hey people - again - here's another chapter. it's probablly not my most exciting bit, but hey... at least it's somethng....right? ; heh, heh. can't talk long. gotta go make a final college decision - and OMG - only 10 1/2 school days left. say a prayer i'll survive! well, g2g, but before i do, a quick thanx...
to Isis - yay yay! so glad it cheered u up. i hope this one helps too & thanks for the best wishes. u're support has been awesome & i hope i haven't made u're anticipation grow too large to handle...lol! luv ya!
Cettie-girl yes! yay! hee hee - i'm so glad i can actually be funnie once in a while... and i'm afraid there's not much on Ryou in this chappie, but there will be next time!
Cristina - thanx again! u're a loyal reader!
Fyredra - WOW! long review (the best kind) and about the whole thing with Seto - i thought i made that kinda obvious ;;; tho i never actually came out and said it. eg. - the first day when they all had lunch - Seto was sorta chivalrous & sweet (in his own wierd way) to her & he also asked her to the dance & was kinda close to her there.... but yeah... so he likes Tea. i'm not trying to get deep into the romance in this story b/c if i went all out on that, it'd never end. but i'm sorta throwing the whole Seto-Tea-Yugi triangle in there for a little change of pace. and yeah - u guessed right on what's happening to Ryou. more on that to come... neways... gotta rush but if u're still confused on anything, maybe i'll have more time to answer l8r! u rock!
R Amythest - i just noticed u right before updating, so at least u won't be waiting long! and no prob, b/c i'm rushing too! lol! thanx again!
Part 2 (Chapter 10) – Plans and Preparations
"So," Kali smirked, "You've finally made up your mind."
"Yeah," Kira nodded.
"I don't suppose that little girl had anything to do with it," Kali suggested.
Kira glanced away, "I'd like to say no, but I haven't quite decided. She put some thoughts in my head, though I don't know yet if they're true enough for me to listen to them."
"Yet you are," Kali pointed out.
Kira just shrugged, still a little confused. The child had warned her about the consequences of her decision. But just which decision? And how large were the consequences mentioned? Kira still wasn't completely sure that her decision was the right one.
"Hmm?" Kali drifted closer, gazing solemnly into Kira's eyes.
Snapping out of her thoughtful state, Kira offered up a small smile. "I was just thinking...what if?"
"What if?" Kali looked a bit surprised.
"I'm still not sure about everything," Kira admitted. "I don't want to make the wrong decision."
"What made you decide to go after Bakura in the first place?" Kali wanted to know.
"This." Kira held up Bakura's knife. She had been holding it when Kali had drawn her into the Shadow Realms and the weapon had come with her. Shock registered in Kali's face, a change from her usually unreadable expression. Apparently she hadn't been paying attention when Kira received the threat that morning.
"That's a shadow weapon," Kali murmured. "It wouldn't have come with you otherwise. I'm guessing Bakura?"
"Yeah." There was a trace of sarcasm in Kira's voice, "He left it with an ever-so-kind note on my desk this morning."
"He's not to be taken lightly," Kali warned.
"Do you see me laughing?"
"Sorry," Kali turned her stony expression in another direction.
Kira rested a hand on her yami's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll be careful. It's not like I haven't been in danger before." She pause, and the steadily growing murmur of approaching footsteps echoed in the dank air around them. "Besides," Kira pointed out as two figures formed out of the mist. "We won't be alone."
"Yugi." The brown-haired girl sat staring up into the distant sky, almost as if she could see through it. Thoughts of her friend lingered in her mind long after he had left. She didn't have a spirit inside her; she didn't have magic - millenium or otherwise - that could warn her of danger and stand by her through all of it. But Yugi had all these things, and he had her. She would be there for him as long as he needed.
"Tea."
The sudden voice behind her startled Tea from her musings. "Seto, you scared me." She moved over, making room on the park bench. "Sit down."
Seto moved around the bench and obliged. "Thanks."
They were quiet for a moment, then Seto ventured a question. "What's on your mind?"
Tea sighed, "Yugi. And Kira," she added. "Even Ryou."
"Was Yugi here?" Seto asked hesitantly.
Tea nodded. "He still seemed depressed after school, so I suggested taking a walk. We talked for a while before he had to go. But I've been sitting here and thinking ever since." She let out a long breath, "I hope he's all right."
"I'm sure he is," Seto forced the words out.
Tea smiled gently at him, but her eyes were still sad. "I'd like to think so, but sometimes, I wonder. He said he was meeting with Kira in the Shadow Realms to go confront Bakura or Ryou or whoever. I don't really understand all that he gets into, but I'm afraid it might be too much. I wonder if maybe, this spirit, this Yami...if maybe he presses Yugi too hard. Maybe the Millenium Puzzle he carries is too much of a burden."
"I wish I could say," Seto spoke haltingly. "But I don't understand all that Yugi's gotten himself into much more than you do."
"Seto," Tea spoke, and as Seto looked, he saw tears beginning to form in Tea's eyes. Before he could even think to react, Tea had grabbed him tightly, her arms around his neck and her face pressed up against his shoulder. Awkwardly, Seto moved a hand to rest on Tea's back.
