Revised
~§~
Chapter 6: Talent Show
~§~
How are you, Lailat?
We haven't spoken in a while, I thought that maybe you'd started ignoring me. I guess it would be payback for me ignoring you for the last whole year, so I wouldn't be too surprised.
Anyway, I've been emailing back and forth with Watari and he's informed me that you've moved to Domino City in Japan. That surprised me, you seemed rather keen on staying in the UK to work but I guess we've got to get out our comfort zone sometime, huh?
So... the reason that I'm emailing you so suddenly is because I've decided that... I'm coming to visit!
Watari should have already told you but by the time you read this, I'll already be on my way. I'll be there by...
Lailat twitched, her lips parting as she struggled to keep her look of apathy. "Watari."
~§~
Even though the weather recently had been sunny, today was pouring with rain. The water droplets quietly splatting onto the ground. On top of the school roof, Lailat stood, her eyes closed as she held up her black umbrella above her form. It was before school and Lailat had arrived early since she hadn't walked with Yugi and Jounouchi today, so she decided to visit the roof. The rain had never bothered the ravenette, so she stood there, feeling the water run around her feet.
She found herself uttering lyrics to a lullaby, she had no reason to sing loudly, she preferred her quiet tone as she sung,
"Alone she sleeps in the shirt of man
With my three wishes clutched in her hand
The first that she be spared the pain
That comes from a dark and laughing rain
When she finds love may it always stay true
This I beg for the second wish I made too
But wish no more
My life you can take
To have her please just one day wake."
Towards the end of the shortened lament, Lailat was aware that the door to the roof opened, a 'shhh' sounded, the familiar voice of Anzu hushing Miho as they spotted Lailat under her umbrella as she finished the lullaby.
"Ah~, Lailat-chan, that was beautiful!" Miho squealed, she skipped over to the ravenette, splashing water up as she did.
Lailat turned her head towards Miho, her face void of expression like normal, perhaps even more than normal. She blinked. "Why did you two come up here?"
"We saw Lailat-chan from the school gates." Miho answered and Anzu nodded to confirm.
"Okay." Lailat turned her back to them again, ignoring them it seemed.
Anzu frowned. "Is something the matter, Lailat?"
"Nothing is wrong, Anzu-chan." came the ravenette's reply. "The bell should be going in approximately ten minutes, we should head towards class. We'll be sure to see Yugi, Honda and Jounouchi."
"H-hai!" Anzu answered with an unsure nod. With that the trio started towards the roof's door, they closed their umbrellas once inside. The three girls headed towards their lockers which were all located, ironically, next to each other. Miho opened her locker and spotted some letters in there.
"Popular as always." Anzu smiled.
Miho turned to Anzu. "You can have them." Miho held the letters up to the brunette.
"W-wait a moment. Why-?" Anzu waved her hands, confused about why Miho didn't want them.
"It's annoying." Miho sighed. Lailat simply watched the conversation.
"I'm jealous you get that much." The orange haired girl spoke, the three turned towards her to see she was talking to Miho. Lailat held back an eye roll, the orange haired girl was a popular girl, she knew she was going to get more than Miho and was mocking the purplette.
The orange haired girl opened her locker and letters and candy began pouring out. "Oh, my. I get sick of dealing with this every day."
"Unless you do something about your beauty, it's hopeless, Kaoruke-sama." The short light brunette commented. Then the trio glanced at the other trio and laughed, obliviously mocking them.
Lailat sighed and opened her locker, only for her to blink her charcoal eyes as a dozen different things came pouring out. The popular girls gasped.
"Eh!" Anzu exclaimed and bent down. "Where did all those come from?!"
"My locker, Anzu-chan." Lailat deadpanned causing Anzu to gain a tick mark. Lailat was being to get annoyed with all the stuff she kept finding in her locker- how do they even get in there?! Why would anyone be giving her stuff anyway?
WHAT'S THE POINT?
"I know that Lailat, I was talking about how they got in!" Anzu sighed.
"I know." Came the ravenette's reply. "It's enjoyable to see your reaction."
Miho cut them off by bending down also and lifted several different things; love letters, little presents, cards... with money?... and most of all love letters.
Lailat couldn't decide whether to be freaked out or not.
"Looks like you're definitely more popular then everyone, Lailat-chan, even Kaoruko!" Miho awed.
"I wonder how she's feeling? Cheap, depressed or demoted?" Lailat blinked with a tilt of her head. The trio glared before walking away as Anzu and Miho giggled.
"What did I say?" Lailat asked, a confused look dancing on her face as she watched the trio walk away.
Anzu sweatdropped, for being so smart, Lailat sure was oblivious to certain things.
~§~
Anzu and Lailat made their way to the sign-up booth for the Popularity Contest that was announced half hour ago and the girls spotted Yugi and Jounouchi, the latter of the pair looked ready to punch the guy he was holding by his collar.
