Yes, I am still alive and still writing. I am really sorry for taking so long to upload. To be honest, the reason I think I couldn't get myself to write is that my brain figured out that after I write in DSOD I have to . . . end . . . this story. So yeah, my writer's block has been really bad in the last few months. I think I finally have a grip on what I'm going to write next so hope it's faster to write the next chapter. Plus I really wanted to get this up for Christmas because this is all I really have to offer to all you wonderful people. Thank you so much for all the encouragement in messages and reviews, especially from Spiritstrike and SunsetMedal for reviewing despite my long silence. Thank you everyone and please be safe at this crazy time.
Boring stuff. I only own OCs. Thanks to battousaisgirl16 for editing.
Enjoy :)
Chapter 75
Senior year. It sounded so odd saying aloud but it was everywhere Yugi went. Everything seemed too normal. It should be a relief. Not having to save the world and not having to navigate around a large puzzle around his neck should make him feel lighter, right?
His friends had been supportive. Tea walked to school with him every morning. It was great, though, if Grandpa kept making comments about him and Tea, so they'd started meeting at other places around town to avoid the awkward teasing. He could imagine Yami having a good laugh at his expense if he could see him sneaking around to meet up with a girl.
Cold spring air nipped at his face as he made the rest of the way home alone. All this seemed too normal, which he was grateful for. He couldn't think of all the upcoming exams and college preparations while saving the world at the same time. He was nervous about college preparations coming up as well. He hoped nothing crazy happened.
With the scholarship from Pegasus, he could go to any school he wanted, but had picked a local school. It had what he wanted, but most importantly it was daily commuting distance so he could still help out in the shop; this way it would free up Airi to go where she wanted to go for her graduate degree. He hadn't told her and he hoped she wouldn't feel guilty if she ever did suspect his intentions.
Again his mind went to Airi. Ever since the tournament, she'd been more and more reclusive. She'd taken overtime at work and had seemed to be more focused on school than even Tea and Ryu. The only way he saw her at all was when she decided to sit with them while she worked on her computer or a book. Even those times became less and less frequent. Something had happened during the tournament, but she refused to say; giving excuses like she was just tired or school and graduate applications were difficult.
And this week was her birthday and she hadn't even taken off work. He'd offered to take school off and do something but they both knew he couldn't. Missing so much school the last few years saving the world made talking off any more time affect his graduation status. He'd thought it would be worth it, but she'd declined his offer. He frowned. There had to be something he could do for her.
Airi finished printing off the new inventory page and placed it in the box. She'd taken the task of reboxing most of the smaller collections of the museum which had taken the last several weeks. Closing the box lid she turned back to the computer checking the information email she'd gotten from her boss listing all her tasks for the day. She'd already completed the smaller ones and the major one had reached her goals for the day. A glance at the clock showed that it was nearly time to leave.
20 years old. Airi mulled that fact over in her mind. Shouldn't she feel different? She clicked through tabs trying to decide what to do. She'd been told she was doing too much overtime for a part-time employee and needed to space it out. It was her birthday she should do something special. Though every time she considered what she could do she kept hitting a block. Yugi was in school, and grandpa had the shop. Even if they offered to take time off they couldn't. Nasira was in Egypt and most of her other friends were scattered around the world. She could probably go to the library or maybe just walk around the park until Yugi got out of school.
She glanced at her phone, checking it again in case she'd put it on silent. No calls or messages. Snorting in frustration she tossed it back on the deck and scrolled back through the checklist on the screen. No word from Seto. She'd tried calling him after the tournament and for weeks after, but no response. Now it was months later and still no word from him or Mokuba. The last message she'd heard from the younger Kaiba was he and Seto were busy with some plans he couldn't tell her, and that had been New Years. Maybe Kaiba had told Mokuba to stay away from her as a punishment for her reaction.
Her phone went off making her jump. Picking it up she stared at the caller-ID. She clicked the answer button.
"Mai?"
"Hey girl, you busy."
"I'm at work."
"When do you get off."
"In ten or so minutes." Airi looked at the clock. "More like five minutes."
