Ever since the night Seto found out that the statue could come alive, he didn't ever let himself pass it without sneaking a glance at it. It felt incredibly wrong that someone that seemed so full of life was trapped like that and he made a note to ask Yuna is there was any way to free her. Unfortunately, he was far too busy most of the time to be able to hang out with her in the dead of the night, no matter how much he wanted to.
Thus,it was a relief for him when Gozaboro left for a week long business trip in America. His tutors were a bit more sympathetic towards him when the man wasn't around and so they gave him less homework. It allowed Seto to spend more time with his little brother and the very first opportunity to once again talk to Yuna.
The first night, Seto fell asleep before he could wait for the thumping noises to start and he felt awful the next morning. Mokuba didn't understand why his older brother was in such a mood and Seto couldn't just explain it. As he walked by the statue that day, the little brunet felt guilty and he swore that the statue looked sad.
Determined not to let it happen again, Seto drank a lot of coffee and energy drinks so he could stay awake. It worked and Seto heard Yuna starting to move around at about midnight. He ran down the stairs and quietly called her name. As he saw her peeking out of the living room doorway, Seto was startled when something bumped into him, causing him to stumble ungracefully and fall to his bottom. Yuna chuckles as a big-eyed, furry, brown ball with four, small green claws jumped off to her and into her arms, all the time cooing.
"What the Hell is that?" Seto asked as he rubbed his behind when he got over his shock and stood.
Yuna chuckles. "It's a Kuriboh!"
Seto scowled at it, but he had to admit that the thing was a bit too cute to be mad at. Still ... "That doesn't explain why it did that just now!"
The girl giggled again as the thing in her arms sent Seto a glare that looked more like a pout. "I think it was for avoiding me all this time."
"Kuri!" The little creature confirmed.
"Kuriboh has been the one that spent all the lonely nights with me, over the years. I guess you could say he's my only friend." It was said with such sadness that it disturbed Seto. ''I am not really aware of time passing, so I don't even know how long he has spent with me, but he was always here when I needed him.''
Seto nodded, seeing the same connection between the little fur ball and Yuna as it was between himself and his brother. But it was more of a pet/master thing. ''Alright, but just so you know ... I ...'' The little brunet stopped and had to look away. For some unexpected reason, he felt embarrassed saying this. ''I haven't been avoiding you. I just couldn't stay up long enough for such a thing.''
Yuna chuckles at his antics and Seto had to smile at the adorable sight. ''Well, I guess I should forgive you then.'' Seto rolled his eyes as she made it sound as if it would be too big an effort to do so. It made the girl laugh out loud and Seto had to shush her a bit so she wouldn't wake up all the others in the mansion. ''Sorry.'' She said sheepishly with a little blush that had Seto questioning his sanity for finding it far too cute to be legal. ''Um, do you have any games?''
A fine brunet eyebrow disappeared into his hairline as Seto looked sceptically at her. ''Yes.'' He said warily. ''Why do you ask?''
''Because I love games! Can we play something?'' She asked as she let go of Kuriboh and put her hands together in front of her chest and begged him. ''Please? Please please please!''
''Um ...''
An expression Seto could only call a puppy-dog look passed over the girl's face and Seto couldn't believe it was cuter than Mokuba's. ''Pretty please?''
''I-''
''Pretty, pretty please?'' Her crimson eyes were almost sparkling and Seto finally caved in when the damn Kuriboh joined his master and gave him his own kicked puppy expression. The brunet was sure that id this continued happening, he would become completely immune to Mokuba's puppy-dog eyes and that actually made him grin.
''Alright, alright! Just stop doing that!'' He huffed, causing Yuna to release a little cheer and the Kuriboh joined her by floating a few circles around her head before nuzzling her face. ''What do you want to play?''
Yuna shrugged with the same happy grin she had only moments ago, even as she said she didn't know how many games had changed since the last time she had played against a real opponent. It just made the blue-eyed boy glad that she hadn't suddenly gotten depressed about the fact that she had no memory of how she became the way she was. He didn't want to see that expression, ever again if it could be helped.
''Alright. How about chess? Do you know how to play?'' He doubted it, but who knows? But then again. if she didn't remember her own name, it was futile to think that she would remember a silly game.
''Um, no I don't know of this game, but I have heard of it.'' Yuna said as she shook her head.
''Well, I guess I could always teach you.''
