Guardians

Note: (cracks knuckles) Okay, this one contains an interesting new twist, one that I hope no one even vaguely saw coming, since I certainly didn't. Please tell me what you think in the reviews! Enjoy and review, my friends!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, or Hear Me, belonging to Kelly Clarkson.

Chapter Twenty-Five: An Unexpected Twist

Karmina opened the door to the orphanage with a foreboding feeling in her heart. As soon as she entered, she was facing an angry owner.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"I… was… er… with a friend…?"

"Well, Miss high and mighty, you can pack your bags and go running back to your friend right this minute. I cannot have nasty little girls like you ruining this establishment's good reputation."

"B-but… b-but… I c-can't… l-live… with… S-s-seto!"

"HA? Seto Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corp? You are a delusional, insane, little girl. Now, get your things and leave! I never want to see the likes of you around here again!"

Feeling that it was pointless to argue, that everything was falling apart and it didn't matter, she packed her bags and headed to the park, seating herself on a bench and crying.

A few people noticed her, but, as usual, didn't seem to care. Most of them passed by her as if she wasn't even really there.

"Why is everything turning out so different from how I always thought it would?" she asked the sky reproachfully, feeling lost without her guardian. There was no one to scoff at her for talking to herself this time.

She'd always seen her 18 year old self strolling proudly out of the orphanage to begin a life all of her own, but now she didn't know what she could do.

"Why is this happening? What did I do w-wrong?" she sobbed. A passerby stopped to look at her as if she was crazy, and she glared at her until she walked quickly away.

She pulled out her CDs and stared at them in discontent. She couldn't listen to them now, since the stereo was orphanage property. The last thing that could have helped her hold on to her sanity was gone. She fingered each one tearfully, singing a few lines from each as she did so.

When she came to Breakaway, she gave a hearty sob and fell silent, for just a minute, before finding the notes that she hadn't emitted for sometime. They were still burned into her heart.

"Y-you've gotta out there… you gotta be s-somewhere… Wherever you are… I'm waiting. 'Cause there are these n-nights when, I sing myself to sleep. And I'm hoping my dreams, bring you close to me… Are you listening? Hear me, I'm crying out, I'm ready now! Turn my world upside down, find me! I'm lost inside the crowd, it's getting loud… I need you to see, I'm screaming for you to please… Hear me! I used to be scared of… letting someone in… but it gets so lonely, being on my own. No one to talk to… no one to hold me. I'm not always strong, oh I need you here. Are you listening? Hear me, I'm crying out, I'm ready now! Turn my world upside down, find me! I'm lost inside the crowd, it's getting loud… I need you to see, I'm screaming for you to please… Hear me!"

She gave a little shudder and didn't finish. It hurt too much to realize that she'd gone back to that same loneliness so quickly. Her world had been bright, and happy, and now, she was empty, alone on the streets, with no way to get out.

And it was cold. Not just the air around her, but everything inside her as well. Being alone stung even more now that she knew what it was like to have someone besides her guardian. Now she had neither.

"I'm such a baby," she realized. "Why cry over what I've lost… it's pretty pointless… and… oh, I sound like Seto… and I'm not like him… I'M NOT!"

In the distance, she could hear happy voices and laughter. One of them was unmistakable, even after her time away. Joey Wheeler, her former crush. And that meant the usual crowd of happy faces. She just couldn't stand that they were all happy, when she wasn't.

"Ey, Karmina?"

She wiped her cheeks hastily and pasted a fake smile on her face. "Oh, hiya Joey," she said in a voice that didn't belong to her whatsoever.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"Just… taking some time off…"

"You missed all kinds a important stuff," he told her.

The others were all staring from Joey to Karmina with shocked expressions.

"Not to be rude, but… who are you?" Tea asked.

"Oh… right… I'm K-Karmina… from school…"

"Dis is da winner of dat singing contest, remember? You were dere."

Yugi nodded, eyes widening with recognition. "You look… different," he told her.

She gave a sad smile. "Yeah… some s-stuff's happened… since then…" She fought the need to cry and tried her best to look dignified.

"Well… we were going to grab a bite to eat… wanna come?" Yugi offered.

"I d-don't have any money…" she tried to hide her suitcase, but they had all looked that way already.

"What happened?" Joey asked her.

"I… g-got… kicked out… of the orphanage…"

"That's horrible!" Tea exclaimed.

"Where are ya gonna go?" Joey asked.

"I d-don't know…"

"You can stay wit me," Joey offered, amazing her.

"Really? I… no, I c-can't…"

"Sure ya can."

Seto hates these people… but I don't see why… Besides, who cares what he thinks!

"Just until I g-get a job?" She asked.

Joey nodded.

"Thanks… so much…"

Joey picked up her suitcase and Tristan got her backpack. "No prob," Joey said with a meaningful smile that, despite its warmth, sent a chill down her spine. Her life was taking an unexpected turn, and she had a bad feeling about it.

Feeling guilty, Karmina unpacked her things into a spare room with Joey's help. "Um… thanks… again…" she said feebly

"I told ya, it's not a problem. I get lonely in here, anyway. And… I owe ya, for listening to my sob story."

She faked another smile. "It was n-nothing."

"It means a lot," he told her, meeting her eyes and making her turn bright cherry.

"Um… yeah, o-okay… but, w-we're even, now…"

He laughed, and she wasn't even sure why. "I guess we are."

"C-can I ask you… a question?"

He nodded.

"Why? Why are you… helping me out… like this?"

"I told ya, I owe ya, and besides, you seem like a nice person, and it sounds like your life ain't going so well at da time."

She cocked an eyebrow, unaware at how Seto Kaiba like it was.

"And… I've been thinking, some… and it's silly ta get all caught up in da past, when there's other girls around who're a lot nicer ta me."

She didn't like what that seemed to suggest. Surely he didn't mean… but he couldn't mean… not her. No one liked her that way. Few people even liked her in any way, let alone like that. He meant someone else.

"Oh… that's good."

He smiled, and she felt a mild jolt of electricity like before, like when she'd had that huge crush on him.

Oh… why is everything so confusing? She thought. Her mind drifted off to Seto and she felt a tear slipping down her cheek.

"What's wrong? You can't be dat sad to get outta that dump, can ya?"

She shook her head feebly. "It.. it isn't t-that…"

"Den what is it?"

She shook her head again and looked away. He couldn't replace Seto… no one could replace Seto. And she hated him for it.

End note: Hope you liked it! Next chapter: Seto's thoughts, and his life after the Realm of Monsters. Review, everyone!