Ryoko Akane was an enigma. A beautiful seventeen year old who just recently moved to Domino City, Japan from America. A lethal duelist, cunning, sarcastic, and possessing a past shrouded in shadows that she keeps carefully hidden.
Seto Kaiba was the...
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Empty. That's all Ryoko felt in that moment as she stared forlornly at the unmoving form of her elder brother Odion. Ryoko along with everyone else were currently standing around Odion's bed as the doctor examined him. "How is he, doctor?" Ryoko asked timidly, afraid of the potential answer. "So far, Odion's heart rate is steady, all his tests were fine, but I'm afraid all the mental stress he's gone through had left him unconscious," the doctor replied sympathetically upon seeing the heartbroken look on the young woman's face. "You're telling me, I could use a nap myself," Joey said, ignorant of the meaning behind the more medical response the doctor gave.
"The doctor means he's been knocked out, Joey. Ryoko-chan, you should be thankful you're not in the same state," Téa told her friend. Ryoko nodded absentmindedly as she ran a hand through her hair which had been left to flow freely down her back.
"Yeah, I know. We were both standing right there when Ra went insane, but I'm still perfectly fine," she sighed. Ryoko thanked the doctor before he left and she took a seat next to Odion, giving his warm hand a gentle squeeze letting him know that she was there for him.
"Yeah, aside from the brain damage going into it," Tristan teased.
"Tristan, so not the time," Mai told him sternly after seeing the pain-filled flinch her best friend gave at the brunette's comment. "I guess we won't find out who he is until he wakes up," Duke said.
"Actually, Ryo, don't you...."
"No," she interrupted Joey, not in the mood to explain to the others her connection with Odion.
"No? What do you mean no? You know him, right? How?" Joey pressed dispite recognizing Ryoko's tone as saying 'drop the subject because I don't want to talk about it'. Ryoko let out an iratated sigh, "Look, I'm not ready to talk about it right now, alright?" She asked in a short tone. Joey put his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry I even asked," he told her.
"Sorry, Joey...it's just too much is going on right now," she said to him with an exhausted sigh.
"Hey, I get it. Don't worry about it," Joey said with a small reassuring smile, Ryoko smiled a little bit and felt Yami place a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"What we do know for sure is that he was determined to protect Marik for as long as he could," he replied. "And for what? Just look at him, Odion's laying here in a hospital bed and Marik could care less if he ever wakes up again! That Marik's nastier than they get!" Joey said angrily. "What do you expect Marik to do? Send flowers? Poor Odion; it's when you're down that you need your friends around you the most," Mai said sadly.
Over the intercom they hear Roland announce that the next duel would be begining shortly. The others all stood up to leave but Ryoko remained seated at Odion's bedside.