''You would?'' Her eyes lit up with hope and Seto didn't have the heart to say no. Instead of answering, he just nodded and moved to the living room. Going over to the only shelf in the room, he took out the game board and the pieces and he set up the game, telling Yuna what each of the pieces was called and showing her how they move on the board before placing them in their starting positions. Yuna absorbed everything he said with an amazing level of attentiveness and she even asked some quite good, and unexpected for a beginner, questions that had Seto staring at her. As they discussed strategies, Kuriboh looked back and forth between the two as Yuna asked and Seto answered.
''Is that all?'' The crimson-eyed girl asked as Seto finished his explanation and the adopted Kaiba heir nodded.
''Do you want to play now, or maybe tomorrow?'' He asked, knowing that it would probably take her some time to absorb everything he had taught her. ''We could play something simpler now and play chess some other time.''
Yuna suddenly looked up at Seto with a daring smirk and a challenging glint in her lovely eyes, cockily titling her head to the side. ''Why? Afraid you'd be defeated by a beginner?''
Seto was both fascinated by the confidence that had been hidden from him all throughout the short time he knew the girl and it surprised him how his blood was rushing, his competitive spirit wanting to accept her challenge, He didn't understand this strange torrent of feelings since he had never felt something this exciting, but he liked the feeling of his adrenalin flowing through his veins. ''Afraid? Never!''
Yuna's smirk became just as challenging as her eyes were. ''Then, lets play.''
''Yes.'' Seto hissed and made his first move. They were at it for hours, making Seto realize just how much he had underestimated the girl because of her amnesia. Yuna was able to counter his every move, or take his pieces he had used to take hers. She made bold, or subtle attacks, but Seto wasn't a genius for nothing and he had been able to counter most of them. He had, after all, defeated his now stepfather so that the man would adopt him and Mokuba, but this wasn't like then. Sure, Gozaboro used to be a chess world champion, but Seto had never been so challenged like he was now, playing against Yuna. He felt a new joy in one of his favorite games and he couldn't help but wonder who would win. Usually he knew that he would win without a doubt, but Yuna just wasn't like his other opponents.
All the while, Kuriboh watched the match from the side of the table and made a soft purring sound whenever one of the kids would absentmindedly stroke his fur. He would switch his view point every now and then, or bound off to the door to make sure that no one was coming down. Then, there were times he would just climb into Yuna's lap or on Seto's head and take a little nap. Currently, the little creature was sitting on Seto's shoulder, as both he and the brunet watched intently as Yuna made her final move.
''Checkmate.''
Blue and purple eyes snapped up at her and Yuna smiled at her opponent. Seto stared at her for a moment, since no one had spoken since they had started the game other than the occasional ''check'' or something similar. Then, her words registered in his mind and Seto immediately looked down at the board, seeing that she was indeed attacking his king with a really good combo. Her queen was right next to his white king, her knight protecting the queen and her rock protecting the other piece. The rock itself was protected by her last pawn. There was nothing Seto could do with his two rocks and a bishop. It was a full blown checkmate after almost four hours of playing and Seto felt annoyed at not seeing the single flaw in his strategy. Yet he wasn't angry like he would have been had it been a less worthy opponent.
''Are you sure you never played before?'' He asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised.
Yuna shook her head as she explained. ''No, I have never played a game called chess.''
He immediately found the loophole in her statement. ''So, you played a game like this, except not chess itself?''
She smiled a nostalgic smile. ''Yes. I'm sure of it.'' She turned her attention to the half moon that was visible through the big windows in the room. She looked so regal in the moonlight and those gold accessories of hers reflecting it. It really made Seto wonder if she had been royalty before she got stuck in this strange situation. ''I don't remember anything about myself, but I do remember a boy with eyes as blue as yours, smirking confidently at me from across the senet board as he made his opening move.''
''Really?'' Seto asked, surprised by how curious he was about the subject and the memory he had somehow awoken.
Yuna nodded absentmindedly again. ''Yes. I can't remember his face, but I know he had blue eyes and brown hair, but that's pretty much it. Although he was wearing clothes like mine ... ''She trailed off, finally looking back at Seto. ''Do you think he is someone from the past I have forgotten?''
Seto frowned, shrugging. ''I don't know ... '' And for some reason he hated not knowing that. He hated not knowing something that could get Yuna some clue s to why she was stuck as a statue that was alive only during the night.
She smiled sadly, but she shook it off, saying she shouldn't be asking strange questions. Just as Seto was going to protest that she had every right to ask something like that, Yuna stopped him by pointing out that she should probably be getting back to her place since the sun was raising. It made Seto feel so uncomfortable and strange at seeing this lively person turn into lifeless stone in seconds as the sun reached her.
Ever since that night, Seto promised to never again let her spend a night alone with only Kuriboh as company, and he was doing great until ... IT happened.