"Good, I'll pick you up out front." she clicked off before Airi could object.
Airi hung up glaring at the opposite wall. Why did everyone assume she was always available. She had stuff to do. Looking around the room she remembered she'd done everything required for work and her to-do list at home wasn't as mandatory either. She really didn't have a life. Skyping Nasira and being in the same room when Yugi and his friends hung out at their house didn't count as a social life no matter how she justified it to grandpa. Besides, it was her birthday. Sighing, she grabbed a jacket and went to clock out.
Mai was already there by the time Airi got outside. She leaned against her motorcycle at the bottom of the museum steps. A spring breeze teased at her hair as she checked her helmet.
"Hey." Airi called as she descended the stairs.
"Happy Birthday!" Mai pulled her into a hug once Airi was in range.
"You remembered?"
"Give me some credit. I've known you longer than most of the dweebs."
"I guess." Airi conceded. Then again, she hadn't made many friends until recently besides Mai and the Kaiba brothers. She shrugged off the thought. "I thought you wouldn't be in until tomorrow." Mai had told them she was driving through a week ago and would stop by.
"Yeah, but the traffic wasn't as bad as I thought, and I haven't gotten to hang out with you in ages.
Airi smiled. "It has been a long time hasn't it."
"So, come on, there's this one place I really want to try." Mai motioned towards the back of her motorcycle, as she pulled out the smaller helmet from the saddlebag.
Airi tried hard to act like she'd always ridden on a motorcycle but gave up and held on to Mai for dear life as she zipped through downtown traffic. When they pulled in front of the teashop she staggered off the bike.
Mai stepped off smoothly. "Sorry, I should have warned you that I drive kinda crazy."
"It's fine." Airi composed herself and followed her friend inside, hoping she didn't look as shaken up as she felt.
The shop was new but already popular with groups of people sitting around the room. Mai asked Airi to find them a place to sit while she got the tea. Navigating the labyrinth of tables Airi finally located a booth in the back and slid in. Once there the noise seemed to lessen and she had a good view of the room. Most of the other patrons seemed to be college kids or elderly couples. A twinge of jealousy twisted her chest and she concentrated on an advertisement set in the middle of the table.
"Here you go." Mai placed a steaming container in front of her before sliding into the spot across. "Oolong and honey, right?"
"Yeah, I'm shocked you remembered." Airi placed her wrists on either side of the paper cup using it to warm herself while she waited for it to cool down.
"How could I forget" Mai slipping into her seat. "That night in Kyoto was crazy and a hoot. We need to do that again sometime."
Airi laughed. "I don't think the town would survive."
"We weren't that crazy." Mai took a sip of the steaming hot liquid. "That moron was dumb enough to challenge us to the wasabi challenge. Should haven't had a bet if he wasn't willing to pay up."
Airi grinned at the memory. It had been when she and Seto were still together. He'd been distracted by a business proposition and Airi had been bored and irritable and had decided to sneak out to see the town without him. Somewhere around the fifth street, she'd walked down she'd gotten lost, and had bumped into Mai, who also had gotten lost. Both decided to get their bearings at a local tea shop. They were supposed to be a minute, but after getting into a fight with a thug who'd refused to pay up after Mai beat him at the wasabi eating contest, resulting in the staff throwing him out, and staying most the night talking and joking with some of the staff they hadn't noticed the time until Roland appeared to bring her back.
"The servers were cute." Airi mused out loud. "That one was really into you."
Mai snorted. "Yeah, you didn't see how he acted with the table full of college girls then. But the other was really into you. I told you to get his number."
Airi choked on her tea. "I had a boyfriend at the time."
"Oh yeah." Mai laughed again. "I keep forgetting you two were a thing."
Airi snorted. Seto had been furious when she got back, probably from worry, but he covered it behind shouting about appearances and reputation. She stared at her cup, not seeing it as she realized that was a lot of their interactions before the break up; Airi did something, Seto was disappointed.
Swallowing the lump in her throat she tried to smile. "He was pretty upset over that night, or any time I stepped out of line."