"Yugi-kun. Jounouchi-kun. What are you guys doing here?" Anzu asked as they approached the boys.
"Jounouchi-kun is entering the Popularity Contest." Yugi chirped.
Anzu gapped at the blond in disbelief and Lailat blinked owlishly.
"Got a problem with that?" Said boy questioned.
"Anzu, Lailat. Are you both entering too?" Yugi asks with excitement.
"Anzu is, I'm not." Lailat replied. "I decided I wanted to come and see who else was entering. I narrowed it down to a few people... and Jounouchi-kun hadn't been one of them." Her brows creased and her eyelids lowered, a look of annoyance flickering onto her face.
Yugi found himself grinning at that before frowning. "I would cheer for you if you did."
"I thought you were cheering for me?" Jounouchi replied.
"And what about me?" Anzu questioned Yugi. The boy paled.
~§~
Yugi and Lailat walked down the shop filled street, looking left and right. The pair had found Honda sobbing at the curb by the school and when they asked what was the matter, he'd said that Miho wasn't going to partake in the contest.
Personally, Lailat didn't see a problem with it but Honda explained he'd made a bet.
What a whipped boy he was.
So the pair had left to find the purplette and after Lailat mentioned that Miho tended to go shopping after school, she might be around the local retail shops. Both paused their walking when they spotted the familiar purple hair.
"Miho-chan!"
"Oh, Yugi-kun? Lailat-chan? What is it?" She asked, turning to face the pair.
"We finally found you! Hey, about the contest..." Yugi trailed off.
"Yugi-kun and Lailat-chan are entering?" She asked. Yugi waved his arms in front of him with a 'no'.
Lailat shook her head. "Neither of us are entering. Why isn't Miho-chan participating? The prize is tickets to a famous musical." Lailat tilted her head to the side.
"I don't like musicals." Miho replied with a smile.
Lailat blinked, she didn't talk in third-person. That seems to be happening more commonly recently.
"Ah, I see." Yugi answered.
"Hey, do Yugi-kun and Lailat-chan want to get something to drink?" Miho asked, walking towards a small corner shop. "I feel thirsty."
Yugi and Lailat went to follow however both paused when his puzzle began to act weird. It looked like it was sending out a signal of some sort towards someone who was walking towards them. At that moment, someone stopped right in front of them, Lailat looked up sharply. Her mind blanked for a moment as she stared at him, Huh!? So Yugi (and I?) ... aren't the only ones? Perhaps this boy has an object like Yugi does...
Lailat stared at the long white haired boy with purple-brown orbs. The boy looked like an innocent version of Akefia, her chest strangely ached at the thought of the man. His eyes showed confusion.
"Did I do something to you just now?" He asked. Lailat blinked as the look-a-like glanced from Yugi to her, his gaze on her lasting longer.
Yugi shaking his head had the look-a-like turning back to the smaller boy.
"I see." He smiled slightly. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I lose my memory..." He placed a hand on his chest. "I'm glad nothing happened."
Lailat glanced at Yugi from the corner of her eye, wondering if Yugi was beginning to notice Yami.
"Yugi-kun, Lailat-chan! What are you two doing?" Miho called.
Lailat glanced past the boy, because of her movement the boy himself glanced over his shoulder. Miho gained hearts in her eyes and Lailat could tell that she was smitten with him in an instant.
Miho rushed over and began talking: "Hey, I'm from Domino High. My name is Nosaka Miho. This Saturday the school is having a popularity contest. I'm definitely going to win, so please take the role of escorting me."
Yugi and Lailat looked to one another than back to the scene, well that escalated quickly. The boy just closed his eyes and walked away.
"Be sure to come! I'll be waiting!" She yelled after him.
Yugi watched the boy leave and Lailat closed her eyes, I wonder what's going to happen now...
Lailat suddenly became aware that Miho had wandered off, yelling "fight" repeatedly. "Come Yugi, I'll treat as it seemed Miho-chan has other things on her mind."
Yugi smiled sheepishly at her words.
~§~
It was Thursday at the end of school hours, the group were all making their way towards the gates, Lailat was reading – not paying much attention to the conversation until…
"Lailat!" the familiar voice had the ravenette turning her head towards it. Short floppy black hair that bounced back and forth, with pale skin and piercing red eyes.
He paused his walking a few feet away from Lailat and the gang. The female ravenette stared blankly at the male raven, which had the gang looking back and forth between them.
Finally, Lailat opened her mouth. "BB." Lailat suddenly embraced him. BB wrapping his arms around her waist in reply with a low laugh.
"It's been a while- oomph." BB gasped as Lailat smacked him round the head. "What was that for- wait, I properly deserve that..."
