Cat: So, yes, late once again. Why?

So, i'm back to school and this year, i'm sitting big, bad and important years this year (GCSEs for English people who know what they are ((and then fall over at the fact i'm Scottish, in a Scottish school :P))) So, this won't be the biggest priority, i'm afraid. But don't worry! I'll try as hard as i can to get these up!

Rena: And, this chapter is really bad.

Cat: Yeah, please review! I need ideas for chapters when Yuzu doesn't feature...

Rena: This story is in Yuzu's POV. Please give me some artistic licence. If i put some stuff that isn't in the anime in here, don't flame. There would be no point in reading, if it was just the anime in words.

Chapter 20- Difficult Questions

As I said I would, I took the long way around the city to Sora's duel venue. I couldn't say I was very hyped to watch yet another of his duels. The dazzle of the rare summon had vanished somewhat because I had seen it so much and Sora's duels weren't the most exciting because you knew who had won before the boy had even played a card.

While crossing the road to the high-class expensive shops of the city, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. Pulling it out, I found my dad had called and had left several text messages and two voice mail messages.

I realised with a jolt that he was probably panicking. I had ran out the house at an ungodly hour, not giving an explanation of where I was going. He didn't know that I had met up with Yuya's mum and had been with her most of the morning, perfectly safe.

Pressing the green button, I held the machine to my ear, sitting down on a bench.

The machine barely droned once before he picked up. "Yuzu! Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Do you never check your caller ID?" I sighed, leaning back on the white wood of the seat.

"Oh, thank goodness!" he sighed down the line. "I was worried that you had been kidnapped or something!"

I rolled my eyes, watching people walk past. "Yeah, you always do. Don't worry. I bumped into Yoko and I went shopping with her."

"At half past seven in the morning?"

"…Yeah," I knew what was coming. I was going to get metaphorically murdered over the phone about the fight last night and running off this morning.

"Well, please don't do that again," he mumbled down the line. "I know you're going through a lot right now but please don't be so reckless! What would have happened if you had been lifted or something? I mean, people from LDS have been attacked recently!"

"I don't want you to get hurt anymore…"

"They won't attack me, dad…" I whispered. I jumped suddenly, seeing someone in a cape run down an alley way. Had it been him? I shook my head, trying to remove the ridiculous thought.

"Oh? And how can you be so sure?" he asked.

'Oh because the assaulter attacked his first victim while defending me and I am an eyewitness and he seems to know me somehow but y'know, who cares?'

"As much as you like to believe, I'm no big duelling hotshot, dad," I smiled lamely. Thank goodness he was over the phone and not talking face-to-face with me, otherwise he would know I was hiding something.

"Well, neither is Sawatari Shingo, from what I heard from you and Yuya," he argued. "But he was still attacked. I want you to be on your guard at all times. For your own safety, darling. Not because I'm a bully."

"Yeah, I know…" I sighed. I really wanted to tell him everything. The dark duellist, the bracelet, the XYZs summon, everything. But I couldn't. It was the same way I treated it with Yuya. What they don't know won't hurt them. At least, I hope.

"Well, it's good to know that you're ok," he said. "And you do know that if there is anything troubling you, you can always tell me, yeah? Even if I am bad with words and all…"

I blinked quickly, not wanting to break down in the middle of the poshest district of the city. Words cannot describe how badly I wanted to tell him, so he could fix things like dads do when kids are too young to deal with things themselves. I wanted to share my fears with someone and be comforted by someone who understood (to a certain degree, anyway).

But I couldn't.

"I'm just… Stressed… With the Junior Youth Championship…" I lied, trying to make it sound as convincing as possible. My dad may not be the smartest person in the world but he could read me like an open book sometimes.

"Well, yes, that's to be expected," he pointed out. "They're the biggest tournament in the city for your age group. Anyone who's anyone will be there. I don't blame you for being stressed."

"I'm going to do well in this tournament, dad, just you see," I said firmly, swapping the phone to my other ear. "It will all be worth it, in the end."

"I know you will, Yuzu. But don't beat yourself up too bad if it doesn't go exactly how you plan."

"You don't think I will?"

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm trying to say is that if you don't get as high as you planned, you don't have to worry," he explained down the phone. "Remember that there are some kids who are talented and some kids who are talented. Like, in an almost unnatural way."

"XZY Summon! Rank four! Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon!"

"Yeah, don't worry dad. I'm not out to win or anything. But… It would be nice…" I admitted. I knew I didn't have a logical way of looking at this tournament but my dad did (which was so different from normal, it was unnerving) and I knew he was right.

Heck, getting past the qualifying rounds would be a huge achievement.

"Just, remember, you're not Yuya. You have other options in life. Not just duelling…"

My mouth nearly dropped open. My father, the duelling fanatic, was saying that I could do something different!?

"Yuya has other options too," I said quickly. "But seriously!? You're saying I don't have to be a duellist?"

"Yuya? I doubt it. Everyone, including himself, is pushing him to be one. It's expected of him… And now with the Pendulum summoning… Yuya will be a duellist," my dad said. "But there are so many other options for you… So, don't feel like it's the end of the world…"

"Dad-"

"However, if you do become a duellist then that would be super-duper! I'll be there on the side-lines cheering you on 100%! Go Yuzu! Go Yuzu!" he cheered the line. I cringed, holding it away from my ear, still hearing the chant faintly from the ear piece.

"Dad? Dad… Dad!" I shouted down the line, trying to get his attention. "I'm sorry about last night… It was just… Everything… It was just too much. I'm sorry I yelled."

I could apologise for that, at least. I did feel terrible for shouting at him, seeing as he didn't really understand what I was screaming about anyway. I just blew my top and he was trying being reasonable.

If only he knew. If only they all knew.

However, even if he didn't know the full picture… I was not apologising for wanting to buy a safe and I was not apologising for asking Sora to teach me fusion.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure my heart will heal… If you come back to the duel school and my wonderful teaching!"

"Dad…" I sighed. "Look, it's not that I don't think you're a good teacher, but I need Sora here. I'll be back and, when I am, I'll crush Yuya's pendulum summoning into dust."

"Why did you suddenly decide to pick up Fusion summoning, all of a sudden?" he demanded. "I've taught you everything you know about duel monsters!"

A difficult question…

"Well… Because I had access to Sora, who's an amazing fusion summoner and I wouldn't have to pay for his teaching, unlike LDS and, of course…" I stopped, not wanting to voice my self-loathing over my duel with Masumi.

"Look, if this is about those LDS duels, don't let that brat get to you. She's the elite and not to mention she's loaded. Doesn't her dad work with jewels or some expensive material? And you'll probably never see her again, let alone duel her!"

"But-"

"Look, we'll talk more later. If you're so keen to duel with Sora, shouldn't you be meeting with him soon?" he asked. I pulled my phone away to see that we had been talking for ages and I had racked up a huge phone bill that he would be paying. Oops. Above the second count, I saw that it was…

"Ten Thirty!" I squawked, shouting my good byes down the phone and hanging up, shoving it back in my pocket and tearing off down the street.

Even though I would have to face my dad sooner or later, I was glad our argument was mainly cleared up. That and he didn't ask any problematic questions.

Cat: Ok, that was a big fail!

Rena: Argh, Shuzo was so OOC!

Cat: :'( I'm sorry but i tried!

Rena: So, hopefully Yuzu will be back soon in the anime!

Cat: Please review! Can you all be extra nice and help me reach 100? That would just make my year! And i'll give a shout out to everyone who helps me reach 100! :)

Rena: Today's question! *drum roll*

... Does anyone play the Yugioh trading card game? :3 Or am i just a really sad human being?