Hearing Rai tell me that Roland was waiting outside my house, that he came again, sent me flying towards my home. For added fun I used my newfound levitation abilities to propel myself almost instantly to my back door. I quickly entered the kitchen, sped past my living room, and opened the front door. Roland looked up from his phone and greeted me with that same nervous smile.
"Ah, nice to see you again." He said to me.
"Roland. What brings you here?"
"You seem…I did not interrupt anything did I?" He questioned.
I had forgotten that my hair must have seemed like a disheveled mess. "Oh, no. It's not important. What's up?"
Not important? Is that so?
My eye twitched as Razel messaged me. I sensed his presence suddenly behind me, watching discreetly from the kitchen.
"I am here, as you may be well aware, on Mr. Kaiba's behalf." Roland began. "He wishes to have your opinion on a matter and he told me to get you."
"Really? What kind of matter?" This is interesting.
"It's a confidential matter."
"Well how can I help if I don't know what it is?" I posed.
Roland shifted. "Let me get Mr. Kaiba on the phone for you. He can explain it. Hold on."
"Well, I hope it's a fast thing. I have business to take care of today." I'm not the type of girl to throw everything to the wayside for Seto Kaiba or any man for that matter. I come first.
"Hello Mr. Kaiba. Yes I'm here. Well Sir she wants to know why. Yes…yes. I told her you would want to do that Sir. Yes. Here she is." Roland handed me his phone.
I put it to my ear. "Hello?"
Seto's voice on the other line filtered through and my heart jumped. "Meet me at Kaiba Corp. headquarters. I am building a new system and I am curious about your opinion."
"Really? Why? You don't need my opinion." I tried to tie down the floating balloon that was my heart.
"Mokuba tried it. But I want an outsider's views."
I paused for a moment. Then I made sure to respond as if I were a casual friend coming over for movie night. "Sure."
I handed the phone back to Roland before Seto had the chance to say anything else. "Alright. C'mon Roland let's get this show on the road. Can't waste time, I got shit to do today, you know?"
Razel, come with me.
Once again, he assumed his card form and materialized in my purse that I quickly grabbed before I left.
Then I sent out a widespread message to my Duel Spirits. Everyone, Razel and I are stepping out for a while. Don't do anything stupid. And don't do anything I would do but would regret it later. We'll be right back. Until then, Von and Neo are in charge. Their voices are mine and Razel's.
Where are you going Mistress? I want to go with you! Said Seeka.
Me too! Can I please join you Mistress? Nyala chimed in.
I want to go too! Kisa whined.
Enough! Are you all deaf as well as dumb? Your Mistress's words are to be followed. Insolent children. Razel snapped.
They are just excited, I tried to reason as I got into Roland's car.
They need to learn their place.
Whatever you say Razel.
Kaiba Corp Testing Center:
By the time I got to Kaiba Corp., Seto had called Roland twice pressuring him as to our E.T.A. Roland informed him that we were pulling up to the Testing Center right now. The Testing Center was the building where every single technological prototype for the Duel Monsters' card game was created. From holographic imaging to the properly sized card slots, this was the place. It was a huge building, like an air hanger, filled with computers, 3D printers and virtual reality centers. Engineers and graphic artists hunched over screens and drawing boards tried to produce the latest in gaming technologies.
There were separate rooms dedicated to the actual trial of these systems. After pressing him to talk I got Roland to finally admit that Seto wanted to see me because he was busy forming a new, top secret dueling system; One that the world has never imagined. Or so he says.
The humming of the computers and machines called to mind some futuristic lab or outer space facility. It was pretty cool. I followed Roland to a room that was set further back than the rest. It had a security scan outside. Roland placed his thumb onto the little black screen. A green light, almost like a printer's light scanned his fingerprint. A robotic voice confirmed that it was Roland and the automated locks clicked open.
"Wow. What's in here?" I asked.
"This is where Mr. Kaiba personally tests the latest prototypes the company develops."
We walked in. Motion sensor lights switched on upon detecting us. Inside the room was painted white with grey tile flooring. In the center was a long metal table and on the table rested several systems. Each one appeared to be a prototype, all different shapes, sizes, colors, and weights. They all had arm bands, pieces of high quality plastic that wrapped around the forearm neatly tucked under the odd, flat mini platform that constituted as the majority of the item. Each platform was designed to be from a circle to a square. They all had five square placements for Duel Monster cards and when I picked up a circular one, I saw five slots designated for Magic(Spell) and Trap cards.
"What are they?" I asked turning the thing over.
"They are Duel Disks." Roland said.
"This is a Duel Disk?" I said more to myself.
"Mr. Kaiba will be here shortly. Can I get you anything to drink in the meantime?"
"Water please," I answered trying to fit the armband around my left arm.
"Be careful with those. Mr. Kaiba hasn't decided which one he will release yet." Roland told me.
