Violets and Emeralds
Chapter 3! Wow, I've already gotten further than I usually do! Kudos for me! Do I even like Kudos? Mm, sort of.
I'm sorry if Otogi-kun's thought process is odd—it's oddly reflecting my own. '
And I also apologize if the reunion with Malik seemed odd as well. The only time I remember meeting someone after many years was at the end of the 03-04 school year, but we hadn't been enemies. Also, I had just gotten done with about two hours of AP US History testing, so I was kind of dead, and she was a floor above me. I was wondering why a girl with long brown hair was waving at me…
I hate AP tests. The only thing I remember about the English 3 one is open-ended question two: discuss one controversial topic. I discussed gay marriage, and I think the graders may have been taken aback by how many specific names, places, and dates I cited. The History one! Oh-ho-ho… the only thing I remember from that is the swivel chair, how I kept banging my leg on the desk while playing in said swivel chair, and Brad Pitt in a skirt. Six collective hours blocked from my memory. I got a 1 on my History one……………I suck. But I got a 4 on my English one! WOOT!
Enough ranting from me. Onwards!
NOTE! I hardly remember anything from the Japanese DDM episodes, and that's what I'm basing them on. Kami-sama, I can be pathetic.
ANOTHER NOTE! I don't own Yugioh or anything else mentioned here! I wish… then I wouldn't be wagging my tail impatiently and waiting for the movie. The actual theater movie, not the crappy 30-minute-commercial of the original movie. I'm sorry, but that movie really did suck.
Chapter 3Affixed
"I'll use two Movement crests to move Little Wizard in from of the Dungeon Master and one Attack crest to destroy his last Life Point!" I won this game effortlessly. The guy that the convention had hired to be my opponent was not a challenge. Though, I must admit, this was probably their intent. Of course they couldn't have me go against Yuugi-kun, for the result either way could send a mixed message that may end up being more hurtful than good.
The holograms disappeared and I waited for the platform to allow me to disembark. People cheered for me, called my name, but it was not in the least bit exciting. If people are going to cheer that loud, at least put me up against a worthy opponent. But I may as well play along. I grinned and waved to the crowds.
Yuugi-tachi was waiting for me at the exit of the arena. They, except Kaiba-kun, congratulated me on a good game played.
Yuugi-kun's time was at 1:00 PM, so we had an open window from now till then. Kaiba-kun, as I've heard, is merely here for the sake of Kaiba Corp., and not to play against Yuugi-kun. It seemed very odd to me, but not too terribly so, I suppose, since the pharaoh is gone. The pharaoh was the one he held in a position of reverence. I guess to him, playing anyone who isn't Yami no Yuugi is like my previous battle against the nameless person. It ceases to matter.
So while we're not playing, the special guests are subject to being ornaments to attract people here. I assure you, that really is the only reason we're here. Sure, we get our games worldly popular, but Duel Monsters was already so and DDM was on it way there. We're the ornaments here, to be gawked and amazed at.
I suddenly feel tired.
I didn't tell Yuugi-tachi about my run-in with Malik-kun. Jounouchi-kun and Kaiba-kun would figuratively explode (they really are a lot alike…) and all hell would break loose. At least, that's what I see happening in my mind's eye.
"Hey guys, I'm going off on my own, okay?" I told them.
"What for?" Asked Jounouchi-kun.
"Just…" I couldn't think of an answer, "because."
"We'll see you later, then?" Yuugi-kun asked.
"Sure. Don't expect me for lunch, though!" I might try room service! I walked into the crowd. Some of them started recognizing me and before long, I had a group forming. They were mostly young women in their teens and early twenties, fawning like they do wherever I go. I also had a few fanboys who were asking me to sign stuff and give them tips. I have to admit that I really do like being the center of attention. I like the limelight and I like that I have fans crowding around me.
Okay, that one that just yelled that she wanted to have my baby? That's just a little creepy. At least none of them are running at me with only towels on.
I heard an apple-crisp laugh that I recognized above the fans. "All I have to do to find you is follow the trail of girls." I saw violet eyes staring at me.
I fought to get closer to the one person in the mass that I recognized. "Hi, Malik-kun."
"Yo." He greeted. Instead of the violet shirt, he now sported a white sleeveless button-up. It still showed his midriff, though. That seems to be his style. He looked a little overwhelmed by the people. I get the odd feeling that his upbringing and general personality makes it so that he doesn't like crowds. "It's really crowded here…" He looked around.
"Really now? I didn't notice." I grinned. "Want to split?"
