Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Stranger of the Duel ❯ The Reunion ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: Yeah, again, I don't own Yugioh, nor do I pretend to. So there, you can't sue me, HAH! Foiled your plot again…

The Reunion

Cali would have called her driver for a ride home, but she unfortunately left her phone in her cell, realizing this right after getting out into the warm night air. Oh, shit; my phone…no, I'm not going back down there. I guess I'll just cancel the account and buy a new one.

Instead, she walked all the way home alone. She would have preferred to cut through the park than walk around it downtown, but figured it would be a little safer in the well-lit streets. The park was Cali's favorite place. She loved sitting near the pond as she worked on her laptop, sometimes glancing out at the ducks or the fish that sometimes came to the surface to eat. The park was just relaxing to her. Back in Ambret, where she had lived previously, there were no parks and hardly any trees at all. It was just a giant concrete jungle.

Sadly, Cali could no longer visit her favorite spot in the whole park, the rocky north banks of the pond. This was where Seto had proclaimed his "love" for her (she still didn't believe it was real) and where Cali had ended their almost-maybe-blossoming relationship and friendship. Still, even though she had concluded everything on her terms, she felt a strange sadness and guilt about it all. In order to try to forget about this, she always stayed away from the northern end.

In the end, she finally arrived home after almost an hour of the tiring walking. Cali had bought an apartment, but it wasn't just any apartment. It was the penthouse of a building eighteen stories high, overlooking Cali's favorite- the pond. It was lavishly furnished; Cali had finally unpacked all her furniture that had been delivered from Ambret.

Cali felt really dirty (and she was) and so decided to take a nice hot bath right when she got home. Calliope hadn't spoken to her since the incident in the Museum, but Cali didn't worry; she figured that Calliope would let her live her own life, and only help when she needed it.

She went into her enormous white marble-tiled bathroom and began to run the water. She let her hair down from the loose ponytail it had been in, allowing her dark waves to cascade down her back. The warm night breezes had blown her bangs into her face. Cali was about to remove her clothes and enter the water when the doorbell rang.

Grumbling, Cali went over to the door and opened it; not even bothering to look through the peephole to see who it was. She knew it was the landlord (who lived on the first floor) coming to remind her of the building's curfew hours to keep the complex's repute up. Imagine her surprise to see Seto and Yugi instead.

As soon as Cali opened the door, Seto gasped. Something pulled at his heart. This was not the Calia he knew. This was some timid girl, lacking Cali's confidence. Her head was down, looking at the floor, as if she were expecting to be reprimanded. Her hair was not pulled into some complex twist and instead was down and dull. Her bangs, hanging in her face instead of pushed neatly to the side, were exactly the same length as the black mascara streaks going down her face, and she had a smudge on her nose. Her clothes were dirty, her posture was bent, and everything about her was different. Her strangely multifaceted personality was replaced with only one feeling: remorse.

She heard the gasp and looked up, realizing it wasn't that evil landlord, but Seto. Oh, and Yugi too. Can't forget Yugi. She returned with a gasp of her own. How could I let them see me like this?!

Cali straightened up to her normal posture, quit the feigned sorrow and that superior glint returned to her eyes.

At this, Seto smiled to himself. She has been through an ordeal, but she's finally back. I wonder… I wonder if I looked like that after…after she…

"Yugi! Seto! What a pleasant surprise! Please, please come in." Cali interrupted Seto's musings. He snapped back to the present and smiled. Our sort-of heroes entered Cali's spacious dwelling.

"Would you like anything to eat? Drinks? I have some soda, I think…" Cali tried to entertain her guests.

"Oh, I can get us something, Cali. I think you need to rest," Yugi said, ever the gentleman.

"Uh…okay! Kitchen's that way," Cali answered, pointing around the corner. Yugi went off in search of snacks, leaving Seto and Cali alone.

"So…uh, what brings you here, Seto?" I didn't mean to say his name!

"We heard you were back."

"From who? I just got back myself ten minutes ago!"

"Let's just say a little birdie told us," Seto said, reaching out and touching Cali's jaw.

Cali looked at his eyes inquisitively. What is he doing? His hand didn't stay there very long though, but instead moved up to behind her ear, where a small round locator was attached. I didn't even notice it! Hmm…I've got to market that thing before Seto does! She'd never have the chance to study it, though, because Seto gently placed it on the coffee table and then brought his great fist upon it, crushing it beyond repair. Oh, well.

