* * *
THE FINAL CHAPTER IN THE WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST STORY!!!! *turns off caps* Ok, don't worry folks, Toria isn't going to vanish, she has more secrets she needs to discover...Anyway, this is the final chapter, 13 is very good number ^_^ Ok then...
WARNING: FLUFF BEYOND FLUFF. But my fluff does have a point. At the end. But anyway, see if you can stand the fluff. The meaning is pretty good.
Tor and Kaiba from setting: WE'RE WAITING!
Me: FINE!
Ok, here we go... hang onto your keyboards, everyone, and keep your hands and feet inside the swively chair at all times!
* * *
The sun shown brightly down on the streets of Domino City, the heat working to build itself into a scorching day. Milk jugs were being brought in; papers collected, and serenity prevailed. Everyone seemed to be sunk in a peaceful, happy, storybook stupor.
So imagine the neighbors' surprise as they spotted three boys marching towards battle, a girl making a fruitless effort to drag them back.
"Guys!" she moaned, clutching the back of their coats as one would try and walk dogs, "C'mon, I'm sure it's fine..." Unfortunately for Tea, she had two hands to control three boys. As soon as she attempted to haul one back to reality, another escaped. She made a wild snatch for Joey, who was barging ahead, and lost control of Yami-Yugi, who was also running madly towards the Kaiba Mansion.
Unless one had overlooked a simple minor detail, they would be heartily confused as to why this whole clamor was occurring.
The telephone call. Or lack thereof. Toria had agreed to call every night, and there hadn't been any phone calls. All night. While the gang stayed up listening. All night. This morning, convinced that Kaiba had somehow contrived a plan to have her bumped off, they were off to storm KaibaCorp Mansion. They were restrained feebly by Tea, who had a fairly good idea of why she hadn't called. All night.
The boys raced up the steps, Tea in tow. Joey banged on the door with his fist, yelling, and "Open up, Kaiba What didja ya do to Tor?"
There was no answer. Tristan and Joey attempted to knock the door down, barreling into it like a battering ram. There were the repeated sounds of thuds and grunting teenage boys as Tea shook her head sadly. What was she doing with these weirdos again?
"Look, Joey, Tristan, let me try." Yami stepped forward, looking at the door, and reaching for the doorknob, opened it. It was unlocked.
Oh right, said Tea, I hang around for that weirdo.
They ran in, stopping short in the foyer. They had no idea where they could have found her in this maze of a house.
"Awright, Kaiba, show yourself!" shouted Joey.
"Yeah!" said Tristan. "You better not have done anything to her!"
There was a soft groaning from behind them. They whirled around to see Mokuba in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, looking at a clock on the wall. "It's only 8 am." He gave a sleepy snort, and then with a sudden uncertainty, "Seto didn't get lost in another virtual world or something, did he?"
"No," said Tea, "But they're worried about the maid – Toria, you know?"
"Toria? Why? She's fine, or she was when I saw her last, as supper...Do you know," he continued eagerly, "That she can make roast beef, golden potatoes, and green beans, all in less than thirty minutes?" He, Joey, and Tristan, quests momentarily forgotten, sighed in unison at the mention of good food.
Yami stepped closer to Mokuba, inquiring, "So then, where is she? In her room?"
He broke his dreamy face at the thought of roast beef. "No, I don't think so...she should be in the library, I think I saw her in there early this morning."
"Why would she be in the library?" asked Tristan blankly.
"Well, she was dusting in there yesterday," added Mokuba. "I'll show you." He led them down a long hall, as Joey raved,
"Da nerve of dat guy, keepin' her up workin' at all hours of da day!" They turned a corner and stopped in front of a large closed door. Yami flung it open, striding into the room, as Joey said loudly, "Ok, Tor, we're here to rescue ya!"
Tristan, Tea, Yami, and Mokuba, however, we shocked to discover, lying in a patch of morning sunlight the two still, sleeping forms of Seto Kaiba and Toria Hallowell, entwined together, a tiny pink yakata curled in the arms of a loose blue pajama set.