"I will."
When he left, I kept playing with the Disks. The circular one seemed unbalanced, like a platter was resting on your arm. This won't do, I thought. Plus the armband was too heavy and tight. I took it off. Then I went for an oval shaped one. This too seemed wobbly and it obstructed my hand from moving up too far. The cards would be placed oddly on the surface so I dismissed this one as well. The next was a rectangle. It hit your stomach and ribs if you weren't careful. The platform was too narrow and the Trap and Spell card slots were in frustrating spots. There was a more triangular one, and a square one. They both had similar handicaps; too pointy, too bulky, and the platform resting on the top of all of them seemed unnatural to me. I did not like any of them.
Mistress, why trouble yourself over these mechanical things? Razel asked.
I don't know. Because it is interesting I guess. But look at these Razel—how can anyone properly duel with them? They're so awkward. You'd want to toss it after a few turns.
I tussled one on my arm. I'd Frisbee this at my opponents' head!
Now that would be entertaining…what is Frisbee? He questioned.
I had to resist a chuckle. I forgot that as a Duel Spirit, he might not know about certain human games.
I'll tell you later but first, I want to come up with a solution to this…
The solution to this problem was a simple one, but as I tried to figure out what it was Seto arrived.
"What do you think?" He asked.
My face flushed. Not to reiterate but his impressive stature and presence made my breath hitch. The florescent lighting brightened his blue eyes nicely and accentuated his high cheeks. He wore a simple black suite with a dark navy shirt and striped tie. On his feet were European style black shoes. His chestnut hair captured the light as well, highlighting his head with auburn. He was so good looking and suave that I almost fumbled my words. "Ah…About the Duel Disks?"
"Yes. These are the newest examples of my company's technologies." He was prideful and came around to stand beside me. Ugggg, he was wearing Gucci by Gucci for men again! That spicy yet watery scent filled my lungs and I drank it up. He put on the rectangular Disk. "I prefer this one."
"I don't know. Is this what you wanted to see me about? To test your Disks?" I tilted my head towards him, my revere broken.
"Yes and no. I wanted to know what you think."
"You want my honest opinion?" I asked flatly.
"Why else would you be here?" He said just as deadpan.
"I don't like any." I said.
You could hear a pin drop. Then Seto said, "What?"
I shrugged. "They all have major flaws. I'm not a duelist but I noticed some obvious issues."
As I stated the problem with each, Seto's blue eyes went from marble hard to being softer. I made valid points. What was really essential though, was that he listened to me.
"So you're saying that I should toss these into the dumpster?"
"I would. The designs aren't good. They don't work." I pushed the oval Disk.
With an irritated sigh, he said "Fuck. I should fire them all."
"No!" I said humored by his conclusion. "I think I have an idea."
"Oh? What can you do that the top engineers and artists failed to do?"
I felt empowered and in control. I doubt Seto ever willingly let an outsider take the reins on his business decisions. But he stood there in that room with me and placidly listened as I described my thought process. We were like business associates really and it was one of the many conversations we would have like that. I used the reject Disks to get my point across and showed him my ideas. I was surprised to find out how receptive he actually was with a person who he sort of respected. He told me that a holographic system was to be included into the Disk to create "lifelike" images of the cards and their effects. He said that this was in direct competition to a Maximillion Pegasus, whoever that was. When I finished my description of what I thought would make a better Duel Disk, during a pleasant conversation that took every bit of two hours, Seto tapped his chin in contemplation.
"So you're saying a trapezoid?"
"Yes. Well—not a trapezoid per say, but a more functional shape. Like…ok think of a sword. The blade is sharp on one side, the side farthest away from your body, and dull on the other. Normally a sword is slightly bent so that it curves away from you. I'm thinking a configuration like that. It gives the impression of confidence and seriousness to dueling."
"A blade shape." He mused.
"Exactly. And! Maybe when it is not being used, you can have the 'blade' of the Disk separate in half and retract back like wings. That way if someone is walking with it on, I can't imagine who would want to do that though, it's out of the way. What say you to that?" I raised my brow and folded my arms.
Seto was silent as he pictured the Disk. I could tell by the slight shift in his eyes that he liked what I offered. "Interesting. Very interesting."
"Isn't it?" I flashed him a sly grin.
"I will have my team create some initial drawings." He stated. "But back to the holographic imaging. There is something I want to ask you."
"Sure. What is it?" I was very flattered that he wanted my thoughts on something as important as this!
"It involves you." Seto said quietly.
I stared at him. Then it clicked. "You want me to use my Psychic Dueling abilities."
"Yes."
"You want me…to what? Put real Duel Spirits into the game?" I asked a tad offended.
"Not in actuality."
"Then how? Do you know what you're asking Seto?" I tried to prepare him for a serious explanation.
