Authoress here.
I know. You're all on the edge of your seats wondering how I, who have complained of sore wrists countless times, have been able to keep writing on dependable Navvy?
Well, who'd of thought math would EVER come in handy? It did in this case. I was at a wrong, weird angle to my keyboard, and was developing Repetitive Stress Disorder. Now that the angle has been changed, my wrists are better and I'm not in danger of getting WO (Writer's Overload) again.
Phew! I know, load off your minds, right..? (cough)
ON WITH THE FINAL CHAPTER OF KIAMO'S STORY!
Yujo Chronicles: Kiamo's Story
Chapter Six
Yusuke stared at Katsu in openmouthed disbelief. His eyes were wide, and his chin had dropped at her sudden news. They had met early in the morning, eight or so, at Katsu's request.
"For how long?" He asked again.
"Two weeks." Katsu said patiently. "S &R's having a one-week fashion show in Paris. I'll be needed to take the photos for the show, and my manager wanted to take advantage of the location and do some catalogue work for another week."
"Okay." Yusuke said, fidgeting around on the park bench they sat on. "Lemmie get this straight. You're goin' to France for two fricken' weeks?"
"Yes, Yusuke." Katsu smiled at her friend's sudden lack of perceptivity.
"You can't do that!"
"And why not?"
Yusuke looked down. It's not like I can just blurt out 'I'll miss you too much and I want you to be my girlfriend.
"What, Yusuke?"
"Who'll I hang with?"
Katsu took his hand, sending unfamiliar senses racing. "Yusuke, I'm not your only friend. But I do have to go. It'll be so exciting!" She noticed his falling face, and felt a stab of guilt for leaving. "I'll send you and the guys postcards every day. I'll even call."
Yusuke looked up, face changed into a large grin. "You go and kick some Paris ass, okay?"
Don't fall in love either, Katsu.
Katsu stood, and Yusuke followed her lead. They stayed there for a moment, too close and too ready for either one to say the right words. Then, the moment was shattered as Katsu gave Yusuke a hug, cutting off anything he wanted to say.
"I gotta go pack, the plane leaves tomorrow around five in the morning. See ya." Katsu started away.
"Katty?"
She turned, clear eyes hopeful. "Yes?" She sounded almost breathless.
Yusuke almost found it hard to speak, seeing as his words weren't the ones he desperately wanted to say. "Miss you."
Katsu seemed momentarily deflated as well. She recovered valiantly. "You too."
With that, she disappeared behind a group of people, both herself and Yusuke feeling terribly and suddenly lonely.
...
The cell phone, sleek and silver, started to ring shrilly that same morning, waking Seto Kaiba from troubled dreams. He sleepily felt around for the phone, and when his groping hand found it he brought it to his ear.
"What?"
"Congratulations, Mr. Kaiba."
"What?"
Seto's mind slowly went from the sleepy fog to a sharp consciousness. He registered the person on the other line: Mrs. Hitmoe Hirugasashi.
"I said, Mr. Kaiba, congratulations. You've softened that strong image of yours, and the word on the streets is you actually have a heart! I will call off the rest of the month's agreement, and as soon as you return to Domino City I will sign Hirugasashi Electronics to you."
"Excellent." Seto answered smoothly. "I will be home within...the..week." His voice faltered a little.
"Good. Call as soon as you get to town to set up the meeting."
"I will."
The click on the other line brought Seto from his revere. So...that was it. He could be packed up and home by tomorrow morning.
"I can't." Seto said softly to the air. "I have to tell Kiamo."
This in his mind, his fingers quickly found the buttons on his phone. Dialing her number quickly, he waited nervously for her to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Kiamo?"
"No. I'm her mother, Musuru. Can I take a message? She's still sleeping."
Seto relaxed, slightly. "Yes, please. Tell her I'll pick her up around eleven. I have important news to tell her as soon as I can."
"Alright, Seto dear. I'll make sure she's ready."
"T-Thank you." Seto pushed the End button with his thumb. He had only three short hours before he had to tell Kiamo everything.
