Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Shadow ❯ Trials, Tribulations, and Tempers ( Chapter 9 )
Me: Left you wondering that last chappie didn't I? ^^ Ok, probably not…. I'm so weird….
Isis: You can say that again.
Me: Now where did I put that mallet….
Isis: Eeep! *shuts up*
Me: Muuuuch better. Anyhow, you all are thinking- what'll happen next? Course, you always are, that's kind of the mark of fanfiction….. well, look no further, because the next installment of Children of Shadow is right here waiting for you!
Marik: Mrs. State the Obvious strikes again.
Me: *bonks marik with ultra-mallet of death (copyrighted)* And fyi, it's not Mrs., it's Miss. I ain't married pal, and I ain't planning on it anytime soon. For crying out loud, it's illegal! I'm too freakin young!
Marik: Once again, stating the obvious…
Me: *WHACK! points to readers* They don't know that!
Marik: Huh? Oh yeah…
Kaiba: Smarts.
Marik: Shut up, dickhead.
Me: *whacks marik YET AGAIN* Language! Ay yi yi, your foul tongue will be the death of me!
Marik: x_x0
Isis: Uh… I think you're more of a danger to him….
Me: Did I hear something? It couldn't have been Isis, could it? No, because I told her to put a cork in it! *ahem* Disclaimer, Kaiba, if you don't mind.
Kaiba: Actually, I do…. ygo ownership not belonging to AMK, happy?
Me: ^^
Isis: Yeah, she is.
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Cassie purposely spent as much time in the lunch line as she could. She even 'accidentally' knocked the stack of napkins over, causing a two minute delay while they were picked up and new ones were gotten, to the annoyance of the students behind her. Yet when Cassie had finally gotten her lunch and sat down, it was twenty-five minutes to the recess bell, and Christina was still at their table.
Cassie plunked down at the opposite end of the table from the girl and began eating intently, ignoring the looks she was getting. Finally Yugi, who was sitting next to her, nudged her in the ribs. "Ow! Would you cut that-" She looked up sharply and stopped as she saw everyone's eyes on her. "What?"
"Are you feeling all right?" Honda asked her.
"Yes," Cassie said shortly, and filled her mouth with a bite of turkey sandwich to keep from having to say more. The group turned back to Christina.
"So, Christina-" Mai began.
"Well, actually," Christina interrupted her, with a short sideways glance at Cassie, "I just like my friends to call me Chrissy."
Cassie made a small splutter in her throat and hurridly swallowed her mouthful of turkey. What the hell? she thought. Chrissy? It wasn't bad enough that the nickname almost matched her own, but it was so- girlish! Chrissy? Oh, come on…..
"Chrissy, then," Mai agreed. "What else is it like in America?"
The group was leaning in to listen. Chrissy new she had their attention, and Cassie knew she knew. She watched Chrissy carefully, seeing how she would react.
Chrissy thought a moment. "Well… there's really nothing to tell. I mean, you all might have heard the America's- I dunno- this big beautiful country or something- and I guess it is, but there's really nothing so special about it. Japan is really nice, too."
Cassie had heard enough. It was obvious- Chrissy was an obnoxious airhead who was quite used to having the spotlight on her, and was now acting all modest in a sorry attempt to make them like her. The worst part was, the others were falling for it.
Of course, it was obvious that the boys would like her- Cassie bit off a mouthful of her sandwich rather fiercer than she meant to- of course they'd like her, just because she's got long twirly hair, big eyes, and an ass that reaches halfway to China…. what boy wouldn't be falling all over her! Besides Ryou, of course- she had never seen her cousin go after a girl. And Yugi liked Anzu… but then that still left Jou, Honda, Otogi, and every other boy in the Ra damned school!
Cassie realized that she had unconciously tensened her grip on her sandwich, there were finger marks pressed into it. She relaxed her grip. Chill, Cassie, she told herself. Be careful… With no other option, she crammed the last bit of sandwich in her her mouth, chewed, and listened to the conversation.
