Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Stranger of the Duel ❯ Light and Shadows ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

Note: For once there is no note. Well, this counts as a note, doesn't it? Heh… Okay, thought of a note: The Greek in this chapter is ancient Greek.

Light and Shadows

Saturday rolled around lazily. The figure still shadowing the balcony vanished at dawn. It was a creature of the night, preferring never to be seen. He went off to inform his employer of the information he had newly gathered.

First he stopped at home, dragging a comb through his longish hair. He'd been at Cali's since she'd gotten there, so it was understandable that he'd want to freshen up a bit. He devoured some food quickly and went off to shower and brush his teeth. He changed into a starched white shirt and took off.

Talon was growing restless. Calliope has escaped; those stupid fools that are my guards are completely useless! They obviously failed to guard Calliope, and what's more, they missed out on the pharaoh when they had the chance!

Oten came in to reassure his boss.

"Talon, I'm sure we can get her back… It was easy enough the first time, wasn't it?"

"The first time she was taken by surprise. Now she'll heighten her security; she knows we're out here!"

"Talon, we're doing all we can; we're making our best efforts!"

"Your best doesn't meet the standards, Oten. Enhance, and be gone!"

"Yes, Talon," Oten said, leaving the throne room.

Talon got up out of his chair to pace. Everything is going wrong! I'm back where I started, except now I've lost the upper hand! As he turned to walk back towards his chair, Talon let out a gasp. His spy was sitting in it.

Bakura was sprawled in Talon's throne. He smirked at Talon's obvious surprise.

"Talon, you're going to need to be a bit more observant to get what you want," Bakura said, amused.

Talon merely flashed his eyes. This tomb raider tests me! Just wait, he'll get his own…

"What have you learned?" Talon asked.

"Depends on what you've learned."

Talon sighed, and answered, "As far as my forces can tell, she doesn't have a Millennium Item."

"Your forces? The same ones that let her escape?"

"Yes… those forces."

"Well, see that they are right."

"Tell me what you know, Bakura."

"It's quite juicy, actually…"

"Bakura!"

"All right, no need to get worked up about it… Cali went straight home, like you said she would."

"That's all?!"

"No, I've barely started, Tally, old boy…" Talon gritted his teeth at this obvious mockery. "Yugi and Kaiba also went over. They detached your tracking device."

"Damn."

"It's no matter; I'll follow her. The three stayed together for quite a long time, but Yugi eventually left around three. I heard him say he was going home. Most likely, he's still there."

"Did the Priest also go?"

Bakura grinned. This information could be used on so many levels… he could tell Talon, and perhaps use it as blackmail, threatening to spread it around the school and the media. For now, though, Talon was the one with the nearest gold.

Bakura chuckled to himself. "Kaiba and Cali became slightly… closer," he said, choosing his words.

"Closer meaning…?"

"Meaning they're a pair now, romantically."

Talon laughed at this news. Oh, the good fortune! [a/n: ironic this is chapter 13, isn't it?]

Bakura also smiled. These two should be more careful… they should really make sure no one's watching them…

"What do you want me to do about it, Talon?"

Hmm… Their love weakens them. We should be able to overtake both of them more easily like this. Or…yes! We could let them bond for a while and then tear them apart. In their greater grief, it'll be even more effortless for us to capture them.

"Let's just leave them alone for a while now. We need to concentrate on the Pharaoh."

Baffled, Bakura looked aside. He'd thought this news would encourage some sort of attack, but instead, Just leave them alone?

***

Seto was in heaven. All his dreams had come true [heh, Lili]. Cali loved him. Not only did she love him, she actually showed it.

"OW!" Seto yelled. Cali had pinched him. "What was that for?"

"Making sure I'm not dreaming," she said, leaning up for a kiss.

Seto answered, granting it. "You're supposed to pinch yourself," he said, rubbing his arm.

"Why would I pinch myself? That would hurt!"

They both smiled, both exhausted and hardly knowing what they were saying.

"Cali?" Seto asked with his eyes closed.

"Mmm..?" Cali's head was already leaned on the side of the couch.

