Yu-Gi-Oh: P.O.D: Part 67

In Kary's room in the black dorm, Kary is sat on her bed sniffling.
    "I don't understand...I should be happy to help, but..." Kary said to herself, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "But I...what's wrong with me?" Kary looked at her luggage for a moment. "Kou...why did you tell me all this? You don't know me...and you say you love me?" She added, as if Kou was there to listen.  
    "Hmmmmm, you sound as if you don't love him back." Suddenly Lena's voice came from the door as it opened.  
    "Huh?" Kary turned to look at Lena opening the door. "Lena? W-what are you doing here?"
    "I just wanted to chat to you about what you thought of Kou after seeing Kanjori-san try to get you off the team..." Lena replied as she walked over. "...and it turns out you don't but he does? Why?" Lena asked as she sat beside Kary.
    Kary let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know...it's just...it's just too sudden. I came to the Academia to duel him, and before I knew it, he tells me he loves me, then he duels me so I would go out with him."
    Lena thought for a moment. "Hmmmm...well Kary, you are real cute, you're a hard worker and real smart. Guess Kou likes girls like that." Lena turned to Kary with a curious look. "And you don't like him back, why?"
    Kary looked away from Lena. "I... I don't know. It feels like there's something... missing. Aside from Yuri and Tacey, I never had friends, and... maybe I just don't know enough about him to say if I do or not."
    Lena now had a worried look on her face. "N-no just..." For a moment Lena doesn't know what to say, before a sinister smile grows on her face. "Listen...you don't love Kou, but other girls like Megumi oand my sister do...right now, you're just teasing him not telling him how you really feel."
    "Your sister?" Kary asked, looking uneasy.
    Lena now looked uneasy. "Y-yeah...right now she...isn't herself...I...even heard she confessed to Kou in our language..." Lena's eyes suddenly filled with desparation. "B-but! She'll come back! And when she does she'll want Kou's comfort!...but if he has you on his mind, Kou won't be able to..."
    Kary placed her hand on Lena's shoulder. "That's alright. I understand." She said, trying to smile. "He has more...important things to worry about than me. I guess I should do the same."
    Lena returned the smile, though her smile was real. "Then, you need to tell him that you don't share his feelings...now...before..."
    "Right. Thank you." Kary said, seemingly relieved as she got up. "I'll go tell him. Besides...the cards did say I had to look at both roads before choosing. Maybe I'll find someone else on the way."
    Meanwhile in Xia's personal room in purple dorm, Xia is just filing the documents that won't be needed to be filed for years, when she notices a card that she never can get herself to throw away. 'Gem-Knight Obsidian'.
    Xia looks exasperated as she examines the card. "Kou Naruki. I trusted you, and fought for you, and look what you did." She says to herself. "I even...ugh...just thinking of it makes me sick..."
    'Obsidian...truly is a beautiful gem...' Suddenly Xia's words from last year echo in her mind.
     Xia shook her head. "This is pointless. He's nothing to me now." She said, trying to swat out her feelings, only for her expression to soften. "No... I wanted to move on, but I just can't." Looking back at the card, Xia thought back to everything that happened last year. "He made me believe it was all possible...and he did what Yuri couldn't. Maybe I was...maybe I was too quick to judge..."
    "And you were, Xia-senpai..." Kasejima's voice crept into Xia's ears, however, Kasejima was actually a friend of Xia's throughout her academy years, in fact it was thought that it was only these two who kept the dorms from attacking each-other daily.
    Kasejima closed the door behind her before walking behind Xia. "...you're just trying to push away your true feelings for Kou-kun, Xia-senpai..." She began as she raised her hand to Xia's head.
    Xia looked back at Kasejima. "You...you should have knocked before entering." She replied, trying to sound professional. "What are you doing here?"
    "Just performing a new tactic..." Kasejima replied as she closed her eyes.
    Suddenly Xia's brain felt like it was being frozen.
    Xia's expression froze in shock as everything felt numb, her lips unable to ask what was happening.
    Kasejima grinned as a strange dark mist crawled out of every orifice in Xia's head. "Kou-kun or the next ADAD member to recieve one of the Risen Fiends will eventually come take it out anyway...all I need to do is remove..." Now there was a huge ball a dark mist in Kasejima's right hand. "...and replace..." Then Kasejima released her grip, the dark mist dispersing into thin air.  
    As the mist dispersed, Xia felt as if everything had fallen back into place. "Huh? Where...what happened?" She asked, before noticing her outfit. "What am I wearing?"
    Kasejima grew a worried look as she ran to Xia's side. "Oh Xia-senpai, thank goodness, are you okay?"
    "I, um, I think so...huh?" Xia said, running her hands over herself, then stopping at her hair. "What happened? What's going on? And...who cut my hair?"  