"So, Chrissy," Yugi asked, "what do you think about Domino?"
"Well-" Chrissy looked down at her clothes. "the uniform isn't so bad, although I could definitely lose the bow-" She tugged at it remorsely. "Although…" A tiny grin crept across her face. "There are- compensations…"
Jou looked clueless. "Compen-whatsits?"
Chrissy smiled, revealing her oh-so-white teeth yet again. "Such as… cute boys," she said, looking meaningfully at Jou when she said this.
Jou looked thrilled. Mai, however, made a small but impatient cough. Jou looked as if he had just remembered something. "Sorry- I'm taken." He really did look sorry. Mai, though, smiled and looked satisfied.
Chrissy shrugged. "Minor setback…" Her gaze slid from Jou to Otogi, then Honda, and then-
Cassie stared in shock, then swelled up with rage. Chrissy's eyes had just darted over to Ryou, and were fixed there. Ryou had gone red and was looking anywhere but at Chrissy. Cassie balled up her hands in her lap, scrunching her skirt in anger. The nerve of that bitch! Like she could just look at her cousin! Like she thought she could have any boy she wanted, just because she looked good! Cassie's fury rose in her veins like a poison. The buzzing at the back of her skull began again, stronger than before. The table gave a little shiver. Cassie had to do something.
"A-hem," she said loudly. Chrissy looked over at her, an expression of perfect innocence on her face.
"What?" she asked, her eyes sliding from Cassie to Ryou, then back to Cassie. "Oh- are you two-"
"No," Cassie interrupted, "we're cousins. And that's not the point."
"Then what is?" Chrissy asked, sounding oh-so polite.
Ryou glanced up at Cassie. The red in his cheeks was fading. Cassie paused, but the tingling in her head was urging her on. Let it out…. let it out…..
Cassie stared Chrissy straight in her face. "The point is," she said scathingly, "pick a boy and stick with it, for crying out loud!"
Everyone was staring at her. Cassie glanced over at Ryou. He was looking at her strangely, like he was trying to figure out if it was really her in there. Cassie looked away quickly, a small pang of guilt in her stomach. She deserves it, she tried to convince herself. She makes me sick…
If Chrissy was insulted, she didn't show it. She thought a moment, then shrugged. "All right- but while we're listing options…" She glanced over to the far end of the cafeteria. "Who, pray tell, is that cutie?"
Everyone looked over simultaneously, Cassie did too. At first, she couldn't tell who Chrissy was talking about. Then it came to her in shock-
"Kaiba?" Jou said, dumbstruck. "What- you think he's cute?!"
Chrissy stared at Kaiba, a sly smile playing on her lips- heavily coated with gloss. "No…"
Jou relaxed, but Chrissy continued.
"I think he's sexy."
Jou, Honda, and Otogi's jaws all dropped. Mai smiled and shook her head. Cassie, on the other hand, felt a flutter of anger swoop through her again.
"So," she said loudly, "you'd just drop someone and go for another good-looking guy, is that it?"
Everyone looked at Cassie again. Impassive, she continued. "I mean, think about peoples feelings- and besides, looks aren't the only thing that matters," she added, hoping that the girl caught her hint.
Chrissy looked unsure of what to say. Cassie glanced once more at Ryou, who looked as if he was struggling with himself.
Brrrrringggg! Everyone around them began gathering up their things. Cassie picked up her trash and headed for the garbage can, dumping it in. As she turned to head back to the group, someone caught her by her elbow.
It was Ryou. "Can we talk?"
Confused, Cassie nodded. Ryou wheeled around and led her past the lines of chattering people filing out of the cafeteria. Once they got to a deserted spot by the water fountain, Ryou faced her. "What was that all about?"
Cassie was even more confused. "What was what?"
Ryou ran a hand through his snowy hair. "Back there. You're one to be talking about considering other peoples feelings."
"Meaning what?" Cassie asked, frustrated. If he'd dragged her out here just to tell her to get friendly with that whore, she wasn't buying it.