"Indeed." Lailat answered, she then turned towards the others. "My apologies, but I have to deal with BB now so I'll be taking my leave."
Before anyone could answer, Lailat was already walking away, dragging BB with her. Which left the gang watching them leave somewhat confused and surprised.
~§~
"So, your school's hosting a popularity completion?" Beyond Birthday looked amused as he sat on Lailat's bed. The female ravenette was sat in her desk stair.
"Yeah, I don't understand why." She answered and BB rolled his eyes.
"Okay, how about we go out?" BB said suddenly. "Sitting for long periods of time gets me angsty nowadays"
Lailat rolled her eyes but stood and pulled her shoes back on. She'd thankfully changed out of her uniform once she'd arrived home.
"Hurry up, we can get Watari to drop us off." BB whined when she lagged behind. She shot him a glare.
So that was how the two ended up at a shopping centre, it was somewhat quiet even if it was only half four. Beyond Birthday glanced around, making mental notes before walking off with Lailat walking behind him.
After spending a good hour just browsing stuff and not actually buying, Lailat groaned and ditched BB in a store to find a seat outside. She pulled out her iPhone to play a game or two while she waited when someone came up in front of her.
She glanced up to see the boy from yesterday. She blinked and sat up straight.
"Hi?" He waved shyly.
"Hello." She greeted.
"Can I sit here?" He asked, pointing to the spare seat next to her.
She nodded. "Go ahead. As this is the second time meeting, perhaps names are in order?"
He chuckled sheepishly. "Ryou Bakura. Nice to meet you."
"Ryou?" She repeated, he nodded and she introduced. "I'm Lailat Antar. Nice to meet you too. Are you British?"
Ryou blinked and nodded. "Yep, I lived there up until two weeks ago but thankfully I had been learning Japanese for a few years before moving here otherwise I wouldn't been out of my depth."
He chuckled nervously.
"I am too." She switched to English. "Pleasure to meet another British. Perhaps we should get together for tea sometime." She joked.
Ryou laughed, smiling widely. "Absolutely!"
They swapped phone numbers. Despite how Ryou reminded her of Akefia, he was his own person much like Yugi and Yami. Ryou wasn't a thief or a sadist like his Egyptian counterpart. And their appearances had subtle differences too, apart from their skin colour but that wasn't what she meant.
Her chest ached at the thought of the albino, the one that had been Rania's best friend since (if Lailat recalled correctly) birth. There was still a large (a very large, Lailat doubts she remembers even a quarter) chuck missing.
They continued talking for a while, just about random things and Lailat realized that she wasn't being as monotone as usual. She was giving small smiles and joking freely rather than subtly like she'd normally do.
Like Rania had been around Akefia when she was around him for long periods of time.
Eventually, BB found his way back to her, now carrying four bags and Lailat said bye and a see you see to Ryou as he'd been joining Domino High soon before parting ways.
"Seems like you've made yourself a new friend." BB hummed, grinning over at the female ravenette who shot him a deadpan look, already back to her apathetic appearance.
"I'm not going to." Was all she said and BB laughed, knowing what she meant.
Typical Lailat.
~§~
"I'm so nervous."
Lailat hummed as she gently brushed Miho's hair. The purplette had asked the ravenette to help prepare her for each round to make it easier. Lailat agreed, she'd rather not be out front with the group made up mostly by guys.
"But Miho, I'm amazed you entered." Anzu commented, smiling with a look of curiosity. "What happened?"
Miho gave a girly giggle, a blush on her cheeks. "Just something."
That something would be Ryou, Lailat thought, lips quirking upwards for a moment. She finished typing up Minho's hair when said girl suddenly stood.
Miho clenched her fist with a determined look. "Alright! I'm definitely going to win!"
"I heard something about winning just now." Kaoruke, the red head from the other day, opened the curtain.
"You should know your place." The girl with glasses said.
"It's not that absurd." Kaoruke commented. "There is dignity in just participating."
"Hey!" Abzu exclaimed. "You don't know who win yet."
"Anzu's right!" Miho agreed.
Lailat sighed before raising a hand. "Please be gentle, you all have your youth. It's not a contest about how tight your skin is."
Both Miho and Anzu looked towards the ravenette and smirked, while Kaoruke's brow twitched at her insult.
"How rude!" The short dark brown haired girl at the back exclaimed: "Kaoruke is also-"
Kaoruke cut her off. "Very well. When the results are in we'll see."
~§~
"So now we will introduce the contestants for this year's first popularity contest!" The host announced, "Entry number #1: Kaoruko Himekoji!"
Cheering.
A few other girls were introduced before a familiar person was.
"Entry number #5: Jounouchi Katsuya."
No cheering. To which Lailat watched in amusement and internally cringing.
"Entry number #6: Anzu Mazaki!"
She bowed and there were cheers.