He nodded. Some rational part of my mind found it a little rude that I was making plans with him when I had just left Yuugi-tachi under the urge to be alone. But for some reason, it didn't matter. The words 'secret rendezvous' ran through my head.
We exited the hotel and all of the fangirls magically disappeared, many with odd smiles on their faces. The scary thing is, I know what those smiles mean. A lot of my female friends got them in mid-October when San Francisco held it's mature-rated anime convention. Those girls scare me.
"Do you want to come over for lunch?" He asked me. "I can whip up something."
I shrugged. "Sure." I don't know how to politely decline. Plus, it sounded good, actually. The majority of my meals for the past few years had been either made by me, one of my female friends, or take-out. I really do dislike synthetic meats now.
"Does Egyptian sit right with you?" He asked. "It's… really all I know how to make." He smiled apologetically. He looks a lot better when he actually smiles, not some odd triumphant smirk that could challenge Kaiba-kun's. However, Kaiba-kun's will always be the worst. I swear he could kill a puppy with it, which of course doesn't explain why Jounouchi-kun is still alive, but I desist.
"Yeah!" I answered a little too enthusiastically. "I've never had Egyptian before."
"Any allergies?"
"Only a dislike for things that are saturated in vinegar. No sushi for me, thank you very much."
He smiled brighter this time. "I'll make koshari."
"What's that?" I asked. I had vaguely heard of something that I think went under the same name before, but I don't actually remember what it was. A food, I can tell you that! "I mean, what's in it?"
"Rice, beans… tangy and can be spicy as well. Vegetarian meal. I… don't like foods with meat."
I raised an eyebrow. "You're a vegetarian?"
"Yeah." He answered defensively. "Something wrong with that?"
"No, no." I shook my head. "How cute, you're saving the baby lambs, cows, and chickens." I held up a finger. "But I will tell you, geese deserve every bit of it."
He laughed. That made me feel good, because I was afraid I had insulted the guy. I do have a tendency to do that, as I have mentioned before, I believe.
We found his place and he unlocked the door. As he flipped on the light, I saw a normal house with a couch and TV in the living room.
"Feel free to do whatever while I make lunch." He waved his hand around the place.
"Okay." I said blankly. "Hey, where's the bathroom?"
"Down the hall, left side." He called amidst the rattling of pots or pans or whatever. Maybe a little from column 'A' and a little from Column 'B.'
I finished my business and washed my hands. I've been told never to drink the water in Egypt. I don't know what this has to do with washing my hands—ah, the water. That's the connection. Hah, see Jones-sensei? I can connect events to one another!
Senior year flashbacks… I now shudder. My first year in America.
On the way out, I passed a room that could only be Malik-kun's room. The walls were a plain white, but covered in some places with posters that I couldn't really see. His bed was in the far corner, sheets rumpled, and random bits of clothes were scattered around the room. It looked like, well, a teenager's room.
I smiled, walking back into the entrance area. Wait a second, there's a couch over there… couch equals comfy. Couch equals possibility of falling asleep. Wait, person's house negates falling asleep. Still, that leaves us with couch equals comfy. I walked over to said couch and sat down. I like comfy couches.
Water was boiling in the kitchen. Well, he did say that there was rice in it.
"You look like a cat." I looked up at Malik-kun. I suppose that was right. I mean, I was curled up rather comfortably. "Everything's boiling, so I have a couple of minutes." He paused. "So, what do you think of Egypt so far?"
I sat up. "Great place. A little hot, but I can come back and brag to my friends, who would kill to come here. And that just reminds me that I need to go souvenir shopping before this weekend is over."
"And after the convention, you're going to go straight back home to Japan?" He asked. A little rude part of my mind asked why it mattered to him. I told that side to shut up.
"No, America. I've been living there for the past few years. Los Angeles, California. I attend the University of Los Angeles, actually." I informed his proudly.
"Mm." He nodded. "What's it like in America?"
"Big, polluted, crowded…" I trailed off, "but I can't really complain. It feels homely enough, I suppose. I have friends there, I have my game, and my apartment. I go to college, I live." I shrugged. "I go to parties and hang out."
There was an uncomfortable silence. I'm not really used to these. Perhaps I boasted… but that's what I do! I am the comic relief that's always witty. I am the fawned over, loved person that thrives on popularity. Usually in situations where there was a possibility of a silence, I would make a joke or a self-centered comment about myself. That's what everyone expects from me, everyone except…
"Ah, the food!" Malik-kun stood up suddenly, running out the room and into the kitchen, where I heard more pots-and-pans sounds.
