble fighter dodged out of the way. Then, Xiaoyu lashed back with an attack of her own. Her hands glowed a fiery crimson, then slammed into Hwoarang's chest, taking away a fraction of his health. "That was Xiaoyu's Phoenix attack!" Kyara remarked triumphantly.
Tristan ground his teeth angrily. "Okay, tough guy, take this!"
"Wow, Tristan, that attack did SO much damage to my health..."
"Hehe..."
For a few moments the two battled on, the two of them exchanging kicks and punches from the other. Then, seeing an opening, Kyara launched another Phoenix attack. Only this time, right in the middle of the Phoenix, she pressed a few extra buttons. Instantly, Xiaoyu let loose a powerful onslaught upon Hwoarang, obliterating the rest of his health.
"What was that?!" Tristan cried.
"THAT was Xiaoyu's Phoenix Hammer." Kyara said.
From behind them, Kaiba chuckled dryly. "That was quite amusing."
Tristan groaned. "Aw, man! I lost!"
Joey patted his friend's shoulder. "It's okay, man."
Kyara strode away fom the game console and leaned agaisnt Seto's shoulder. "Should we be heading back for the COnvention Center now?"
Kaiba glanced at his watch. "That would be a good idea."
Kyara turned to Te'a. "What about you guys?"
"Perhaps a little later." Te'a said. "They won't be admitting spectators for a little while longer. tell Yugi I said hi, okay?"
"Sure." Kyara smiled brightly. "See you later!"
Once the two Duelists had left, Tristan turned to Joey, Ryo, and Te'a. "Anyone up for another game of Tekken?"
Ryo shook his head. "I prefer Primal Rage."
"No way!" Te'a placed her hands on her hips and scowled mockingly at them. "I wanna play X'Men versus Streetfighters!"
"Well-"
"Hey! Kyara!"
Upon swivelling around in her seat, Kyara found Joey standing at the door. "Joey?!"
The blond haired boy grinned. "The one and only!"
"God knows what the world would be like if there were TWO..." Kaiba mumbled sarcastically.
Stifling a giggle, Kyara waited until Joey seated himself by them before speaking. "So what are you doing here?"
"Me? Oh, we came to see you guys compete, but they aren't letting spectators in until half an hour prior to the first duels. So we decided to get something to eat, then head back to the dome."
"'We'?" Kyara looked out the window. "where's Te'a, Tristan, and Ryo?"
"Oh, them?" Joey smirked. "I think I walk too fast for 'em to keep up with me."
"I find that hard to believe." Kaiba said under his breath.
"Speakin of which..." Joy grimaced as he glanced at Kaiba. "What are you two doing here? Wait! DOn't tell me! Is this a DATE?!"
"No, you buffoon," Kaiba responded in his usual sarcastic tone. "We just decided to come here together."
Joey glared at Kaiba, but said nothing. Further conversation was postponed as three people entered the cafe. "Te'a!" Kyara cried.
Kyara's brown-haired friend nodded in greeting as she took a seat. "How ya doing, Kya?"
Kyara gave a sigh. "Well, my first duel's only an hour away."
"You nervous?"
"Not really," Kyara toyed with her now empty cup. "I never let the competitons I compete in freak me out."
"I don't see how you can remain so calm, Kya," Ryo remarked as he ordered a drink. "Have you seen how many people are entering this year?!"
"Tell me about it." Kyara mumbled. "Ryo, guess who I saw today."
"Who?"
"Toshiro."
Ryo's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Toshiro? That-oh," His eyes strayed over to Kaiba. "Oh, him. Good for you."
Upon hearing Ryo's sudden shift in words, Kaiba scrutinized him thoughtfully for a moment before casting his gaze back downwards again. Was there something about Toshiro he didn't know? Only one way to find out.
"What about Toshiro?" he asked, quiet enough so that only Joey and Ryo were able to hear.
At his question, Joey winced sligthly, as if shocked that Kaiba was talking. "How should I know?" Joey asked.
"I wasn't talking to you." Kaiba replied coldly.
"Oh..." Joey rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Tristan's eyes strayed over to the row of arcade games. "Hey, Joey?"
"What?"
"I think I see Tekken 4 over there!" he pointed towards the back of the room.
"Really?!" Joey leapt up from where he sat. "Then what are we waitin for?"
Kyara and Te'a giggled as they watched the two boys amble over to the games. "Wanna watch them slug it out, Te'a?"
"Why not?" she giggled and strode over with Kyara. "There's nothing else to do."
"So what about Toshiro?" Kaiba asked once the other four had departed, leaving only him and Ryo at the table.
"Well, I..." Ryo shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't think-"
"Tell me." Kaiba softened his tone the slightest bit. "What's between Toshiro and Kyara?"