"Thanks, I guess. Can't have Talon finding me so soon after my escape…"

"Oh, yeah…" Seto grumbled.

"But how did you pick up the signal?"

This was when Seto reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out Cali's phone.

"I had to hack it though. Sorry," Seto said, not sounding very sorry.

"It's okay, but how did you get it? I left this in-oh. You did come to get me."

"Yes, but I'm assuming you left while we were tangled with the guards?"

Cali nodded. She started to look at him in a little bit of a new light. I didn't really actually think he would come after me. Yugi: yes. Seto: no way. I guess I was wrong. Maybe I was wrong about a lot of things.

Yugi returned with bottled water for each of them.

"Oh, I guess I didn't have the sodas; sorry Yugi…"

"It's okay! Water's fine with me."

"Um, guys, I was about to wash up… is it okay if I do that right now? I really want to get out of these clothes…" Cali said.

"Well, Yugi, it looks like we've overstayed our welcome a bit. Let's go…" Seto said, rising from his seat on the designer sofa.

"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean it like that. You can stay here; I'll only be ten minutes."

"Are you sure you don't want us to leave?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah, you can stay," Cali said, laughing.

On her way over to the bathroom, Cali hit a button on the wall and a plasma television came down slowly from its place in the ceiling, hanging against a wall. She had altered the apartment a bit to her own specifications.

"Remote's on the table," she said, and then left to the bathroom.

Seto took the remote and turned the TV on. Heh, it's already on the stock market channel. He sat and watched. Good; Kaiba Corp is up seven points. He wasn't worried at all; he'd locked 51% of the shares into his own name. He couldn't have some amateur taking over the company.

Yugi didn't mind that Seto had chosen the most boring program to watch; he preferred to wander around Cali's living room, examining the ornaments on the mahogany shelves: Italian glass figurines; a crystal ballerina; photographs in silver frames of people Yugi could only guess were her parents; an old tarnished locket with the initials M.S. carved into the top of the oval pendant. One whole wall was covered in books; some were informational for research, most were classics- Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, and Fahrenheit 451 were a few Yugi recognized. Some books, he assumed, were old antiques and had been inherited from Cali's extensive old family. One, however, seemed newer, but still worn, and piqued Yugi's curiosity. He ran a finger down its dark red velvet spine: Journal.

He hadn't known Cali kept a journal, and in the back recesses of his mind, he didn't really think she did. Cali was a smart businesswoman; she wouldn't keep anything that could blackmail her. This is why he didn't have any qualms about opening it and reading the first page.

Yugi could tell this was indeed Cali's, and felt bad about reading it, but still, he had already started and couldn't stop. Besides, it was obvious it was from a very long time ago, and this was a very different Cali. Even at a young age, her spelling was good.

Dear Journal,

Today Mommy and I went to the grocery store. Mr. Brighton, the man behind the counter, gave me a lollipop after we bought our pasta. We're having spaghetti for dinner…

Dear Journal,

Mary Sue gave me her pink hair ribbon. Wasn't that nice of her? …

Dear Journal,

Today in school we learned about giraffes. They have very long necks…

Yugi turned a few pages; they were all like this. He flipped one more. It had changed suddenly. The handwriting had become smaller and better, and it was written in long lines of cursive.

Journal-

I haven't written in a long time. Mother is gone. Mr. Brighton; my sensei… everyone we knew were involved. Father has pulled away, leaving me to fend for myself. I know he doesn't mean to, but he still does it nonetheless.

The story of our attack has spread to the whole world, it seems. Everyone in Ambret knows all the details. My friends think there's something wrong with me. Maybe there is. They've all abandoned me. I'm all alone.

Then,

Journal-

Papa has finally remembered I exist. It seems he'd forgotten. We've become very close, but he keeps speaking about what I have to do should he… expire. …

And that was it. The rest of the pages were blank. Seto had turned off the television and ambled over to see what had interested Yugi so much. He scowled when he saw what Yugi was reading. Does she have no privacy? Hypocritically, though, he took it from Yugi and read the last two entries, eyes widening.

"Do you know what happened, Seto?"