"Seto Kaiba and Toria Hallowell, WHAT is going ON here!?" barked Joey. The two stood up quickly, like startled deer, and each mentally seemed to be calculating a good escape plan. But there was only one door to the library, and they were blocking that.
"Joey, shush, it's fine, there's nothing..." began Tea, trying to shut him up. But he had already worked up to a full rant.
"You've got a lot of nerve, Kaiba, tryin' to get it on with our friend, just you wait, we'll get you for this, right Yug?" He turned to Yami for support. But Yami had just seen was Tristan, Tea and Mokuba were observing – the way Toria's hand was intertwined with Kaiba's, the soft glow in each other's eyes, and the fact that for once Kaiba wasn't scowling.
"Joey," said Yami, watching the couple sending them all double-barreled glares, daring them to separate them, "I don't think..."
"We're a couple," said Kaiba, leaving no room for argument from the group. He held her to him and gave her a long, sweet kiss, ignoring Mokuba's mutterings of, "Eww, kissing..."
"What do you think of all this, Toria?" asked Tristan sensibly, trying not to watch Kaiba kissing (Tristan's thought bubble: 'Ewww.')
She broke the kiss for a moment, licking her lower lip, and leaned against Kaiba. She thought for a moment, smiled...and gave Kaiba another long kiss.
It was Tea who flipped out first. She tore Toria away from Kaiba, shrieking, "Oh MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER!"
"I KNOW!" shrieked Toria. They shrieked in unison, then, "DOUBLE DATES!"
Everyone sweatdropped. -_-U
"Sorry," said Tea, when she gained sanity again.
"It's a girl thing," said Toria. "It's physically impossible to skip the shriek-a-thon."
Kaiba frowned, and muttered, "What have I gotten myself into?"
"Seto," commanded Toria sweetly, giving him another quick kiss, "You are taking the day off work. Tea and I are going to make sushi and you and the boys are going to open the pool."
"But I have executives to meet with, and finances to email, and..."
"And it's Sunday and you have worked far too hard for these last few days." She gave him another quick kiss. "Move it. While you open the pool, we'll make lunch." She ushered the boys out of the room.
"Ok, Tea, come up to my room, I bet we can locate some bikinis..."
Kaiba felt the bright morning almost-June sunlight burning his trench coat, wondering how he got talked into these things. Sunlight. Yugh. He gave a faint smirk at the thought of Toria in a bikini. With sudden inspiration, he tossed off his trench coat, letting it land on a nearby patio chair, and went to operate the pool cover remote.
Everyone got to work. Tristan fished lilos and floats out from the cabana; Yugi (A/N: Yugi's back, Yami hates sunlight ^_^) started wiping off the patio furniture; and Joey used the pool net to trawl for cherry blossoms that had wafted under the cover. He watched Kaiba out of the corner of his eye, punching numbers into the remote system located on the wall. He crept closer, reaching for another cherry petal.
"Kaiba," he said out of the corner of his mouth, "Don't think this changes anything between us."
Kaiba had been in a glow of happiness, but he quickly hardened to ice. "You wish, Wheeler, you whimpering dog."
"Dog?! Watch your mouth, Kaiba!" He dove at the tall figure punching numbers into the module. They scuffled to attack each other.
Tristan and Yugi separated the two, standing between them.
"Look, guys," said Yugi, "Be civil, huh? You don't want the girls to catch you fighting."
"No," agreed Kaiba roughly after a long minute. "No, we don't want to fight in front of the girls."
"So...Peace treaty?" Yugi counseled, giving them both a hopeful smile. Kaiba glanced to the shadows cast on the kitchen curtains, where two slim figures could be seen talking and dicing seaweed.
"Fine."
"Fine."
* * *
"What do you think is going on out there?" asked Tea, nervously pouring lemonade.
"Well," said Toria in her dreamy, practical voice, "Seto is probably insulting Joey, Joey is probably beating Seto into pulp, and Yugi and Tristan are attempting to stop mortal injuries from occurring." She gave a quiet chuckle, loading a platter with sushi. "Food will stop any would-be deaths."