I really could act completely different around this person. He doesn't expect me to be self-centered and borderline rude. What he has seen of me so far has been happy, friendly me.
Enough of this. I'm only supposed to act like this at night.
Ten minutes of the mental Meow Mix song later, Malik called me over. Whatever it was had a strong, non-vinegar smell. So long as it wasn't vinegar. I'm glad he couldn't hear the Meow Mix.
My first impression of koshari was a reddish orange mix of, well, rice and beans. My opinion is best kept from all. When I sat down and started eating it, however, I realized that the tangy flavor was appealing. I wasn't wild about onions, but I really couldn't complain.
"How have things in America been? I mean, I know you're going to college, but what about everything else?" He asked. I went into detail about my life, my friends, my work. If he was only pretending to be interested, then he faked it rather well—he should be an actor. Hell, I can even tell when Simon, one of my friends in theatre, is lying about something. He so doesn't have prettier hair than mine. His dark brown and naturally silver streaks that girls fawn over are nothing to my pretty black locks. Feh!
Enough about Simon! Back to me. [1]
I have no life. I've just realized that. Actually, I do have a life, but it does not apply here! Hah!
I started laughing. Just randomly, out of nowhere started laughing. Malik set his fork down in his half-eaten food and stared at me. I was tearing at the eyes before he asked, "Are you alright?"
I nodded, but something told me this didn't convince him. I was sitting there, giggling now like a schoolgirl.
"Are you hyperventilating?"
I shook my head. Maybe I was a little—what does hyperventilation feel like?
I calmed down slowly. "I'm sorry!" I gasped as soon as I could. "Don't know what came over me!" Insert gasps and wheezes here. I drank from a glass of water. I heard that it wasn't healthy to drink the water in Egypt. Oh well, I was in dire need and I was sure he wasn't trying to poison me. I gave one last hack and blushed. "Sorry." I apologized again. "I really don't know why I did that."
He had an eyebrow raised at me. "That's alight." He answered slowly. I got the odd feeling that I may have freaked him out.
"I don't usually do that." There, the crisis was over and I was now attempting to save face. Unfortunately, God or whatever higher deity there is if any exist (probably the Egyptian ones, seeing as where we are), decided otherwise. "Hic!" Oh kami-sama, hiccups! I groaned, it interrupted by another hiccup. At least there wasn't a little voice counting my hiccups. That would scare the crap out of me. [2] "Some-hic!-one really does hate-hic!-me."
Malik laughed as I picked up my water once again and drank slowly. I think I got to sixteen hiccups before they ceased. How the hell you recover face from something like that, I don't know. Someone please tell me.
"Hey, didn't your sister and Rishid-san come back yesterday?" I asked, desperate to change the subject.
"Yeah." He nodded. "They left this morning."
"Already?" I asked.
"I don't mind." He answered quickly, trying to block the questions brewing in my head. "I'm quite used to it."
"That's the bad thing!" I half-yelled. "See, your problem is that you need to be around people more often."
"Like you being swarmed by your fans?" He smirked.
"Yes, exactly." I nodded, half-grinning myself. I'm doing a lot of halves today—half-yelling, grinning, dying from laughter, and look! The day's only half over! Wow, imagine that!
If I'm being an idiot, please tell me so. I now have the music from the Nightmare Before Christmas stuck in my head. Awesome movie, by the way. You should see it. Seen it already? Watch it again, Otogi Ryuuji and Jack Skellington command you.
"I know," I broke the conversation, which I now realize was between myself and I, "why don't you stay in the hotel with us during the rest of the convention? It would only be…" I counted on my fingers, "if today is Friday, which I hop it is, then would be three nights. I have an extra bed in my room, since I'm not rooming with anyone."
"I don't want to impose." He answered slowly. Oh no, he didn't! The girly-shirt-wearing Egyptian boy did not just turn me down! Oh, I'll show him…
"You're coming." I smiled broadly. Anyone who knows me knows that this is the beginning of I getting my way. Over the years, it has been perfected to an art.
"But-"
I clicked my tongue three times and wagged my finger. "You dare deprive me, Otogi Ryuuji, of a conversational partner when I have been bored out of my mind for the past… however long I've been here? How dare you?" I crossed my arms and stared. Hah, I could see myself overpowering him. He was succumbing.
"I… don't think Yuugi-kun and everyone else would like that." He said slowly.
Oh kami-sama, I have so won.
