Chapter 12 - More Dreams

"What the heck happened?" Crimson demanded.

"I don't know!" Téa cried. She tried to take a step forward to go to Tristan's vacant square, but Yugi stopped her.

"Don't!" he warned. "The game is still on! We still need to get across the floor." Téa looked back at the empty square, sending shivers down her spine as she recollected what happened to Tristan.

"I can't believe it!" Crimson gasped. "That would have been me! If I had fallen, I would have landed on that square! But now, it's Tristan!"

"Listen, let's not get too emotional," Kaiba suggested, his voice sounding cold.

"What do you care?" Crimson sputtered angrily, turning to Kaiba. "You're stone! You wouldn't care if someone murdered half the country and said it was your fault, especially if you know that in some twisted way it is!!!"

"That doesn't apply to you, really, either," Kaiba said.

"Of course it does!" Crimson fought back. "I've murdered thirty people! Kaiba, it was my fault! Mine! I'm the only one responsible for my own Anklet! It was my fault! I'm the murderer, and there's no denying it!" If it were any other girl, they would have surely ended up sobbing hysterically by now. Crimson, however, was just plain angry.

"Maybe we should just concentrate on getting out of this," Bakura stated. "Let's worry about Tristan as soon as we're out of the frying pan cause we don't want to get into fire now." Crimson crossed her arms.

The rest of the hour was silent as the six now made their way across the squares. Kaiba was first to reach ground that was as black as the rest of the surroundings. He waited impatiently as the others made their way. Most of them were quite far behind. Finally, they all reached where he was. Kaiba yawned and gave them a simply nod of annoyance.

"So, now 'dat wer'all 'ere, what now?" Joey asked. Crimson shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. The others shrugged themselves, yawning.

"I'm so sleepy!" Téa said, yawning.

"I'm not surprised," Crimson said. "The Shadow Realm slowly draws your energy away. I would be very surprised if you weren't."

"Shouldn't we rest then?" Bakura queried. "Being in the Shadow Realm without energy can significantly reduce your chances of coming out alive."

"Good point," Crimson remarked. "Of course, we won't gain too much energy by sleeping, cause the Shadow Realm can also feed off your dreams and stuff, but it's worth a shot."

After a few minutes, they had all settled down for the nap. It was easy, since every single space looked like every other space. Soon, they had all fallen asleep, even Joey, who was supposed to be watching for any new dangers. Yugi was also supposed to watch, but he quickly fell asleep shortly after Joey.

"She's gone again," a servant reported to Pharaoh Atem. Atem sighed as he turned and faced the window, looking out at the garden.

"That's the third time this week," he noted. "I think she's taken too much of a liking to High Priest Seth."

"What do you wish to do about it?" the servant asked.

"I don't know," Atem said. "I mean, a normal friendship is already too much. Seth is...Seth has some bad qualities. More than a day per month with his qualities is too much, but nowadays she disappears without a note. I know that she's meeting him somewhere." The servant nodded. Atem dismissed him and turned back to the window.

"I'm nervous," he thought. "Maybe I shouldn't be, but I have a feeling, a feeling that something is going to happen to Bianca that I'll regret forever." Atem left the window and walked around his chamber.

"I mean, a few days is enough, but mysterious disappearances? I have to do something to make sure that Bianca stays indoors most of the time. I don't want her to go off anywhere, especially with Seth. I still remember what happened the other day in the garden. Seth insists he was just saying sorry to something he did earlier, but I think that was way too affectionate."

"It's so wonderful, Seth!" Bianca sighed as she leaned back under the midday sun. Seth lay next to her. The two of them were under the partial shade of a tree that was mysteriously growing by itself in the middle of nowhere.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Seth said, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Bianca propped herself on top of one elbow and leaned toward Seth.

"You look so handsome," she whispered, leaning over and kissing his forehead. Seth opened his eyes and smiled.

"I'm sorry for what I did yesterday," he said. Bianca chuckled.

"You're still on with that?" she asked. "Forget it."

"But-," Bianca didn't let him finish, pressing her lips to his own. For a few seconds, Seth was caught by surprise, but quickly recovered. He moved his arms around her waist. Bianca caressed his cheek softly, letting her tongue roll over his. When she pulled away, he was smiling.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too!"

