hapter Three-Tragedy Strikes Again
"I sacrifice your Flame Swordsman to bring about Jinzo!" Espa Roba grinned craftily at Victoria. "See if you can get out of this one, Tori."
"I can, and I will!" The young girl called out across the playing field. "I play Scapegoat to protect my life points, and one card face down. I switch Reflect Bounder to attack mode."
"Very nice tactics,Victoria, but you're not going to beat me using my own strategy."
"We'll see about that, Roba! It's your move." The duel seemed to be going on and on. There was no set time, and the surroundings she dueled in were unfamiliar. It was not the same street on which Joey had dueled the ESP duelist. In fact, Espa hadn't been psychic when they'd dueled in reality. Christien and Jonathan had helped him cheat. That's why Victoria had challenged him to a rematch. She watched Espa make his next move, which was to naturally attack her Reflect Bounder. As she planned, the attack shot back at Jinzo, reducing Espa's life points to zero. Then, just as she was about to congratulate him on a brilliant duel, there was a ringing noise, that sounded like Kaiba's doorbell.....
Victoria sat upright. She blinked for a minute. The phone was ringing. Then she heard Marik say something in Arabic that she didn't understand. She shrugged sleepily figuring it was a call for her adopted sister Ishizu, since Marik had spoken in Arabic. She rolled over, and slowly began to sleep again.
"What do you mean, "dead"?!" Marik demanded of Bakura, who was sobbing on the other end of the conversation he was now having.
"I....we...Yami found Jo on our porch. She was dead when we found her. Oh this is so horrible...how can we even think of telling Victoria such a terrible thing?!"
"I........" The Egyptian boy was stunned, and angry at the same time. He'd never really liked Johanna's way with Victoria, but for whatever reason, Victoria and Johanna had shared an unbreakable bond. "I will find a way.....somehow."
"I loved her so much....and poor Yami.....he's in denial." As Bakura said this, he heard his darker self scream a slew of words in Arabic that he was sure were curses of sorts.
"I can hear him...." Marik replied quietly. He was staring at the patterned rug he sat on, tracing the pattern absently, not really seeing it at all.
"I feel like this is all my fault for not being stricter with her! I mean, why in heaven's name was she out at this hour to begin with?!"
"It's not your fault, Bakura. You did your best. Johanna was not always so easy to reach out to." Marik assured him.
"I....I know. I just wish....." The British boy heard something break upstairs. "Oh dear.....I have to go for now, Marik. I'll call you in the morning." He hung up, and went to tend to his broken hearted yami.
Meanwhile, at his house, Marik was crying into his hands silently. He couldn't bear to tell Victoria about her dear friend. Not after everything that's she already been through there. She'd already lost so much for her young age. This one more thing would probably push her over the edge of sanity, with or without her medicine. Maybe it won't be so bad now though. She'll have Christien Roba to help her through it. And Mokuba. Yet, even with those two people plus himself and his siblings, Marik knew Victoria would never be able to replace Johanna in her mind or heart. No matter the struggles the two girls had recently been going through, Victoria depended on Johanna much like how he'd depended on Rishid in the old times. How will I ever tell her that her guardian is dead? I can't! I just can't!! Marik curled up on his bed now, and cried until he unwillingly fell asleep.
Victoria awakened in a good mood the next morning. It was an unusual occurrence lately, since it was final test week at the school she went to with Mokuba and the second eldest Robas. She was ready for this final test before Summer vacation. It was for biology,which was taught by Weevil Underwood. It was no secret that she had a major dislike for the insect duelist. But because of that dislike,she forced herself to do her best. Due to that determination, she carried the highest grade in his class.
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, as she pulled her shirt and matching school skirt on. The school that Mokuba,the Robas and she went to was a private school. And like most in the area, it too had a uniform policy. It was something Victoria routinely despised aloud. Back home in New York, uniforms were for preps. A lot of the students that went to Perring Academy were preps as it was. That was why Christien,Jon,Mokuba and Victoria all stuck together. They were not preps. They just happened to be able to afford going the elite school.
