I don't own Yugioh. I will never own Yugioh. Only whoever owns Yugioh owns Yugioh. It's not me.
11/14/04: STILL reworking. Almost done though. only a few chapters left...
> > >Takara > >
The appetizer was escargot. I was particularly hungry, and the snail would look good to me anyway. It looked good to all the other people at my table too, apparently. After we all finished it, which took at most a minute (except for Seto, of course, and Derek who felt self-conscious without his lip ring), we started a conversation. That is, Duke and I. I'd say it was strained, but Duke apparently didn't notice.
"So where do you come from?" he asked me. Hey, he'd learned to give the other person a chance to speak, which would normally be an up-side, but I didn't feel like speaking.
"I live up north," I lied. "My cousin called me about this thing, because he didn't have a date. He doesn't like dating, though, so..." I let myself trail a little. "How about you? Where do you come from?"
"Heh," Duke gave a little chuckle. "I don't really think I introduced myself." I shook my head. "I'm Duke Devlin. I created Dungeon Dice Monsters." I smiled at him. "I moved out here because it was a good place for business. After all, this is where the famous Kaibacorp is, right?" He continued to talk, which I really didn't mind. It was just the way he looked at me that I minded. 'You feeling uncomfortable?' Seto asked me mentally. 'Yeah.' I tried to look interested in his story. But by this time he had gotten enveloped in telling his life story he was barely looking at me.
After dinner, there was a time we were supposed to dance. I excused myself and went over to the payphones near the restroom. I inserted two quarters and dialed Nari's number. "Hello?"
"Hey, can I speak to Nari?"
"This is she." I smiled to myself. I have no clue why, though.
"Nari, this is Takara." Sharp intake of breath.
"Takara! Are you okay? Are you alright? Where are you?" I knew it was a stupid idea to call.
"I'm alright," I assured her. "I wanted to call so that you would know I'm alright." I felt a person behind me.
"Takara?" It was Derek. He was talking in a whisper, because there were lots of people passing by. You know, I never noticed how much he and Duke sound alike. Nari brought it up though.
"Was that DUKE?!" I don't want to know what she was thinking.
"No, it was-"
"What are you doing at Duke's place?!!!" She continued yelling.
"It's not him, I'm not at his-"
"What are you doing there?!!" I sighed exaggeratedly. She wasn't letting me speak.
"Are you... you're not staying there, are you?" She sounded almost close to tears.
"No, it's nothing like that. It's not even-"
"You know how I feel about him, right?"
"And you know he's a jackass. Listen..."
There was a click and a tone. I blinked, tears once again coming to my eyes. This time out of frustration. I felt Derek's are snake around my stomach, but I suddenly twisted to look him in the eye. I hung up the phone, without looking at it. "Derek," I whispered in a low tone. "I..." I let air blow out of my nose. I was a little bit more than a little distraught about my fight with Nari. And I was getting a little more than angry. "Move, please?" He stepped back. Hopefully he realized his dangerous position. I stepped out, but I was instantly held in a death grip from behind.
"Takara, I need to tell you something..."
"Derek, not now." He didn't hear me, or at least chose not to listen. He buried his face in my hair. I could feel my face reddening.
"Takara... I..." He breathed in the scent of my hair. Okay, now I was getting freaked out. I really hoped that no one was looking. My best friend held me around my waist with one arm, and with the other stroked my hair. What was he doing? "I love you, Takara." He turned my face, to look me in the eyes. "I love you." My eyes filled with unshed tears, and I broke away.
"Derek, I'm sorry...I . . . I don't feel the same way." That was all I could say. I could feel the redness of my face. I looked side to side, and was glad that no one was there to see this. I took another step backwards. "Derek, you're my best friend in the whole world. You were there for me forever... and I . . . I just can't..." A tear fell. I turned and ran. Only a few steps though, and walked into the empty restroom.
> > >Seto > >
I sat at the table alone. Duke had gone off to dance with some bimbo, and Takara and Derek had gone to the bathrooms. Luckily, I was at a table that was pretty hard to get to, due to tables all around it. All the girls who wanted to dance with me would have to wait. Suddenly I felt a pull of frustration, followed by anxiety. Takara. I stood up quickly, making my head spin. I wove my way through the tables to the deserted restroom hallway. I entered, and saw Derek Devlin pounding on the door. "Taka! Open up!" Why weren't there restroom attendants?
"Devlin. What are you yelling about?" I stayed calm, and talked in my normal voice, no matter how much I was panicking inside. This had to do with Devlin.
"Your sister's locked herself in the bathroom." He stood up now, and was talking to me. A man who I recognized as the head of a major computer company passed us, giving us a weird look. 'Tell him to go away!' Takara's thought-voice sounded distressed.
"You need to go back to our table," I told him.
"I want to stay here." He refused to go.
"Go," I growled. I stared him down before he decided to leave. After he did, I knocked on the door. "Takara? It's me. Derek's not here anymore." There was a pause, and the door opened. The rims of her eyes were red, and her face had been splashed with water. Her hair had been put into a twisted pony tail, the rest still hanging past her shoulder blades. "Takara, what happened?"
She brushed past me, only saying in a cracked, dry voice, "Can we go yet?"
"Yes," I answered. I checked the time. It was ten o'clock. A little early, but if she wanted to... Your sensitive side is coming in again. That damned voice. I blocked it out, and led Takara out of the hallway.
What happened? I gave a sidelong glance at my sister as we drove away from the party. Takara's hair had been let down again, and she was twisting the ends of it distraughtly. When she lifted her hand to wipe her eyes, the gold bangles slid down her arm, revealing her wrist. And a burn the size of a quarter on it. I grabbed her arm with my right hand, swerving a little, but staying on the rode. "What the hell is this?" I braked at the intersection, even though it was a green light. I ignored the honks behind me. In the dim light I could make out the shape of an eye. The kind on Yugi's millennium puzzle. What did that mean?