Ryo sighed. "Look, there's nothing between them, Kaiba."
Though relieved, Kaiba made sure the emotion didn't register on his features. "Go on."
"There's nothing much else to say," Ryo replied. "I mean, Kyara always thought of Toshiro as an insensitive jerk."
"Really? How so?"
"Well," Ryo's eyes roved over to Kyara, then back to Kaiba. "Just don't tell Kyara I said this, okay?"
"It all depends on what you say."
With a sigh, Ryo explained. "Toshiro is a weird kinda guy, you know? Everyone in our fifth grade class knew he had a crush on Kyara. Well, then again, except Kyara herself, that is."
"So what?"
"Well, you know what they say, 'you always hurt the one you love'." Ryo said. "I guess it was Toshiro's own weird way of showing that he cared."
Kaiba snorted in exasperation. "Ryo, you're making absolutely no sense."
"Really?" he cocked his head to one side. "Okay then, look at it this way. He teased her a lot, all right?"
Shaking his head, Kaiba rose from his seat and began making his way over to the others. "Thanks for the info." he said shortly.
Kyara grinned as Kaiba joined them at the games. "Hey, Seto! Ever play Tekken 4 before?"
"Not really," he replied. "Is it anything like Duel Monsters?"
"Uh, no. Actually, more like X'Men versus Streetfighters. Watch."
Planted in from of the console, Joey wrenched his joystick from side to side. "Argh! Die, Hwoarang!"
Beside him, Tristan chuckled as Joey's health hit zero. "And that's another win for the Great Tristan Taylor!"
"No!" Joey banged his fist against the controls. "I demand a rematch!"
"Can I try, Joey?" Kyara stepped forward.
"Huh? Sure, Kyara." Joey stepped aside. "But I'm warning you, if I can't beat him, you don't stand much of a chance!"
"Oh, really?" Kyara giggled. "At least let me try!"
Tristan shook his head sadly. "All right then! But don't think I'm gonna take it easy on ya just cos you're a girl!"
At the character selection screen, Tristan immediatly chose his favorite fighter. "I'll take Hwoarang! He hasn't failed me yet!"
Kyara pushed her joystick upwards lazily. "Let's see...I guess Ling Xiaoyu will do for me."
"You gotta be kidding!" Joey cried. "Ling's too weak to stand up against Hwoarang! Get King, Law, or maybe Kuma instead!"
"No way." Kyara said over her shoulder. "I know what I'm doing, Joey. Watch me closely, you might just learn something."
"READY?" the game's mechanical voice asked. "FIGHT!"
At once, Tristan began punching the buttons before him. On the screen, a black and blue-clothed Hwoarang leapt at Xiaoyu. Kyara manuevered her character out of the way just before Hwoarang's attack could hit her. "Nice try." she giggled. "Miss again, and you'll feel the consequences."
Tristan jabbed at three different buttons. "Let's see how you handle Hwoarang's Icicle Breaker punch!"
Again, Kyara's nimble fighter dodged out of the way. Then, Xiaoyu lashed back with an attack of her own. Her hands glowed a fiery crimson, then slammed into Hwoarang's chest, taking away a fraction of his health. "That was Xiaoyu's Phoenix attack!" Kyara remarked triumphantly.
Tristan ground his teeth angrily. "Okay, tough guy, take this!"
"Wow, Tristan, that attack did SO much damage to my health..."
"Hehe..."
For a few moments the two battled on, the two of them exchanging kicks and punches from the other. Then, seeing an opening, Kyara launched another Phoenix attack. Only this time, right in the middle of the Phoenix, she pressed a few extra buttons. Instantly, Xiaoyu let loose a powerful onslaught upon Hwoarang, obliterating the rest of his health.
"What was that?!" Tristan cried.
"THAT was Xiaoyu's Phoenix Hammer." Kyara said.
From behind them, Kaiba chuckled dryly. "That was quite amusing."
Tristan groaned. "Aw, man! I lost!"
Joey patted his friend's shoulder. "It's okay, man."
Kyara strode away fom the game console and leaned agaisnt Seto's shoulder. "Should we be heading back for the COnvention Center now?"
Kaiba glanced at his watch. "That would be a good idea."
Kyara turned to Te'a. "What about you guys?"
"Perhaps a little later." Te'a said. "They won't be admitting spectators for a little while longer. tell Yugi I said hi, okay?"
"Sure." Kyara smiled brightly. "See you later!"
Once the two Duelists had left, Tristan turned to Joey, Ryo, and Te'a. "Anyone up for another game of Tekken?"
Ryo shook his head. "I prefer Primal Rage."
"No way!" Te'a placed her hands on her hips and scowled mockingly at them. "I wanna play X'Men versus Streetfighters!"