""Of course I am. I was thinking more towards you opening a channel and, with my superior technologies, will link to the world where they come from. That way when a card is played it's like the real thing is there. They'll express real emotions; fear, hate, anger. And they'll understand orders and commands. It will be unprecedented!"
A cold realization came over me. "Is this a trick?" I felt my powers flicker in my gut.
"What are you talking about?"
"This is what you wanted? To abuse my abilities for your game?"
Seto quickly realized what his plan sounded like to me and he immediately tried to resolve the issue. Seto, I will admit, despite being a cold and cunning businessman and a distant personality, never wants to offend those whom he deems essential. He is not a stupid man. Nor is he uncaring. Most of the time he does not care or has little patience for drivel. But when it counts, he is very attentive. Mokuba can attest to that and I have seen firsthand how devoted Seto can be and how much he truly wishes for those close to him to be happy.
"Wait a second. That came out wrong. Let me try again. I am not going to abuse your powers. I doubt I could anyway. I just want my Duel system to be the best and you could be a key part in that."
His tone was calmer.
"Seto, I can't create a hole into the Duel Monster Spirit World. Is that even possible?" I asked hoping Razel would answer. "I don't want that responsibility, especially if it goes wrong. What if people got hurt? Well…if they mistreat their Duel Spirits then they deserve to be hurt. But all the same, I can't just open a portal into their world, ruin their individual privacies and expect everything to be ok."
"My Duel Spirits are willing I'm sure." He said with smug confidence.
"That's because they're yours. And don't be too quick to assume."
Seto furrowed his brow and his mouth tightened into a frustrated line. He was not upset with me but with the truth I put forth. He knew that Duel Spirits lived freely in their world, and to open a portal for the amusement of humans was not right. Unless they agreed. I did not know how to spread the word for approval, but I had an idea as to who might. If it worked, then Seto's game system would be untouchable—he and I would be praised for years. Above all, if I did this I could give to so many what I had; bonds that would never break. I wanted people who were worthy to experience what I did. Getting to know these Duel Spirits intimately, laughing with them, training with them, it was a fantastic time. I loved my Spirits like family. Perhaps this might not be too bad of an idea after all.
"You know what," I said a little lowly, "Let me ponder on this a while. I'll see what I can do…ok?"
The look of appreciation he gave me then was so startling and profound that I smiled broadly.
Mistress! What in creation are you doing? Offering something like that? Razel seethed into my mind link with him.
Razel, do you think there is any feasible way this could work?
You ask me this? Knowing our privacy is highly valued and cherished. That simpering elf, I'm sure, told you this.
Von did tell me. But I also think that this could be a good thing though. I'm going to consider it but only after I discuss it with you and the others. I would never go behind their backs. Can't you at least mention it to the Blue Eyes White Dragon? I'm sure that he will convince his kind and their allies.
Firstly, the Blue Eyes is female. Secondly, this would break their neutrality packs with the other races. Thirdly, opening a portal to my homeland for this spoiled arrogant human prig is unseemly!
Please Razel. Please can we talk about it when we get back home?
I was treated to silence. Razel was boiling.
I admit, back then that decision was hasty. But if I hadn't, then your Dueling would be a whole different game now wouldn't it?
"Take all of the time you need…but not too much. I have a schedule to keep and I want a conclusion by Tuesday." Seto went back to being all business.
"Can I ask what all of this is for?" I questioned before I left.
Seto looked at me. His handsome face still thinking of the idea I had and revisions for the Duel Disks. "Battle City."
That Afternoon:
I spent the following three hours arguing with and calming down Razel. The blue mage stormed around my house with me in tow trying to reason with him and assure him that what I had planned was not foolhardy. Razel would hear none of it though and walked away from me. The other Spirits kept their distance. A wise choice for them because Razel was a hurricane when pushed. The only brave souls who dared to get close, and by close I mean at least a room away from us, were Neo, Von, and Rae and Brie.
My newest mages minded their own business, continuing out in the Big Top. I trailed after Razel outside. Our voices rang out, heralding our arrival to the Performopal tent. My Performopal mages scurried out of our way. The young ones avoided us altogether.
"Leave us! Everyone! Why are you gawking like mindless fools! Get out!" Razel hollered.
"What are you doing?" I asked frustrated.
"You go away too." Razel snapped and waved his right hand over himself. His house clothing changed from his usual black and dark purple robes, to tight black pants and a three quarter sleeve shirt. His feet were left bare and his black hair was secured in a ponytail.
"Razel, what are you doing? What's this outfit?" I pointed.
"What does it look like? I'm going to train. Something that you obviously are too preoccupied to do. Given that you go rushing whenever Mr. Kaiba sends his underling to fetch you, I assume that you place him and his considerations above your duties and your training!"
