[Kitty: Chapter 20.

Lina: (stares) We already got to the "20" mark?

Kitty: YEP! (grins)

Yugi: Reviews at the end. R&R!]

Chapter 20: Maybe Angels

POV: Kara

I opened my eyes to find Joey and the others standing over me.

"Kara, are you alright?" asked Joey in concern.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," I said, fighting to sit up, "But are you and Mai okay?"

"I'm fine," Joey said, "But Mai's not doing so well."

I looked at Mai.

She was lifeless, and her eyes were closed.

No...she's gone too.

I hung my head.

"This is all my fault."

"Kara, don't blame yourself..." Joey started, but I cut him off.

"If I was strong enough, I could have stopped that attack!" I yelled, tears forming in my eyes, "I could have been strong enough to save Mai!" I hung my head again, "I can't do ANYTHING right. I can't save ANYONE, because I always mess up, DAMN IT!"

POV: Joey

"Alright, geeks, clear the field," said a cold voice.

I glared at Kaiba. Insensitive bastard.

"Kaiba..." Yami started reproachfully.

"Save it," Kaiba snapped, "I'm dueling next, and I need to make ready the field, so that the TORMENT can begin!"

Kara glared coldly at him.

"I won't hold you up then, Mr. Kaiba," she said coolly.

And with that, she jumped off the field and took the elevator downstairs.

I sighed.

Poor Kara...

POV: Kara

I sighed as I walked to my room.

But suddenly I felt myself collide with someone.

"Oh, sorry, I-"

I stopped when I saw who it was.

"ISHIZU?!"

"Hello, Kara," she said quietly.

I calmed down.

"You're the eighth duelist, then?"

"But of course."

"Ishizu," I looked at her seriously, "If you're trying to help Marik, you won't make it past Kaiba."

"Oh?" Ishizu asked, "What makes you say that?"

"You're not good enough to beat him, Ishizu," I said urgently, "You'll just make a fool out of yourself."

"Don't worry, Kara," Ishizu said soothingly, "My Millennium Necklace has predicted Kaiba's defeat."

"Whatever," I said, "But your 'predictions' haven't been much help so far, so I'm not expecting much."

And I went into my room without another word.

I closed the door, and collapsed onto my bed.

What have I done?

First Mr. Ishtar...then my parents...then Odeon...and now Mai.

Why must they get hurt when they did NOTHING to Yami Marik in the first place? It's ME he wants...and the Pharaoh, of course.

I sighed, picking up my backpack and taking out my CD player.

I turned the volume way up, trying to drown myself in the music and separate myself from the world.
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'Six-lane highway running up to my back door,

But it won't take me to where I want to be,

I took the I-95 down to Pensacola,

All I found was a bunch of holy rollers,

They don't know nothing 'bout saving me.'
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I sang along with the words of Sheryl Crow, feeling much like the lyrics suggest...
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'I swear they're out there,

I swear.

I swear they're out there,

I swear.

I swear they're out there, I swear...

Maybe angels...

Maybe angels-'
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I suddenly felt my earphones being ripped away from my ears and out of the CD player.

"Hey!" I yelled, "What are you-"

I stopped when I met the cruel eyes of Yami Marik.

"Trying to sing your way away from me?" he asked.

I glared, but said nothing.

"So singing is your passion," he said. It wasn't a question.

Again, I said nothing.

"What's the matter, Kara?" he asked sinisterly, "Have you temporarily gone mute thanks to your failed attempt to save your little friend Mai?"

"SHUT UP!" I growled, "Don't talk about Mai!"

Yami Marik laughed evilly.

"I know your weakness is being helpless when your friends are in trouble...and that shall be your downfall...unless you actually accept the proposal I asked you where you were ill."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Is your memory failing you?" Yami Marik asked, "Maybe this will help..."

(((Flashback)))

"We'll see about that!" The phony Marik snapped his fingers, and two thrones appeared.

"Sit down," the Marik look-alike snickered.

"Never!" I snapped back.

He grabbed my shoulder, and pushed me on the throne. I jumped up, only to be forced back down again.

"No...no!" I struggled against his hands that were trying to suppress me. "Let me go, let...me...go!"

(((End)))

I panted, finding myself kneeling on the floor. That memory was one of the scariest I had.

"So?" Yami Marik asked pitilessly, "Will you or won't you? Both you and I know that you're too weak to defend yourself from me, so if you were smart, you'd know which side is more in your favor."

I glared up at him.

"I refuse," I snapped, "I would NEVER join you...I would NEVER be your queen. You may be part of Marik, but you're not the part of Marik I fell in love with!"

Yami Marik laughed again.

"Suit yourself, Kara. But you'll soon find that love is very treacherous."

He turned to leave, and then I noticed that he still had my headphones clutched in his hand.

"Give me back my headphones!" I hissed.

Yami Marik looked back at me, smirking nastily.

"I don't think you'll be needing them," he whispered, "You can make enough music on your own."

And he went over to the window, and before I could stop him, opened the window and threw my headphones out the window.

"YOU BASTARD!"

I ran over to the window. They were gone.