"Remember Battle City finals? The promise that the next time that you guys met you would be friends? Notice how during the whole Egypt shebang, everyone played nicely and didn't strangle each other, Jounouchi-kun not included? Kami-sama that sounded like a toy commercial: batteries not included!" I realized that I was starting to veer horribly off subject. "So anywho, you are coming for the sake of my social needs whether you like it or not." I tossed my hair with a flick of my head for the grand finale.
He laughed. I realized at that point that it felt really good to make him laugh. I like the way it felt on my ears. He stopped and smiled as brightly as in innocent child who had just been brought out of sadness. "Thanks, Otogi-kun." That was the first time he said my name. I couldn't help but smile too. Kami-sama, why doesn't it feel this good every time I make someone laugh? I wonder, could it have been my purer intentions? Or was it something else? I don't know, and I don't care to ponder it right now, because I can feel my own heart glowing with warmth and I just want to take this for granted. If all the other countless things I've taken for granted backfired on me now and nothing was as it seemed, I just want to take this for granted, because dear God if there is one, this felt right.
"See, I think that went well." I plopped down on my bed after removing my bundle of crap from what was now Malik-kun's bed.
"I sensed very mixed reactions." He placed his bag of clothing and personal items neatly at the foot of his bed.
"Mm…" I held a hand up in the air and counted people off. "Yuugi-kun was happy, Jounouchi-kun's an idiot, so he doesn't count, Bakura-kun didn't mind, even if he is really placid and wouldn't care no matter who, Mokuba-kun's on the line between, and Kaiba-kun hates everyone except for the last two mentioned."
"I've noticed." He said bluntly. Oh damn, I just noticed that if he's here, I can't randomly turn on Arabic channels and laugh at the fact that I can't understand it! Oh well, one source of entertainment lost, one gained. Somehow it balances… or something like that.
That reminds me: I'm hungry again. I ate a bowl of the koshari, but I'm still hungry. Damn America, you're turning into a fat loser with your fake-meaty hamburger patties and Zombie Drug school cafeteria food! Thank you Jhonen-sama for that last one. [3] Okay, I won't condemn the country I live in right now. They could kick me out. I don't want that happening until after I'm out of college.
Feel my awesome prettiness! Or at least what's left of it after this heat!
I looked in the mirror. Oh man, my hair is heat damaged. My poor, poor hair… it's crying. See? My hair is limp and sad.
"Otogi-kun?" Malik-kun asked, raising an eyebrow at me. No doubt he saw my attempt at sad puppy eyes at the mirror as disturbing.
"You can use my first name." I suggested offhandedly.
"Hn?" He made a confused noise.
I shrugged, tearing my eyes from the mirror. "I mean, I know you as Malik-kun, so if you wanted, you could return the informality." I flinched. "Unless it makes you uncomfortable! I mean-!"
"Ryuuji, right?" He stopped me in the middle of my tirade. "Ryuuji-kun?" I nodded in reply and he smiled again. "Okay then."
Kami-sama, why is my heart pounding like this? I just really met the guy yesterday, and I'm, already inviting him over and on a first name basis. Maybe I feel the crisis of the old age of the American legal drinking age creeping up on me or something and have realized that I have no real, close friends, and I'm jumping at an opportunity. But that wouldn't explain why my heart is beating so damn fast. I just look at him looking at me and I feel it pounding more than it really is, I'm sure. No one should be able to live with their heart like mine feels.
You know, I've made a horrible mistake. When I go back to America next Monday, three days from now, I will leave this place behind and no doubt never see Malik-kun ever again. Hell, I hadn't seen/contacted Yuugi-tachi in two years, and I've only emailed Kaiba-kun about business. When I leave, I will have this piece of my heart ripped out, never to be replaced by anything or anyone. I will be left with the pain of losing an actual friend.
Damn it, I am so stupid.
Demo, Ryuuji, you don't look to the future often, remember? You live in the present, and in the present, you are here! So be happy and deal with what you have! Work with what is to come when it comes! Like that damn Meow Mix song entering your head again! Whee!
It's so fun to be so easily fooled by your own self.
"So what do you want to do for dinner?" I asked suddenly, laying back spread-eagle on the clean sheets.
He looked at the clock and then back to me. "It's only a little after three."
"I mean for later. We can order room service! I feel like eating a parfait for dessert. Chocolate. Real parfait—none of that McDonald's crap.
Speaking of crap, oh insert-that-word-here, I missed Yuugi-kun's demo. As a note, Yuugi-kun's demo isn't crap, but crap is the curse word I feel like yelling. I don't know why it mattered so much, but I feel like yelling it anyway. "Crap." I said monotonously.
