Soul Battle
Chapter Four – Lost
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Yu-Gi-Oh, and I'm not making any money from this fic
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Kyla, I know that you had that vision the same as I did," Nia told Kyla as they sat in the park on two of the swings, Nia swinging slightly on her swing.
"You don't know anything, Nia," Kyla replied coolly. "I did not have any kind of vision!"
"You're lying, Kyla," Nia said bluntly. "I know that you're lying. You sounded too surprised on the phone after the vision. Like you were... shell-shocked, or something."
"That was just your imagination," Kyla said in a cool voice.
Nia looked steadily at her friend. Inwardly, Kyla squirmed. She felt as though Nia was looking through all of her icy walls, and was, seeing her true self, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Anyway," Kyla said, trying to ignore her strange feelings. "You have no proof of that." I can't start having feelings, she scolded herself. Or was it Nareen who was helping to unlock her feelings?
Then when will you start? Nareen's voice asked in Kyla's mind.
I will allow myself to start feeling, Kyla replied. But not now. If I start feeling now, I will go mad.
All right, Nareen sighed. But I'd listen to Nia, if I were you. She has something important to tell you.
I'll try, Kyla said. But it's a little difficult to actually be attentive to someone while trying to look like you're not paying attention to them.
Kyla. There was a warning note in Nareen's mental voice.
All right, all right. I know.
Nia gave a slight shrug. "All right," she said. "I don't see why you're lying to me... But you might have a good reason to do so."
A sudden thought occurred to Kyla. Nareen, does Nia have a yami? she asked silently.
What do you think? Nareen sounded amused.
Kyla thought a moment, and then mentally widened her eyes. Ina? she gasped.
Well, of course, Nareen replied. In Ancient Egypt, I looked like you... And Ina looked like Nia.
You also acted like me, didn't you? Kyla asked, remembering the vision she had had.
Yes, I did, Nareen agreed. Until I learned better, of course. But, by then, it was too late.
Too late? Kyla repeated. Then, Will it be too late for me? she wanted to know.
I don't know, Nareen admitted.
With some effort, Kyla tore her thoughts away from the conversation with Nareen. She really wanted to find out if Nia could talk to her yami... But that would have to wait. Kyla wanted to know what important thing Nia was supposed to tell her.
Kyla gave Nia a vague, cursory glance. "I'm not lying," she told the girl who she considered to be her closest friend apart from Ryou. "All you have is guesswork. No evidence."
"Maybe you're right," Nia admitted. She caught and held Kyla's gaze. "Ryou's left, did you know?"
Kyla stiffened slightly, a wave of shock rippling through her mind. "Left?" she gasped.
Kyla, don't! Nareen's voice cracked like a whip in Kyla's mind.
But Ryou's gone! Kyla wailed.
Kyla, snap yourself out of it! Nareen said sharply. You know that now isn't the time! There are still some things you have to do before you let yourself feel!
But... Kyla began.
There's no 'buts' about it, Kyla! Nareen snapped. You won't help Ryou any by worrying! Wait until the right time to let your feelings slip through your armour.
When is the right time? Kyla wanted to know.
But Nareen was gone.
"Yes, he has left," Nia replied. "I told him that he should. He's gone to Duelist Kingdom with Yugi, Joey, Tea, and Tristan."
Kyla's expression changed to normal. She double-encased her heart in ice, and braced herself for the pain she knew was going to flood through her with what she was about to say:
"I don't really care," Kyla said, wincing inwardly at her own words. "What Ryou does is of no concern to me."
Nia frowned. "What if he gets hurt?" she wanted to know.
Kyla shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me," she replied. Saying those words almost broke her inside. But she continued anyway. "I don't care about Ryou at all. What he does has no effect on me at all. He could die, and I wouldn't be bothered at all."
Nia stared at Kyla, then straightened and walked away without saying a word.
When she was gone, Kyla lowered her head, feeling lost and alone, despite trying to tell herself that she had made the right choice and done the only possible thing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read and review, please!