Phoenix: hi guys, my new chapter's up, so make sure you review, or else I'm gonna be real sad. A sad Phoenix is not a Phoenix you wanna be around.
Chapter 12: Winds of Evil
Kari decided to walk to school today. After many classes, late slips, and detentions for the late slips, she found new talents. She seemed to be skilled at music and exceptional in history. You know what? She would be even better at the subject if she didn't have such a terrible teacher. Oh well, she would just look over Kaiba's shoulder (he sits in front of her) and copy off of his notes whenever she wasn't paying attention. You can't blame her. It's hard to stay awake when Mr. C is within a 3 feet radius of you.
Today she zoned out again and had to peek over Kaiba's shoulder. He made no reaction as to realize if she was doing it, but he did glance back at her and might have caught her. However, he seemed like he just let her do it.
"Now, who knows the name of the famous person that led Athens through their Golden Age hundreds of years ago in Ancient Greece?" Mr. C stated more than asked. He surveyed the room. Plenty of people had their heads down as usual, but he couldn't care less. He wanted to get someone on surprise. So he decided to get that annoying student with the blue eyes and light hair in the back of the room. Oh, how she bothered him so much.
"You, annoying student," Mr. C pointed to Kari.
"My name, for the millionth time, is Kari," she said resignedly, trying to stall for time since she didn't know the answer nor was even paying attention to the question.
"Just answer the question." He replied coldly.
"Uh…um…" Kari looked around, seeking help that she knew she wouldn't receive. Then a voice whispered to her.
"It's Pericles," Kaiba said under his breath in front of her.
"…Uh, Pericles!" Kari said quickly.
Mr. C was just annoyed even further. He was hoping that she wouldn't get it and he would catch her off guard.
"…Fine. That's the correct answer." Mr. C said.
"Thank you," Kari leaned forward a little and whispered into Kaiba's ear.
Kaiba grunted and continued his note taking.
"Yes! Lunch time!" Kari said as she climbed up the tree and into her usual spot. She started eating away when she felt someone…or something…behind her. A cold and eerie wind swept across her face and she was starting to get scared. She turned around and almost jumped in shock of what she saw. It looked like a ghost with long white hair and a mask covering most of its face. It was holding something that looked like a gold rod with a strange eye on it. The ghost pointed the rod at her, but just as it did that, Kari lost her balance. She tried holding on, but the branch she clung to gave way and she fell. A long way from the ground.
Kari yelled and closed her eyes, waiting to make contact with the ground below her. Instead, she felt someone catch her. It was none other than Kaiba.
"Kaiba? What are you doing here?"
"If you saw someone fall from a tree, you would try to catch them too."
Kari blinked, then she realized that he was staring at her. He must have realized it too.
"Can you put me down now?"
Turning red, Kaiba put her down. Trying to change the subject, he said, "Why did you lose your balance? You never had before."
Kari shivered. It was that ghost. "I saw this shadow or ghost of someone. They were holding a gold rod with a weird eye on it and was about to point it at me when I fell. I feel like I've seen them before…" She trailed off.
"Hmm. Stay away from horror movies." He stated and started walking away.
"It wasn't my imagination, though! It was real!" She said after him. Sighing and letting it go, she checked the school clock on the building. Dear God.
"No! I'm going to be late!" Kari exclaimed as she started sprinting towards the door. As she ran past Kaiba, he looked up from deep thought, then also realized what time it is.
"Shoot. I've never been late for class." He said as he broke into a run.
"Move aside, Kari! My reputation's more important than yours!" He said as he pushed her out of the way.
"I can't afford another late slip!" She said as she got the lead. They both bolted into the school and ran down the hall—only to be stopped by the principal.
"Mr. Kaiba! What do you think you're doing, running in the halls? You can tell me in detention." He reached into his pocket and took out a detention slip, scribbled down on it, and handed it to him. He then left, not noticing Kari.
"Well, that worked out for me. I guess he didn't see me." Kari said as she walked out from behind Kaiba.