"Hey, listen," said Tea with impulsive insight, "The best way to keep their noses clean is a little distraction. Joey and Tristan both have girlfriends, see, Serenity and Mai..."
"Perfect," said Toria as she neatly arranged chopsticks. "We could use help holding down the fort." She tossed Tea the nearest cell phone. Seto had dozens of cell phones for business deals – his only problem was keeping track of them. She found them everywhere – the kitchen, the library, the study, the bath, the cabana.
"Hey, Mai, listen, we've got a situation here, a 1-27-5023. Would you mind popping by? Kaiba's house. Pool party. Bring a bathing suit. Yeah I know, it is weird. I'll explain when you get here, ok?"
"Serenity? Ok, bathing suit, shades, Tristan, at Kaiba's. Before the guys kill each other. See you in ten."
Tea flashed Toria the thumbs-up sign.
"Good. Now let's raid my wardrobe, you'd be surprised how suits are stocked in that thing."
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, there was a sudden explosion of giggling feminine estrogen energy onto the pool deck, levitating the boys with unexpected shock. Toria and Tea, each bearing trays of food and in bikinis, followed by Mai and Serenity, bearing towels and drinks, awakened all the very bored and uncomfortable males scattered around the patio. Mai immediately staked out Joey and went to berate him.
"Joseph Wheeler, you big dope, I got a call from Tea saying there was a 1- 27-5023 situation, short hand for: 'My boyfriend is making a big dope out of himself...again.' So what have you done?"
He cowered a little under the extreme personality of his blonde girlfriend, looking at his feet. "Umm...just threatening Kaiba, yelling, you know..." Mai rolled her eyes and gave him a dope-slap over the head.
"Play nice, Joey!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Tristan," said Serenity as she sidled up to him, "It's so warm out. Want to help me with my diving?" This was the right button to push. Tristan adores helping Serenity in any way.
Kaiba pulled Toria aside, muttering: "How did a small get-together turn into this huge party?" His eyes shifted back and forth from one kid to another. "I...don't like...people."
Toria gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Seto, you need friends. No one can be locked up forever, alone. Please, just try it." She gave him a flirtatious grin. "I don't have to say 'please.' I could make you."
He gave a dim smile, slow and hidden, before he said to her, "Ok, on one condition."
She gave a sigh, but smiled. "What? I'm not being your maid again, Seto Kaiba, your house is too big a challenge. I feel bad for your regular maid."
He beckoned her on. "Come here, I want to tell you." Toria gave him a suspicious glance. Blunt Kaiba was not one for innuendos.
"How very out of character," she admitted. "Ok, fine." She fearlessly walked up to him.
With a sudden shriek she found herself flying into the pool. There was a burst of appreciative laughter from the patio, and more laughter as Toria bobbed up from the bottom, her long hair mermaid-sleek, and reached for his ankle, pulling him in with her.
The two rolled over each other, bobbing in the chlorine, kissing long and hard, as everyone oohed. And as Seto Kaiba floated in the pool he had never used, in his full dress, kissing and cradling a girl he had only met three days before but had dreamed of for more than a thousand years, he realized this was only the beginning of the life he should have led. He was free. And, whispered the hidden part of his mind that never spoke, so is she. He gaze deep into her purple eyes, seeing times long past and sands he had never seen but would always remember. And he knew that whatever had happened, this was new. This was just the beginning.
* * *
SQUEE! That was my first fic!!!! I would like to thank all my reviews, and all my friends who, to quote, said it was 'fucking awesome' (thanx Twigz and Share Bear!), and the fanfic authors who inspired me and didn't know it, mainly ariocthevagrant with his story 'The Orphan and the Dancer' which I reread when my story got dull for inspiration.
Also: My new co-host is coming in time for 'Lost in Golden Sands' so...stick around to discover the real secret in the Seto/Toria relationship.
This is Cassandra Chant, reminding you that there is always, somewhere, another rainbow.