"Oh no!" I started angrily. "Don't you dare do that! Don't you twist this around on me. I do not go rushing to Seto when he asks. I always take you because I value your opinions. And I don't put him above my training with you!"
"Your exit this morning is contradictory!" Razel levitated up to the trapeze set up.
"Come back here Razel! I'm not done yet!"
"But I am. Good day Mistress!" Razel shouted back and proceeded to jump effortlessly from one trapeze bar to the next.
I watched, trying to maintain my red hot emotion but soon felt it slowly extinguish. Razel, above me, soared like a bird. His lithe body perfectly tucked and released in timing with the swinging of the opposing bar. His arms threw him high into the air, into which he would twist round in rapid spins and land neatly onto the correct bar. At one time he let go of the bar, pulled his arms to his chest and spun towards the other bar. His long hair circled his waist.
His grace was undeniable. His flips and jumps were the envy of the seasoned Performopal mages. I knew a crowd gathered around me but I never looked away from him. Those long legs wrapped around a bar, heaving him upwards. Standing there watching him, I realized that I wanted to make both of them happy. Seto and Razel. I wanted them both to be happy with me and praise my accomplishments. Then I turned towards my Spirits and called their attention.
"Everyone, I have something to say."
They all waited to hear.
"I have been asked by Seto Kaiba to help with his latest Duel Disk system. He wants to create life like holograms of you and the other Duel Spirits. But I quickly offered to open a portal to your world and create a channel through which you would be able to appear during live duels. I made the offer without consulting you or any other of your world first and I am sorry. But I think that it could be a good idea. I want others to be able to have the experiences and relationships I have with all of you. I want other people to feel that. What do you guys think?"
They were quiet. They looked at each other The Performopal mages were very curious but concerned.
"I swore never to disgrace your privacy. That's why I am asking you now." I said standing straight. "If you do not wish it, I will not do it."
After a bit a tiny voice spoke.
"I think it's a good idea Mistress!" It was Nyala.
"Really?" I asked surprised.
"Yeah! And if you can make a portal to our world then you can visit whenever you want!"
Not long after she broke the ice, the others chimed in too. They all agreed.
"But how can the other races know?"
"Leave that to us Mistress! We can get the message across."
"Well now," Razel stated from his high perch. "Satisfied? You have brought down my race to adhere to your stupid human wishes." He eyed me coldly.
"You know what Razel!" I too levitated right up to him. I floated inches from his hard blue face. We glared at each other. "It was their choice."
When he stared at me I got the sudden urge to push him. And I did. It was an impulse I guess. I just pushed him backwards. His red eyes widened from the shock of the action and briefly his arms grasped at the bar. As he fixed himself, his breathing hard from the combination of surprise, embarrassment, and irritation, I laughed.
"Cheer up Razel! New things are going to happen and we are all going to change the world of Duel Monsters forever!"
In the Days Proceeding:
I won't bore you with too many details but from that day until Tuesday of the following week, I brought over many more Duel Spirits. Jalak and the other Performopal Spellcasters introduced me to the Pendulum mages. Now I have them all. So at that point, I had well over twenty Spellcasters. From low level to mid-levelers, they all survived off of my Energy. Needless to say that they all worshipped Razel. Their customs with him were so old fashioned too. They requested audiences, like he was the King of England. They bowed to him, addressed him with honorary titles, appointed sentries outside his "room." It was obvious that their treatment of him was steeped in tradition.
The new Spirits all respected their seniors too, like Von and Neo. Von, being my second Spirit, was held second to Razel among them in respect. An honor that he would not have had under normal circumstances. In his world, he was a Lower mid-level mage, but here he was the one they turned to for answers if Razel or I was busy. In this regard, he was number three. He liked his position though. He never complained.
The surge of mages was expected I guess. After taking over the Performopals, their closest friends, the Pendulum Monsters quickly joined. Meanwhile true to their promise, word had spread in their world about my proposition for a portal. For the most part, backed by the Blue Eyes White Dragon, and later by Razel himself after much convincing and ass-kissing, enough of the races agreed to go through with its creation. The portal was a go.