"Yes."

"Will you-"

"No, it's Cali's story to tell."

"Oh," Yugi said, putting it back on the shelf. He and Seto went back to their sofas, drinking water and privately thinking about, well, Cali.

Cali's door opened. She was only wearing a bathrobe. It wasn't revealing in any way, but still it made both boys' bodies ache for her (against their wills, I might add), just knowing she wasn't wearing anything under it.

Yugi thought this was when Cali was the most beautiful he had ever seen her; no makeup at all, grey eyes shining. Her hair was still damp and slightly wavy, it didn't bounce, and instead it hung and stuck to her neck and head.

"Do you guys mind if I change into what I sleep in?"

They both shook their heads.

Two minutes later, Cali returned, dressed in a white tank top and white shorts, bare feet, toenails painted (just guess) white. Her hair had been combed and no longer possessed that alluring I'm-a-mermaid-with-legs look that had captivated Yugi. Seto thought Cali looked like an angel like this, a fallen angel, with the knowledge of how distrusting she could be. She came by and curled up on her own high-backed chair. Seto and Yugi had returned to normal.

"Sorry; I really needed to do that," she said apologetically.

"We're just glad you're okay," Yugi said.

The three continued conversing, though awkwardly. Yugi and Seto weren't really friends; well actually, none of them were really friends, but an event like this did bring them closer. Cali knew that Yugi liked her, and now felt guilty for what she done a few nights ago. She already knew Seto was hopelessly in love, but she hadn't done anything to him. Anything much, anyway.

They talked the whole night. The next day was a Saturday, so they didn't have to worry about school or anything. Suddenly Yugi jumped up.

"I completely forgot! My grandpa's coming back tomorrow and I told him I'd clean the shop!" He went running back home to do that, leaving Seto and Cali alone (again).

The silence was heavy after the door shut.

"Well, I, uh… thanks."

"Cali…" He was looking at her with a strange emotion replacing his normal calm face.

She looked away. She was uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Seto."

"For what?" He got up and sat next to her.

"…Everything I've done; everything I've said."

"Did you mean it all?"

"Some of it."

Seto's heart lurched at the brutal honesty, but in a way he was happy she was being open with him.

"It's okay," Seto said, clasping her in a stiff embrace. She automatically put her head on his shoulder.

I know I shouldn't be close with him like this, but… it feels so right. I feel whole, finished, but he can't possibly feel the same as I do…He does, Cali. Calliope, how do you- It's the way things were meant to be and they way things were. The way things were? He was the High Priest…and my love. You weren't …pure, even before Oten?Love, not lover. He understood I couldn't… but Calliope, I can't love Set…You can. Just trust.

Cali broke away from Seto and looked out the large windows, out at her pond, reflecting the moonlight.

Seto touched her hand, making her look up at him. She's afraid…of me? He looked from eye to eye, noting how eventually they changed from fear to a wary comfort. Again, her eyes were open completely, being honest with him, not hiding anything.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he moved his face closer to hers, parting his lips, but she didn't move. Her eyes did widen a bit though. Seto hesitated and moved back slightly, closing his mouth, but then rethought it quickly and moved in again. Their eyes were interlocked in an intense gaze; both hearts were fluttering madly. Cali was anticipating this, but not really wanting it to occur. Much.

After what seemed like an eternity, Seto's lips found their way to hers again in a blast of nervous electricity. It was light and gentle; Cali had forgotten that Seto wasn't direct all the time. He doesn't want to push me. When it ended, they kept their heads close, breathing each other's air. Cali gave a small smile involuntarily; not her usual smirk, but an actual smile, however broken. Things are just easier with him. Seto did the same and moved in again, capturing her lips in a more passionate kiss, claiming her as his, and thinking of Yugi and how she was with him alone. He didn't know, though, what she had done with him. He wouldn't admit his jealousy, but they both knew it was there.

I don't want to move too quickly for her. Seto finished that one and held her close again. They stayed like this for a long time, just in each other's arms, resting.

Cali abruptly remembered something.

"Where's-"

"At a friend's house for the night."

It occurred to both of them that Cali didn't even have to say `Mokuba;' they both knew what she was talking about. They were together now, and they had a strong connection that would be hard to break.

Hard, but not impossible.