Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Falling From Grace ❯ Chapter 19 ( Chapter 19 )

YUGIOH

Falling From Grace

 

 

 

Chapter 19.

In school.....Yami was silently brooding. He was already beginning to see the changes in his friends, and he didn't like it one bit. Tea was ignoring everyone, quietly stewing to herself, and acting totally not herself at all.

 

As for Joey.....he had an odd uncertain look on his face, as he was caught glancing back at Kaiba every five minutes. And Kaiba new it too, because he could barely keep a straight face every time Joey looked his way, and would even occasionally look back and Joey, and offer a slight hint of a smile.

 

Yami was worried about what he was seeing. He knew Kaiba had no real care for his friends, and he was certain he knew what this was about. Kaiba was obviously doing it only as some kind of twisted edge to be used against him in the coming duel. Another cheap-shot persay, to win the game. What concerned Yami the most is that Kaiba seemed to be achieving his goal. Now, the only one of the group left not acting weird was Tristan. Either way, he definitely had to talk to Kaiba about this after school. It was one thing to challenge him......but another thing entirely to start playing mind-games with his friends.

 

The final bell rang, and the kids were pouring into the halls to their lockers, before going to the bus. In the hallway, Joey practically leaped over to Tristan and Yugi, in an ecstatic wail, "Forget homework, today.....we're going out on the town, and having the time of our lives! And you know what......I'm buying!!"

 

"Dude......what the hell are you talking about??", Tristan asked him.

 

Joey gave a cocky laugh, muttering, "Check these babies out!", and boastfully flashed them his gift certificates to all the various places.

 

Tristan eyes bugged out at the sight, hungrily snatching the envelope from Joey. "Woah! Where the hell did you get all these? What did you......steal 'em?"

 

"No, I didn't steal them!", Joey snapped, grabbing the envelope back. "Who cares, anyway......we're gonna have a blast!", Joey said, quickly sidestepping the where and why of the gift.

 

Yugi didn't look too thrilled though, as he added in his head Joey, with the limo ride this morning, and Kaiba's supposed attempts at trying to buy his friends. Yugi looked down, saying, "Those things were from Kaiba.......weren't they, Joey?"

 

Joey looked fearfully over at Yugi, then nervously back down at the envelope, muttering, "Oh, uh......well, honestly the envelope in my locker really didn't have a name on it." It was the truth. He just conveniently omitted the whole visit from Kaiba, after he opened it. They didn't need to know he showed up in person to ensure Joey knew who gave it to him, nor the fact that Kaiba was doing this to impress him.

 

"That jerk! What kind of person thinks he can just buy people that way!", Tristan announced. Then a second later, he slapped them both across the backs, saying, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go chow down at Pizza Parlor, 'and' Burger World......then go to Kaiba Land and have a blast!"

 

"All right, let's do it!", Joey said, obviously both of them willing to ignore where the gifts were from.

 

Yugi just tiredly sighed, knowing any attempts at protesting the gift would only fall on deaf ears. 'He did it again', he thought. 'Kaiba.......why are you doing this?'

 

"Yugi!!", the voice boomed over the crowds of people, suddenly quieting all the school kids around them.

 

Yugi turned to see Kaiba not even 20' from them down the hall, as the school kids all seems to part between him and Yugi's group. He approached closer to them, then announced, "Our duel will be tomorrow at 6, at the Kaiba Dome. I expect you to be there."

 

Yugi transformed into Yami and approached, closing any distance remaining between them. "I will be there, Kaiba. But before we do anything, whatever these other games are you are trying to play......I want them stopped now."

 

Kaiba raised an eyebrow from the comment, asking, "What are you talking about?"

 

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! If you want to challenge me, then do so. But it's beneath you to under-handedly try and steal my friends away! I thought you didn't believe in the strength of unity", Yami stated.

 

Kaiba snapped back, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I could careless about your pitiful group!", taking only a brief second to glance over at Joey for a moment, to make sure he wasn't offended by the comment.