Portal Day:
When I actually created the portal, I was transported to the Duel Monster Spirit World by Razel. Taking my hand, he fused our Energies together so that we could go through his own portal as one entity. It happened instantaneously. None of that intergalactic stuff you see in movies. No twisting or morphing of the dimensions, no interstellar light shows warped by space time opening and closing. There was no psychedelic hallucinations, no feeling as if you were thrust from a high powered sling shot, shooting through space like a missile. Just a flash of bright light and then we were floating high above a beautiful European-style city. The sky was clear and the air was a lovely warm. The trees, grass, and fields were a bright lush green as if never touched by the hand of winter. Flowers of all colors and scents were in bloom and everywhere there were Spellcasters. Still holding my hand, Razel pointed to the city center and together we descended. It did not take long for the other civilians to sense or spot us suspended. We landed in the city square, where a glittering fountain loomed. The streets were cobble stoned and the buildings seemed straight out of a European town. The delicious smells of fresh bread and cakes, coffee and spices filled the air. Bright cloth stands and gold venders were aplenty. Spellcasters I brought over and Spellcasters yet to be brought over came up to us. Many could hardly believe that it was Razel they saw with me. Rarely does, I am to understand, the magicians of the upper level mingle with those below them. I saw my Performopal mages, my Pendulum mages, and many more. Rae and Brie were there, eating fruit they had just purchased from a fruit vender. Pien Fang and Mei Ya came from the same direction, Mei Ya carrying bags of cloth. Neo too was there. He was dressed in a loose tunic of pale blue with dark trousers and boots. His golden hair was tied back. Ugggg, he was so beautiful!
Lazar, Jalak, Zef, Rai, Jarle and Axel, Gian, Penn, Nyala, Kisa, Seeka, Lux, Brom, Helion, they were there as well. What made me smile though was that I was in their world, their home. Here they lived as we do. Going from day to day, buying groceries, clothing, learning spells and enjoying relationships. Neo approached me, embraced me joyfully and pointed to a nicely sized house.
"That is my home here." He told me. "If you like, I can give you a tour."
"I would love that Neo!" I was very excited and flattered he would show me his private home.
The crowd of mages seemed curious about me. They had never seen a human in their world before. They had all sorts of skin colors, hair colors. And Razel…forget it. Time stopped for him there. They bowed low to him.
Women, I noticed, hid blushes. Razel, I also noticed, was the tallest there. But Neo was the most attractive. Mages offered me flowers and fruit, cheeses, and sweets. They bowed to me and greeted me kindly. They all welcomed me to their city. There were so many of them that I almost paused. One of them was Maha Vailo, a soft spoken master of lightning who was a tall and thin mage dressed in dark blue flowing robes that were decorated with almost animalistic gold ornaments. Large red jewels adorned his shoulders and the creature headdress he wore. His skin was tanned and smooth, with forest green eyes. On his back were two solid metal or glass decorations that appeared to be featherless wings.
He told me that we were in the Secret City of the Spellcasters (author's creation) and that only those who had an in with a Spellcaster or already knew of its existence could enter. As the future Master, I was allowed inside. There was a protection spell, a shield of invisibility around the city and its lands. It was guarded by the upper level mages who lived apart from the rest. I liked this Maha Vailo straight away. He reminded me of Von. Von, who curiously I did not see amongst the crowd.
"Mistress, are you prepared to proceed?" Razel spoke over the crowd.
All eyes were on me. I stood there, among the entire race of Spellcasters. The only exceptions were the Upper level mages, like Razel's circle. They were absent. I would be told later in life, that Razel saw my true potential then, had a premonition about my future and considered me a true Master that day when I created the portal. I did not want to request help or appear embarrassed so without waiting, I surged my Energy. The sudden outburst flared around me, amplified by the magical world I was in and the Spellcasters jumped back from me. I turned towards the sky. I raised my arms up and willed my power to shoot into the vast blue plane like an arrow. In a loud crack, my flaring Energy shot from me and charged. Power rushed from me, thundering towards the sky like a reverse tornado. My body glowed brightly, my hair whipped around me. The surrounding trees, the shingles on buildings, all trembled and swayed. Razel watched in silent, stoic awe (he told me later).
From being Master of more Duel Spirits, my Psychic Dueling abilities were stronger. The show of power was the result of that. I'm sure I impressed the other mages with my feat, because they began to come to me later. But as I split open the space between our two worlds, I did not notice the growing dark cloud growing around the distant castle in the sky. It was in that far away fortress that Razel's equals, the Upper level Spellcasters dwelt.
I knew I had breached the Spirit World when a lax in tension flickered my Energy. Then, extending further my Energy hit the barrier surrounding our world.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I let out a guttural yell as I pushed forth past that last hurdle and came finally through to our world. I stopped my powers and watched as the tail of the long cyclone traveled into the open portal.
My thoughts were drowned out by the momentous applause I got from the Spellcasters. Only those I knew came up to me and hugged me. It was a great experience. Through this, I had earned the respect of the Spellcaster race. I did not earn their complete trust yet, but I earned their respect. I will not lie, there are some freaky looking Spellcasters out there. Some that unnerve me so much that I rarely call upon them. Luckily for me they are fine with being my Duel Spirits. I give them permission to assist other duelists who might need their services though.
I spent the reminder of that day sightseeing. Neo took me to his house which was as lovely as he was. Richly decorated, as befitting his personality, Neo's home reminded me of a Renaissance villa inside. He invited me for lunch to which I agreed. Razel was also there though he spoke little and ate sparingly. Being fellow Duel Spirits under me, Neo took no insult against Razel's iciness. Neo laid out a fine spread of fruit, cheeses, meats and sweets. We ate outside on his terrace which was surrounded by a large garden.