"Don't wake me from this dream…"

***

Bakura's instructions were to go to Yugi's and start "casing the joint," but he was too rebellious, and too lazy. All my work for nothing! Damnit, I was up all night, watching them! And now what are we going to do? Just leave them alone…Well, to hell with it, I'm going home to sleep. So he went back to his house and promptly fell asleep on the couch.

***

Cali and Seto both woke up in the same moment. It was strange how alike the two were.

"What time is it?" Seto asked, rubbing his eyes to clear his head.

Cali flipped over to look at the tall, antique grandfather clock behind their sofa.

"About… 8:30.."

"Shit, Mokuba's getting dropped back home in half an hour!"

Cali simply ran a hand through her now-wavy hair. Air-drying did that to it.

"I've got to go, love…" Seto said apologetically.

"I know," Cali said, leaning in for a kiss on the cheek.

"Bye Cal," he said, walking out the door.

After Seto was gone, Cali reluctantly got up and went to the bathroom to find a brush. She brushed her hair and twisted it up like normal. Then she sauntered over to her bedroom to find some clothes.

Oh, what the hell…I'm not going out today…Damn, the videophone conference! … Cali pulled out a black business suit, grumbling under her breath. She didn't feel like working.

After she had changed, she went back to the living room to stretch a little bit.

Let me show you something.

Calliope!

Hold out your hand, palm up. Cali followed her directions

Concentrate on this word: `Pyrkagia'

Cali somehow knew, from the oldest recesses of her mind that this meant `fire.'

She thought really hard, trying to focus all her mind power on that one ancient Greek word.

Slowly, she felt an electric warmth on the ends of her fingertips. It gradually grew hotter and focused on the center of her hand.

Harder!

Pyrkagia…pyrkagia…pyrkagia

Suddenly, a burst of fire gathered in her hand. It wasn't burning her, just warm, just existing. Cali examined it. It seemed real. She hesitantly took a step, afraid that it would disappear. It didn't. She walked, bending her arm a little but still palms up, over to the table and ripped out a page from the newspaper. She held it in front of the fire. Oh, it's real, all right. Cali watched the ends crumple and blacken, eventually disintegrating into a pile of ash.

I didn't know you could do that…

What did you expect, Calia?

Well, nothing, really.

Concentrate again, `anachoro apo ego o idios'

Depart from myself. Anachoro apo ego o idios.

Cali tried, and the fire vanished. This effect took less time than conjuring the fire, but Cali didn't know if it was because getting rid of it simply took less or if her mind was getting stronger with practice.

Again.

Pyrkagia. It blew up again quickly. Cali's mind just needed to know what it was doing.

You can use anachoro apo ego o idios for any element.

Anachora apo ego o idios. Just as quickly, the fire left without a trace.

Meteorizomai.

Cali repeated, the strangely familiar language rolling off her tongue.

Meteorizomai ego o idios.

Slowly she hovered in the air, gaining height until she had almost reached the ceiling.

Anachora apo ego o idios. Cali suddenly lost her ability and fell to the floor, hitting it hard, landing on her arm at an awkward angle. It cracked loudly, and hurt a lot. A sharp stinging pain came to Cali's eyes. I think it's broken.

Next time say `syga anachora apo ego o idios.'

Slowly depart from myself. Duh.

Therapevo. Heal.

Cali tried, but she was in too much pain to concentrate on it. She went over to the phone, calling for her driver to take her to the hospital, tears welling in her eyes. She was tougher than most.

On her way down to the limousine waiting for her, Cali called Seto.

"Seto Kaiba."

"I broke my arm."

"Cal-what? Cali, what happened?"

"I broke it. I'm going to the hospital."

"I'll meet you there."

"No, I'll be fine…"

"I have to take-"

"Seto, no. I'm still my own person."

"But-"

"See you later."

She hung up.

The limo drove past Bakura's house, where he was just exiting. He recognized the car. Hmm…I wonder where Miss Cali's speeding off to…Just then, his Millennium Ring activated, pointing straight at the car. Well, she may not have an Item, but magic still holds some worth…