* * *
THE FINAL CHAPTER IN THE WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST STORY!!!! *turns off caps* Ok, don't worry folks, Toria isn't going to vanish, she has more secrets she needs to discover...Anyway, this is the final chapter, 13 is very good number ^_^ Ok then...
WARNING: FLUFF BEYOND FLUFF. But my fluff does have a point. At the end. But anyway, see if you can stand the fluff. The meaning is pretty good.
Tor and Kaiba from setting: WE'RE WAITING!
Me: FINE!
Ok, here we go... hang onto your keyboards, everyone, and keep your hands and feet inside the swively chair at all times!
* * *
The sun shown brightly down on the streets of Domino City, the heat working to build itself into a scorching day. Milk jugs were being brought in; papers collected, and serenity prevailed. Everyone seemed to be sunk in a peaceful, happy, storybook stupor.
So imagine the neighbors' surprise as they spotted three boys marching towards battle, a girl making a fruitless effort to drag them back.
"Guys!" she moaned, clutching the back of their coats as one would try and walk dogs, "C'mon, I'm sure it's fine..." Unfortunately for Tea, she had two hands to control three boys. As soon as she attempted to haul one back to reality, another escaped. She made a wild snatch for Joey, who was barging ahead, and lost control of Yami-Yugi, who was also running madly towards the Kaiba Mansion.
Unless one had overlooked a simple minor detail, they would be heartily confused as to why this whole clamor was occurring.
The telephone call. Or lack thereof. Toria had agreed to call every night, and there hadn't been any phone calls. All night. While the gang stayed up listening. All night. This morning, convinced that Kaiba had somehow contrived a plan to have her bumped off, they were off to storm KaibaCorp Mansion. They were restrained feebly by Tea, who had a fairly good idea of why she hadn't called. All night.
The boys raced up the steps, Tea in tow. Joey banged on the door with his fist, yelling, and "Open up, Kaiba What didja ya do to Tor?"
There was no answer. Tristan and Joey attempted to knock the door down, barreling into it like a battering ram. There were the repeated sounds of thuds and grunting teenage boys as Tea shook her head sadly. What was she doing with these weirdos again?
"Look, Joey, Tristan, let me try." Yami stepped forward, looking at the door, and reaching for the doorknob, opened it. It was unlocked.
Oh right, said Tea, I hang around for that weirdo.
They ran in, stopping short in the foyer. They had no idea where they could have found her in this maze of a house.
"Awright, Kaiba, show yourself!" shouted Joey.
"Yeah!" said Tristan. "You better not have done anything to her!"
There was a soft groaning from behind them. They whirled around to see Mokuba in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, looking at a clock on the wall. "It's only 8 am." He gave a sleepy snort, and then with a sudden uncertainty, "Seto didn't get lost in another virtual world or something, did he?"
"No," said Tea, "But they're worried about the maid – Toria, you know?"
"Toria? Why? She's fine, or she was when I saw her last, as supper...Do you know," he continued eagerly, "That she can make roast beef, golden potatoes, and green beans, all in less than thirty minutes?" He, Joey, and Tristan, quests momentarily forgotten, sighed in unison at the mention of good food.
Yami stepped closer to Mokuba, inquiring, "So then, where is she? In her room?"
He broke his dreamy face at the thought of roast beef. "No, I don't think so...she should be in the library, I think I saw her in there early this morning."
"Why would she be in the library?" asked Tristan blankly.
"Well, she was dusting in there yesterday," added Mokuba. "I'll show you." He led them down a long hall, as Joey raved,
"Da nerve of dat guy, keepin' her up workin' at all hours of da day!" They turned a corner and stopped in front of a large closed door. Yami flung it open, striding into the room, as Joey said loudly, "Ok, Tor, we're here to rescue ya!"
Tristan, Tea, Yami, and Mokuba, however, we shocked to discover, lying in a patch of morning sunlight the two still, sleeping forms of Seto Kaiba and Toria Hallowell, entwined together, a tiny pink yakata curled in the arms of a loose blue pajama set.
