Thank you for reviewing! Yeah, I guess I really like the character Tea. At first people might think that you can't really do anything with her, she's just a tag-along with the gang. But actually that works better for me, because then I can change the situation, make her the main character. Its always better when the person one least expects the most out of becomes the most important protagonist. Anywayz, yeah, Bakura will help Tea get her 'humanity' back. Thank you all for reviewing! This is my outlet of frustration for not having cable and thus not able to see all those gorgeous hot anime guys! ^__^
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Everyone paced nervously inside the Kaiba mansion. Tea was going to be here any minute.
"Okay, lets review this over," said Mai. "Tea did not just vanish in front of our eyes. It was a simple magic trick that she learned from wherever she went."
"You sound like you're trying to reassure yourself," said a voice in the shadows of the room. They all whirled around, "How did you get here unnoticed," demanded Kaiba.
Tea stepped into the light, in place of her warrior garb, was midnight-black jeans and deep red tube top. She looked dangerous and untouchable. Her hair was let loose, waving slightly all the way to her waist, while a couple of strands hung in front of her face. Her face looked even paler while her eyes glittered in the dim room. A couple of metal bracelets winked on her wrist and on her other hand was a black glove that was cut at the knuckles thus allowing her fingers to be uncovered.
She arched an eyebrow, "No human security can stop me, especially not yours."
She went over to the armchair that Ryou was sitting at and sat on the armrest, crossing her legs.
Ryou slowly edged away from her. "Why is everyone so tense?" Tea said scornfully. "It's just me, friendly ol' Tea, coming back from a trip afar." She laughed, a mocking tone in her voice.
"Tea," Yami said quietly, his eyes intense, "what happened to you?"
"I know," Tea said with a bitter smile, "I changed so much in, what, 4 months? Hmm, time flies by really fast here on Earth. Four months here and that's a couple hundred years out there."
"Tea what on earth are you talking about?" cried Yugi. He couldn't stand to see Tea acting like this. Tea was one of his closest friends. It tore him apart to watch Tea act so coldly and impersonal. He gripped her arm, "Tea, please. Were you hurt in someway that made you act like this?"
"Release my arm," Tea said calmly, not looking into his face. When Yugi made no move to let go of her arm, she said one more time, "Release my arm. You saw what I did to that tree, don't make me do that to you." Everyone gasped in horror.
Bakura watched from the sidelines. She was going too far. He couldn't care less to what had happened to Tea but now that she was back with this incredible strength, she posed as a danger to himself.
"Yugi, you little fool, let go of her arm. She'll kill you if you don't." Yugi and everyone else looked in surprise at Bakura. "Now you said you'd explain, so explain," ordered Bakura. Everyone waited in anticipated breath to what Tea would say to his order.
No one had stood up to her since she had become a Superior. And now this boy had dared to give her an order. Vaguely an image of Bakura on top of a hill with the wind blowing back his hair came to mind and an expression of longing coming from her (the old Tea). She frowned, where did that come from? She had locked away all her memories of Earth since that day.
"Well?" said Bakura, ignoring her frown.
"Earth is just a small planet in this universe," Tea started. Briefly she explained how the Galaxy ran and who ruled it. As she described her role in the Galaxy and her training to become a Superior, she saw realization come across their faces. I don't want pity from them, she thought, suddenly annoyed.
"Gee Tea, sorry about our attitude yesterday," said Joey, "we didn't know."
Tea stood up. "Now let me make this clear," she hissed, "don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for the old Tea that was killed in that process but don't feel sorry for me now. Got it?"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be going."
"Wait," said Kaiba. "How did you disappear like that yesterday?" If he had that kind of technology, it would do wonders for his company.
Tea raised her gloved hand in response. "It's in this glove. It allows to me relocate myself to any place I want. Now I really must be going."
"So nothing can change you back the way you were," Yugi said sadly.
"Well when you've been through what I've been through, you'll understand," she said sarcastically.
"But if the Council doesn't want you there, and there's going to be an attack on them, what are you going to do?" persisted Yugi.
"I'll have to suck my ass up to them in hopes of them returning me back. As much as I want them to beg for my help, I have my loyalties to my army," Tea said in a unruffled voice.
"So all this," Bakura gestured at Tea, "coldness is only half real. You seem so ruthless but then you care for your army."
Tea gave him a twisted smile. "The only thing I care about is the army. It was what I lived for, for those hundreds of years. You could even say it was my temporary family who," she bared her teeth, "loved to fight, and lived for danger."
"I need to get back there before the attack comes. My informants tells me that it will be soon, but how soon they do not know," she continued.
"If you could somehow trick them in thinking that all this cold-blooded feeling was gone, then perhaps they could send you back before it's too late," said Ryou excitedly.
Tea narrowed her eyes. "And what would you gain from this? Oh, I know, me leaving your lives."
"Well actually," Ryou said, disconcerted, "it's because you're our friend. And as much as you may threaten, or try to kill us, we'll still stand by you no matter what."
