A/N: Writing this right after the last chapter…
~Ava
~XxX~
I had tentatively put my shoes back on and walked around a little. I stumbled and almost fell. This would be why I was currently using a small black-haired boy as a crutch.
"Why don't you snap the heels off again? Like you did when we were in Noah's world?"
"Well, even though I didn't know at the time, it still was virtual." I answered as we boarded the elevator in the Duel Tower after a particularly treacherous walk for me. "If I did that again now, I'd actually have to pay for them later." I explained.
"Oh yeah." Mokuba said, sounding teasingly less-than-impressed. "I forgot that you spent over £1000 on a pair of shoes." The look he shot me crushed any doubts I may have had about both him and Seto being brothers/ Again, my eyes darted to the kid, seeing if I'd said that out loud. Obviously not. I waved a hand and stumbled a bit as the elevator halted. We walked out and started climbing the short flight of stairs to the 'arena.'
"You wouldn't understand. You're not a female. You don't know what a good pair of heels does for your business image. At Christie's, image is everything." I laughed before stopping abruptly. Mokuba had just walked through a wall. In front of us was a brown brick wall, and Mokuba had just walked through it. I paused before following his lead, mentally shrugging.
"Kaiba! Kaiba! Kaiba!"
"Oh you are fucking kidding me./"
~XxX~
My lack of a word filter didn't seem to hinder my insult creativity, in fact, I think it rather enhanced it.
"I am terribly sorry to crush your ego, but you are not a God!" I yelled up at the person who's name was being chanted by…well, I'd say a little over two thousand virtual people. There was a pause as I actually noticed that both of my friends were rising from being knocked to the ground. I would have asked if they were okay had I not been astounded by the ego of one and been annoyed at the other for a reason I had yet to remember. Something…I was pissed at Yami because of something…
"Mind-Crushing!" I yelled triumphantly, "I am mad at you, Yami, because you inflicted horrible psychological damage!" There was a pause as both Duelists turned to look at me. I sensed annoyance and confusion…or maybe heartburn. I shrunk back a little, standing a tad behind Mokuba. I glanced shiftily away from my friends and cleared my throat uneasily. "Ahem…uhm…carry on…" Seto shot me a withering glance.
"Thank you, Callaghan, that's just what we were waiting for." Sarcasm practically dripped from his words as I glared back at him. Yami called to me before I could shoot back my own withering response.
"Sophie. Is Jo-"
"He's not dead." I called back, this seemed to strengthen Yami's resolve a tad as he rose to his feet. Seto followed shortly afterward. I glanced back to the side, something moving having caught my eye during this little, imposed, break from play until the Duelists weren't quite so disoriented. My eyes widened and I felt nauseous instantly. Marik. Marik was in the corner. Marik was in Yami's corner. I choked a little and yanked Mokuba over to the left a bit more, father away from him before following suit myself. I shuddered a little inwardly, my hands unsteady as I felt a psychosomatic twinge in my stitched hand at the sight of the person who'd sliced through it.
I didn't even take notice of the Duel.
~XxX~
I don't know how much time had passed, or what had been happening during the Duel, I only knew that I was glued to the spot and was staring at Marik the entire time. I kept getting the feeling he was going to go for my throat. I noticed when the Duel was swinging Yami's way because the perpetual crazy glint in Marik's eyes seemed to intensify as he drawled on about how much he was going to enjoy killing the Pharaoh. I could tell when it was swinging Seto's way because Marik then sneered about how much of a disappointment Yami was. But I never looked up at the Duel and Marik never looked over to me. I think I was glad of that, I don't think I would have been able to take it if he had looked at me.
That was, at least, until Joey sauntered onto the top of the Duel Arena.
I really did choke then, turning it into a coughing fit before throwing myself at the blonde. with enough co-ordination for me to realise that the worst of the Morphine had worn off. Joey staggered back a bit at the force and unexpectedness of my hug, at which I let go just as quickly as I had leapt.
"Sorry," I winced, "But you're awake!" I winced again at how that sounded, "I mean, I'm not sorry you're awake, I'm happy you're awake, I'm sorry if I hurt you with the hug, I just thought you were in a coma and ohgod Marik is over there and I'm scared shitless so, yeah I'm happy all you guys are here now I kinda feel safer." I finished my sentence without breathing and glanced over to Mokuba. He smiled at Joey who returned the favour. Teá placed something on the ground before she grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look at her.
"Sophie." I nodded in response to my name, feeling once more like my good friend, rabbit-in-the-headlights, "Get a grip." Teá's bluntness struck a chord and I relaxed a little. She was right after all, I was descending into hysterics for nothing really. I paused for a second, still ignoring the Duel that was currently being cheered on by the others.
"I love you." I said sincerely, hugging Teá and for once actually feeling that smooshy, friendship-ness that seemed the norm for girls like her. But in my, still slightly, drug-addled state I realised something. Everyone, save for Marik, was someone I had grown to love, really. I hadn't known them that long, six or seven months at the most, but they had to have been the best mistake I'd made in a while. Of course, then Teá proffered to me one of two cups of coffee and I kissed her on the cheek, telling her I was willing to marry her and downing the life-giver in mere seconds.
I didn't look back to Marik for the rest of the Duel.
~XxX~
A/N: Going through some shit. Possibly getting re-adopted. Slower updates maybe, whatever happens.
~Ava