 

"Is that so?", Yami asked. "So then, you're saying you had nothing to do with Tea suddenly deciding to side with you?"

 

At that, Kaiba gave a smirk and crossed his arms. "Honestly, Yugi....do you think I want that loser cheerleader clinging to me like some kind of leach? I have enough problems already with the rest of the female population.....I don't need another addition."

 

"Then, what about Joey? Should I ask why you're being so unusually generous towards him today?", Yami asked, with a raised eyebrow.

 

Kaiba made another glance Joey's way, to see him nervously shake his head very slightly, praying Kaiba wouldn't tell Yami the truth of what he was up to. And Kaiba was indeed tempted.....but decided against it. To announced the truth infront of not only Joey but the whole school surrounding them.....he doubted Joey could handle the pressure.

 

Looking back down at Yami, Kaiba smirked. "What I do with my time and money Yugi, is frankly none of your business. But if I didn't know any better.....I'd swear you were afraid. That's funny, and I thought friends can't be bought. If you're so worried about losing the loyalty of your little friendship group, then maybe you should consider the possibility that I was right all along......and today's friends are only tomorrow's enemies."

 

Then without giving Yami a moment to retort, he turned around, adding, "Tomorrow at 6, Yugi.....don't be late", then walked away.

 

Yami watched Kaiba as he walked away, considering what he said. The part about Tea actually made some sense. Perhaps Kaiba was right, and he didn't have anything to do with Tea's actions. After all, if he had the power to do that to Tea, then wouldn't he just have simply used the same technique for Joey and Tristan, as well? Then again, Tristan was also acting strange awhile ago, until just recently. Perhaps that had a connection. But it still didn't explain why Kaiba was bribing Joey. That was definitely not normal for him. Last Yami knew.......he and Joey couldn't stand each other.

 

Joey slapped him on the back, snapping him from his thoughts. "Come on, Yugi....don't worry about Kaiba. Let's go have fun!"

 

"Yeah!", Tristan said, jumping in. "Infact, while you were talking to Kaiba, me and Joey had an idea."

 

Turning back into Yugi, he turned around, asking, "What is it?"

 

"Well......there's been too much seeing moneybags, lately. So instead of going to Kaiba Land, we thought we could go to the arcade today!", Joey said.

 

Yugi beamed, "That's a great idea!"

 

"Of course......after the pizza and burgers first", Joey made sure to add in.

 

As they turned and walked away, Tea watched from a distance. When she looked at them, she no longer saw the light of her friendship.......all she saw were shadows. And Joey was the darkest shadow of them all. "I'm going to take you away from him, Joey. Then Kaiba will look at only me."

 

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Next week: Uh-oh.....Yugi's group now has a new enemy. And of all the people, it's the very person that's supposed to be their friend! What's Tea planning? Find out next week, when Tea stoops to new levels to get what she wants!

 

Narr: I'm sorry for being so terribly late this time around. I was trying desperately to make it on Monday. But with the kids now off from school, it makes it almost impossible to concentrate. I HATE holidays! Why do the kids have to be home so much?? Now I understand why my parents were so relieved for Xmas to be over with. I just never understood that as a little kid. (yeah, I probably sound like a Grinch. Bah, humbug....)

 

Now, I'm sure everyone noticed there were two chapters sent out from me today. That was my holiday gift for you all.....Merry Xmas! (see, I'm not a Grinch!) But I'm afraid I also need to let you know alittle bad news, too. Since it's the Xmas holiday, I will not be updating next week (it was rough enough just getting this out before Xmas). So you wont get an update again until two weeks later. But atleast you got another chapter from me to make up for it, right? Hope you enjoy! And for all you sensitive impaired, make CERTAIN to read all the warnings at the beginning of 'every' chapter, if there is any. The chapter after this IS alittle more tense than the other chapters have been.

 

Lastly, I all the replies to my reviewers will be listed at the bottom of Chapter 20 (at the Media Miner sight, only).