Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Irksome Nature ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Same as previous. Yugioh doesn't belong to me etc, etc. Same old, same old. Bleh.

Chapter 2

"Seto..."

"Come on, big brother. Wake up." Something nudged at my side.

"Come on, Seto...you gotta wake up. Wake up!"

I opened one eye, and stared sleepily at Mokuba who was impatiently prodding me on my left side. He was extremely focused in his efforts to wake me and held such an exasperated expression on his face; I couldn't help it. I closed my eye and feigned sleep.

"Seto. Seto! Oi!" Vague grumbling hinted at my ear.

"Look Seto, if you don't wake up right now I'll -- I'll -- I'll invite Joey over and tell him you wanted to see him, and I'll make sure Yami's with him too!" Mokuba said triumphantly and gleefully. "Actually, maybe that's not such a bad idea. Yami, I mean. Not Joey 'cause then you'll just call him a dog again and then he'll get mad and try to punch you, and I don't want him to get hurt. And really. Yami's not that bad --"

I couldn't let this go on. My eyes flew open and I straightened impeccably, cutting short Mokuba's terrifyingly vocal trail of thought. "I'm awake now."

He blinked, and grinned up at me. "It worked!"

I just glared. It would take much more energy than I had to respond with the proper and insultingly appropriate words, and I didn't have that much already since I had faced a couple of sleepless nights. Mokuba by then had already gotten used to my changed routine. He woke me up in the early hours of morning so I wouldn't be late for school, and quite simply tried to take care of me by making sure I had enough breakfast. I, in return, tried to make myself as pleasant as possible without resulting in suicide. When Mokuba became the fussy little brother, I usually end up feeling less than cold towards him. It was just too hard, and although I won't admit, I had pretty much given up on trying to keep him out.

I gave a small yawn and looked down expectantly at my desk. A silver tray placed with a plate of scrambled eggs and sausage and a cup of black coffee sat there complacently, as if it was always stuck there and I just never really noticed.

I raised my eyebrows and said, "Eggs and sausage today."

"Yep. You need to eat some meat," Mokuba chirped and then gave a mock scowl. "You're all skin and bones, Seto. You need to eat some meat and get some fat." He then gave up at attempting to imitate me and grinned mischievous. "I mean muscles. Actually, I mean both. Same difference and all that stuff."

"Hmpf."

I deigned to respond and just grabbed the fork, taking several bites from the plate. As his much older and wiser brother, I knew how to choose my battles, and obviously, this was not it. I decided to wait for the time that I just knew was coming, and then win the war with my logical reasoning. As of now though, Mokuba could have the victory.

Picking up my cup of coffee -- black with no sugar because I needed the caffeine -- I told Mokuba just before I took a sip, "Get ready for school. We're not going to be late."

He agreeably went, and I had breakfast. In a blessed and yet uneasy silence. In truth, I wasn't sure how long I could walk between the thinning line of school, KaibaCorp, research and an increasing paranoia. Nothing so far had happened. No supposed accidents within KaibaCorp, no random gun shots had flown through the air near either me or Mokuba, no shiny, black car had screeched its way through the road, aiming straight for us...

All this inactivity just made me edgier. It was the calm before the storm type of cliché and when I wasn't growing frustrated with the results of my research into the dirty dealings of BetaCorp, I was immensely annoyed with Hirato's lack of imagination. Did he seriously think he was toying with me? I had played a much harder game of psychological warfare when I was younger and against a much better opponent too. For now, he was simply giving me extra time to delve into his daily business and find blackmail material. Hirato would soon find out that crossing me was the wrong move.

*`*`*

A shower always helped ease my tense muscles, but it never did much good for my whirling mind. The only time I ever stopped thinking was during my almost-comatose slumber, a rarity that only happened when I was on alert. Usually, and mostly, I would be a light sleeper. The bright glare of a lamp or Mokuba's soft steps easily awoke me and in less than ten seconds, I was up and ready for any sign of trouble. This usually scared the hell out of the maid, but after that one time when I accidentally tripped and straddled her prone form, one hand gripping tightly around her neck and the other holding both her wrists above her head, she stopped coming into my room to clean. Though, after that she kept cupping her nose and blushing whenever I was around. I frowned and wondered whether my nudity had anything to do with it.

The matter glided away from my mind since my tightened security included no more in house workers, and school occupied its place. Or more precisely, placements of body guards and security measures occupied its place. While Mokuba went to his, he needed to be guarded throughout the intervals between classes. At the very least, he needed to be well within the sight of those body guards. I didn't need as much. I pretty much knew how to defend myself and if worse comes to worst, I could use the dagger I had sheathed within my uniform.

I looked at my watch and called out to Mokuba, "Are you ready?"

"Yep. Coming!" he shouted back, racing down the stairs in a blur. He flew past the kitchen, grabbing a piece of toast as he did so, and ran out to the front door. I waited for him by the limo and beckoned him to enter.

