Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Figure from the Past ❯ Overwhelmed ( Chapter 7 )

A Figure from the Past

Chapter 7: Overwhelmed

Heaven Sent Tenshi

 

Ishizu smiled as she stood before the window of her hotel room. She turned from the window as a knock sounded quietly from the door.

 

“Come in, Lea.”

 

The door opened as the girl entered, a sheepish look on her face.

 

“Ishizu… I…”

 

Ishizu smiled again, approaching Lea. She placed her hands on her shoulders. “He's returned, hasn't he?”

 

Lea paused, smiling as well. “Yes…”

 

“Good… You do understand that this was to happen, correct?”

 

“Of course…. But… I don't understand why I didn't see this before.”

 

“That's simple, Lea…. If you knew… it wouldn't have happened…. Admit it; you would have left this town as soon as you had known who Kaiba truly was.”

 

Lea looked away. “But, none of this would have happened if I had known what had really taken place to begin with…”

 

“You wouldn't have left the orphanage then.”

 

“Exactly, Ishizu… I would have been better off…”

 

“No, you would have been one of the Kaibas… You wouldn't be the person you are now… you wouldn't be as powerful a psychic…”

 

“I faint whenever I use my powers, Ishizu…. I wouldn't call that powerful…”

 

“You have a strength within you that is stronger than you know.” Lea looked up as she continued. “Now, go with him, things will be unfolded when the time is right.”

 

Lea nodded. “Thank you, Ishizu… for everything…. I wish I could repay you…”

 

Ishizu shook her head. “Do not worry about it, just go.” Lea nodded again then turned and left the woman to return to the car outside the hotel.

 

As she approached the black car, the chauffeur opened the door. Lea clambered in and settled down on the seat beside Seto.

 

“Finished?” he asked.

 

Lea nodded, paused, and then looked around. “Where's my bag?”

 

“Trunk,” he replied flatly. “You can stop worrying.”

 

Lea sighed. “I know… I just…”

 

“You're so attached to that bag…”

 

“Yeah… well, it does have… all of my worldly possessions in it… other than my jewelry….” She reached up to her necklace and ran a finger over it.

 

“You've had that since you were little, haven't you?”

 

Lea nodded. “They were my mother's… I wouldn't let them out of my sight if my life depended on it.” She smiled, closing her eyes. Suddenly, the smile faded as she sighed and looked out of the window. Seto placed a hand on her shoulder. She started, then looked back and smiled at him. He looked at her oddly for a moment.

 

“You don't have to pretend…”

 

“Pretend what, Seto?”

 

He paused before shaking his head in defeat. He didn't want to have to bring something up that could be potentially painful for her.

 

Silence filled the car for the rest of the ride as it sped on toward the Kaiba mansion. Lea stared out the window, watching as the scenery passed by. She couldn't even remember then last time she had been in a car.

 

Something began to dawn over her. It really hadn't sunk in, but she was going to have a home… she was going home. She was finally going to be reunited with her childhood friends. Or was “friend” the right word? She shook her head as her mind scanned her memories and came upon the pain of her last day. She didn't need to think about it anymore; things were right again, nothing bad would happen anymore.

 

Soon, the mansion came into view. Seto looked over at the house, then over at Lea. She still stared out the window. He placed a hand on her shoulder again and she looked back.

 

“We're here,” he informed as she nodded, a smile on her face. Lea looked up the drive and saw a figure at the door. She smiled broader.

 

“I wonder how long he's been waiting there…” she murmured. Seto looked up.

 

“Not long, I'm sure.”

 

As the car pulled up to the door, Lea reached for the handle, but Seto's hand stopped hers. Confused, Lea looked back at him. He nodded back toward the chauffeur as he pulled the door open for them and bowed. As Seto's door was facing toward the house, his was the one to be opened.

 

Seto stepped out of the car and held up a finger to Lea, signaling her to wait for a moment. Mokuba ran forward toward them.

 

“Seto! Where were you, I thought you'd be home earlier!”

 

“We had a slight delay…”

 

“So, you said something about a surprise.”

 

Seto nodded, and held his hand out to Lea who was hidden in the shadows of the car from Mokuba. She took his hand and he helped her out. Mokuba stood before them, frozen in shock as he watched Lea come out into the sunlight.

 

“… Lea…? It… you…. I thought…”

 

“Hi, Moki…” Lea greeted, a smile splitting her lips.

 

“It really is you!” he cried, leaping forward and hugging Lea around the waist.

 

“Of course!” she laughed, hugging him back.

 

“How?” Mokuba looked up at Lea then back at Seto. “I don't get it.”

 

“Maybe we should talk about that during an early dinner,” Seto offered, looking over Lea. “I'm sure you're hungry; you didn't eat lunch.”

 

Lea looked sheepish, “Yeah, kinda…”

 

“Then let's go inside.”

 

As soon as Seto said this, he led the other two inside. Lea was shocked, to say the least, as to the extreme beauty of the house. Mokuba had her by the hand and was leading her as Seto led them.

 

“I can't believe this…” Lea murmured. The other two didn't say anything in response, but everyone knew she had said the one thing on their minds.

 

*****

 

Lea pulled open the door to her bedroom. She stood in awe of the room as Seto nudged her in. She looked back at him and then into the room again as she took a few more steps. Before her was a large four-post bed with red blankets. A vanity table, complete with large mirror and all, rested against the wall to her right. Beside it was a large, empty dresser. Two windows were set into the wall on either side of the bed. To her left were two doors; one lead to her new bathroom and the other to her closet.

 

Lea didn't know what to do or even what to think. She stood in the middle of the room, staring before her, unblinkingly.