She shook her head at that, groaning. She'd always been able to afford anything she wanted. It didn't matter if she was with the Ishtars or not. Even back home with the Johnsons, she'd been indulged if she chose it. But Victoria didn't choose it. She was a sensible girl for her age. The simplest thing that made her happy was being with Jo, and playing in a vacant lot in the abandoned apartment district in the lower city.
"The lot..." She muttered softly. "I haven't seen hide or hair of that lot in a year. It shouldn't matter, but...I do miss it a lot." But that's why Mokuba Kaiba bought you a new lot here in Marik's world. It was true. Mokuba and Seto had decided upon giving her her own piece of property to do with it as she wanted. What she did was reconstruct the past in the form of her and Johanna's play lot back home. This play lot was more than once called Egypt, for it held sacred temples for most of the main deities of Ancient Egypt. After it's set up was complete, Victoria relented and let Mokuba, Jonathan and Christien into the land on the condition of secrecy. This had caused a major rift with Jo, which set Christien off.(Johanna hadn't wanted anyone aside from her and Victoria in on their childhood game.) Ever since that day, Christien had been extremely protective of her, and Victoria had become the guardian of the Roba family. That was also the day that cemented her and Christien as best friends. With a sigh of pure contentment, Victoria made a last adjustment to her hair before grabbing her backpack from the hall closet and bounding downstairs.
Rishid, Marik and Ishizu were all waiting for her in the kitchen. "Good morning, you guys..."
"Good morning, Victoria. Did you sleep well?" Ishizu asked with a kind smile.
"Extremely." Victoria replied, returning the smile. Dear Ishizu. She knows she cannot replace my sister Stacie, and she doesn't try. But I love her just as if she was my own real sister. Just as I do Marik and Rishid. She turned to Marik and Rishid now. "How did you two sleep?"
"I slept well, for the most part." Rishid told the young girl. He put a hand on Marik's shoulder. Be strong, My Brother. Ishizu and I are with you as always. He had been told about the situation earlier in the morning. The elder Ishtars were accustomed to getting up early together since Ishizu usually had to work in the morning, and they liked their quiet time before Victoria awakened.
Marik smiled weakly at Victoria. "I did as well....." He gestured for her to sit down. "I'm afraid I have rather...ill news to tell you, Victoria."
"What is it?" Victoria quickly sat down, staring at Marik. "What's going on?"
"I......I got a phone call from Bakura late last night. It's about Johanna..." He took Victoria's hand in his gently.
"What about her? Did she get caught stealing again?" Victoria nearly scowled. T hat girl never learned,did she?
"I'm afraid it's a lot more serious than that. She......." Marik swallowed hard, not sure how Victoria was going to react to this tragic news. "She was murdered last night."
"Murdered?" Victoria asked softly, as if the word was foreign to her.
"Someone left her corpse on the Bakuras' porch early this morning." Marik continued softly, by way of explaining. "They still don't know who did it or why."
"J-Johanna's......dead?" Victoria asked again, seeming to go into a state of shock. "Sh-she can't be.....see,Jo...she's....strong. She can't die....."
"I know it's hard to believe..." Marik squeezed her hand gently. "I'm really sorry, Victoria..."
Victoria stood up, pacing back and forth, shaking. The realization of what Jo's death meant hit her hard. "She's gone........No one's left......" Before Marik could stop her, she fled the house, getting on the scooter Joey and Johanna had bought her a month ago for her birthday. She fled into the dawn light, passing the Roba boys and Mokuba, whom were probably on their way to get her for school.
"Tori?!" Christien turned his bike around, and gave chase. His brother followed, while Mokuba continued on to Marik's. The Robas were better at dealing with Victoria and her various problems.
"Victoria, talk to me, please!" Christien had his best friend cornered in the lot known as Egypt. "What's going on?!"