"Your house is amazing Neo. So much nicer than mine is," I said looking around. "And the weather is beautiful. I can see why you return home after training or Duels."
"It is nearly always so here. We get rain, but not often. And thank you. I have worked my way up in society to afford this house." He sat proudly back in his chair.
"Afford? You mean you have mortgages here?"
"Not quite. You see, when a Spellcaster advances in strength, they are rewarded. Some prefer more humble lifestyles but I wanted to advance. I had to if I wanted to get away from my older brother."
"You have a brother?" I asked intrigued. Another blond beauty!
"I do. Yet he is not here. You see, like I am, he is also a dimensional drifter. As of late he has been away on one of his self-missions and has not been back for many years."
"Do you think he's ok?"
Neo made a face. "Of course he is. But you know Mistress, what you did today…this will be remembered in the Duel Monster Spirit World for centuries. Our world has not experienced such an event as this I'm told in, well…3000 years. I should also mention Mistress that since you are connected to this world and have visited, you will be detected should you return again. Spellcasters will sense a difference in the energy around our city, and will pick up on your Energy pattern."
I paused, glancing at Razel then back to Neo. "Is that a good or bad thing?"
Neo noticed my slight change and smiled handsomely. My heart leapt. "It is a good thing. It is so we, as your Duel Spirits, can be ready to assist you if need be."
With that said, I felt a sense of awkwardness. The pressure was mounting and my little show of power left many with high expectations. Now I had dug my own grave; Now I had to keep up appearances and train like a mad woman under Razel and my Duel Spirits.
I wanted to change the subject so I digressed back to their lives here in this world. "So Neo—where are the other's houses?"
"Whose?" He asked.
"Rae and Brie, or Rai or Zef. The others."
"Well," he began, "Rae and Brie life in smaller houses a bit farther away from here. Rai lives with others of his own power level. Basically everyone lives a part from each other. We tend to split when we come home. We are cordial when we meet but for the most part we lead different lives. I do know that Pien Fang and Mei Ya share a home nearby." He drank a little water.
"Really? And where did this one live?" I pointed my thumb at Razel.
He had been quiet the entire luncheon but then he spoke. "Where I used to dwell is of no importance."
I rolled my eyes. "Of course it isn't. What else is new," I laughed.
"Lord Razel used to live over there, in the distance. See that floating fortress? That is where our Elites live."
"And what about Von? I have not seen him at all today. Where does he live?" I asked my voice getting softer. Beside me Razel shifted in his seat.
Neo appeared puzzled, as if he did not know where my dark haired elf called home. "I am sorry Mistress but I cannot say for sure. The Ancient Elf is a bit of a hermit amongst us. He always tended to stay solitary. He has always been a periphery mage, never causing issue and never involving himself in anything. Von is quiet and observant. I have never heard him discuss his home or any such thing either."
When Neo told me this, I remembered Von telling me in my room that he never had a home to go back to and that he preferred to live in my world. I don't know why, but thinking of this and of his kind face made me sad. The time came to depart the Duel Monster Spirit World and Razel and I ascended to the sky in the same manner as we came. I watched as the city shrunk, pleased and excited for my next visit. I had received warm welcomes and tremendous veneration from the other Spellcasters and I knew deep inside that my destiny was with them. As these thoughts filled my mind, and the sensation of traveling through worlds surrounded us, Razel drew ever closer to me.
Back Home That Night:
Once back in our world, Razel and I floated steadily to earth. He held me close so that I would not fall, and I had my arms around his slim waist. My back door opened and Von's sweet face emerged. His dark hair was loosely pulled back to ward off the summer heat and his white tunic shirt was crisp against those ebony locks.
"You're back! How was your trip to our world My Lady?"
I smiled unable to contain my urge to tell him everything. "It was incredible Von! I wish you had been there!"
Von gave a small chuckle. "I figured that while you and Lord Razel were away, I should stay behind and guard the house. Do not worry My Lady, my absence from my world is not strange. And judging from the difference in the worldly energies, I can assume that it was a success."
I went to trot over to him and I briefly felt Razel's hands slowly release me, his long fingers lightly coasting away from me.
"It was and I think I made a good impression on the Spellcasters, by the way there are a lot of you. Oh Von, I saw Neo's house and it was so pretty!" I stood next to him, bending his ear on my experiences.