"Stepped out of line? He was your boyfriend, not your parent." Mai said. "Don't tell me those rumors people said were true?"
"What rumors?"
Mai gave her a look.
"I didn't hear any rumors about me and Seto." Airi said. "I didn't talk to anyone who mentioned rumors."
"That's not helping your defense."
Airi rolled her eyes. "Ok, Miss-know-it-all, what rumors?"
"Fine, but you'll laugh. From what I heard, Kaiba would chase off everyone who got within a five-inch radius of you.
Airi stared at her.
"You're not laughing." Mai said.
"I'd laugh if it sounded ridiculous, but unfortunately, it sounds like something he'd do." She studied her tea. "I haven't dated that many guys outside Seto. None actually. I didn't even dance with that many young single guys when I was with him unless I was mad at him." she thought of dancing with Siegfried Von Schroeder and grimaced.
"Probably for the best," Mai said. "Another rumor around the tournaments was Kaiba would ruin anyone who he considered getting too close to you."
Airi considered this statement. Kaiba had mentioned not being able to 'challenge' a spirit, and now that she thought of it he'd always run interference, personally or with Roland, whenever she spent too much talking to potential clients. The idea of Kaiba targeting a person she liked made her skin crawl. She was actually relieved Yami was in the afterlife, or wherever spirits lived, where Kaiba couldn't attack him.
"Are you doing ok?" Mai's voice snapped Airi back to the present.
"Yeah, sorry, I've had a lot to think about lately."
Mai traced the swirl pattern on her cup. "It might sound cliche, but I'm here if you want to talk."
Airi looked at her friend. "I know but I really don't know where to start."
Mai gave her a quick look over. "Boy problems?"
"Short answer yes."
Mai waited as Airi tried to put her thoughts into words.
"You know about Yami right?" Airi finally spoke.
"I know your brother had a spirit sharing his body." Mai took a sip of tea. Neither bothered bringing up the orichalcos incident.
"Well." Airi paused. "We . . . we . . ."
"Together?" Mai suggested.
"I don't know what it was." Airi's frustration came out in full force. "Random spirit I could see but most people didn't know existed sounds like a mental disorder. I can say Seto's my Ex and people know what I'm talking about. Me and Yami?" she shoved the rising pain ripping through the heart again. "Maybe it's a good thing he's not here anymore."
"Why?"
"Because why would he want me? Why would he settle for me when there is a whole world out there. Kind of hard when you can only talk to two people, and one looks like you and the other is . . . is . . ." She took a drink to cover the crack in her voice.
Mai studied her. "There's something else, isn't there?"
Airi nodded. "I, I, I kissed Kaiba the other day."
"You two are back together?"
"No, a least, I don't think so." Airi rested her head in her hands. "I don't even know how it happened. One second we were fighting, the next moment he was kissing me, then he went back to ignoring me."
"Do I need to beat him up?"
"No no no. That's not what's wrong. It's just . . . " Airi trailed off. "I was in love with him once. I should have wanted that kiss but everytime I think about it I feel sick."
"Because you feel like you're betraying Yami?"
Airi nodded. "But he kept telling me to move on, even when he was still here. I couldn't even do that."
"But you think he'd ditch you if he was allowed to have his own life."
Airi glared at the table.
Neither girl spoke for a long while, neither knowing what to say. A server came by to check on them and Mai told her something but Airi's mind was too muddled to pay attention.
"Do you want me to give my views on this?" Mai asked.
Airi sighed. "Sure. I can't feel any worse."
Mai took another drink. "It feels like your mind is trying to rationalize. You know you can't be with Yami, so your mind rationalizes that Kaiba is your only other option, but your kissing him felt like a betrayal on Yami. Am I close so far?"
Airi nodded so Mai continued.
"But your brain doesn't want you to feel bad for betraying Yami so it tells you Yami wouldn't have wanted you anyway if he had a choice."
Airi didn't realize she'd been gripping her bracelet under the table until the bead bit into her finger. "I'm just messed up aren't I?"