"Johanna's dead...." She finally whispered, sliding down the gate, to sit on the ground beside Seth's temple.
"WHAT?! How?! When?!" Christien, whom did not like Jo in the least, quickly sat beside his friend, pulling her close to him. He couldn't help but smile a bit when she buried her face in his chest. But he was hurting with her too.
"Th-they don't know....she was killed l-last night..."
"Holy Canole...." Jonathan muttered,sitting beside Victoria on the other side. "Where were you going to go?" He asked softly.
"Here." Victoria murmured. She clung to Christien. "I don't want to let go. You might leave me too."
"I'm not going anywhere." Christien whispered into her hair. It was then that he realized just how much he loved Victoria, and would be willing to fight for her.
"Victoria, you want to go see her? I mean, before they lay her to rest?" Jonathan asked quietly. "I bet she'd want you to.." "No I wouldn't." There was harsh,echoing voice in front of them. In another minute, Johanna (or rather, her spirit) appeared before the two boys and Victoria. "You shouldn't leave Marik."
"Why would I leave him?" Victoria gave the apparition of her friend a Look. "I don't betray my friends like you do."
Jo bowed her head. "I deserved that, I know. Do you know how I died?" She suddenly looked stricken.
"No......." Victoria swallowed hard. "But I'm getting a dark light from you. He did it, didn't he?"
"Of course. No one else would've attempted to do it and lived to tell about it." Jo was trying to make a joke, but it only made her living friend angry.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"He was trying to kill you! I had to distract him. I never thought I'd actually die!" Jo explained hastily. "He would've killed all of you!"
"SO YOU DID IT! YOU BROKE OUR PACT!" Victoria was mad with grief. So much so, she tried to attack the see-through apparition. "YOU MORON!!" She felt someone,probably Christien, pull her back. "Let me go! I want to pummel her!"
"It won't help anything!!" Christien cried in desperation. Man, this girl's strong when she's angry. Even so, Christien held on to her tightly. "It'll be all right, Tori. I promise."
"Please don't let my death ruin your life, Victoria. I've made tons of mistakes in my time, and I don't want you to make them yourself. Marik loves you. Christien loves you. Don't lose them." Jo's spirit began to fade.
"COME BACK HERE!! I WASN'T DONE!!!" Victoria scrambled out of Christien's arms now, crying hysterically. "JO!!!! YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME,BLAST YOU!!" Finally, exhausted from struggling with Christien and Jonathan, the grieving girl collapsed to her knees, and buried her face in her hands,crying. This was the way she was when her brothers Rishid and Marik came to get her. Sometime during the encounter, Jon had ridden to the Ishtars, wanting to inform them of the new development. It was a good thing too. In her current state, Victoria would've never made the walk (or ride) back on her scooter. Rishid picked her up, and held her gently against his chest.
After a quick decision, Christien was also invited to the Ishtars' in hopes he would offer Victoria some comfort in her time of loss. When they got home, Rishid silently carried Victoria upstairs to rest for a while. While his brother got their younger sister settled, Marik talked with Christien about their encounter with Johanna's departed spirit. He wanted to know if the entity had said anything about the circumstances of her death.
"Yeah, actually,she did. She said Yami Marik did it. She was playing distraction. He was trying to break into your house so he could get to Victoria."
"I see..." Marik sighed sadly. "So once again, Jo decided to play the hero, and sacreficed herself for her best friend. Only this time, she actually did die." He buried his face in his hands shakily for a moment, before standing up. "I have to find him."
"Marik, no!" Ishizu rushed over to her brother. "That's precisely what he'd expect you to do."
"I must find out the circumstances of Johanna's death. I have a pretty good idea, but I want to be sure, so I can tell it to Victoria properly. It's the least I can do for her." Marik told his sister. "I promise I'll be back in time for dinner."
"Marik, do be careful!" Ishizu called, although she knew immediately something would go amiss. It always did when her brother's darker half was involved. Marik left on his bike a few minutes later.