...
"KIAMO!!"
The blonde-haired girl in question sat bolt upright in bed, having been abruptly awakened by the roar of her father. "Coming!"
She rushed downstairs, only to stop short at the large, color photo on the newspaper her father held menacingly.
Through Seto's Ferrari windshield, the photo clearly showed the multimillionaire and Kiamo embracing one another quite passionately. The headline above it shouted out:
MILLION-DOLLAR CATCH: Local Teen Scores Big-Name Date
"You'd better have a good explanation for this, young lady." Her father, Tojui Luniari growled. "What the hell is the meaning of this?!"
"Tojui!" Musuru said, agast at her husband's language.
"Don't 'Tojui' me, dear! Do you see your daughter exchanging spit with this joker?!" He thundered.
"Just like you and me when we were dating?" Musuru said mildly.
"No!" Tojui was livid. "When we were dating, our parents had full knowledge of our intentions and we sure as hell didn't pose for any news-cameras!"
"Dad!" Kiamo was starting to get angry herself. "We weren't 'posing,' I don't even remember ever seeing a reporter any ware! It's not like we were, you know! We were just kissing!"
Or at least we haven't done that. Yet..
"I can clearly see that for myself!" Tojui raved, shaking the slowly dilapidating newspaper at his daughter.
"Tojui, go and have your coffee." Musuru instructed. "I'll talk to Kiamo. Shoo."
Under his wife's firm glare, Tojui relented, throwing down the newspaper and picking up a coffee mug on his way into the kitchen.
"There, now he can settle down." Musuru said brusquely. "And you, my dear, can go upstairs and get ready. Seto called earlier and wants to pick you up in a half-hour."
"Wha-?"
"I'm sure the important news he had was something to do with this photo." She laughed softly at the amazed expression on Kiamo's face. "I was a teenager once too, you know. Now hurry!"
Kiamo did so, and shook her head going up the stairs. A blush slowly came to her cheeks, remembering the detail of the photograph plastered on page one. For everyone to see.
The rest of the morning went by in a daze. From the shower Kiamo dressed and dried her hair, wondering what was so important Seto had to tell her in person. Then, at exactly eleven o' clock, the doorbell rang.
Kiamo hurried to get it before her father could. "Hey, Seto."
"Kiamo, let's hurry."
She allowed herself to be dragged towards the car. She wasn't really surprised to see it wasn't the Ferrari but a sleek European sports' vehicle.
"Seto, what's this important news?"
He turned to her, and sighed. "Let's..go somewhere first."
"Okaay..."
The car was fast, and soon they were racing away from Sarasaski. Seto stayed silent, and Kiamo was mute as well. Her nerves were mounting as the scenery changed from a few buildings and homes to pure countryside.
"Seto, where are we going?" Kiamo asked timidly.
He abruptly pulled the car over next to a field of corn. He heaved a sigh, and turned to her. "There's a lot I haven't told you."
Kiamo smiled, but it faded quickly from her face, eyes full of curiosity and worry. "What do you mean?"
Seto sat back in his seat, eyes trained downwards. "Did you ever wonder why I was visiting your town?"
Kiamo bit her lip. "Not really. Seto, what's going on?"
He stil didn't look at her. "I never really wanted to come here. I had to."
"What?"
Seto looked straight into her eyes, bracing himself for her reaction. "I came to your town on a business proposition. The owner of Hirugasashi Electronics-"
"Little pockets big dreams!" Kiamo broke in, singing the company's popular jingle. She had been trying to break up the tension. It didn't work.
"Yes, them. I was trying to buy the company." Seto continued. "The owner said my public image was too harsh. She told me to visit some town, and show people I'm a real person."
Realization was slowly dawning on Kiamo's face. Seto saw this and felt his heart groan with guilt. He kept talking, unsure of what else to do.
"So I came to Sarasaski. I went to the club the first night hoping to pick up a girl, maybe, show people back in Domino City I was just like any other guy."
"And you met me." Kiamo broke in softly. "Met me, seduced me, and pampered me so I'd go along with no questions asked."
