Title: Ran

Author: Fenikkusu Ai

Pairing: Saiou/OC/Edo

Rating: T

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh GX

Genre: Angst

Word Count: 1,175

Summary: Being obsessed is sometimes considered perfectly natural.

Disclaimer: Apart from Karin, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh GX nor the song "Purple Rain" which is by The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

A/N: The episode "I've Seen the Light/Saiou Enters! The Tarot Deck of Destiny" is referenced here.

Things were a little strange at this academy. Almost a too strange for her. At times, Karin yearned for the safety of her bedroom in her childhood home. The walls were pink and the furnishings were white wicker. There was a little wind chime in the window that tinkled with the sweeping gold curtains and there was a stash of chocolate stashed under her bed. Of course, the cuisine she ate now in the Blue Dorm was far superior to her own.

Though she spoke little, she always heard the gossip. Duel Academy needed its own newspaper to keep up with it. There was an issue with duel disks being stolen in the lands outside of the Academy and apparently the councilors wanted to demolish the Osiris Red Dorm. She was an Obelisk blue, so the situation didn't apply to her.

She also wasn't the sort who went looking for a duel, but if she was challenged she politely accepted. Karin had three wins and three losses. She wondered what that said about her. Even? ...average? Enough, she decided. She decided that she was enough.

She certainly couldn't complain that her course work wasn't challenging enough. Karin also learned that she had too many spells and not enough traps. That was fine with her. Though she never spoke out loud, she had no desire to actually win. She had no aspirations to be a duelist at the moment. She just wanted to find herself.

In the Obelisk Blue dorm, she just sat in just the right spot and felt that she had done nothing to earn it. Maybe she actually belonged in Ra Yellow.

Karin was just...average. Not unusual. Average girl, average duelist. Something one would expect to find. Like a cherry that found itself at the apex sundae only to be eaten.

Naturally, she also heard about Edo. He was a popular subject and a celebrity.

I talked to him.

Of course, Karin did not share her story to anyone else. No one would care or believe her words.

Slowly, Karin was absorbed by the social structure of Duel Academy. Karin honestly hated most aspects of society. She wanted a special someone, but the students of Duel Academy were so immature.

Karin still remained a free spirit, and her cards had the same nature. Though she could relate of her cards, she didn't know how to bring them to life

Friends.

Karin didn't have friends.

She was a blur after all. So, her world and became books and homework. Then again, Karin always studied. She was well above a B average. Her teachers rarely praised her though.

One good point of being here that she had had watched more televised duels more duels in general here than she had ever witnessed at home. Her mother didn't care for them as she had stopped dueling in high school around the same age Karin would be by graduation. She didn't know if it was from regret or a just a general lack of interest.

The former student known as Marufuji Ryo wore blue and white to his funeral.

Karin hadn't known Kaiser, but the upperclassmen around her all screamed his name. Loud.

Once again, Edo was in front of her even if it was just on a screen. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Then again, seeing a celebrity around on TV wasn't unusual. It wasn't exactly divine providence.

Even Karin knew that Ryo doomed when the power bond didn't hold.

Karin and the others watched silently watched as Edo just...wrecked him. Karin herself couldn't suppress a snicker when Edo treated Ryo's dragon like a pet.

Silently, she admonished herself. What in the world kind of person was she? To laugh at another's pain? It wasn't good sportsmanship.

No one even took notice of her inner struggle. Everyone had their own perception of the match.

Sometimes, she wished that someone, anyone, would take her hand and ask her.

Edo won. As she predicted, he did. Karin knew that she wasn't a born psychic, but at times she liked to think that she was.

Snug in her seat, Karin thought about Edo and also about Saiou who was probably still in the city predicting the fortunes of those who wandering in his shop. He'd probably forgotten all about her.

Karin saw the sneer on TVEdo's face. He had been so nice to her, but for the media, he was strident, brash, and cruel. An avenging fallen angel who had lost his was the real Edo? Karin knew that she shouldn't fret about it too much. After all, she knew that she probably wouldn't get to see him again.

Later, Karin decided to walk. There was quite a lot of commotion. People were yelling and looking for a "Yuki Judai." Karin didn't know him or the small Osiris Red and burly Ra Yellow frantically searching for him. Karin noticed that there was a certain kind of foreboding It emanating from the forest. Karin avoided it and started to stalk the seashore instead to look for seashells. Karin often wondered why no one else did. Then again, her immaturity was often pointed out to her. Students were looking for duels.

She sells seashells by the seashore...

All "she" wanted was more money.

Karin played word games with herself.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched a shadow that was not her own move towards her. Karin sat perfectly still. The sound of the waves pounded in her ears.

"Oh you, uh, freshman. Want a free lipstick? I have too many and need some space. "

The redhead known as Ran extended her hand to reveal four tubes of lipstick.

The question let alone the act was rather unexpected It was so random. Ran had barely spoken to her. Rather than keep her waiting, Karin swiped one randomly. Whatever she picked, she picked. She left it to chance. Of course this technique wouldn't work for her weekly exams. Maybe for drawing cards.

"Thank you."

"Whatever. it's no big deal." Ran breezed over her shoulder

So. Things just happened...here.

Perhaps Duel Academy was magic. Maybe there were ley lines here...

Did Karin have a sign in her hand? She looked at the label on the bottom of the tube of lipstick.

Lilac Storm.

If rain was ever purple, but, Karin was intrigued by the concept.

Wasn't a song called "Purple Rain" by an American artist called Prince?

She didn't know the lyrics offhand. Maybe she could look them up later. Maybe she would have someone to kiss in her future.

That night she dreamed of Takuma. He was standing by the sea and he seemed shocked and then pleased to see her. As Karin approached him, he seemed to glow an eerie white.

Later, She found herself staring up at the ceiling baffled. She blinked as a shaft of moonlight moved across her bed.

He was here. Well, in a dream...

Karin's amber hair fanned out against the pillow as she became wrapped up in her dreams again.