"Seto Kaiba and Toria Hallowell, WHAT is going ON here!?" barked Joey. The two stood up quickly, like startled deer, and each mentally seemed to be calculating a good escape plan. But there was only one door to the library, and they were blocking that.
"Joey, shush, it's fine, there's nothing..." began Tea, trying to shut him up. But he had already worked up to a full rant.
"You've got a lot of nerve, Kaiba, tryin' to get it on with our friend, just you wait, we'll get you for this, right Yug?" He turned to Yami for support. But Yami had just seen was Tristan, Tea and Mokuba were observing – the way Toria's hand was intertwined with Kaiba's, the soft glow in each other's eyes, and the fact that for once Kaiba wasn't scowling.
"Joey," said Yami, watching the couple sending them all double-barreled glares, daring them to separate them, "I don't think..."
"We're a couple," said Kaiba, leaving no room for argument from the group. He held her to him and gave her a long, sweet kiss, ignoring Mokuba's mutterings of, "Eww, kissing..."
"What do you think of all this, Toria?" asked Tristan sensibly, trying not to watch Kaiba kissing (Tristan's thought bubble: 'Ewww.')
She broke the kiss for a moment, licking her lower lip, and leaned against Kaiba. She thought for a moment, smiled...and gave Kaiba another long kiss.
It was Tea who flipped out first. She tore Toria away from Kaiba, shrieking, "Oh MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER!"
"I KNOW!" shrieked Toria. They shrieked in unison, then, "DOUBLE DATES!"
Everyone sweatdropped. -_-U
"Sorry," said Tea, when she gained sanity again.
"It's a girl thing," said Toria. "It's physically impossible to skip the shriek-a-thon."
Kaiba frowned, and muttered, "What have I gotten myself into?"
"Seto," commanded Toria sweetly, giving him another quick kiss, "You are taking the day off work. Tea and I are going to make sushi and you and the boys are going to open the pool."
"But I have executives to meet with, and finances to email, and..."
"And it's Sunday and you have worked far too hard for these last few days." She gave him another quick kiss. "Move it. While you open the pool, we'll make lunch." She ushered the boys out of the room.
"Ok, Tea, come up to my room, I bet we can locate some bikinis..."
Kaiba felt the bright morning almost-June sunlight burning his trench coat, wondering how he got talked into these things. Sunlight. Yugh. He gave a faint smirk at the thought of Toria in a bikini. With sudden inspiration, he tossed off his trench coat, letting it land on a nearby patio chair, and went to operate the pool cover remote.
Everyone got to work. Tristan fished lilos and floats out from the cabana; Yugi (A/N: Yugi's back, Yami hates sunlight ^_^) started wiping off the patio furniture; and Joey used the pool net to trawl for cherry blossoms that had wafted under the cover. He watched Kaiba out of the corner of his eye, punching numbers into the remote system located on the wall. He crept closer, reaching for another cherry petal.
"Kaiba," he said out of the corner of his mouth, "Don't think this changes anything between us."
Kaiba had been in a glow of happiness, but he quickly hardened to ice. "You wish, Wheeler, you whimpering dog."
"Dog?! Watch your mouth, Kaiba!" He dove at the tall figure punching numbers into the module. They scuffled to attack each other.
Tristan and Yugi separated the two, standing between them.
"Look, guys," said Yugi, "Be civil, huh? You don't want the girls to catch you fighting."
"No," agreed Kaiba roughly after a long minute. "No, we don't want to fight in front of the girls."
"So...Peace treaty?" Yugi counseled, giving them both a hopeful smile. Kaiba glanced to the shadows cast on the kitchen curtains, where two slim figures could be seen talking and dicing seaweed.
"Fine."
"Fine."
* * *
"What do you think is going on out there?" asked Tea, nervously pouring lemonade.
"Well," said Toria in her dreamy, practical voice, "Seto is probably insulting Joey, Joey is probably beating Seto into pulp, and Yugi and Tristan are attempting to stop mortal injuries from occurring." She gave a quiet chuckle, loading a platter with sushi. "Food will stop any would-be deaths."
