diatu | ow the edge (open)

ow the edge (open)

Who: Kaiba (

blue_ice) and you!
When: One early September morning
Where: All over campus!
What: DUELS. In any and every game. Or try to talk him down from this madness, idk.
Warnings: Excessive edgy shonen rival behavior. Possibly some dark themes, will be labeled in subject lines!

Kaiba's request, in hindsight, was a foolish one. Every interaction between their worlds and this one thus far had been a disaster with unintended consequences, why would this be any different? And why would he risk his most priceless possessions this way? He could kick himself, but that's not going to save his Blue Eyes White Dragons. His hand trembles as he holds them, watching their attack and defense values slowly tick toward zero.

You are not the worthy heir we chose, says the trio of voices in his ear. Your emotions have made you weak. We seal our power from you until you prove that the spirit of a champion lurks within. Crush your foes with precision! Or are you now a coward?

No. He's no coward. Kaiba sweeps through the hallways with an icy expression, searching for prey. Any instrument they might hold for a game draws him...a deck of Fantastic Foils cards. A basketball. A chess board. A wand. Any game, anywhere...he absolutely must win. He swivels to face his chosen opponent.

"You. Duel me. Now."

Are you game? Or more inclined to tell him he's out of his mind? It's your move.

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A basketball. And it got passed to her--sort of. It bounced off Isabel's chest, and she arched a brow at who'd thrown it at her. Well, she'd gotten used to Kaiba's sort of gruff and aggro attitude, but someone had dialed it up to 11 since she'd seen him last.

Hmm. Intuition told her that there was more to this than she was seeing...

"What's eating you, Seto? I mean, we can play, but I'm not gonna let you push me over, even if we're friends, you know." Leaning over, she picked up the ball. At least playing him would take her mind off her own problems. She tilted her head at him, spinning the ball on one fingertip like she was a recruit for the Harlem Globetrotters. "So how do you want to go about this. Gotta abide by the rules and laws, y'know." Though Isabel was pretty much open to anything.

"What's eating me is that I need to play someone. Now."

He watched her skill with the ball and silently cursed himself. Maybe this was a bad idea...but he couldn't back down now. "Two hoops. One court. First to three baskets wins. Deal?"

He's really trying not to lose his patience any more than he already has, but this is a disaster.

"Okay." She'd say 'your funeral', but she's not that cocky. And really, this isn't a martial arts match--Kaiba might be in more danger there. Isabel wouldn't do that to him, though--it'd be a contest of skill only. Like this is about to be.

"Since you're the challenger, you take the first shot." She dribbled the ball a bit from hand to hand, but then passed it to him. Pretty clear to Isabel that this was simply a game, but something more to Seto. She literally had nothing to lose, so she could afford to be courteous!

He had height on her, though. This might not be a cakewalk--but it wouldn't be a real game if she didn't give him a run for his money!

"Fine."

Kaiba crouched into position, shifting the ball from hand to hand like he'd seen done before. He had coordination and focus, if not practice...so his first shot---close, but bounces off the rim. He bites back a curse and tosses back at her.

"You probably should try to block me, you know." Not that it'd be difficult for him, considering Kaiba's got some inches on her. She dribbles again, eyeing him, watching him carefully.

She feints towards the hoop that he'd just tried to make a basket in--and then turns, making a beeline for the other one, driving down the court. Gotta make him chase her, really hustle and work for it! Isabel doesn't know what's going on, but if he's trying to prove himself in some way? She won't let him make a poor showing, at least.

Isabel stops at the three-point line, doing her best to make that shot before Kaiba can reach her--but it bounces off the backboard. Too much force! She just shakes her head ruefully and tosses him the ball.

"All you, sport!"

She's good. Kaiba's long legs make it fairly simple to catch up, but she has the head start. He lunges, misses, and takes possession with a breath.

"Watch this."

He's more confident this time, darting forward, trying to dodge her and leaping high above---but not over---the line. One shot, all he needs right now is this one shot...he lands in a crouch and hopes, watching it bounce.

But he's ready to cover her this time. Let's hope it's enough while he feels this game out.

