Obscured

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"Noah Kaiba is the winner! Ishizu Ishtar has been eliminated!"

Seto felt a knot of worry forming in the pit of his stomach. He didn't have Ishizu's guidance anymore.

You still have me, Seto. The touch of sadness in Seth's voice was either teasing or genuine, and Seto wasn't sure which.

I prefer surety to risk. Ishizu could offer that. You can't.

Seto was pulled from his thoughts when he saw Noah Kaiba stepping towards Ishizu's body.

"No!"

The word seemed to slip out on its own as the brunette leapt forward, ascending the arena platform as quickly as Joey had when Mai was defeated. Noah only stopped approaching Ishizu when Seto stepped between them, his posture betraying that he was ready to fight Noah if necessary.

"What do you think you're doing?" Seto couldn't hide the enmity in his voice.

"She and I made a bet." Noah crossed his arms. "The winner gets to keep both Millennium Items."

"You're lying. There's no way she would agree to that." Seto glared at Noah, barely noticing when Marik and Anzu passed him to check on Ishizu.

"Maybe if you'd paid attention, then you–"

"Sir."

All eyes turned to the nearly-forgotten referee that had watched over every duel on the blimp. The man called Roland.

"Ms. Ishtar refused that bet."

Noah Kaiba scowled, fists clenched at his sides.

"Next time you open your mouth, try remembering who it is that you work for!" With those words, Noah turned and stalked away to reenter the blimp.

The immediate threat now gone, Seto turned to Ishizu. Marik had already removed the Millennium Necklace and was putting it in his pocket as Anzu checked the woman's pulse.

"I'll carry her inside," Seto decided aloud, and the two teens moved to give him room.

One arm under her knees and one arm around her back, Seto stood. Ishizu's head rested on his shoulder, and as Seto rode the elevator down into the blimp's interior, he was momentarily distracted by the thought that this was the first time he'd willingly held a woman this close. It would mean much more if this weren't a medical emergency, of course.

"Noah won't get away with this."

Marik's whisper made Seto look up at his friend. Lavender eyes, usually wide to the world and its wonders, were now mere slits of angry purple.

"No, he won't. I'll make sure of it."

Marik looked back at Seto. It was just the two of them in the elevator, Anzu having stayed behind to gather together Ishizu's fallen cards and reassemble her deck.

"Can you promise that my sister will be returned to us?"

"I promise, Marik. By the end of this tournament, all of our friends will be returned to us, including your sister."

Marik stared for another moment before nodding.

"I'll hold you to that."

"I'd expect you to."

If something were to happen that incapacitated Seto, would Mokuba be this fierce in response?

The elevator doors opened and Seto led the way to the infirmary with Marik close behind. Once he handed Ishizu over to the nurses, they shooed both teens out of the room so that they could do their job. They were still waiting in the hallway when their friends approached them.

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