Von laughed his bell-like laugh at my enthusiasm. We migrated into my den, one of the more quiet rooms in my house. In it were two large arm chairs positioned opposite each other allowing for the conversers to talk face to face. They were deep enough for me curl my legs up and relax. Von sat down in a manner that that one would adopt when in their home. The light that came through the two large windows reflected off of his dark hair and eyes. His pale skin appeared doll-like. I noted how cute the tips of his delicately pointed ears looked peeking out from behind his tied back hair. Resting his chin in his palm, Von inclined his head casually to the side and listened to me, a ghost of a smile ever present. He let me talk for a long while, describing what I saw, who I met. He spoke little, but the way his soulful brown eyes shone I could tell every question he may have had was being answered by my detailed report.
"Von, when Razel and I were with Neo, he mentioned something about you that I did not like."
"Oh?" He asked.
"He said that he did not know where you lived. I asked where your house was in relation to the other mages in the city, but he could not tell me. He also said that you kind of act like a wallflower, staying quiet and out of the way. Why?"
Von inhaled and sat back in his chair. Then he smiled again. "I keep my affairs private from the others. It is nothing curious, I just prefer my solitude. I go to town when necessary, but I have no desire to get involved in matters that don't concern me. But if it is that important, would you like for me to show you?"
I blushed lightly. "I did not mean to sound prying. You do not have to Von. I understand."
"Not at all. It is quite alright. It would be my pleasure in fact." His face lit in a charming way that I felt warm and comforted inside.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Absolutely not."
We both turned to acknowledge Razel who was standing in the doorway. The Chaos Mage had his arms folded.
"Our Mistress is required to do her daily training exercises, elf. Not go gallivanting to our world whenever she wishes."
I glanced at Von who furrowed his brows. "I do not think a simple trip would hinder her advancement."
At that Razel's ruby eyes flickered. "Are you contradicting me?" His voice was dangerously calm.
Sensing that he had overstepped his boundaries, Von stood and set his eyes to my floor. "No Lord Razel. That was not my intent."
Inhaling deeply, Razel relaxed his arms to his sides and stepped closer to Von. Compared to the Ancient Elf, Razel stood over him. In a low, rumbling tone he spoke.
"Only in the presence of our Mistress do you at times test my authority. Do not forget that when you first came to us, you were no more than a novice with little acumen in the arts of spells and battle. From me you have learned much. Much and yet you still pale in comparison to me. When in private, you speak to me thusly I may overlook it on account of your seniority to our Mistress. But take heed; should you openly go against my wishes whilst in the company of the other incompetent fools, I shall give you no quarter. Do you understand me…elf?" Razel's emphasis on the last word bit as hard as a blinding winter wind.
Von kept his focus on the ground, his throat swallowing. I could see the muscles in his neck and jaw flex. "I understand Sir."
If you are wondering why I did not stand up for Von it is complicated. I had to allow Razel to remain the dominate mage because that was how their hierarchy worked. If I interfered, that would further discredit Razel. Plus, he was right. As my true Duel Spirit he was to be obeyed.
"Good. Come to think of it, elf, don't you have training to do? I believe that other pitiful sight of a mage, Zefrasaber, is your sparring partner today is he not?"
"He is Sir." Von replied.
"Then why are you still in my sight?" Razel inclined his face close to Von's.
Wordlessly, Von gave a slight bow and without saying goodbye to me, left us. His cheeks tinted red.
I turned to glare at Razel. "You didn't have to be such a dick about it Razel."
"That elf—he is getting to complacent with you Mistress and has been since he came here. Complacency leads to slothfulness and I will not tolerate that."
"I think you're confusing laziness with nicety Razel." I said flatly. "Von is a nice person."
Razel grunted. "Niceness gets one killed in battle. I have seen it far too often."
"Have you?"
"Yes."
I stared at him. "Did you lose someone?"
Razel said nothing. His Energy changed and I felt myself soften. He obviously experienced something terrible enough that had altered his personality. Was it a murder? A betrayal? I wanted to know but I had not the heart to ask. Not yet. So instead I took his hand and held it.
"Hey Razel, why don't we change the subject hmm? How about you show me how you did those tricks with the trapeze?"
His eyes were distant, searching in some far away past that I could not reach. But then he looked down at me.
"I suppose. If you take to it as swiftly as you did levitation, you might not be an embarrassment." He flashed me a tiny smirk.
"Don't underestimate me."
Still holding my hand he led me outside. His grip was gentile and held my hand as if it were a little bird. He let me go once we caught sight of my other mages.
We entered the Performopal Big Top. It was empty as my mages were in their world, so Razel and I had it to ourselves. Outside I spotted Von and Zef, who had returned shortly after we did, practicing hard. Inside, Razel and I mounted the great center platform. High above the trapeze waited. We levitated to the smaller platforms on either pole and unhooked the trapeze bars.
"I will swing first. As I come to you, you will jump from your stand and use your momentum to swing towards me. You will let go when I tell you and I will catch you. If you hesitate you will fall and there is no safety net." Razel told me from across the way.
