The gang spun around. There, illuminated by the setting sun, was the tall,
shadowy figure of Seto Kaiba, his long trench coat rippling ominously in
the wind. His silver briefcase flashed in the last light of day, and he
glared at the group with his icy blue eyes through his long dark bangs.
"I see you've got a new geek for the loser squad." He nodded at Toria, enjoying the smoldering burn of her gaze. Anger, bravado, hatred – he relished in it.
"What's it to ya, Kaiba?" snapped Joey, fists up. He was constantly looking for an excuse to deck Kaiba right in the jaw. His hands clenched, Kaiba snorted.
"Nothing. It just might influence my choice to give technology to that fool father of hers..." He trailed off coldly, meeting Toria's eyes. He watched with interest as her eyes caught flame, burning into his icy retinas. They say eyes are the windows of the soul, he mused to himself, so what do her eyes say? Fire, he thought, fire and ice, darkness and light. Then he mentally cursed himself. He didn't believe in mumbo-jumbo. He'd been spending too much time listening to this ancient Egyptian junk and prophecies. Or was it simply that she reminded him of someone? A sudden mental flash came, of gold, Egyptian sands and the faint smell of – cats? These had been happening more and more – but it was nothing. Mokuba made him watch too many old Mummy reruns, that was all.
"Hey, you stay away from my family!" she shouted, her American accent stronger than before, struggling to stand up as everyone held her back. Tristan, who could hold back Joey with ease, found himself hard pressed to keep the American girl from diving at Kaiba. She was strong, there was no doubt there.
"Try and keep the kitten's claws under control," growled Kaiba at Tristan. She took a deep breath to regain her composure, and then got to her feet. She stood tall, swatting away Tristan's, Joey's, and Yugi's reaching hands. The three boys tumbled backward onto the step.
"I can fight my own battles." Tea noticed her hand automatically went to the Witch of the Black Forest card concealed in her scarf. She turned towards Kaiba, and marched right up to him, as though preparing to wage in combat. Although she was only five feet tall, and he was six feet and seven, she seemed to tower as tall as he did, as she looked him straight in the eye.
"Watch your mouth about my father."
Her voice fell like a knell, heavy and cold, as hard and husky as Kaiba's. Tea's eyes flicked back and forth between the two. Now that she looked closer, she saw that they were very alike. Toria's dreamy quality was gone, replaced by the ice cold, harsh reality, and her eyes had gone as stony as marble.
"Fiery, aren't you?" remarked Kaiba, raising a white finger to lift her chin. He watched her eyes flicker with pride at the word 'fiery.' "Foolish. Fire and bravery get in the way of success." He pulled his hand away quickly, half-slapping her across the face. The boys on the steps were ready to take him apart, it seemed, as Joey and Tristan were both flexing their muscles and clenching fists, and Yugi was clutching his Millennium puzzle. Tea swept one restricting arm across the group and gave them a warning look. This was between Toria and Kaiba, and it was best to stay out of it, even if she was their new friend. Neither Toria nor Kaiba, it seemed, liked interference. But Joey, who had flunked both meaning looks and body language 101 said raucously:
"What are ya doin' on this side of town anyway? Shouldn't ya be blowin' up little card shops or stealin' old folks' homes?"
His words broke the spell of silence, and Kaiba turned contemptuously to Joey.
"I'm back from a business deal and thought I would talk a walk home." He flipped open his silver briefcase and revealed the contents: shining rows of rare Duel Monster cards, and his patented DuelDisc system.
"Bandai is interested in selling DuelDiscs to the public." He snapped the case shut, closing the silver latches with a loud snap. "Not that it's any of your business."
He returned his gaze to Toria, who was still in her battle stance.
"I see you fit right in here, with the twerp crowd...Just like your fool father and Microsoft." He whispered the last words, letting their soft touch explode into her mind.
"That's it Kaiba! You don't insult my father. We have something in America called family honor. Duel me for it, you worthless pig." She reached for her scarf and pulled out her complete deck, ready to, as Tristan later commented, 'to kick his butt right there on the school steps.'
"Brutality does not become you, Toria," he hissed, watching her long fingers flex around her deck. "We should do this properly." He glanced at the other four, who were seated with baited breath.
"Be at KaibaCorp Mansion tonight at eleven o'clock. We'll settle your 'family honor' problem there." He knew that Yugi and the cheerleaders would be there, too. Damn it. How did he keep getting wound up with these stupid losers? Still, this girl was...intriguing. Not that he found her cute or was sweet on her, nothing stupid like that. He didn't let himself love anyone...well, maybe Mokuba. But he wanted to study her. There was something strange about this girl Toria Hallowell...And he intended to find out what it was.