 

“Do you like it?” Seto asked, placing his right hand on her right shoulder. Her hands rose to her mouth as she nodded her head. “Good.” Carefully, he took the bag off of her shoulder and placed it beside her dresser. “This and your closet are empty, but that's just for now.” He turned back to her. “When you have time, I'll give you the money, and you can go shopping, if you want.” Lea nodded again as she approached the bed.

 

“This is mine? All of it?”

 

“Everything in this room.”

 

Lea silently laid her hand on the comforter on the bed. She smiled, tears brimming her eyes. Something had just clicked; she was truly home…. She fell to her knees, sobs nearly overtaking her. Seto watched her for half a second before rushing over to her.

 

“What happened?” Mokuba exclaimed as entered the room. He too hurried over to the crying girl.

 

“I think she's just overwhelmed.” Seto took her in his arms and allowed her to cry into his shoulder, a smile still on her lips. “She just needs some time for it to sink in.” Lea nodded and he smiled. “She'll be fine.” Carefully, Seto lifted the girl up and sat her down upon the bed. He pushed her hair back so that he could gaze into her eyes. She allowed him, looking up and smiling through her tears again.

 

“Thank you,” she whispered as the brothers smiled. These new times would be better than before. They were a family again, and nothing would split them apart.

 

*****

 

“Here,” Seto murmured, handing Lea an old pair of pajamas. “It's the best we could find for you tonight.”

 

“It's fine, thanks,” she replied, taking the clothing and hugging him with one arm. She quickly pulled away and hurried to her room. As she entered and locked her door, she began to undress herself and slipped into her temporary night clothes. They fit, though barely. The pants were a bit large, but the string around the waist kept them on. She lifted her arm up and giggled as the sleeve slipped over her hand and hung from it. She unlocked door just as a knock sounded from it. Opening it revealed Mokuba.

 

“Just wanted to say good night,” he chirped, a smile on his face. He had hardly stopped smiling since she had gotten there.

 

Lea nodded, still smiling. “Good night, Moki.”

 

“I missed you calling me that.”

 

“Then I'll keep calling you Moki, ok?” She bent down and hugged him.

 

“Promise you won't leave again.”

 

“I won't, I swear it… next time I won't trust myself…”

 

“Ok.” Mokuba squeezed her tightly and then pulled back. “Night!'

 

“G'night!”

 

As he left, Lea began to close the door.

 

“You're still babying him, I see.”

 

Lea looked up, surprised. Seto leaned against the door frame, watching as Mokuba scampered off to bed. She paused.

 

“Babying him? Oh, Seto, not that again…”

 

“You're still calling him Moki?”

 

“Why not? He loves that.”

 

“I know, but it's so…”

 

“Childish?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lea sighed. “Seto, please, I don't want to have to argue anymore today…”

 

“… You're right… but… consider what I keep telling you…”

 

“That argument's been dead for almost ten years, Seto; I am not going to continue it.” With that, Lea made to close the door again, but Seto's hand stopped it.

 

“Don't just shut the door in my face, Lea.”

 

“I'd like to go to bed. And I'm sure you need it, too.”

 

“Lea.”

 

With another sigh, she opened the door again. “What?”

 

Leaning forward, Seto kissed her on the forehead and closed the door for her. Lea didn't move for a few minutes. Soon, she smiled awkwardly and turned back to her bed. She switched off the light, clambered into the bed and snuggled into the blankets. She fiercely ignored what little pain came to because of the soft mattress; she was slowly getting used to it, though.

 

As she stared at the ceiling, she began to remember more and more of her time with the Kaiba brothers when they were all little. She smiled; they were such pleasant memories. Suddenly, her memories were split and a figure appeared before her. It was Joey.

 

Lea's eyes opened. She stared at the darkness that hung about her like a thick fog. She had nearly forgotten about him; how, she wasn't sure, but she had. Slowly, she sat up. What was she to do?

 

She had grown so close to Joey, not to mention Yugi, Tristan, and Téa. But she was sure she had grown a crush on the teen… She shook her head. This was going to be messy.

 

She cared for Joey, and Joey for her, she was sure. He had tried so desperately to help her when he thought Seto to be a threat to her safety… and that wasn't even scratching the surface.

 

Lea pressed the palms of her hands into her closed eyes, attempting to calm herself. What would she do? She sat upon her new bed, thinking for what seemed an hour to her.

 

Finally, she came to conclusion. She had to make a choice. She could either go with Seto, the object of her childhood affection, the reason she stayed at the orphanage for as long as she did, the link to a past she spent so many years forgetting. Or, she could go with Joey, the funny teen from her class, someone who began as a friend but built up to be something more.

 

She cradled her head. She wasn't sure who she felt stronger feelings for, the one she had known since she was young, or the one who she freshly knew.

 

Something Ishizu told her earlier that day echoed in her mind. “You do understand that this was to happen, correct?” Lea searched for deeper meaning in this question. Did she mean that she would stay with Seto? Or merely that she was to see him again? She shook her head, ignoring the salty droplets that leaked down her cheeks.

 

“Wait,” she murmured, looking up, “How stupid of me…” She ran to the vanity and gazed into it. Unwrapping the headband from around her forehead, she uncovered her jewel. She could use it now; what was stopping her from knowing the right decision before she made it? Closing her eyes again, she summoned up her jewel.

 

The room was bathed in purple light. Her hair floated and her clothing was pushed again from her. Suddenly, the light died, pain surged through her head as she reopened her eyes. Her pupils shrank and her energy gave way. She crumpled to the floor without uttering another word.