He left his stand and came at me. I did the same. I was incredibly nervous by the height. Razel flipped upside down, hooked his legs over the bar and bent backwards with his arms open.
"Now jump to me!"
I did. I screamed too. I took Razel's hands and giggled when he threw me into the air. By doing this he tossed himself up to meet me. He easily grabbed me.
"Now I will throw you. Flip and grab the bar."
He tossed me and I used my stomach muscles to send me backwards. I fumbled but took the swinging bar. Our training session went pretty much the same. He taught me how to use a trapeze. So now on a resume I can say yes…I am a circus performer. He instructed me on how to do flips, spins, kicks and maneuvers. He performed in sync with me. If I felt scared he was right there. If I faltered, he caught me. If I fell short on momentum, Razel supported me. I was determined throughout to master it but Razel merely helped me with an easy expression. His hands were always firm yet light, his coaching was strict yet fair. I felt his body heat when we came in contact. I trusted him. Our Energies merged as we trained, like always. The final jump was a big one. I flipped myself high into the air. Razel came up under me and caught me. His hands held my waist, my chest to his.
"And that is all for today. Well done Mistress."
I panted, my body hot and damp from the fatigue. "Awesome."
We came down to the main platform on the ground. Razel holding me to him. I was happy when my feet touched the hard surface. Razel said nothing; his hands slowly releasing me. I thought nothing of it. All I knew was that I was insanely hungry and thirsty.
On a finishing note, training with the trapeze went very well. I escaped with bruises and a dinged hip.
Tuesday at Kaiba Corp.:
When I visited Seto again, he had the prototype of the Duel Disk all ready. I saw it on the metal table. Its blade-like platform split in half and tucked to the sides. A red circle in the center held the dueling deck, graveyard, and Life Point count. There were five grey buttons used for Magic/Spell and Trap cards. The Disk itself was white with sky blue squares for the cards. Seto and I put it on and tried it out. We each held out our arms and the two halves of the blade snapped together. Sliding to the side, it lit up as it registered. Two holographic imagers flew from its' sides, lighting up the field. Our Life Points came across the little black screen, 4000.
He gave me a starter deck to use as I did not have one at all. He used a lighter version of his deck, without the dragons, so I could learn.
"Ok, so how do I do this?" I asked holding my five cards.
Seto talked me through my first turn and attack.
"Ok…here we go Seto are you ready? I summon The Rapid Fire Magician!" I called Rae forth. In a rush of smoke and clouds of the two dimensions opening to make way, Rae emerged. He was standing right there.
Rae? I asked via mental link.
Yes Mistress? I have to admit I am honored to be the first in your experiment.
"Holy shit! It worked!" I shouted at them both.
Seto was transfixed. "Is it true?"
"Rapid Fire Magician, go to Seto and touch him."
Rae did as I told him and, unlike holograms, walked over to Seto. His boots making soft noises on the concrete floor. Rae smirked at Seto and, like a guy, pushed on his left shoulder hard enough that Seto stepped back.
If Seto could have had a heart attack, I'm sure he would have. His face went stark white.
"Christ. It worked. He's real."
"Of course he is," I said smiling.
"Do you know what this means!? You did it! This will revolutionize dueling. We will be unstoppable!" Seto laughed hard and loud in the room.
We dueled. Summoning various monsters and battling them. Each was as real as the next, each showing emotions. At the end of our duel, Seto beat me. He is the better duelist after all. He was so giddy that he cracked up in laughter often. In celebration, he ordered for champagne to be sent to the testing grounds.
"A toast to Psychic Dueling!" He raised his flute, the golden liquid bubbling joyfully.
"To Battle City," I replied.
"To us." Seto said.
I felt heat in my face and our eyes met. My Energy reached out to touch his. Like an electric current my body singed. He felt it too. We leaned close over the metal table and clinked our glasses together. His cobalt eyes were as deep as the ocean and I found myself swimming in them. His Gucci cologne filled my lungs; his Energy wrapped itself around mine. His long fingers carefully held the glass and I wondered what his hands felt like. Were they hard? Were they gentile? Cold or warm? I did not care. In that moment, the two of us in that private testing room, reveling in the glow of future global fame, I was happy. Seto was happy. We both were happy and we each caused it for the other. I had done what no other woman had or since then managed to do, I made Seto Kaiba genuinely happy. And he, in turn, made me happy. Not just that but it was then that I permitted myself to admit that I was desperately attracted to him.
"So, what happens now Seto? Do we part ways?" I asked coyly, sipping my champagne.
"I was thinking dinner. Are you free Saturday? I have other proposals regarding Battle City I wish to hear your opinions on." His voice was as thick and dangerously sweet as caramel.
For effect I paused. "I have to check my schedule but I can do after five."
"After five is perfect."
We had come to a turning point in our fetal relationship, one that would last for many, many years.