"No, you're hurt. Believe me, letting people in will get you hurt. When I got sucked into the orichalcos I knew you and the others were still my friends, but with everything I was going through I used it to justify my actions and I couldn't admit it because that meant I would be in the wrong. I hurt more people because of that." Mai let out a sigh. "I guess the only thing I can say is trying to reason your emotions, especially right now, is just going to make you angry and resentful."
Airi considered. All of her memories, for Yami and Kaiba, were getting tainted by her anger. All she thought she could do was crush all her emotions towards either of them because thinking about them hurt too much. "I don't know what else I can do." her voice cracked.
"Give yourself time." Mai held up a hand to silence Airi protests. "I don't care how long it's been, one year or seven. Take care of yourself. You're the only one you have any influence over."
Airi slowly nodded.
"Sorry if that sounds too simplified."
"Maybe I need simple answers. I overthink a lot." Airi admitted.
"And for the record." Mai said. "I'd say don't take Kaiba back."
Airi opened her mouth to respond, but the server arrived and placed two chocolate cheesecakes in front of them.
Mai motioned to the cake. "Happy Birthday, after all that depressing stuff."
"Thank you." Airi paused. "Wait how did you know where I worked?"
Mai didn't answer. Understanding dawned on her. "Yugi asked you to talk to me didn't he?"
"Guilty as charged." Mai sighed. "I told him you'd figure it out and if you'd want to talk you'd call, but he seemed to think you'd shut yourself off from everything."
Airi fiddled with her fork. "I have been reclusive lately. I didn't mean to worry him."
"I'm assuming he doesn't know any of the stuff you told me."
"No, I don't know how to tell him. I'm scared it'd distract Yugi from his last year of school, and if he or grandpa found out Kaiba kiss me they'd go do something stupid."
"I can see that."
"It's probably a good thing I'm leaving." Airi said.
"You're what?" Mai stared at her.
"I only applied to grad schools outside Japan."
"Really?" Mai said. "You sure go all the way out. Your first time attending in person, right?"
Airi nodded. "I wasn't planning on it, but thanks to Pegasus I have enough to attend grad school. Never thought I'd thank Pegasus for anything in my life."
"Nervous?"
Airi paused then nodded. "I keep telling myself I'm not running away, but . . ."
"Hey, considering what you've been through, I'd want to get off this island. It's a big world, girl. Might as well see more of it before you get stuck in a job or a relationship."
"Are you still a cynic?" Airi pointed out.
Mai laughed. "I do sound like a rain cloud don't I. I'm working on it, I promise."
Mai's phone went off. Glancing at the screen she looked at Airi. "It's Joey. He's asking where I am. I kinda told him I would be in earlier than I planned."
Airi nodded. "Let them know. I could use some laughs after a conversation like this."
Mai sent off a message. "So, how much do they know about your plans? I don't want to let something slip if you're not ready."
"I haven't really told them anything." guilt hit Airi hard. "I should make that right."
"Let's just stick to their lives then." Mai said. "Believe me, that will take up all the conversation."
"Thanks, Mai."
"Anytime girl, but you better finish your cake before the boys get here."
The arrival of Yugi and his friend raised the noise level of the cafe. All of them came over though the booth, greeting and hugging each other. Airi caught Yugi and Mai share a look, but didn't comment. The conversation turned to the coming end of the school year. By the time the group separated, Airi felt ten times lighter.
Airi and Yugi walked home alone that night. Half way home Airi put her arm around Yugi.
"Thanks Yugi."
"For what?"
"Sending Mai to talk to me. It helped a lot."
"She wasn't supposed to tell you."
"She didn't, I figured it out."
He frowned. "I wanted it to feel organic, not like I was meddling."
Airi smiled. "It did help. Thanks."
They walked along in silence.
"They want me to do the speech at graduation." Yugi said.
"That's awesome!"
"I don't know why they want me to. I don't even have the best grades."
"You're the local celebrity, of course they want you." seeing his worried face she continued. "You'll be great."
"At least I have a few weeks to plan." Yugi said. "I don't even know what to say."