Crimson opened her eyes and found herself in the middle of black emptiness. She blinked and adjusted to the mysterious light that came from nowhere. Looking around her, she saw her friends were still asleep. Téa, Yugi, and Bakura were sleeping on one side. Joey was a little off in the distance, as if he had rolled off. Crimson could still hear him muttering something in his sleep. Kaiba was right next to her. Crimson was just about to lie back down when she took a second look at Kaiba. Something triggered in her mind. A slight...

"Oh my gosh!" she whispered as loudly as she could. "It's Seth! Duh! Why didn't I see it before!? Oh, I am an idiot!" She growled to herself as she looked at him again. "Kinda creepy that I didn't notice it before. And, he is a bit cute." Crimson smiled to herself as she gazed down at his face. Suddenly, with no apparent reason, she leaned over and kissed his forehead, just like in the dream. Seto opened his eyes and looked at her. With a gasp, Crimson pulled back.

"What were you doing?" Kaiba asked. Crimson mentally screamed.

"Uh...oh...me...I...ah...ah..."

"What?"

"Instinct." Crimson nodded to herself. "Yeah, instinct. It was one of those instinct things."

"Out of instinct, you kissed my forehead?"

"Sure, if you want to put it that way." Crimson grinned sheepishly. "This is probably a dream anyway, so it doesn't really matter."

"A dream?"

"Probably. I mean, why would I do that in real life?"

"Good point. Oh, by the way, I'm sorry for what I did earlier, with the argument."

"You're sorry?" Crimson cried, flabbergasted. "You, Seto Kaiba, are sorry? I'm afraid I don't know what that means, especially when it comes from someone so cold as you. Is it sincere?"

"Stop with the sarcasm, Streaks."

"That has a weird ring to it, besides it's not even really my last name."

"Who cares?"

"Anyway, I knew you weren't sincere." Crimson crossed her arms.

"I was," Kaiba insisted. Crimson smirked, trying to imitate Kaiba but was failing miserably. Her smirk wasn't anywhere as evil as his.

"Prove it!" Crimson challenged. Kaiba rolled his eyes. He held a finger up and motioned Crimson to come closer to him. Though she was a bit suspicious, she obeyed anyway. Kaiba reached out and grasped her turtleneck collar and pulled her closer, capturing her lips with his own. Crimson immediately pulled away.

"What the f-,"

"Hey, it's a dream!" he protested. Crimson thought to herself for a moment. Kaiba sighed as he waited for her response. "Right?"

"Yeah," Crimson agreed, shrugging. She leaned closer and kissed his lips. She felt his arms wrap around her waist. She let her hands caress his cheek softly. It was just as about as romantic as any first kiss when...

"I saw 'dat ya two!" Crimson gasped as she pulled away, both she and Kaiba looking over at Joey. Much to their surprise, he was still asleep. "I know ya took my donut!" Crimson laughed nervously as she completely squirmed out of Kaiba's arms.

"Funny," she said. "That was the scariest thing in my life. I guess now we sit here for the dream to end." Crimson gathered her knees in her arms and sat her chin upon her hands. Kaiba was still lying down, his hands positioned behind his head and his legs crossed. They waited for about ten minutes.

"This is a dream, right?" Crimson finally asked. "I've never had a dream with me doing nothing for ten minutes."

"It is starting to develop characteristics that are uncommon in my own dreams."

"Please don't say I kissed you for real," Crimson muttered. "I would commit suicide if I kissed you for real."

"I'll come to your funeral."

"I can't believe it! You're sincere and funny in the same day. I think the world stopped spinning."

"Can it, Crimson."

"That's funny. When you said, 'stop the sarcasm', you used my last name, which started with an S like the phrase. And now you say 'can it', and you use my first name, which starts with a C. See the connection?"

"Yes, I do." Crimson chuckled to herself. She looked around at the others sleeping.

"This is a weird and long dream," she remarked.

"I don't believe it's a dream."

"Oh come on, Kaiba, of course it's a dream. You know I would never kiss you in real life."

"Same."

"We just have to wait until we wake up."

"I feel awake."

"So do I."

"Are you sure it's a dream?"

"Not anymore."

"I don't think it's a dream." Crimson pinched herself and yelped. Kaiba winced as he felt something sharp against his cheek. He felt his face but found nothing that hurt him.

"It's not a dream." Crimson looked at Kaiba and covered her mouth. "Ah shit! I kissed you for real! I'm never going to forgive myself! I am a total idiot!"