    "I think you did, Xia-senpai...you've been acting strange since you became a teacher...I even decided to come have a chat with you but when I did this woman dressed in black with green hair ran out the door,, worried I ran in here and saw this strange black smoke in the air..." Kasejima replied.
    Xia thought back to how Dahak turned herself and fellow ADAD members the year before.
    "Green hair...? Oh no, don't tell me she came back!" Xia replied worriedly. "But I thought... I thought Dahak was gone!"
    Kasejima looked Xia in the eyes. "Xia-senpai...you've had everybody worried you know...especially Kou-kun...he came up to you at every chanc ehe could but...you shouted at him every time...but...for some reason Kou-kun never gave up...it's like he knew you weren't yourself..."
    Xia felt flush. "H-he...he did? R-really?"
    Kasejima made a quick grin at the small dark energy developing in her left hand. "Yes...your sister came with him too once but...that was the only time, I tried asking her about it once but she just told me there was nothing she could do..." Kasejima frowned. "You weren't the only one, Yu-kun, Tacey-san, even that Etsuko girl...all had something wrong with them, hating Kou-kun...but he never gave up on them...then after he got through to them he finally got them back to their old selves..."
    Xia looked worried for a moment. "B-but...what about me? Why isn't he here now?"
    "Xia-senpai...to be honest I'm surprised he came back every day...and even kept his tears inside that wry smile...I heard he's about to go on a trip far away for the weekend, looking for something that he thinks will change you back." Kasejima explained.
    Xia looked down for a moment. "He does care...oh, now I feel terrible. I really need to apologize to him before he leaves. I can't believe I've been so stupid!"
    Kasejima's eyes narrowed at the still small dark mist in her hand. "It needs to be lust not sympathy...it all comes down to fake-reality as always huh..." Kasejima thought as Xia got up.
    "U-uh wait, Xia-senpai-" Kasejima began as she placed her right hand on the back of Xia's head. "What's that letter doing on your bed?"
    In reality, there was no letter, however thanks to the darkness now in Xia's mind, she was seeing an envelope on her bed saying 'To Mei-chan'.
    "Huh?" Xia answered back as she turned towards the envelope, walking over to pick it up. "When did that get here?" Xia examined the letter.
    Xia examined the letter. As she read the letter, Xia's smile returned, her flushed expression becoming more apparent as she blushed even more. "Kou..." Xia whispered, a single tear falling on the paper, before holding it close to her heart. "I...I never should've doubted you..."
    The dark mist in Kasejima's left hand grew immensely, growing a sinister smile as she walked over to Xia. "Xia-senpai..." She began as her sinister smile turned into one of comfort.  "...you really do love Kou-kun don't you...?" Kasejima then gently raised her left hand to Xia's head, carefully letting the dark mist enter her mind.
    Xia didn't notice the mist until it was too late. By then, her mind was pretty much locked onto that one question, and the answer was overly obvious. "Yes..." She sreplied, the very word made her heart skip a beat. "I...I still love him, I...oh, Kou, I want you so much!"
    Kasejima opened the door behind her. "Kou-kun should be in his room at the white dorm right now...go to him Senpai."
    "You're right...thank you so much!" Xia replied, giving a quick hug to Kasejima before  leaving her office, dropping the letter before closing the door and running to Kou's room.
    The letter dissapeared as Kasejima looked on. "...I didn't give her the full dose...just incase Kou-kun does notice...right now she's just letting out her true feelings for him...and will be the whole time..." Kasejima let out a chuckle. "It'll be very hard for her to get her mind off him even..." kasejima left Xia's room, closing the door behind her. "...but it won't be uncontrollable or out-of-character like in Etsuko-chan's case..."
    Meanwhile in Kou's room, Kou and Yu are packing for the weekend.
    "So going with Lena huh?" Kou chuckled. "Well you're both really cheerful, when you both want something you do oyur best to get it, both use warrior decks...don't see why you both didn't get together sooner."
    "Gladiator Beast's aren't exactly warriors, Kou, more like Beast-" Yu answered back, but was cut by a knock at the door. "Um, Kou? Were you expecting a visit?"
    Kou shrugged with a smile before walking to the door. "Yyyyes?" Kou opened the door, finding Kary looking a bit uneasy. "K-Kary-chan...um, you wanted to talk about the trip or something?"
    "I...I wanted to talk to you, before we go." Kary replied, a bit uneasy.
    "Oh...kay, well. I guess I better let you two talk, then." Yu commented, getting up. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything." Yu left as Kary entered, Kou closing the door behind her.
    Kary looked away from Kou. "I know this is sudden, but I wanted to say it before we go. You remember our duel, yes?"
    Kou also looked away. "Y-yeah...you lost but...I didn't say what would happen if you did lose..."