Seto couldn't hold her gaze for much longer. "Yes."
"And now you got your damn company , and you don't need me to be your unwitting bitch anymore, right?" Kiamo's voice was rising in anger.
"No, Kiamo it's not like that-"
"To hell with you!" Kiamo shrieked, eyes over-bright with unshed tears. "To hell with you, your damn company, and my stupidity!"
"Kiamo-"
"And to think everyone but me realized you were bad news." Kiamo continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Kuwabara knew, Suuichi knew, Hiei knew, Katsu and Komiko knew- Katsu and Komkio! They even told me face to face you were just using me!"
Seto had never cried before in his adolescent life, but was dangerously close to it now. "Please, listen-"
"No, you listen!" Kiamo turned to him, her expression stinging as if she had slapped him. "I liked you, Seto. I loved you! I was ready to leap into bed if you asked, I would of done anything you asked! And all this time I was being played like a stupid violin!"
Seto couldn't of said anything if he had anything in mind. -She would of? slept with me? She loved me?-
"I'm sorry." Kiamo said suddenly.
"Why?" Seto asked.
"Because," She turned away and opened the door. "You must feel really good about yourself right now. And you can't see you're the lowest thing I've ever met."
The door slammed, and Kiamo stalked off into the long, concealing cornstalks. She had disappeared like the wind.
...
Kiamo was pretty good with direction, and within a half hour she had made her way to Emiko's house. An orange Dodge in the driveway marked Kurama's presence there, but Kiamo needed to apologize.
The door was open, as Emiko usually was in and out of her house all day, either in the garden or inside. Kiamo walked in.
Kurama and Emiko were sitting on the couch, talking in low voices. Kiamo didn't announce her presence for a minute; just watched hungrily as they sat there, talking with both hands and eyes locked. Their body language and the tone of their voices were underlined with a strong affection that Kiamo had thought she and Seto had. She shook her head slightly at the thought.
"Komiko? Suuichi?"
"Kiamo! Come on in!" Emiko beckoned her friend over, scooting closer to Kurama to make room on the couch. "What's wrong? Have you been crying?"
Kiamo nodded soundlessly.
"If it was that Seto creep I'll pound him so hard he'll go bankrupt paying for hospital bills." Emiko vowed.
Kiamo gave a humorless laugh. "I'd rather you punch me. Then maybe I'll go comatose. That sounds nice."
"What happened?" Kurama asked gently.
Kiamo sniffed once, and then the floodgates were opened. She managed to get out the whole story before breaking into sobs.
Emiko hugged her friend gently, rocking her as Kiamo cried all the harder. And when Kurama's arms joined Emiko's, Kiamo felt as though she'd never stop.
But like most tears, they soon died down to a small sniffle. Emiko went to find a tissue, and Kurama kept a comforting hand on Kiamo's shoulder.
"Y'know, maybe it's not exactly what you think." Kurama said softly.
Kiamo raised her tearstainned face. "Huh?"
"Well, you told us it sounded like he was trying to tell you something. Maybe what transpired was only half of the story." Kurama said logically.
"Maybe.." Kiamo sat in thought for a moment. Then she gasped. "What if he did have more to say?! I didn't even let him finish! I gotta go see him!"
She leapt to her feet and bolted out of the door pell mell just as Emiko walked into the room carrying a box of tissues.
"Woah, what happened there?"
Kurama informed Emiko about his hunch and Kiamo's reaction. Emiko bit her lip thoughtfully. "Could be. I hope it all works out. I don't know what it would feel like to face such utter rejection."
Kurama laughed and gently pushed his mate. "We never had that problem, at least."
Emiko kissed his nose. "Thank goodness."
...
"Kuwabara? Kuwabara? Seto! Open up, I need to-Oh, hello Shizuru. You look great." Kiamo stopped her pounding on the door of the Kuwabara household at Shizuru answered the door. She did look great; her dirty-blonde hair had been highlighted, and her fingers sported a French manicure.