"Hey, listen," said Tea with impulsive insight, "The best way to keep their noses clean is a little distraction. Joey and Tristan both have girlfriends, see, Serenity and Mai..."
"Perfect," said Toria as she neatly arranged chopsticks. "We could use help holding down the fort." She tossed Tea the nearest cell phone. Seto had dozens of cell phones for business deals – his only problem was keeping track of them. She found them everywhere – the kitchen, the library, the study, the bath, the cabana.
"Hey, Mai, listen, we've got a situation here, a 1-27-5023. Would you mind popping by? Kaiba's house. Pool party. Bring a bathing suit. Yeah I know, it is weird. I'll explain when you get here, ok?"
"Serenity? Ok, bathing suit, shades, Tristan, at Kaiba's. Before the guys kill each other. See you in ten."
Tea flashed Toria the thumbs-up sign.
"Good. Now let's raid my wardrobe, you'd be surprised how suits are stocked in that thing."
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, there was a sudden explosion of giggling feminine estrogen energy onto the pool deck, levitating the boys with unexpected shock. Toria and Tea, each bearing trays of food and in bikinis, followed by Mai and Serenity, bearing towels and drinks, awakened all the very bored and uncomfortable males scattered around the patio. Mai immediately staked out Joey and went to berate him.
"Joseph Wheeler, you big dope, I got a call from Tea saying there was a 1- 27-5023 situation, short hand for: 'My boyfriend is making a big dope out of himself...again.' So what have you done?"
He cowered a little under the extreme personality of his blonde girlfriend, looking at his feet. "Umm...just threatening Kaiba, yelling, you know..." Mai rolled her eyes and gave him a dope-slap over the head.
"Play nice, Joey!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Tristan," said Serenity as she sidled up to him, "It's so warm out. Want to help me with my diving?" This was the right button to push. Tristan adores helping Serenity in any way.
Kaiba pulled Toria aside, muttering: "How did a small get-together turn into this huge party?" His eyes shifted back and forth from one kid to another. "I...don't like...people."
Toria gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Seto, you need friends. No one can be locked up forever, alone. Please, just try it." She gave him a flirtatious grin. "I don't have to say 'please.' I could make you."
He gave a dim smile, slow and hidden, before he said to her, "Ok, on one condition."
She gave a sigh, but smiled. "What? I'm not being your maid again, Seto Kaiba, your house is too big a challenge. I feel bad for your regular maid."
He beckoned her on. "Come here, I want to tell you." Toria gave him a suspicious glance. Blunt Kaiba was not one for innuendos.
"How very out of character," she admitted. "Ok, fine." She fearlessly walked up to him.
With a sudden shriek she found herself flying into the pool. There was a burst of appreciative laughter from the patio, and more laughter as Toria bobbed up from the bottom, her long hair mermaid-sleek, and reached for his ankle, pulling him in with her.
The two rolled over each other, bobbing in the chlorine, kissing long and hard, as everyone oohed. And as Seto Kaiba floated in the pool he had never used, in his full dress, kissing and cradling a girl he had only met three days before but had dreamed of for more than a thousand years, he realized this was only the beginning of the life he should have led. He was free. And, whispered the hidden part of his mind that never spoke, so is she. He gaze deep into her purple eyes, seeing times long past and sands he had never seen but would always remember. And he knew that whatever had happened, this was new. This was just the beginning.
* * *
SQUEE! That was my first fic!!!! I would like to thank all my reviews, and all my friends who, to quote, said it was 'fucking awesome' (thanx Twigz and Share Bear!), and the fanfic authors who inspired me and didn't know it, mainly ariocthevagrant with his story 'The Orphan and the Dancer' which I reread when my story got dull for inspiration.
Also: My new co-host is coming in time for 'Lost in Golden Sands' so...stick around to discover the real secret in the Seto/Toria relationship.
This is Cassandra Chant, reminding you that there is always, somewhere, another rainbow.
* * *