"Meaning that you were really rude just now, and that's not the first time it's happened so far," Ryou said.
"So you're saying I just say mean things to people?" Cassie demanded, frustration giving way to annoyance.
"No, I'm saying you don't think before you talk, which means that you say some things you shouldn't." Ryou sighed and seemed calmer. "Look, just try being a little more- thoughtful about Chrissy, all right?"
"Thoughtful?" Cassie repeated dryly. "Can't you see it?"
"See what?"
"See that she's a high-toned, preppy bitch with an ego the size of Australia!" Cassie snapped, then realized who she was talking to. "Sorry- I shouldn't yell.."
"You see?" Ryou said frustratedly. "That's what I'm saying- you talk without realizing what you're saying or who you're saying it to."
"I know!" Cassie said exasperatedly. "I know, all right! I have a big mouth! That still doesn't change the fact- didn't you hear anything that girl said? About you!"
Ryou held up a hand to stop her. "Yes, but you can't just say things-"
"To hell with it!" Cassie exploded. "I am not going to have you think for me, or tell me how to act! I'm fourteen, for Ra's sake! I know what I'm doing, and I'll say whatever the fuck I want to! If you can't see what that bitch really is, I'm not going to waste my time trying to convince you!"
Without another word, Cassie turned sharply and stalked down the hall to the math room- it was indoor recess again. As she walked, she began to cool down and think.
After that outburst, Ryou wasn't going to let her forget it- he wasn't the type to fight back, but Cassie suspected she'd be getting the silent treatment for a few days. Although, maybe she shouldn't have blown up like that….
That was what it all came down to, Cassie thought, her self-control, or lack of it. It was why she had said those things to both Ryou and Chrissy- although Chrissy certainly deserved it- it was the reason she was so snippy, why she was thought of as the 'attacker'….
Actually, Cassie thought with a sense of bitterness, it was the reason for a lot of things, most of which she didn't feel like dwelling on at the moment.
Cassie's first sight when she entered the classroom was the gang grouped over in the corner farthest from Mrs. Utama's desk. Putting on what she hoped was a pleasant expression, Cassie walked over to join them.
Jou was showing Chrissy his deck. As Cassie joined the group, Chrissy glanced up at her. Cassie forced a quick smile. Chrissy smiled back and turned her attention back to Jou. Yugi filled Cassie in.
"We're showing Chrissy duel monsters," Yugi explained. "She just got her first deck. Jou's giving her some advice."
"Although knowing Jou," Honda added, "the poor girl will probably end up worse than when she started."
Jou glared up at Honda as the rest of the gang laughed. Cassie knew that everyone always teased Jou about his dueling, but she had seen the blonde play- he was actually the best in the group apart from Yugi, although Mai came in a close third. Cassie suspected she could beat him, but she hadn't tried yet.
"So," Cassie said, trying to sound polite, "you've never dueled?"
"Not yet," Chrissy replied, "but I'd love to try it out. I know the basics, and I've actually got my deck with me right now-"
She held up a stack of cards. Cassie was struck by a sudden idea.
"Say," she said, being as nonchalant as possible, "you want to duel me?"
"Right now?"
"Sure," Cassie said. Oh boy, when she beat this airhead, se would prove that looks weren't everything.
Chrissy considered it. "Okay," she said finally. "Just go easy on me, all right?" She sounded tentative.
"Oh, sure," Cassie said, concealing her delight. This twit had no idea of the fall she was setting herself up for…….
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Me: *squeal* My first cliffie! *huggles* I'm so happy…..
Kaiba: Oh brother.
Me : SHUT UP! This is a Kodak moment here….
Marik: Not really!
Me: *considers* Yeah, you're right for once. I'm just in a good mood! ^^
Kaiba: So- do I still have to-
Me, Marik, and Isis: YES.
Kaiba: Just review….
Me: Yes! REVIEW! REVIEW! R-E-V-I-E-W! That spells review!
Kaiba: If you're gonna say it, why bother making me do it first?
Me: You know me- I don't have a reason for anything. Now REVIEW!