"I'm so worried about him," Tea spoke in a muffled tone. "...all of them."
"Tea." Seto closed his eyes painfully, and fighting his own feelings, pulled Tea back from him. He gazed silently into her own watery eyes for a moment, then closed his own. "You really care about Yugi, huh?"
"Of course," Tea nodded. "He's like a brother."
"But it's more than that, isn't it?" Seto asked.
Tea felt confused. "If it's about the article, I'm sorry..."
"Yes and no," Seto said. "I'm still upset, but that can wait." He opened his eyes, and gave her a half-smile. "Just tell me this: do you love Yugi?"
"Love him?" Tea was shocked. "I like him, certainly."
"It's a start," Seto shrugged.
"And I like you too, Seto," Tea added. "You are both important to me."
Seto wasn't sure how to react. "I..."
"Please," Tea begged him. "Don't ask me this now. Not now." She lowered her head, closing her eyes.
"All right," Seto put a hesitant arm around Tea's shoulders, and let her lean against him and cry.
"Kira," Yugi greeted her with a solemn sort of nod.
Kira smiled in return. "Hey, Yugi."
Yami approached her purposefully, "You've made a decision then?"
Kira cast her glance aside, "I guess."
"There must be a commitment," Yami pointed out.
Kira just shrugged uneasily. Kali stepped up beside her, looking Yami squarely in the eye with a small frown on her face. Yami met her gaze evenly. "And what about you?"
"I follow my light for now," Kali replied. "And I help her along, but I don't force a decision on her." She narrowed her eyes, clearing referring to Yami, though the ancient pharaoh was not moved.
"Enough," Yugi stepped in front of Yami, looking sharply at Kali, then at his own darker half. Yami raised an eyebrow in question. "You're making her nervous," Yugi explained. Kali smirked over at the pharaoh. Yami turned away.
Yugi looked over to Kira and offered an open palm. "For now, I believe her. Even if she's still trying to understand things, she won't betray us."
Kira smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Yugi."
He winked at her. "Well, we're always stronger together."
"And we'll have to be strong to face Bakura," Kali pointed out. Again she glanced sharply at Yami, though with more warning than challenge in her eyes. "I don't know if you understand just how powerful this dark spirit is. I have not yet faced him directly, but I know this: he easily taught me enough Shadow magic to destroy my light when he commanded it. And Bakura is not a trusting soul. He would make sure I never knew enough to best him if I ever turned against him."
"Which you have," Kira pointed out.
Kali nodded, then turned once again to Yami. "Perhaps the four of us together are enough to take Bakura on. Perhaps not. I know only that he is growing in power. He has locked Ryou's spirit up for a reason. Bakura spoke once to me of harnessing the power that his hikari held. I can only assume he is now feeding his magic off of that."
"Then we don't have much time," Yugi realized.
Kali nodded solemnly.
"Well," Yami spoke up after a heavy silence. "We will have to see when the time comes. I too have great shadow powers from an age long ago."
"Yes," Kali muttered, more to herself. "But are you willing to invoke all those powers?"
What do you mean? Kira asked her hikari through their thoughts.
Shadow magic is powerful, Kali explained, But much of it is used for evil rather than good. This 'Yami,' though he may be a dark spirit, still has too much of a good heart in him.
And you don't? teased Kira.
Kali shrugged. Somewhat.
"Don't worry," Kira spoke aloud and set a hand on her dark's shoulder. "We'll find a way. We have to."
"Hey, Kaiba!"
Seto looked up just in time to avoid running into Mai Valentine. "Oh. Hey."
"You sound excited to see me," Mai remarked sarcastically. "What are you doing out here?"
"I spent a while talking to Tea in the park," Seto explained. "I was just taking her home."
Mai nodded with a look of fake interest. "I see." They stood there awkwardly for about twenty seconds before Mai spoke again. "By the way, I stopped by the newspaper office this afternoon and got everything cleared up."
Seto nodded a little distractedly. "Thanks."
"Something wrong?" Mai asked.
Seto shrugged. "I don't see why you should care."
"I'm guessing it's about Tea," Mai sighed. "Again. Though why I should care and why I'm even still standing here is beyond me."
"No one's asking you to," Seto pointed out, but didn't bother to move aside.
"You really do need an attitude adjustment," Mai grouched. Shoving her way past Kaiba, she took a few steps past him and stopped. "Oh, and by the way, Seto, when was it that you became so willing to lose to Yugi?"
Seto stared at her retreating back. She's right. I'm giving in without a fight. This isn't like me. But... he hesitated. She does love Yugi. I can see it. And is it really my place to get in their way? He gave an uncharacteristic sigh. I feel like I'm understanding things less and less every day.
hey hey - i'm hoping to get one more entry posted before my last day (May 14) but no guarentees. at least once school's out, i'll have more time to write....i hope...--
and hey - if u feel like it, check out my friend SumikoKenchiHaimoto - she's new to , but i promise she's a good writer. i think she has just poems up so far, but if u like that kinda stuff.... i promise she's as good as me....in her own dark way....lol!
oh yeah - and i posted a sailor moon poem called "Helios" if anybody cares to read it...
well, really g2g now! hope to see y'all soon!