By now, he had gotten used to men in black suits trailing him around. In fact, he probably knew them much better than me, and I was the one who gave them background checks. As per usual, after we both climbed in Mokuba started chatting with one of the guards.

"So Kyle, you ready for another day of school?"

I hid a smile. It would never do for a ruthless and malicious genius to smile so often.

*`*`*

School. You never really want to be there, and yet, you're always there. It could have been a profound and philosophical way of thinking, I suppose, and if this were last week or the week before, I wouldn't have minded being here so much.

But.

Now there was a conjunction to hate. It usually indicated some unforseen and unwanted news. It always did for me. And this time was no exception. School had lost its appeal to me. I admit, there wasn't much appeal in the first place except for the fact it got me out of the old man's sight and gave me a sort of freedom I would in a million years not admit, but now? Now all I see is hidden threats in lurking shadows and in the vast open ended areas. When crowds speed their way towards class at the sound of the bell, I can feel myself tense up for one attack or the other. For all I knew, Hirato could stoop this low.

Fortunately, the disgusting students in my way usually parted before me as I walk to my first class. They knew not to bring my attention upon themselves and I thought they had some semblance of a brain.

At least most of them anyway. I glared at the creature who seemed to be blind and brainless since he bumped into me, and ended up falling splat onto the floor. The unseemly cry and thud helped assuage my anger, and even caused a bit of amusement. I guess I could forgive the idiot --

"Hey! Watch where you're going, moneybags!"

Make that monkey. My forgiving self suddenly went away, and I narrowed my eyes. "You could say the same for yourself, mutt. Or was that monkey? I could never choose which term to call you. Such a shame there's no single term for both of them. Hm. Maybe I should coin a new neologism for you, mutt."

"Why you -- gah -- Tristan! Why'd you do that for?! I was just gonna kick his stinkin' rich butt!"

I watched as the shaggy haired blond struggled with his pencil headed friend and grew a tad more amused. It seemed that my tolerance level either had decreased, or the stupid mutt had desensitised me with all his prior idiotic bumbling. I decided I was desensitised and made a note to never, ever bother with the mutt. Then I thought about the entertainment value Wheeler had, and decided a couple more rounds wouldn't hurt.

"Really? And here I thought you were just crawling around on the floor like a baby. My bad." I smirked and headed towards my class, adding over my shoulder, "Oh, and I doubt you can even land one punch. Our little collision seemed to prove that, don't you think? Or are you still trying to get up from the floor?"

"Gah!! You stinkin' good-for-nothing -- good for nothing -- gah! Tristan, give me a good insult! And what did he mean by neo-whatever, huh? Tell me!"

All that, and it was only morning. Perhaps today won't be too bad, I thought, laughing privately. Now, if I could defeat Yami in a duel at lunch, then my day would end off very, very well.

*`*`*

Not surprisingly, my classes went by quickly. Advanced Physics? Done. Advanced Calculus? Done. Gone. Finished. The whole confrontation with Wheeler must have put me in a much better mood than I thought since I usually have my guard kept at high in school. Ever since the Hirato threat, my guard has doubled into overdrive, and close to what some people may call 'paranoia'. I paid them no heed and continued with my precautions, though they more often than not involved Mokuba and not me. After all, Hirato had directly threatened KaibaCorp and Mokuba in one go. He knew my weaknesses and flaws, and as I would have done, will seek to exploit them.

I frowned and began mentally checking off the security measures I put into place. My memory was reliable, this I knew for certain, but a slightly uncomfortable feeling had started to grow in the pit of my stomach, and now, uncertainty was plaguing my lunch hour. Mokuba's slightly lopsided chicken sandwiches lay still in front of me next to my briefcase. It went unheeded as my mind whirled and zigzagged, going at one hundred kilometres per hour and not intending to stop until I finally found the missing variable.

So caught up in my thoughts, I didn't even notice the scrape of a chair against the floor, the shift of the table and finally a squeak; not so sharp as to shrill in my ears but undeniably there, like the curious stare of a certain intruder. I never stopped frowning as I woke from my induced daze. If possible, I frowned even more as I took in the familiar, incorporeal form and wondered if anyone else could see him too. At first, I doubted my sight because this was school, a very public place where ghosts from millennium past shouldn't roam around like they were part of the system. And then I realised that even if I was to go crazy and hallucinate, why would my lunacy create him for a companion? Actually, I didn't want to think further along that track because there was a fine line between sanity and insanity, and I might have just crossed it back when I discovered the existence of magic and the age of my rival. My discovery ended there though, simply because I didn't want to hear anymore, and none of it had anything to do with me. It was all Yami. His past, his present, and his uncertain future. My past was best left ignored and my future had nothing to do with my past. I created my own destiny, and it was my opinion that Yami should do the same instead of quietly reaching for lost memories. But this was his problem. Not mine. So I did what I do best and left it alone.

I was going to make some comment about ghosts and food when another thought occurred to me. "What are you doing here?" It also occurred to me that I didn't sound very resentful or angry and this made me wonder if I was losing my mind after all.

