A/N: I feel like an idiot right now…I actually forgot what TIME I went to work! I went to take a nap, thinking I didn't have to come in until that night…I woke up to a rather rude surprise. I wound up missing a day's work and I think I may have gotten on my boss' bad side. Maybe I should do what smart people do and write down my schedule. (Granted they changed it up this week, with me working a combo of over night shifts and closing shifts….) What does that have to do with this fic? Well…besides me having a little more time to update, nothing. Thanks to:
Setine: Gackt…I've heard that name somewhere before, probably from Princess Chaos…Thanks for the well wishes.
Lady Phoenix 99: Yes, the game began at Yugi's house…though it may not finish there. I haven't decided. Thanks for reading and the well wishes.
DreamCherry66:laughs: Probably so…thanks for reading.
Feebeefi: Glad you liked the chapter, thanks for reviewing.
My Tourniquet: Thanks for giving this a read.
Short-story writer: I'll give you a quote about my family I heard from a rap song I was listening to the other day: "It ain't all good, but it's not all bad anymore either." Sorry about the cliffie, those can be pretty evil! Thanks for reading.
Kikoken: Thanks for reading…this madness will probably end in a couple of chapters or so...quite frankly I'm running out of ideas for it.
Satra: Mokuba's little scheme will be revealed, don't you worry! Thanks for reading.
LeighC: Thanks for everything. You and Shy are two great friends to have.
TrueYamisGirlfriend: Yup, sorry about the OOC-ness and randomness. That chapter was written when I was at my worst. Don't worry, this one will be more entertaining, I hope.
I'll spare you all any more rants until the end of the chapter…enjoy.
Chapter Eight: Lockdown (or Kaiba's living Hades)
"Hello Malik, hello Ishizu!" Tea gave both of the guests a huge hug as she welcomed them into Yugi's home. "What brings you two over?"
Malik shrugged. "She wanted to see the Pharaoh, I guess." He watched in horror as Ishizu pulled a rather large black bag behind her into the house. "I told her not to bring so much stuff, but she never listens to me..."
"Um...what's in there?" Tristan asked as Ishizu was finally able to drag the bag into the back of the room.
"Oh? Some presents for my dear Pharaoh!" Her blue eyes focused on the young man looking for more sweets in the kitchen.
"I told her not to eat those chocolate-covered raisins...she wouldn't be able to handle it." Malik shook his head.
Suddenly, Mai and Joey finally reappared out of the closet, both of their clothes a bit ruffled. Mai calmly sat back down at the table, ready to play another hand. Joey, on the other hand, had a sort of vacant look in his eyes, as if he had lost his mind. "Hand...hair...bra..."
"Do I even want to know what the hell just happened here?" Malik said as he took a seat at the table.
"No, you don't." Bakura replied, shuffling the deck. "Let's see who's left, shall we? Myself, Serenity, Kaiba, Tea, Duke, The Pharaoh...I think we have room for another Malik. That is, if you can stand the pressure of playing with us!"
"Pressure? You guys are all rank amateurs compared to me!"
"We'll soon see, little boy!"
"Watch your mouth, Tomb Robber!" Malik and Bakura glared at each other, looking as if they were ready to rip each other's hearts out.
"Save it for the wrestling ring...where's Yami?" Duke said as he stretched his body and let out a lazy yawn.
Tea and Serenity looked around. "That's funny..he was in the kitchen just a second ago...and where's Ishizu?"
Malik held his cards on the table and shook his head. "I told her to stay away from those damned chocolate-covered raisins!"
Kaiba's cell phone went off yet again, much to his disdain. After mumbling something unpleasant about his little brother, he picked up the phone.
"What, kid?"
"Hiya, bro...is everything working out as far as our little deal is concerned?"
The CEO looked over at Tea, who shot him a confused look. "These things take time little brother...besides, I can't make people do things against their will."
"YES YOU CAN! YOU MADE ME EAT ALL OF THOSE VEGETABLES LAST NIGHT!" Mokuba yelled indignantly through the phone.
"Yes, but you see, that's different Mokuba. I have to get-"
"Listen...either you get me what I want or everybody, and I DO MEAN EVERYBODY, will know that you listen to stupid Girl-Power music, got it?"
Kaiba held his tounge, realizing that he couldn't say exactly what he wanted to under these circumstances. "Alright, Mokuba." With that, he hung his phone up and stood up from the table.
"Kaiba? First Mai, then Yami, now you? Why can't anyone sit down so we can play something that resembles poker?" Tea said, her blue eyes full of impatience.
