* * *
Chapter 4 comin' atcha, getting to the mansion...and maybe finding out some of Tea's secrets! So read and bow in awe to...THE GLORY OF CHAPTER 4!
* * *
The two girls walked down the lamp lit streets of the city, aiming towards the huge estate crowned with a gray and white marble mansion, visible even in the darkness of late night. The moon rose on the horizon, full and as pale as snow, casting a soft glow above the harsh yellow tones of the city lights. Toria breathed the moonlight in deeply, filling herself with its glowing power. She was definitely ready for a duel...if she didn't duel every few weeks she became irritated. The jingling chink of her red charms emboldened her. This would be a success all right, and he would pay for what he had said about her father.
She thought of Kaiba, his tall, arrogant stance, his rippling coat, his thick, sleek hair, and icy blue eyes, so beautiful...She shook the thought from her head. This man – this boy – he was her enemy. She had to duel him, for the honor of her family...And she would never let her father down. She let herself reminisce of the day she had met her father, her real father, Leo Hallowell...
...The sounds of screaming kids, wailing babies, and bouncing basketballs sounded from the foster home. Foursquare balls, cheap imitation Barbies, and blocks flew across the room, narrowly missing the head of a tall, if goofy-looking man. But, however large his nose was, or however messy his hair, he bounced the ball back, with a shout of: "Here you go, Shaq!" He gave the Barbie back to the little girl who was whimpering by his feet, and stopped for a few seconds to play 'smash and build' with the toddler and his blocks. He may not have been very pretty to look at, but he was kind.
I was playing Duel Monsters with my foster brother Kyle in a corner. He was trying to figure out the best way to beat my Destiny Board combo when I saw him watching over my shoulder. I was only fourteen then, barely a teenager. But I was surprised. It was never the teenagers who got adopted – it was always the little ones. Past eight years old and you knew you were never going to be adopted. I had gone into the system at eight, and knew that I would never have a family. I would forever be a latch-key kid. But when I saw his smiling face and heard him say, "You're Cassandra, right?" I knew he was my father...
She snapped back from the flashback as Tea stopped walking. Toria looked around. They were in front of a small card shop, lit up in the late night hours. Yugi, Tristan, and Joey dashed out the door, breathless and panting.
"What, did you rob the place?" asked Toria, wondering why a card shop would be open at eleven at night.
"No," laughed Yugi. "My grandpa owns the store. We live on top of it." He straightened his Millennium puzzle. "We're here to cheer you on, Toria." She blinked at this idea. She hadn't thought anyone would back her up, but then – Yugi was a good friend.
"An' make sure Kaiba doesn't pull anythin'," snarled Joey. "Dis is gonna be a fair duel, no ifs, ands, or buts."
"I don't know guys," interrupted Tristan. "In all the time we've seen Kaiba duel, he's never cheated. Except that one time on the castle, but that was for his brother." He trotted forward to match his pace with theirs as all five of them began walking down the road.
"There's a first time for everythin'," muttered Joey.
"So what is it about Kaiba anyway?" asked Toria. "I mean, besides what he said about my father. Why do you guys all have issues with him?"
Tristan and Tea both respond at once: "I don't have issues with him."
Yugi gave a slight snort. "I don't really have...issues with him. Just my...other half, you might say." Toria raised an eyebrow. If he didn't feel like explaining, that was fine. It would come out sooner or later. Toria turned to Joey.
"I have issues with dat Kaiba," he scowled. "If I hear one more puppy dog crack, I think I'll hafta..." He waved a fist threateningly.
Tristan snorted. "Or maybe the dueling monkey joke..." He ducked as Joey stampeded after him. Tea and Yugi stifled giggles. Even Toria felt a small chuckle rise in her throat. She wasn't very good at making friends. Someone – a shrink, she thought – had told her it was because her personality was too – she mentally eye-rolled at the word – paradoxical. She was sweet, misty, and unassuming...but at the least moment fiery passion could envelope her mind, body and soul, leaving her friends shocked that the girl they had forever known was what they thought was a lie.
Toria took this opportunity to slacken her pace to match Tea's, letting the boys rough house further up the sidewalk.
"So tell me...Are the girls here that awful, that you hang out with these guys?" she joked, thumbing a finger at Tristan, who was trying to imitate a dueling monkey while being chased by an extraordinarily angry Joey.
Tea blushed, her eyes flicking towards the smaller blonde boy who was laughing, his purple eyes winking with innocence.
"Well..." she paused, unsure of how to explain this. She had a crush on Yugi, yes, but what about Yami, who she felt like she had known since before time? Still though, Toria had been open and frank with her about her painful past, maybe it was time to give back a little of that faith.
So with a deep breath, a glance to make sure the nutty boys were out of earshot, and a long stream of gabbled words, Tea poured Toria the whole story.
* * *
Ok, I lied. Tea tells a few secrets next time...or whenever they come up, who knows :) Preview of next chapter: After being let into the Kaiba mansion, the duel commences...but for stakes higher than either Toria or Kaiba could have anticipated...
