"Well, this is awkward…"
The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. His cheeks pinking more than he'd have liked them to.
He fought a reflexive grimace as he gazed down at the woman standing before him, her face perfectly composed with a modest smile, hands folded in front of her. Canvas dress replaced with a simple blouse and pants in the same beige color, all perfectly unruffled. Not a hair out of place in her braided hair. Eyes gleaming with a quiet, unbidden pleasure at seeing him again.
Ishizu laughed, a pleasant tinkling sound that made Seto furrow his brow in an exaggerated show of annoyance at seeing her here. At this tournament. Neither a contestant this time; the two-highest ranked duelists from Duel Academy's Obelisk Blue scheduled to duel one another next as the finalists.
"It's nice to see you here, Seto Kaiba." She extended a delicate hand; he shook it as if in a daze. Was she here with thoughts of some mystic crap of the same sort she'd managed to foist upon his own Battle City tournament all those years ago?
As if sensing his apprehension, Ishizu smiled broadly as she spoke. "Don't worry, Seto–I'm not here to turn this tournament into–what was it you said in Egypt?–a 'circus sideshow'?"
Her perfect memory of what he'd said in bitterness and arrogance making his eyes water with embarrassment. Slightly self-consciously, he folded his arms in front of his chest and shifted his weight a bit.
"Then why are you here?"
More petulantly than he would have liked.
Ignoring his rudeness, she merely raised an eyebrow and folded her hands once more. "I have business with the Domino Museum. We're facilitating another cultural exchange with the Cairo Museum. It seems as though Domino has been bitten by the Egyptology bug as of late…"
Damned Egypt and everything he'd tried to forget. Damn it all. Damn the visions that had plagued his mind ever since the other Yugi had vanished into a bright light, leaving noting but dust in his wake.
"It's wonderful to see your Duel Academy flourishing like this, Seto," she continued, turning her head to look down upon the playing field underneath the massive dome.
"Yes–the duelists are training to become the highest caliber in the world. Except, of course, for me." He couldn't resist smirking as he followed her gaze.
"You're creating not only a future for yourself and for these other duelists–you've created a legacy that will truly make your name known for years to come." Her eyes shone earnestly as she turned back to face him, braid swinging over her shoulder in a disgustingly comely way.
Damn her. Phrasing things like that. Like she understood–
"I guess you could say it that way," he replied, trying to let her words roll off his back all oily and quickly. Not to let her get to him. Under his skin this way. The way she always did.
"I'm curious, Seto Kaiba," she began, her voice lower and thoughtful in a way that made him shiver, hoping she wouldn't notice.
"Have you–have you found what you've been seeking?"
His cheeks bloomed furiously red, his words coming out a cracked sputter. "What in the hell–"
He felt her arm clasping his own under the suit jacket. Gently but firmly. As if to soothe and steady. The pressure of her hand doing a number on his sanity, sweat beading under his hands and threatening to roll down his cheek.
"The answers. The answers to the questions you won't let yourself ask." She met his eyes once more, the blue-green clear and almost beseeching. Knowing. All strange and honest and making his throat dry up.
"When you do want to ask those questions, Seto Kaiba–you know where to find me." Her hand slid down his arm to slide into his, giving it a slight but noticeable squeeze.
Before Seto could protest, to cry out and pull his hand from the bizarrely comforting warmth of hers, to deny all of what she'd said, she'd turned on her heel and disappeared into the throng of fans as strangely and suddenly as she'd arrived.