"I'm pleased that you ask, Gardener...come with me to the kitchen for a moment; we have something to discuss."
"What the heck do you mean we?" Tea said she felt a powerful jerk on her arm, forcing her up from the table. "HEY! Let me go!"
"Shut up and come on won't you?" Kaiba dragged the kicking and screaming Tea into the kitchen, and closed the door behind them. After recieving numerous insults from the so-called Friendship Freak, Kaiba was able to get in a couple of words in.
"I need you to do a favor for me..."
"ME? Do a favor for YOU?" Tea looked out of the kitchen window, her eyes wide. "I KNEW IT! THERE ARE FISH FLYING OUTSIDE!"
Kaiba shook his head, and wondered silently if he was the only SANE person inside this house. "The expression is there are PIGS flying outside, not fish!"
Tea turned to him, a rather hurt expression on her face. "Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Oh...I had been saving that joke for weeks! Do you have any idea how long it took for me to come up with that?"
"I can only imagine...anyway, I need you to help me with something."
"And what would that be?"
Tea put her hands on her hips and started tapping her foot out of impatience.
"Well?"
Kaiba reluctantly walked up to her and whisperedsomething into her ear. First, a look of shock crept onto the aspiring dancer's face. Then a smile, which was followed by a hyserical laugh.
"OH MY GOD! YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT!"
Kaiba wished he had one of those stupid Milennium Items on him so that he could send her to that stupid "Shadow Realm" that Yugi and the others were always babbling about, but held his anger in check. "Yes...will you do it?"
"Ummm...let me think real hard...NO!" Tea laughed in his face again, then proceeded to fall on the floor, tears running down her eyes.
"THIS IS NOT HUMEROUS YOU STUPID GIRL! THE REPUTATION OF KAIBA CORPS IS AT STEAK HERE!"
"I...don't...care!" Tea said through fits of laughter.
This was going to be more difficult than Kaiba thought.
Bakura and Malik were nearly at each other's throats, each one accusing the other of various crimes and shortcommings.
"I did not steal Yugi's cookie recipe, you no-good, tomb-robbing son-of-a-b"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
The entire room (save a still spellbound Joey) looked over at Serenity, who had covered her own mouth. "Um...what I meant was, can't you two find something to agree on?"
"NO!" Both the albino and the Egyptian shouted.
"Ok...favorite color?"
"Blue."
"Pink." The entire table looked over at Malik, eyes wide. "What? It looks good on me!"
"Ummm...favorite food?"
"Chicken stir fry."
"Cockroaches." This time, the entire table looked over at Bakura. "What are you fools staring at! Your ancestors probably ate more than their fare share of insects, especially since-"
"Spare us the details please..." Serenity said as she cringed at the thought of eating an insect. "I know...favorite video game!"
"STREET FIGHTER!"
"MORTAL KOMBAT!"
The two foes glared at each other again. "STREET FIGHER KICKES MORTAL COMBAT BEE-HIND!" Malik shouted.
"NONSENSE, AT LEAST ON MORTAL KOMBAT YOU CAN KILL PEOPLE! WHAT CAN YOU DO ON STREET FIGHTER, HIT SOMEONE WITH A GOOFY-LOOKING FIREBALL!"
"AT LEAST ON STREET FIGHTER NOT EVERYBODY IS SOME SUPER-DEFORMED FREAK! ALL OUR CHARACTERS AT LEAST LOOK HUMAN!"
"OH, YEAH? AT LEAST MORTAL KOMBAT TITLES DONT SOUND LIKE ALGEBRA EQUATIONS! WHAT WAS THE LAST STREET FIGHTER TITLE? STREET FIGHTER EX PLUS ALPHA TIMES THE THIRD ROOT OF PI SQUARED MINUS THETA?"
"NO...It was Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha Three." Malik held his head downcast, realizing he was beaten.
Serenity shook her head, wondering why she had even brought up the subject in the first place. Besides, they were both wrong. Soul Calibur was the best...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SOMEONE HELP ME!"
Everyone looked up, realizing the shouting was coming from upstairs...
That chapter...two words for it: YUCK AND POO! Definitely not one of my best. Oh well...I'll probably be wrapping this one up in a few weeks, then come back and re-do it whenever I get some time. Reviews are welcome, and thank you again for all of your well wishes. Also a special shout-out for those of you who reviewed my one-shot, "Dear Serenity, IHateYou.": THERE"S GONNA BE AFOLLOW-UP! YES! Sorry, a little toohyper.I'm out.
BDB...out