* * *
Ok folks, that's Chapter 2!!! Yay! So, more coming, stick around...
"I see you've got a new geek for the loser squad." He nodded at Toria, enjoying the smoldering burn of her gaze. Anger, bravado, hatred – he relished in it.
"What's it to ya, Kaiba?" snapped Joey, fists up. He was constantly looking for an excuse to deck Kaiba right in the jaw. His hands clenched, Kaiba snorted.
"Nothing. It just might influence my choice to give technology to that fool father of hers..." He trailed off coldly, meeting Toria's eyes. He watched with interest as her eyes caught flame, burning into his icy retinas. They say eyes are the windows of the soul, he mused to himself, so what do her eyes say? Fire, he thought, fire and ice, darkness and light. Then he mentally cursed himself. He didn't believe in mumbo-jumbo. He'd been spending too much time listening to this ancient Egyptian junk and prophecies. Or was it simply that she reminded him of someone? A sudden mental flash came, of gold, Egyptian sands and the faint smell of – cats? These had been happening more and more – but it was nothing. Mokuba made him watch too many old Mummy reruns, that was all.
"Hey, you stay away from my family!" she shouted, her American accent stronger than before, struggling to stand up as everyone held her back. Tristan, who could hold back Joey with ease, found himself hard pressed to keep the American girl from diving at Kaiba. She was strong, there was no doubt there.
"Try and keep the kitten's claws under control," growled Kaiba at Tristan. She took a deep breath to regain her composure, and then got to her feet. She stood tall, swatting away Tristan's, Joey's, and Yugi's reaching hands. The three boys tumbled backward onto the step.
"I can fight my own battles." Tea noticed her hand automatically went to the Witch of the Black Forest card concealed in her scarf. She turned towards Kaiba, and marched right up to him, as though preparing to wage in combat. Although she was only five feet tall, and he was six feet and seven, she seemed to tower as tall as he did, as she looked him straight in the eye.
"Watch your mouth about my father."
Her voice fell like a knell, heavy and cold, as hard and husky as Kaiba's. Tea's eyes flicked back and forth between the two. Now that she looked closer, she saw that they were very alike. Toria's dreamy quality was gone, replaced by the ice cold, harsh reality, and her eyes had gone as stony as marble.
"Fiery, aren't you?" remarked Kaiba, raising a white finger to lift her chin. He watched her eyes flicker with pride at the word 'fiery.' "Foolish. Fire and bravery get in the way of success." He pulled his hand away quickly, half-slapping her across the face. The boys on the steps were ready to take him apart, it seemed, as Joey and Tristan were both flexing their muscles and clenching fists, and Yugi was clutching his Millennium puzzle. Tea swept one restricting arm across the group and gave them a warning look. This was between Toria and Kaiba, and it was best to stay out of it, even if she was their new friend. Neither Toria nor Kaiba, it seemed, liked interference. But Joey, who had flunked both meaning looks and body language 101 said raucously:
"What are ya doin' on this side of town anyway? Shouldn't ya be blowin' up little card shops or stealin' old folks' homes?"
His words broke the spell of silence, and Kaiba turned contemptuously to Joey.
"I'm back from a business deal and thought I would talk a walk home." He flipped open his silver briefcase and revealed the contents: shining rows of rare Duel Monster cards, and his patented DuelDisc system.
"Bandai is interested in selling DuelDiscs to the public." He snapped the case shut, closing the silver latches with a loud snap. "Not that it's any of your business."
He returned his gaze to Toria, who was still in her battle stance.
"I see you fit right in here, with the twerp crowd...Just like your fool father and Microsoft." He whispered the last words, letting their soft touch explode into her mind.
"That's it Kaiba! You don't insult my father. We have something in America called family honor. Duel me for it, you worthless pig." She reached for her scarf and pulled out her complete deck, ready to, as Tristan later commented, 'to kick his butt right there on the school steps.'
"Brutality does not become you, Toria," he hissed, watching her long fingers flex around her deck. "We should do this properly." He glanced at the other four, who were seated with baited breath.
"Be at KaibaCorp Mansion tonight at eleven o'clock. We'll settle your 'family honor' problem there." He knew that Yugi and the cheerleaders would be there, too. Damn it. How did he keep getting wound up with these stupid losers? Still, this girl was...intriguing. Not that he found her cute or was sweet on her, nothing stupid like that. He didn't let himself love anyone...well, maybe Mokuba. But he wanted to study her. There was something strange about this girl Toria Hallowell...And he intended to find out what it was.
* * *
Ok folks, that's Chapter 2!!! Yay! So, more coming, stick around...