"So this is the thanks I get for catching you when you fell from that tree." He said. "I have never been tardy before."
"Oh, cheer up," Kari said. "I've gotten a lot of—"
"Ms. Manato! No talking in the halls!" The principal came back, ripped the detention slip out of Kaiba's hands, and scribbled Kari's name next to Kaiba's on it. "You can join him in detention." He walked away triumphantly.
"Great, now I have to see Mr. C again…" Kari mumbled.
"He's the detention teacher?" Kaiba asked.
"Unfortunately. I guess I should go to class now before I'm even later than I already am." Kari walked towards her locker and got her things out. Then she stepped into the Language Arts room.
"Ms. Manato, do you have a pass?" The Language Arts teacher, Mrs. E, asked. Kari froze. She couldn't get two detentions in one day. She thought quickly and then made an excuse.
"Well, see, I fell pretty bad at lunch today, so I was on my way to the nurse's office. She wasn't there, so I went around looking for her. When I couldn't find her, I went to her office anyway and grabbed a bandage." She pointed to a bandage on her knee, which had been there for a week or so and that she was hoping no one would have noticed before.
"Oh, are you okay now?" she asked. Kari nodded. "Good," Mrs. E smiled. "Fan. Tastic."
Kari had to hold in a laugh when she walked into her seat. Mrs. E said "fantastic" like it was two words and emphasized the "fan" part. Then she spaced out for the rest of the class, staring outside the whole time.
Kaiba only half-listened to the science lecture. His mind was pondering what Kari had said about seeing a ghost that made her fall from the tree. The "rod" it was holding sounded a lot like the Millennium Rod, but he couldn't tell who the ghost itself was. He had a feeling that what she said about seeing a ghost was true, even though he told her it was just her imagination. That person sounded all too familiar; he just couldn't put his finger on it.
The bell rang and he rushed out of science in order to have more time in his free period, which was next. He decided to work on his laptop outside, right under the tree that Kari usually sits in for lunch. He started typing away and working on his latest Kaiba Corp projects. Then wind came by and brushed across him. It made him shiver, for it was eerie and strange. It wasn't your average breeze that cooled you off; it made you scared, it made you start to anticipate for something that's coming.
And there it was; the ghost. It floated in front of Kaiba menacingly. Kaiba was frightened, but he didn't let it show and remained motionless. It looked like they were having a staring contest.
"Seto!" It said and reached out a hand (if you really wanted to call it a hand) slowly to touch him. Kaiba sat back against the tree and groped for a stick or rock behind him. Once he found an object that felt worthy of chucking at someone, he grabbed it and threw it right at the ghost.
"Stop!" It said as it tried using something that looked like the Millennium Rod to shield its face. Then it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind except for the strange winds. Kaiba got up and shut off his laptop. He tucked it under his arm and headed back into the building, deciding that that was enough outdoor time for the day. He was lost deep in thought and was about to wander onto the street. A nearby motorcycle had lost control and was heading straight for Kaiba. Once it was close, Kaiba finally noticed it but was fozen stiff and unable to move. He was waiting for it to hit him, as it was a foot away now. But Kari came just in time and pushed him out of the way.
"I returned the favor," Was all she said as she continued staring at him once they were both on the ground and out of the way. He stared back at her until those chilly winds broke their gaze. Kari shivered, and Kaiba brought her into a hug to warm her up. They had a silent understanding that someone was out there. And looking for them.
The winds were unable to break their embrace and blew away.
Those winds were the winds that Kari felt before falling 15 feet. Those winds were the winds that Kaiba felt before being fatally injured. Those winds were truly the Winds of Evil.
But the Winds of Evil also made Kisara and High Priest Seto come together at last.
Phoenix: So, they saved each other. Strange, the eerie winds came right before those tragedies happened…any guesses? Predictions? I'd love to hear 'em in a review or such. And aoi-akai, Akina Sachi, guess who Mrs. E is. Yup, the same one at school. I swear, that's exactly how she says "fantastic", it's actually pretty funny. Till next time! :P