"Thanks. My idiot of a brother actually treated me for once. What do you want?" Shizuru was always right to the point, and for once Kiamo was grateful for the lack of delay.
"Is Seto here?"
"See for yourself." Shizuru pushed the door aside with her foot. Kiamo went inside, and followed her to a small room. A small, empty room.
"He packed up and left about thirty minutes ago. He left us a note of thanks an' two hundred dollars and scrammed." Shizuru shrugged.
"Damn." Kiamo sank to the floor, defeat seeming inevitable. "I needed to talk to him."
Shizuru patted her on the head. "Don't worry. If the guy really loves you, he'll call."
Kiamo looked up abruptly. "What? How'd you know?"
Shizuru dug into her pocket and fished out a small tape recorder. "He mumbles in his sleep. I mighta agreed to let him stay in my house, but suspicion is a habit of mine."
"What did he say?" Kiamo could hardly contain herself from lunging at the tape recorder.
Shizuru pushed it back into her pocket. "Nu-uh, Kiamo. Just relax and keep your phone on, 'kay?"
Kiamo relented. She turned to leave, but curiosity got the better of her. "You say Kuwabara treated you? Why?"
Shizuru grinned, and from another pocket she drew out a golden lighter. "Let's just say you haven't been the first to have loved and lost. Baby brother felt bad for me. Now scram."
"Bye, Shizuru." Kiamo smiled, and left.
Her heart was torn between guilt and hope.
...
The plane had flown off, bringing Katsu away from Japan and towards the fashion capital of the world, France. Yusuke, Kurama, Emiko, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kiamo had gotten up at what they agreed was an ungodly time of morning to see her off.
The Dodge Kurama drove didn't have enough indoor seating to transport them all, so they took city buses back to town.
"See y'all in a couple hours." Yusuke yawned. They all made sleepy responses to the like before making their ways back to their own homes.
Kiamo was just stumbling into her room, her alarm clock reading 7:30. She groaned and made her way to her bed.
The phone rang, shrilly.
"I can't win this morning." Kiamo groaned. She got up with a sigh and made her way to the phone.
"Hello?"
"Kiamo, look out your window."
The voice was familiar, and Kiamo ran to her window.
A sleek silver Mustang sat outside her house, and Seto Kaiba was leaning against it, cell phone to his ear.
"Will you allow me to talk with you?...Hello?"
Seto glanced up at the window again. She wasn't answering.
"Damn." Seto hung up, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach. He slowly turned back to the car.
"Seto!"
He didn't have time to turn around before he felt Kiamo's arms around him. He detangled himself from her hug long enough to turn to face her. Then, he leaned down, his lips saying nothing and everything all at once. Kiamo leaned into his embrace, tears of relief rolling down her face.
He did love her, after all.
End of Kiamo's Story
Start: Yujo Chronicles: Narrin's Story
"Yusuke, it's worse than I expected." The toddler prince of Spirit World was grave, speaking gravely around his pacifier.
"Spit it out, Koenma." Yusuke said impatiently. "You said earlier that a country was under threat of a powerful demon. What the hell is worse than that?!"
Koenma took a moment to glare at the Spirit Detective before continuing. "She isn't a demon. She was a goddess. And, the people don't even suspect anything wrong, for her magic is enough to befuddle the nation into believing she is their rightful Queen."
He paused, eyes judging Yusuke's reaction. The Spirit Detective's face was passive. Kurama, Emiko and Hiei exchanged a quick glance.
"Yusuke, the problem is the country the goddess is currently taking over is France. Katsu's right in the middle of everything."
Authoress here.
I know this last story has been highly non action/adventure-ish. I apologize and believe me when I say Narrin's Story will be nothing like its successor. I will be working on a lot of ingenious plotting and spunky-funky action scenes!
I fear there might be a little gap in the finishing of Kiamo's Story and the start of Narrin's. Writer's Block. I know, all shudder in fear. Hopefully though, people will be kind and review, giving me motivation to continue on. Only two more stories to go and the Yujo Chronicles will be at an end!
Cue the Authoress theme song!
Review already!