A small crack appeared, unnoticed by Tea, around the ice that surrounded her heart.
"Well then what do you suppose?" Tea said brusquely.
"How about going back to your normal life for just a little while. Update the council constantly about how much you missed this life, after awhile they'll start believing you. And if what you say is true, that they used you to keep the Galaxy calm, they'll want to believe what you say. Anything to bring you back and keep the order. They'll overlook what you......became to be," said Malik softly.. His Yami, Marik, snorted but did not say anything.
Tea was silent, it had been a long time since someone had actually done something for her without expecting anything back. She didn't like the feeling that it gave her. Guilt, and remorse for what she had become.
"If I agree to pretend that you guys are still my friends--" Tea began.
"No," corrected Yugi, "you still are our friends. And deep inside, you know that it's true."
"If," Tea said again, giving Yugi a warning glance. "I agree and act normally, I need someone to catch me up with," she hesitated, "homework." She had almost forgotten about the silly custom of taking school work home (guess you know what I hate most about school! ^__^).
She's almost acting like her old self, noted Bakura. "And if I agree, what do I get from it?" Bakura drawled.
"You?" Tea sneered. "Depends. Your life mayhap."
Bakura didn't feel threatened. "I think I have you figured out now. You may seem all dangerous, which you are, but you don't kill innocents unless the Council believes necessary."
Tea blinked, this boy really thought she wouldn't kill him? Foolish bravery, but deserved some respect. "Since you have volunteered yourself," she purred dangerously, "and that merits some bravery since you don't believe I'll hurt you, I won't kill you." He dared to presume that he knew how she acted. "But you will have to help me."
Everyone turned to Bakura with pleading eyes.
Ryou whispered to him, "If you do this, I'll never bother you again."
Mai: "If you do this, you might even get through her head that she doesn't have to act this way. After all, she does remind me of you, a really scary you."
Bakura shot a dirty look at Mai, and whispered back to Ryou, "Fine, but you better keep your promise."
"Agreed," he said.
"Fine," Tea said, looking bored.
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Bakura met Tea on the steps of her house. She was reclined back, her eyes closed, hands under her head. The sunlight on her face softened her features, for an instant it seemed that nothing had ever happened to her. That any moment she would wake up and revert back to the old Tea.
"Ready?" Tea said, her eyes still closed.
They walked to school in silence. A breeze wafted by, swirling the leaves on the ground. Another memory came. She was dancing down the street, happy because....because, Tea couldn't remember what. She had locked her memories down so tight, that these remembrances didn't make sense.
Bakura snuck a look at Tea. She's going to cause a riot with the boys at school. Although she looked the same, she carried herself with more poise and maturity. It was like she had some charm placed around her that people couldn't help noticing her....and then looking away with fear.
As they got closer to the school, a boy's voice rang out. "Tea?" It was Jason, running toward Tea. "Oh Tea," he said, grabbing her hands, "will you forgive me?"
Tea stared at the face of an unfamiliar boy. At first she was going to throw him across the street then remembered that she had to pretend. "Ah, your name?" she said while trying to give a cheery smile. It came out like a grimace.
"I won't cheat on you again!" As the boy rambled on, Tea remembered him. "Jason," she said slowly. A slow evil smile appeared on her face. "Well, well, well, look who comes running back to its master now." I'm going to make an exception to this pretending, she thought. Him. She had always partly blamed him for her kidnapping.
"But Tea," the boy finished. "You look.....different somehow. More..." he looked at her admiringly, "sexier. Guess I'm lucky enough to have the prettiest girl in high school."
Bakura watched the events, amused. So lets see how well she can pretend with her cheating boyfriend. He, himself was disgusted by the way the boy acted.
Tea slowly walked around Jason, her eyes taking him up and down. "You want me, don't you," she said bluntly. "But you see....your feelings are obviously not reciprocated." She trailed a hand down his chest and then back up to grasp his chin. She pulled his face close to hers. She let her death mask slide on, an empty face void of emotions. Her eyes burned into his as she whispered softly, her breath smelling of peppermint, "If you wish to survive, then never, ever, talk to me again. Or I will hunt you down and kill you like the cheating dog you are."
Jason was frozen. His gentle Tea was transformed into this monster who was sweetly whispering to him how she was going to kill him. And her face! He had never been more scared in his life. It was like it had seen the worst of humanity and death over and over. Like nothing could scare or surprise it.
"I-I understand," he stuttered. Tea smiled. "Good," and then shoved him to the ground.
She let lips curl as she watched him run as fast as he could away. She turned to see Bakura clapping.
"Oh well done," he said laughing.
"And what is so funny?" she said, her voice deadly.
"You'll fit just fine being back in school," he said. Tea gave him a sidelong glance as they resumed walking. Now here, she thought, is one person who would have made an excellent warrior.
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So you see, at first Tea will give him her respect. And then it gets to something else... Anywayz please review because people have reviewed this one the least, ^__~ !