"It's simple, you just have to get up there in front of everyone and say I'd like to thank all the taller people whose names I can't remember."
"Airi!"
Kaiba glowered at the computer screen. Months had passed and no progress on the excavation. From sand storms to rubble nothing was getting done on schedule. He was going to have to fire the crew again.
He clicked a file on his computer, opening it to reveal some footage from security cameras from around KaibaCorp and KaibaLand. He'd already looked over it countless times to create his simulation. Pulling up one of the videos he watched the gardens of the KaibaLand Hotel. The lighting was dim but it was clear enough to see what was happening. Airi walked into frame, green dress seeming to glow in the dim light. She sat on the bench slightly out of frame and she stared out at the night, tears sliding down her face. After a while he could see her mouth move as she spoke to the open air, but she kept glancing off to a spot next to her. He watched as she seemed distraught and then nodded and stood and seemed to dance with the air. So, that thief had been there the whole time.
He needed to distract himself. Rising from his chair Kaiba made his way to the simulator room. He spent most of his time in this room lately, preparation for the ultimate rematch. He flicked the switch and light blue tiles spread across the walls, waiting for orders of what to display. Not caring for what he faced he hit random. One of his many locations sprang into existence, today a colosseum like had been made during his duel with Yugi during the first battle city minus the spectators. But that hadn't been Yugi.
A figure appeared at the far entrance to the arena. Stepping into the sunlight of the arena reflected off the gold highlights in the hair and studded jewelry as a very real looking Pharaoh walked towards him. It had spent months and hundreds of images of Yugi Muto from security footage to create the perfect stand-in for his greatest rival.
One day. All of his troubles could be pinpointed to one day. That day he had everything. Control of all the Blue-Eyes, head of KaibaCorp, and best duelist in the world. Then one duel ruined it all. He hadn't realized how much this pharaoh had messed with his life. He could accept Airi's brother having the skills to duel as well as his sister. But it was a spirit that leached off others and using his magic skills had summoned Exodia, humiliated Kaiba to the rest of the world and hiding from the world.
He lost Airi that day as well. She said so herself; Three months she waited for him, right before that day. This wasn't a coincidence. That duel had changed everything in his life for the worse.
One duel. That was all he needed to fix his life.
The duel spirits watched the duel around the portals. Not many possessed their holograms, too fascinated with what was going on in the duels. Dark Magician Girl stared at the duel below.
"How many of these things is he going to do?" Celtic Guardian mumbled.
"He really hates master Yugi." Dark Magician Girl said. "This is, what, the millionth simulation so far?"
Mahad shook his head. "That's not Master Yugi he's dueling."
"Of course it is. See, hair, uniform, it's master Yugi."
"But the strategy is more Yami's."
Dark Magician Girls took another look as the hologram opponent defended an attack from Kaiba. "Oh, yeah, I see it now. No wonder Mr Kaiba is pissed."
"Obsessed, really." Timeaus observed.
"Where's Yami anyway?" Celtic Guardian asked.
The spirits looked around. Yami indeed wasn't there neither did he seem to be in the bleachers around them. Mystical Elf waved her hands to get the other's attention and then pointed off in a direction of what the exits leading away,
"That way again?" Timeaus shook his head. "He's going to get in trouble if he keeps going off alone.
"I'll go find him." Dark magician girl offered. She kicked off from the ground, flying off over the wall.
The others went back to watching Kaiba's duel. Timeaus kept looking off towards the entrance.
He looked over at Mystical Elf, the only other one who wasn't watching the duel.
"What is wrong with that kid?" he said.
Mystical Elf placed a hand to her chest, over her heart, and made a twisting motion as she closed her fist.
Timeaus sighted. "He's not going to get over this if he keeps sulking. I'd better go check on him too." he started walking before realizing Mystical Elf was following him. Smiling, he offered her his arm which she accepted and they exited the arena together.
A/N: Hope it was good. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. I hope you're safe and healthy. If I don't get a chapter up by next week, Happy New Year to you too and I REALLY hope next year is better than this one.
Please review. take care and God Bless.