    Kary turned slightly towards Kou. "And if you had, what would you have said?"
    Kou grew a far-away look on his face, a gentle warm smile reaching up to his eyes. "...I'd say...ohh...too many things...I'd be...overwhelmed...I mean at that point Kary-chan...you'd be one hundered percent my dream girl..."
    Kary let out a sigh. "I wish I could say the same. I was...am...overwhelmed, but...I saw how Megumi-senpai looks at you, and...and Lena-kun told me that her sister also loved you..."
    Kou turned away. "I understand...I'm not your dream guy exactly...d-don't say anymore Kary-chan...I'll try not to...have  feelings for you anymore...w-we'll...just be friends...and, that's okay...right?"
    Kary turned and walked over to Kou. "I will be honest with you; aside from Yuri-san and Tacey-senpai, I never really had friends before coming here. I don't really understand love, but being friends isn't bad. Isn't Tacey your friend too?"
    Kou shook slightly, wiping his face with one hand, then spoke still keeping his cheerful tone. "Y-yeah, though Tacey's more like a sister...Yu-kun is also kinda like a brother...and I'll be honest with you Kary-chan, I'm an only child heh-heh...K-Kary-chan...p-please...I...can't hold them in any longer..."
    Kary turned towards the door. "Then...think of me as your little sister, then. I am...I'm really sorry." She said, before opening the door. "Maybe one day, I'll understand what love is truly about..."
    When Kary left, Kou  went over and laid face down on the bed, muffling into the pillow, shaking like he was in an ice-box. Kou sniffed. "L-little sister...huh?" Kou finally stopped, then sat up, breathing heavily.  
    A polite, quick knock came from the door.
    Kou gathered his nerves and pulled hismelf together, then wiped his dry tears away before making the bed. "Come in, the door's open." Kou stated, his cheerful voice returned.
    Xia opened the door, looking flush, as if she ran straight to Kou's room without taking a breath. "K-Kou...?"
    "M-Mei...chan...?" A look of confusion fell upon Kou's face as he got up, staring over at Xia.
    Xia stepped out of her heels, the blush less prominent. "Please...I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me...can you...can you please forgive me?"
    Tears formed in Kou's eyes again, though now they were tears of joy. "Mei-chan...you're..." Kou ran over and embraced Xia tightly. "Mei-chan! You're back! Oh Mei-chan I'm so glad! Ohhh Mei-chan!"
    "Kou..." She said, her voice sounding relieved, though she thought she would pass out in his embrace as she had trouble finding the words to express how she felt deep down. "I'm so glad you never gave up on me! I love you so much!"
    Kou blushed at Xia's words, though he wasn't surprised, knowing Xia confessed to him before. "M-Mei-chan...I'd never give up on anybody especially..." Kou's face was now red as a tomato. "Mei-chan I...wanna say I'm sorry for...last year at the villa...when I just left I...was being such a...coward..." Tears fell down Kou's face. "So when you belted out at me on the first day I...I thought you were still mad..." Kou bent down on his knees, taking Xia's hands in his, looking up into her eyes. "Mei-chan...will you ever forgive me...?"
    Xia thought she would melt where she stood. "Oh, Kou..." She said, lowering herself to look at him. "It's not like you to cry. Here, let me..." Brushing a hand against his face, she leaned in for a kiss.
    "Naruki-kun." Suddenly Megumi's voice came from outside, along with a knock at the door.
    When Xia turned back she found Kou all flustered, red and unconcious. "Haaa..." Letting out a sigh of delight on the floor.
    "Naruki-kun, Tacey-chan said it's really hot in the Sahara Desert and I should wear something more suited to hot weather, is it really that hot? I-I'd like your opinion since you spent the whole year there..." Megumi asked on the other side.
    Xia looked back at Kou for a moment and tried to calm herself as she put on her shoes. 'I don't know who that is, but if she sees him like this...' She thought, tryng to think 'professional' as she straightened herself, opening the door.
    Megumi gave Xia a confused look. "You, you're...Xia, Mei. The one N-Naruki-kun has been trying to save but...why're you here in his room? You usually avoid him...unless Naruki-kun..."
    Xia had trouble keeping her attitude straight, but she tried her best. "I'm sorry if I bothered you both. I had some...academic issues to talk to him about, from Principal Silver." She said, coming up with it on the fly. "I probably took him by surprise, or maybe he was ill, but he doesn't seem well right now. If you'll excuse me, I have to go see the principal immediately."
    "N-Naruki-kun isn't well!?" Megumi exclaimed before suddenly barging past Xia.
    Xia walked out, closing the door, then rested against the nearby wall. "Kou...I'll always love you...even if I have to be the only girl in your life..." She thought, her emotions running sour as she peaked inside to look at Megumi with a wry smile.