"What?"
I shook my head. "Nothing, I just felt like saying it. Saying stuff randomly is fun. At least I haven't lost face by singing the Banana Phone song randomly."
He shook his head in an amused fashion. "I won't ask. But room service sounds nice."
"It's settled." I stretched out, and no doubt I looked like a deranged cat that happens to stretch like a cat. There's something else I noticed: Malik-kun's mouth is cat-like. It's small with those cat-like incisors. Maybe he was a kitty in another life. I, of course, won't be divulging this to him. No need to scare him off this early in the game! Ah yes, the game is afoot, Watson.
I really want a nap. I haven't had a nap since I was a really little kid. Okay, that one senior year didn't count. It was American government and I was tired. I got hit with a shoe, if that means any reconciliation.
"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" Malik-kun asked, snapping me out of my thought.
"No, why?" I shook my head.
"Well, we could go to the Valley of the Kings and sight-see a little. I mean, I know more out there than the tour guides do, and it might be fun…"
I sat up quickly. "Okay!" Let's face it; our miniature tour that include deathy-type stuff last time wasn't cool. Yes, pharaoh Atem's tomb was in the Valley of the Kings. But hey, a tour from an Egyptian descended from the ancient Egyptians who's been guarding a part of that Valley/living in it all his life who ain't too bad on the eyes? Hell yeah he knows more that a tour guide! I feel like a puppy. Wasn't that supposed to be Jounouchi-kun? But seriously, I feel a little invisible tail wagging at really high speeds.
LOTS OF Notes 'n' stuff:
I had to make koshari in 9th grade. I didn't like it then, but I got the odd feeling that I'd like it now. I nearly died when I found out that it was Malik's favorite food… I can't believe I denounced his favorite food… cries But he is vegetarian! That's so cute! Malik-chan doesn't eat the lil animals! gets whapped for use of the honorific and general stupidity
Wow, I'm actually working on this fic. That really is scary for me.
[1] Tribute to some of my friends. Simon is really my friend Michael. Check my new homepage, AKA, my deviant art account, and you can see a chibi of him, "Ode to Simon". Another one of my friends, who has a mutual dislike for Simon, is called Hikaru (on same account, the one with me in the picture, "Hika-kun and I"). He once said on AIM, "Enough about Hitler! Back to me." We all found this so hilariously funny that it stuck, and it's the only thing that Simon likes about Hikaru. sigh I hate being in the middle. BUT I DEMAND YOU CHECK THOSE PITURES OUT! You can also find out what the insane mastermind behind this story looks like. Oh kami-sama, no me gusta…
[2] In Ghost!, or Eerie Queerie!, as it ended up being called, there was a story in the second volume about an all-boys school trip. Of course, the main character gets hiccups and a ghostly voice starts counting the hiccups. The old woman who runs the place told them of a "legend" in which if a person hiccups a hundred times in one go, they would die. Well, we got happy shounen ai moments and the main character's first kiss. I love shounen ai manga. Why Otogi-kun is referencing it, well, that's up to your own reasoning.
[3] Just a thought: anyone else here read/watch anything of Jhonen Vasquez's? Invader ZIM (which still runs on the Nicktoons Channel), Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Squee, etc? If you like psychotic funny shit, watch ZIM. The first DVD is out. If you're cynic/mock Goth and like death and cursing and everything else that's in movies these days with the addition of actual thought provokers, read Johnny/Squee. Or if you're just bored and don't mind violent death. Johnny has a lot of killing in it. Squee just has some happy messed up stuff. I like my Squee book. It makes fun of the school system, religion, human mannerisms, etc. I feel like reading it again now.
These are a lot of notes. Having a lot of notes makes me feel like I've actually accomplished writing many pages. -- It also gives you, the reader, an insight to my screwed up, ADD-building mind that no doubt I could get a year's worth of pills to fix. I love Mark Morford's columns. He writes for the San Francisco Chronicle and he answered my fan mail. -- Very liberal man. Not bad on the eyes, either. clicks tongue
Oh, this story has no planning. I'm going as I go. That makes perfect sense to me.
REVEL IN MY FEELING OF SELF-WORTH AS I DECEIVE MYSELF INTO THINKING THAT I HAVE ACHIEVED MASSIVE PAGE-WRITING MAGICABAL (Yes, I know how I spelt that) POWERS BY WRITING LONG NOTES! insert maniacal laugh here