"And finally, entry number #7: Miho Nosaka!"
More cheering.
"So, let's quickly prepare for the free style." The host announced.
Lailat hid behind the curtain and listened in on the conversation as she heard familiar voices. "Kaoruko, I just checked. Half of the female students are for Anzu Mazaki. Half of the first- and second-year males are for Miho Nosaka"
Kaoruko gasped. "What!? That many?!"
"But... our fan club has a hold of all the third-year males. We're also luring first-year males with the prospect of a date with Kaoruko-sama."
"Really? I see."
As Miho and Anzu began to walk Lailat's way, she stepped forward and joined the two walking. Making sure the three girls didn't know she had been eavesdropping.
~§~
Lailat clenched her teeth as she watched Kaoruko switch the tapes, knowing she couldn't do anything.
As Miho was called onto the stage, Lailat turned to Anzu. "It was Kaoruko that switched your tape, I also overheard her and her friends speaking about rigging the votes."
Anzu turned to her with a frown. "Huh? I'm not too surprised really."
"Watch out for her would you, Anzu-chan, I feel like she's going to do something to Miho."
The brunette nodded. "Understood!"
~§~
Lailat had taken a seat on the bench as Miho had gone to chance into her swimming suit when suddenly Miho cried out. Lailat shot to her feet and rushed over to see what happened.
She frowned at the sight of the ruined swimming suit.
"Miho, come with me!" Lailat grabbed Miho's wrist. She smirked. "I know just the thing to do! Anzu could so stall at least a little?"
"Hai!" Anzu nodded and she and Miho left the room.
Lailat and Miho ran back into the school building and thankfully the drama room was right next to the swimming pool. She rushed in and to the costumes, smirking as she pulled out the mermaid suit.
Miho squealed. "Beautiful! You're amazing Lailat-chan!"
"We gotta get back."
So they did. As Miho pulled on the tail, Lailat unties Miho's hair and brushed it; making it look a little wild, a bit wind swept like she'd been sitting by a beach.
"Then to continue, entry number #7: Miho Nosaka. Miho-san, if you'd please." the host called.
The pair shared a look and Lailat helped Miho stand.
People began chatter when Miho didn't appear and Lailat quickened her pace.
"Miho-san? What's going on?"
From Lailat's space, she had direct sight of Kaoruko, who wore a smug look.
"Thank you for waiting!" Miho exclaimed as she finally reached the top of the diving board.
Miho looked stunning in the costume- like she was born to wear it.
Lailat chuckled at Kaoruko glared, her face flushed in anger.
~§~
"Alright. One more step till victory." Miho clasped her hands together.
Lailat folded up the mermaid costume to return to the Drama Studio when a girl opened the door and came up to Miho, whispered something in her ear.
"Really?" Miho exclaimed.
Lailat frowned but left to return the outfit. She'd follow Miho after she'd put it away.
After returning it, Lailat rushed in the direction that Miho had run off. She jogged until she came across an alley-way and a yellow blob on the ground caught her attention.
Lailat quickly realized that it was an unconscious Miho and rushed over. "Miho?... Miho!"
Lailat bit her lip in worry and noticed the piece of cloth that had been left behind. She frowned and lucked it up, bring it to her nose, a familiar smell tingling her nostrils.
"Chloroform." She drawled before sighing. "People these days."
"Lailat?" said ravenette turned her head towards Yami. "What happened?"
"Some girl said something to Miho but it seems Kaoruko can't stand losing." She stated bitterly, handing Yami the flower petal that sat on the ground beside the cloth.
"Can you get Miho somewhere comfortable, I'll go handle Kaoruko." Yami said and help Lailat lift Miho up.
Lailat carried the unconscious girl up bridal style. "That's fine."
With tha,t the two parted ways. Lailat returned to the changing rooms and set Miho down in a chair, Anzu quickly entered the room.
"Lailat! What happened." Anzu exclaimed in a panicked voice. She rushed over and tried to wake Miho.
"I'm not sure, I found her like this." The raven lied. "But she smells like chloroform."
Lailat looked towards the door where she knew that Yami was challenging Kaoruko.
Her eyes turned back to Miho who was beginning to come around. She sighed, rubbing her brows before turning and leaving the room. She needs to sleep this day off.
She was met at the gates by BB. She didn't even look at him as she said: "Let's go."
"Aye, aye captain," BB hummed, reframing from being overdramatic. He'd seen the look of her face. Something had happened, he wanted to question her about.
He leaned closer and instead said: "You've made some good friends, I'm sure the others would like to come and visit you at some point as well."
Lailat glanced at Beyond Birthday. "They can if they'd like, but these guys don't know anything about my life before Domino City and I'd like to keep it that way, Beyond."
~§~
Not much Yami but ya' know.
Song is L's Gaetas Lament. the one he sings in death note.