* * *
Chapter 4 comin' atcha, getting to the mansion...and maybe finding out some of Tea's secrets! So read and bow in awe to...THE GLORY OF CHAPTER 4!
* * *
The two girls walked down the lamp lit streets of the city, aiming towards the huge estate crowned with a gray and white marble mansion, visible even in the darkness of late night. The moon rose on the horizon, full and as pale as snow, casting a soft glow above the harsh yellow tones of the city lights. Toria breathed the moonlight in deeply, filling herself with its glowing power. She was definitely ready for a duel...if she didn't duel every few weeks she became irritated. The jingling chink of her red charms emboldened her. This would be a success all right, and he would pay for what he had said about her father.
She thought of Kaiba, his tall, arrogant stance, his rippling coat, his thick, sleek hair, and icy blue eyes, so beautiful...She shook the thought from her head. This man – this boy – he was her enemy. She had to duel him, for the honor of her family...And she would never let her father down. She let herself reminisce of the day she had met her father, her real father, Leo Hallowell...
...The sounds of screaming kids, wailing babies, and bouncing basketballs sounded from the foster home. Foursquare balls, cheap imitation Barbies, and blocks flew across the room, narrowly missing the head of a tall, if goofy-looking man. But, however large his nose was, or however messy his hair, he bounced the ball back, with a shout of: "Here you go, Shaq!" He gave the Barbie back to the little girl who was whimpering by his feet, and stopped for a few seconds to play 'smash and build' with the toddler and his blocks. He may not have been very pretty to look at, but he was kind.
I was playing Duel Monsters with my foster brother Kyle in a corner. He was trying to figure out the best way to beat my Destiny Board combo when I saw him watching over my shoulder. I was only fourteen then, barely a teenager. But I was surprised. It was never the teenagers who got adopted – it was always the little ones. Past eight years old and you knew you were never going to be adopted. I had gone into the system at eight, and knew that I would never have a family. I would forever be a latch-key kid. But when I saw his smiling face and heard him say, "You're Cassandra, right?" I knew he was my father...
She snapped back from the flashback as Tea stopped walking. Toria looked around. They were in front of a small card shop, lit up in the late night hours. Yugi, Tristan, and Joey dashed out the door, breathless and panting.
"What, did you rob the place?" asked Toria, wondering why a card shop would be open at eleven at night.
"No," laughed Yugi. "My grandpa owns the store. We live on top of it." He straightened his Millennium puzzle. "We're here to cheer you on, Toria." She blinked at this idea. She hadn't thought anyone would back her up, but then – Yugi was a good friend.
"An' make sure Kaiba doesn't pull anythin'," snarled Joey. "Dis is gonna be a fair duel, no ifs, ands, or buts."
"I don't know guys," interrupted Tristan. "In all the time we've seen Kaiba duel, he's never cheated. Except that one time on the castle, but that was for his brother." He trotted forward to match his pace with theirs as all five of them began walking down the road.
"There's a first time for everythin'," muttered Joey.
"So what is it about Kaiba anyway?" asked Toria. "I mean, besides what he said about my father. Why do you guys all have issues with him?"
Tristan and Tea both respond at once: "I don't have issues with him."
Yugi gave a slight snort. "I don't really have...issues with him. Just my...other half, you might say." Toria raised an eyebrow. If he didn't feel like explaining, that was fine. It would come out sooner or later. Toria turned to Joey.
"I have issues with dat Kaiba," he scowled. "If I hear one more puppy dog crack, I think I'll hafta..." He waved a fist threateningly.
Tristan snorted. "Or maybe the dueling monkey joke..." He ducked as Joey stampeded after him. Tea and Yugi stifled giggles. Even Toria felt a small chuckle rise in her throat. She wasn't very good at making friends. Someone – a shrink, she thought – had told her it was because her personality was too – she mentally eye-rolled at the word – paradoxical. She was sweet, misty, and unassuming...but at the least moment fiery passion could envelope her mind, body and soul, leaving her friends shocked that the girl they had forever known was what they thought was a lie.
Toria took this opportunity to slacken her pace to match Tea's, letting the boys rough house further up the sidewalk.
"So tell me...Are the girls here that awful, that you hang out with these guys?" she joked, thumbing a finger at Tristan, who was trying to imitate a dueling monkey while being chased by an extraordinarily angry Joey.
Tea blushed, her eyes flicking towards the smaller blonde boy who was laughing, his purple eyes winking with innocence.
"Well..." she paused, unsure of how to explain this. She had a crush on Yugi, yes, but what about Yami, who she felt like she had known since before time? Still though, Toria had been open and frank with her about her painful past, maybe it was time to give back a little of that faith.
So with a deep breath, a glance to make sure the nutty boys were out of earshot, and a long stream of gabbled words, Tea poured Toria the whole story.
* * *
Ok, I lied. Tea tells a few secrets next time...or whenever they come up, who knows :) Preview of next chapter: After being let into the Kaiba mansion, the duel commences...but for stakes higher than either Toria or Kaiba could have anticipated...
* * *