Guardians
Note: I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and that you'll like this one as well. Review, please!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh or anything relating to the show, cards, or other merchandise. I just write this humble fanfic, kay?
Chapter Nineteen: In the Garden
Karmina let her tears fall into the pillow. Why did he have to be such a jerk all the time? She thought she understood him, but sometimes… sometimes the cruelty was just more than she could handle.
There isn't time for this kind of thinking, this self pity. This world is in danger, and who cares about stupid Seto Kaiba anyhow? I need to put aside the personal stuff and get down to beating this darkness thing. Forget him. I need to forget about any notion of friendship or… or anything else with Seto Kaiba, because he doesn't have a heart.
Outside the door, Seto Kaiba was listening to the inner thoughts of Karmina, and he didn't much like what he heard. This wasn't how she was… not really. Why was he such a jerk to her again? Oh yeah, that would be because he was afraid to admit the existence of magic.
"Karmina… open up, please."
He said please? Oh no, duck, here come the meteors.
"Karmina… I… I…" My gosh, Seto, just say it already. Tell her you're sorry!
"If you came to apologize, don't bother. We're here to save this world, not become best friends. Let's get the job done so we can both go back to our lives, kay?"
"Karmina, don't act like this, please. I'm sorry. Really."
Oh, go jump off a bridge why don't you? "Okay, I forgive you."
"No you don't… I can read you mind, remember. Now let me in."
The door swung slowly open, but when Seto walked into the room, Karmina was still laying on her bed with her face in the pillow.
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Open the door without getting up."
"I didn't," she mumbled, not looking up from the pillow.
He shrugged, not ready at the moment to argue; he was too busy trying to figure out how to fix this, because, for some reason, he really didn't want to push Karmina away.
"I really am sorry, you know."
This time, maybe… but what about next time, and the time after that? Then what? "And I said I forgave you. So what's the p-problem?"
"Karmina, it's just not good enough for you to say that you forgive me when you really don't. If you hate me, then you should tell me that you do."
"I don't hate you, Seto… it's just… just… you're so… mean, sometimes."
"I know."
"I guess that's the most I'm going to get out of you, isn't it?"
"I guess so."
"Okay, then I really forgive you, for now."
She looked up from her pillow and smiled through the tears still resting in her eyes. One of them slipped and fell down her cheek. The surprisingly soft hand of Seto Kaiba wiped it away and she turned bright red before looking away.
"So, are you ready to save the world?" Karmina asked softly.
"I've done it a few times, so let's just hope you can keep up."
She gave him a playful swat, cheeks crimson all the while. "Let's see if you can keep up with me," she said before jumping up, grabbing her staff, and running down the stairs, narrowly avoiding falling.
Sighing, Seto Kaiba took off after her, having a strange elated feeling in his heart and in his mind.
You know, I think I almost don't hate this girl. Oh, who am I kidding, I really do like her… but she doesn't need to know that.
As she fled, Karmina smiled to herself. She hadn't felt the feeling that someone in the world cared about her in so long, if she ever had. Because she knew that, in his own twisted way, Seto Kaiba really did like her, even if he didn't say it out loud. The fact that he was willing to get off his high horse long enough to make sure she was okay proved that. Now what was she going to do about it?
"You seem better, little hero."
"I am. And I need to talk to you."
"Shoot."
"Well, I think I might have done something weird back there… Seto says I opened the door without getting up and it was locked, so I don't think he could've done it."
Wingweaver smiled. "That's very likely. In fact, if I look closely enough at your aura, it does have that telekinetic vibe to it. And most telekinetics can read minds, so it would explain why you and Mr. Kaiba hear one another's thoughts."
"Okay… so, what do you think this means, exactly?"
"For one thing, it's a very cool power, but other than that, it's useful. I don't know, Karmina. We'll have to wait and see what happens."
"We still don't know what Seto can do."
Wingweaver shrugged. "These things cannot be rushed. Now, I have a meeting to go to, so if you don't mind…"
Karmina sighed as her guardian rounded the corner. She wasn't being very helpful. It was like she wanted Karmina to figure things out for herself.
Hearing slight panting behind her, she realized that Kaiba actually had followed her down the stairs. Smiling to herself, she turned around. "What took you so long, Seto?"
"Unlike you, I take my time."
"Are you u-up for a little exploring?"
"As long as you promise to work on that stutter."
"I think I can work with that."
He almost smiled and she gave a half-hearted little laugh. Taking his hand shyly, she led him outside to the garden.
It was the most beautiful thing Karmina had ever seen. There was a big fountain in the center, with water softly flowing and making the sound of peace, despite this world's turmoil. Big red roses, bright lilies, and lush snapdragons were only some of the many lovely flowers lining the pathways, paved in marble.
"It's amazing," she whispered breathlessly. She leaned in to smell the roses, and then the lilies, her favorite flower. I could stay here forever, right like this. The flowers, the fountain, Seto's hand in mine… wait! I'm still holding his hand! Yikes! She dropped it promptly, blushing and looking away, wandering off to look at some morning glories.
Wow… I have to admit that I didn't hate that… she didn't have to let go… Control yourself, Seto!
As she walked amongst the flowers, Karmina felt herself drifting into colorful fantasies and dreams. For the first time in her life, she was completely at peace with herself and knew exactly how she felt about almost everything. If Seto was right next to me, this would be perfect.
Maybe just this once I could let my guard down…
He walked towards her, still undecided on what he was going to do. Noticing the nearby lilies, he picked one off the stem and, without a single other thought, slipped it into her hair.
Her cheeks turning the same soft pink as the flower, Karmina looked into his glacier blue eyes. For a moment, it was as if all of time froze, waiting for them to make their next move. She slipped her slender hand in his and pulled him to a bench, sitting down.
"How long has it been since you just relaxed, Seto?" she asked softly, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of the fresh air.
"I don't know," he muttered softly, made uncomfortable by this calm side of Karmina.
I think I almost want to… kiss her… but, that's stupid… I shouldn't do that…
"Why not?" she asked gently, her eyes flying open and looking startled at her own words.
He opened his mouth to respond when the ground shook and sent them flying off the bench, onto the path.
"Ouch," Karmina commented, rubbing her leg, which she'd landed on.
A loud cracking noise erupted suddenly and a rift formed in the ground. Seto Kaiba had been sitting where the hole now was.
"Seto! Are you alright?"
She looked down into the rift and saw him hanging on to a thin edge that jetted from the side of the crack. She could just barely reach his hand.
"Hold on," she told him. "I'll pull you up!"
Even at this distance, she could hear him snort in disbelief.
End note: CLIFFIE! Mwahahahahaha! Review, or else!