Phoenix: Ok. This time I have a decent excuse (hopefully) of why I updated late. My computer was dead and I couldn't charge it, and the other computer I used didn't have any functioning word processor, which really stunk. Now my laptop's all good and ready. Also, I'm still updating Tuesday, which means I'm posting my next chapter in three days. So, finally…Chapter 16.

Chapter 16: The Second Attack

"I really don't want to come to school today," Kari moaned as she trudged to the front door, standing next to Akina, Misty, and another tall girl that she saw around a lot. Although she had regained some energy from a good sleep, she wasn't looking forward to another attack. She knew it was coming anyway, which made her especially cautious and scared.

"You should have stayed home then, since you don't look so good." The tall girl pointed out.

"I can't…" Kari said. I would have, but Mother is strict. She would call it a 'pathetic reason'.

FLASHBACK

"You're lucky I agreed to this," Kari's mother said. "After your father died, I hardly had enough money to pay for it."

Kari nodded. "My apartment is very cheap, so I'll be able to help out in the funds."

"Oh, yes you will. It's cheaper than living here. It's time for you to leave."

Kari stood there, looking around at the house she was never going to see again, frozen.

"Stop standing there like a fool, and go!" Her mother raised her voice.

Kari silently walked out the door.

"Oh," Her mother stopped her before she was out the door. "And If I hear you absent from school for any pathetic reason, then I'm not paying for it or your apartment anymore!"

Kari slammed the door as she walked out.

END FLASHBACK

Mother always had a short temper, and she'll just take away school and where I live if I say I was 'too weak' to come, Kari thought. She never even wanted me anyway. I can't risk it.

"Why is that?" The tall girl pressed.

"I…wouldn't want to miss a day and then make it up," Kari lied.

The girl shrugged and walked through the door once the bell rang.

"Akhenaden is inevitable. He would have attacked you wherever you were." Misty said.

"I know," Kari replied, deciding not to tell them about her mother.

Time flew by too quickly to Kari. She knew that Akhenaden was going to strike again, and soon. It was the last period and she saw no sign of him. She then worried that he might attack her when she was home, instead of in school.

The tree became the official meeting spot of where Kari, Misty, Kaiba, and Akina met at the end of each school day. Kaiba was already there, typing as fast as lightning on his laptop, and Misty was drawing in her notebook. Akina and Kari shortly sat down as well. They were all silent for a while, with an uneasy feeling stirring around them.

"So…what now?" Misty asked quietly, breaking the silence.

"We wait," Akina replied.

"We have to help her somehow." Misty urged.

"I suppose the only thing we can do for Kari is ease the pain, by trying to block whatever attack he may shoot at her."

"How do we do that?"

"Well, I can summon my Red Eyes. I don't think we should challenge him to a duel yet; let's do that on the final attack."

Misty sighed. "I can't believe we can hardly help. I feel so powerless."

"I'm just glad you're helping me," Kari told them softly.

Kaiba kept typing away, seeming as if he was ignoring everyone. However, he was secretly alert of everything, even Akhenaden, all sense alive. To him, this was personal. How dare his former father kill the one he loved, and then try to do it a second time thousands of years later for selfish reasons! Kaiba couldn't explain it, but perhaps he was naturally a cold person partly because of his past life. He wanted to shred this ghost to oblivion and personally make sure it stayed that way.

"Kaiba, are you alright? Your face is white and you're giving a death glare even worse than Akina." Misty said.

Kaiba shifted his eyes to look at Misty, giving her a piece of this glare full of hatred. She flinched and continued drawing. That glare could have burned a hole in the wall.

"I'm so tired," Kari breathed, leaning back against the tree. Subconsciously, she rested her head on Kaiba's shoulder, for she was sitting in between him and Akina, and closed her eyes. Kaiba blushed a little, but made sure no one else saw.

Then he finally came.

Materializing a few feet away from the group, Akhenaden appeared and pointed his Millennium Rod straight at Kari. Seeing this, everyone jumped up.

"Red Eyes, it's time!" Akina said, and summoned Red Eyes Black Dragon from her soul. It firmly stood in front of Kaiba and Kari.

"Kaiba, Misty, get her up and inside!" Akina ordered. "Maybe we actually can stop this attack."

Normally, Kaiba would have barked right back since he didn't like being ordered around, but he made an exception. Kari was asleep, which wasn't too hard to do since she was worn out anyway, and had no clue on what was going on. Kaiba lifted her up under her back and legs, so that he was carrying her sideways in her arms. She was surprisingly light. He walked as fast as he could towards the school door, with Misty close behind for support.

Akhenaden fired his attack. Red Eyes stepped in between the blast and Kaiba, so that the attack hit it instead. It fell with a cry, and the attack continued through it, but with less power than before.

It still hit Kari, and she cried out in pain, waking up from her sleep. Seeing his assault a success, Akhenaden disappeared again.

"Go get the nurse!" Kaiba turned towards Misty, since Akina was still recovering from Red Eyes being destroyed.

"But the nurse won't help—"

"But she'll let her go home! Just do it!" Kaiba retorted.

Misty ran into the building, darting to the nurse's office.

"I'm also going," Akina. "T-to get some water and ice. That blow was strong." Then she also left, only more slowly.

Kaiba and Kari were the only ones left. Seeing as standing there with her in his arms wouldn't help, he carried her back to the tree, leaning her against him again. Her eyes were closed, and he wasn't sure if she was unconscious or just asleep. But she was still breathing.

Kaiba looked at her. Her face was emotionless, and some of her long, light blue hair was covering it. He brushed it away, and she looked even more beautiful.

He thought he saw her open her eyes a little, then close them, so he leaned in closer to make sure she couldn't tell what he was about to do.

Making sure Kari's eyes were still closed, he finally leaned down and kissed her.

Phoenix: Yup, he finally kissed her. Only took 16 chapters :P, but we all know how stubborn he is. Yeah, I know this chapter's a little shorter than usual, but I still like how it came out. I also have a surprising fact in store for our very stubborn CEO, hehehe…