Long legs, height difference. He has inches on her, and it'll mean everything with this one-on-one game.

At least she can foul him with impunity--just short of actually hurting him. It wouldn't really teach him anything, and Isabel doesn't want to harm their friendship, as quirky as it is. It's something she values--that and the fact that she's one of the rare few who can get him to smile. That's more precious than...just about anything, really.

It's easier to just go for this basket again, and Isabel does her best to drive around him. She hip checks him out of the way if she has to, shoves against him--everything but pushing him down, really--and takes the shot

...which swirls around the edge of the hoop, tantalizingly...and then falls out without making the basket. At which Isabel swears under her breath. She doesn't usually give in to her competitive streak, but that doesn't mean it's nonexistent.

"Well, Fate says it's your go." Isabel reclaims the ball, only to throw it to Seto.

"Heh. Some game, aren't we?"

Kaiba had little trouble getting back up. He crouched into position, took the ball, and took off, making a sharp turn and going right for the line. He crouched low to keep his balance regardless of what she did, got knocked slightly aside, and lifted his arm to compensate just in time.

The ball whirled around the rim once more, and this time...it sunk in the net. He exhaled as he allowed her to claim it, charging with a more confident grin.

"We make our own fates in this world. Your move!"

"Hey, it's just as much game as we make it--hey!"

It was really an impressive move, and Isabel grinned a bit. It was good to see him smiling, at least.

"Okay, but that's only one basket, you've got two more to beat me, and I've got the ball!" Surprise and skill and luck--that's what it'll probably take to beat him with his greater height, and she's really only got one of those things--but did she really need to win? Sure, her competitive ire was up, but...

He's not gonna make it easy on her, in any case, so why should she make it easy on him? Isabel sidled around Kaiba, then, dribbling and sprinting down the court--and it's baskets, not points, so even if she did make it from the three-point line, that's still just a basket. Hmm.

She did spend a moment in thought, but decided to make the throw from the three-point line anyway. Just to prove she could, if anything. She'd almost hit it before, right? And she had to try before Seto and his inches caught up to her.

But fate or whatever was on her side, this time. Nothing but net, and she darted forward to catch the ball and send it back to Kaiba.

"Evened it up--your turn now!"

She's good. Kaiba mutters something under his breath, but that just fuels his determination to fight harder. He dashes forward, lunges sideways, dodges around her to the best of his ability and tries to get a little fancy with a backward throw.

So close...but he misses. Rats.

He tosses her the ball without a word, frowning as he chases her this time.

She's used to that--at least when it comes to sports. Martial arts, in competition, has a bit of that going on, after all, and in actual sports? Basketball especially? State of the game, as it were.

It's why Isabel was heavily considering bala-inlota, though she'd wanted to have a better foothold in her studies before adding sports into the mess.

But even dueling with cards was a sport of its own--and Kaiba was probably used to being faked out. So even with her skill, his greater height and reach has Isabel's shot fouled up when she goes to make it.

"You pick things up fast, I'll give you that!" Isabel said, throwing him the ball.

Kaiba nodded and took to the court once more. He moved more confidently as the game went on, this time going for a side shot---and it rolled around the rim. He hoped.

It fell through the netting. He smiled.

"All yours!" But of course he'd be right on her heels still.

Of course he was--Isabel knew how competitive and just how intense Kaiba was. In no way was Seto going to let her win easily--if he let her win at all!

Either way, by this point, she'd be fine. It actually felt good to play basketball like this, cut loose and just move. Isabel wasn't sure why he'd demanded a duel, but by now? She didn't care.

Dogging her heels as he was, she still was fast and light and in control of her body--so even as he reached over her to try and block her shot, Isabel leaped into the air, throwing the ball overhead to swish through the net. She hadn't really expected it to, either, but there it was. She trotted forward to swipe the ball up and back towards him.

"Okay. Last point. Good luck, Seto!" Did she think he needed it? Not really. Did she want him to get the shot? At this point...kind of. A little luck couldn't hurt. Besides, they were friends. That was worth more than dunking on him in a pickup game, in her book.

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