> > Takara> >
"What is this?!" I bit my lip, feeling like I was gonna scream. I didn't pull my arm away, nor did I answer my brother. "What is this?!" Seto yelled again. I bit my lip harder, until I felt it bleed. Then I stopped. I still didn't answer. "What the HELL is on your arm?!" I clenched my teeth. I could tell that Seto wouldn't move the car until I answered. I could here impatient honks behind the black Ferrari. I didn't I didn't give a . . . Seto squeezed my arm. "Answer me. God damn you, answer me!"
My lip twitched. I almost smiled. But there was nothing funny about the situation. I smirked. "Branding. Rare hunter regulation. Marik did it." My lips twisted into a cruel smile. Marik had been everything to me. And now. . .
"Why did you hide this from me?" I turned my face towards him, and the smile grew wider.
"For me to know," I said. I wrenched my arm out of his grip, still grinning deviously, wanting to creep him out. "We going to sit here all night or what?"
The rest of the car ride was mostly in silence. Seto was fuming, and I couldn't stop thinking about Derek. I mean, he was my best friend in the entire world. I didn't want to hurt him, but I just didn't feel the same way. . .
"Takara, do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Seto asked suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.
"Nothing. . ."
"You can't leave the house," he said. "It was an idiotic idea to bring you out here tonight. Someone could've recognized you. Of course, Devlin did, but he doesn't count. Anyone could've looked at you and said, 'Hey, she looks just like the girl on the TV except that she has blue hair.'" I didn't argue. He was right. "And I'm surprised no one DID say that. I mean, the chief of police was there. He didn't recognize your face. You were probably one of the most looked at girls in the room. The girl with the same eyes as Seto Kaiba. Probably will be pictures of you in the tabloids, fashion magazines, probably even newspapers. Pictures of you labeled Diana Kaiba, Who is Seto's mysterious relation?" Again I didn't argue. "But I have things to do tomorrow. . ."
"It's alright," I said hurriedly. "I'll spend the day with Mokuba."
"No," Seto said. "He's never met you, let alone heard of you. How would you feel if some person came up to you and said, 'Hi! I'm Takara, and I'm all over the news because I ran away from the orphanage to escape my gang lord and now I'm staying at your house because I'm your sister!'" His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. I saw his knuckles turn white.
"You could've just left me at that cabin in the woods," I muttered, sinking in my seat.
"That cabin is old and moldy and made of bitter wood. Easily burned down. Who knows what you could've done?" I smiled at the thought of that.
"You're right." Another minute of silence passed.
"I think I'll go get your deck tomorrow. The police have been begging to talk to me, so I'm going to the orphanage tomorrow. Where's your deck?" He didn't look at me the whole time he said this, nor did he take a breath.
"It should be in the top drawer of the desk. Little tin box with a flame boy on it." Seto nodded, memorizing my directions. "Well, if I can't go out in broad daylight, can I go out at night? I have to watch your thing in the square after all. . ." And watch Nari's show. Nari was playing at this teen club (club for teens) on Saturday. Tomorrow.
"No," Seto said, still intent on the road. We were turning onto the hundred mile driveway of his. A thoughtful (at least for me) silence followed until we pulled into the garage filled with twenty other cars.
"Seto?" I said as he turned off the ignition. He looked at me. "I think I already said this, but happy birthday." Seto nodded, and got out of the car. I followed. "How was it?" I asked as I slammed the car door.
"Crappy," he replied cooly. "Very crappy. Just like any other day this week since I've met you."
I had nothing to say to that.
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---Takara's dream---
The memories of events only a few months ago resurfaced. Especially events on that fateful day that Aunt Isoda went into critical condition. The day Marik left America.
Mariks lips against mine was a bliss at that time. A hated bliss, but a bliss. When our lips finally parted, he searched my eyes, silently asking a question. When I finally realized what it was, I answered.
"No," I said, turning my face away from him. He had my back to the wall of the alley. His arms blocked me from running on either side.
"Come on, Taka. Don't you want to be with me?" I didn't really know the answer to that one.
"Yes," I lied. "Of course I want to be with you. But I can't go."
"Why?" Marik asked, taking my chin gently in his thumb and forefinger, turning my face towards his. Those hands that I hated. Those hands that had bruised me on countless occasions. And yet here he was, asking me to go with him. I looked into those beautiful eyes, and I knew instantly it was over. I woke up from my naïvity. This was the man that had nearly killed me on so many occasions. Nearly let me die at the hands of numerous gangs, drug dealers, and other desperates. And yet, until now, I pretended I loved him still. The illusion was gone, and laid bare in all it's (non) glory was the truth. He wasn't right for me. He didn't see what I did, though. "Don't tell me I need to use my Rod to make you come." I forced a giggle, like I would've done just a few minutes before, but it came out hoarse. I made up an excuse as quick as I could.
"I can't leave my aunt." His eyes narrowed. He knew I was as loyal to her as I was to him, but he still had jealous tendencies. "She needs me." I looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Alright," he said finally. "I still don't like leaving you behind, though." I smiled strainedly. He kissed my forehead. "I have to go now, love." He turned my chin up and gave me one last fervent kiss that I didn't return. "Keep this for me," he said, wrapping my fingers around a small perfume bottle.
"What is it?" I asked as he stepped back.
"Something I need you to keep," he said, smiling mysteriously and pulling on his cloak. He walked one way, and I walked the other, putting the bottle into my pocket. That was the last time I saw him face to face.
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