Yami Marik laughed once more as he walked out.

I fell to my knees and began to cry.

This is too much, this is just too much...

I looked up at the stars.

'Marik, if only you were here...'

'I feel like a citizen from nowhere,
My bag's all packed in case they ever come for me,
Got a hundred stories and tabloid lies,
Got witnesses to what the government denies.
So I'm headed for Roswell to wait and see...

I swear they're out there,
I swear.
I swear they're out there,
I swear.
I swear they're out there,
I swear...

Maybe angels...

Maybe angels.'
-Sheryl Crow, "Maybe Angels"

[Kitty: CHAPTER 20 COMPLETED!!!!

Lina: I didn't know Kara liked to sing...

Kitty: (smiles) Something I thought would make her interesting... no good at Duel Monsters, but plenty good as a singer...

Yugi: Kind of like you, except you can play Duel Monsters alright...

Kitty: (grins) Reviews?

Lina: Hmm... (looks through them) We've got... 6 new ones.

Kitty: (shrugs) Let's get this show on the road!

Mystic Chaos said:

WAHOO! I tried to review before but it didn't work so...yeah. And oh, I'm very curious in what Marik/Malik's POV is going to be. Can't wait!

Helen: More like DO IT OR YOU'LL DIE!

Me: Uh...that too!

Helen: Stupid.

Me: Look! It's Kaiba!

Helen: WHERE?!

Me: He went to the beach!

Helen: I'm coming, Kaiba! (runs off)

Me: (snicker) I love doing that. NOW UPDATE QUICKLY OR YOU'LL FACE MY WRATH! (holds up the Frying Pan of Doom)

(Kaiba pops out from a random hole)

Seto: Is she gone?

Me: Yeah.

Seto: FREEDOM! (runs off)

Me: (sweatdrop)
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Kitty: (sweatdrop) Well, I updated... and Malik was in there...

Lina: O...k....

Jesse: (glares at Seto)

Seto: WHAT? I was trying to get away from Helen so I could go and see you!

Jesse: (grins and glomps her bishie)

Kitty: That's interesting, you've got a Frying Pan of Doom, Jesse has her Demon Mallet of Pain, and I've got my trusty.... WHACK-A-MOLE MALLET!!!! MWAHAHA!!! (grins evilly)

Lina: You're scaring me...

Kitty: (grins) I KNOW.

Lina, Yami, Yugi, Kara, Joey and Marik: (sweatdrop)

M.L. said:

And I thought the last chapter was good, but this one was a lot better. Also, since one if your stories are so good so far, I might be popping up here and there in your other stories' review columns.
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Kitty: (grins) It'll be nice to see you around...

Lina: AND THANKIES SO MUCH!

Josephine Jekyl said:

Yay, new chapter! i don't like Mai either, I think she's a cow! I wanna see a jealous Malik! That would be interesting! The advert for the new Harry Potter film was on telly today! I'm gonna go see it with my buddy when its released at the cinema (which is called the Odeon cinema by the way... Coincidence? probably not). maybe I'm a little old for a childish film like HP...nah!
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Kitty: You're NEVER too old for HP! (grins)

Lina: Another Mai hater...

Kitty: (frowns thoughtfully) I do believe she is slightly arrogant, but she really is coming along...

Lina: And she and Joey DID have a sweet moment together when he refused to leave her side...

Joey: (glares) BUT I WANNA BE WITH KARA!

Kara: (blushes)

Marik: (grabs Kara) DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY GIRLFRIEND!!!

Kitty: (sweatdrop) Odeon cinema?

Marik: (grins) COOL, my step-bro's famous!

StoryWeaver1 said:

Yami is the one that takes the hit. He survived because he's the Pharaoh. But good job. Noah's Arch is next right?
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Kitty: I KNOW. I just thought it would be interesting if Kara took the hit, as I told you in my email. And Noa's Ark IS next... after the Ishizu/Kaiba duel is complete, which will probably be the beginning of next chapter.

Mya Starnight said:

Well, Yugi will always be the little cute one every girl in America and anywhere else in the world will love and if you don't I will butcher you into oblivion until you scream his name...but I still think you love him most. Email me later, Mya
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Kitty: (grins) You don't have to worry, Mya, I love Yugi more than anything... (glomps Yugi)

Yugi: (grins) I love you too, my Kitty.

Kitty: And I emailed you like you asked...

Airimis said:

Hi! Thanks for the review. I loved the chapter although it was sad. What's going to happen to Kara in the later chapters? I wanna know! Update soon ok?
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Kitty: (grins) YOU'RE WELCOME! Your fic rules, I assure you. And let me put it this way... Kara will have a lot of trouble arising with the person who looks like the one she loves... (winks) And he will take advantage of when Joey and the others are gone during Noa's Ark...

Yugi: Kitty, Lina and I saw Troy and Shrek 2!

Kitty: (sighs) Orlando is the hottest actor besides Johnny Depp! And I ADORE Puss in Boots from Shrek! The kitty eyes were ADORABLE! (glomps Puss in Boots)

Puss: (sighs) I wish I was back in Mexico...

Kitty: R&R!!!]