"Oh. Nothing much. Just sitting." His curious gaze never faltered and I felt an urge to shift awkwardly.

"Hmpf. Be more specific," I ordered. He shrugged.

"Well, I am. Nobody can see me, and Yugi's with his friends. I don't see the harm in doing a little wandering -- and by the way, Joey's not too happy," he grinned. "I think it has something to do with -- and I quote -- 'that stupid jerk Kaiba who's an ass and a jerk and has no sense of fashion'." Yami chuckled before he added, "I think he's also miffed at Tristan too. Something about holding him back and not knowing what neologism meant."

My mouth twitched and Yami saw it. "Ah...should I ask?"

"Probably not. You won't like the answer."

"I see." He gave a faint smile and mused, "When have I ever liked your answers?"

"Never. Now stop dithering and tell me why you're here." I demanded again. I knew a stalling tactic when I saw one and this was no different from all the others I have seen. Less subtle too. Being Pharaoh probably didn't require much of that skill, I assumed. With one word Yami could have destroyed a whole city. That had its own set of appeals, I knew. Absolute power was a thing I had tried to bring within my grasp; only to find that it was slippery and prone to betrayal, switching masters as easily as the falling day and rising night.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the horrified curiosity in which milling students were openly staring at me with. I glanced at them, narrowing my eyes and thinning my lips into a silent scowl. They quickly turned away and tried to hide themselves behind lunch trays and paper napkins. Those who I had managed to get snare into a frightened trap fled out of the cafeteria.

I snorted dismissively and turned back to Yami, who looked searchingly at the table top but whose words were aimed directly at me. He hadn't noticed my intimidation tactics and it was just as well. He wouldn't have approved of me scaring the students again.

"I don't know. I -- I -- really have no idea." He smiled faintly again, only it was self deprecating rather than musing. "You know, living inside a Puzzle isn't what it's cut out to be. I have my own room, but anywhere else, and I would be lost. Some of the doors have been unlocked and opened, but others haven't and I can't force them to. I guess I'll just have to wait until everything is unlocked for my mind to clear up. I could even live with the maze if the crumbling and ancient ruins would just go away."

He ended with a wistful sounding note, and I couldn't dredge up any animosity towards him. It was one thing to hate him while he was victorious again and again in our battles, but at normal times when we were at a truce, no duelling disk or chess board between us, I sometimes felt -- dare I say it -- sympathy for him. It was much harder, and much more lonely being the White King than the Black King.

I said nothing, letting the silence reign for the moment. There weren't any reassurances I could give him, and certainly there was no advice waiting to be let out to make everything right again. No such thing existed.

"Sometimes, you just have to bear it," I said quietly, and that unusual peace was in place again. It discomforted me, this feeling of total tranquillity.

"Yes." He paused, a strange fleeting expression crossing over his face. "But sometimes, you don't have to do it alone. The smallest thing could be your saving grace."

An eerie sense of familiarity rang within me and a growing discord echoed loudly. I was angry. Bewildered. Resentful.

Shaking it off quickly, and giving Yami a confused look, I leaned back on my chair and proceeded to infuse myself with my surroundings. That thing, whatever it was, had left me unsure and indecisive. It also supplied me with a heap of confusion, and I hated that emotion more than anything. Confusion led to indecisiveness which then led to being weak and unable to stop being bulldozed by the strong.

Mentally shaken, more than I admitted to myself, I glanced again at Yami who looked serene. I had never trusted that expression on anyone else, and I wasn't about to trust it on him of all people.

"What. Was. That." It wasn't a question.

"I'm not sure," he finally said, meeting my eyes directly with his. "I am not lying, Kaiba. I just remembered a bit from my past. That is all."

"Then why did I feel that? It's your memories. Not mine." I paused. "Unless somehow you're inflicting your emotions onto me." I gave him a suspicious look, and he in turn grumped at me, obviously affronted by my silent accusations.

"Oh, stop it, Kaiba. I'm not inflicting my emotions onto you and I am definitely not doing it on purpose. It might annoy you, but beating you annoys you more."

I glared, and what traces of sympathy left in me was washed away. Everything else was forgotten as my pride rushed forward to defend itself.

"We'll see how annoyed I get after I defeat you in a duel."

We smirked, both relishing the taste of a challenge.

*`*`*

I stomped my way through the corridors and the students in front of me parted like the Red Sea while the students behind me trailed at a safe distance away, huddling in fear. The briefcase by my side swung in pace with my long, hard steps. It was a danger in its own right, and I didn't care. Not a whit.

Yami had won.

Again.

Damn him.

I hated him, and his winning ways. I hated the way he would always come up with the life-point saving card just in time to destroy my own powerfully invincible monster. I hated his victorious grinning smirk. And most of all, I hated this pendulum of anger and respect that always came in the heels of my defeat.

My emotional turmoil corroded every single defence I had built up. It reached a point where I didn't notice the students milling away from me, the big broken down soda machine I pass on my way in and out of school but never seemed to get fixed no matter how many times people suggest it, and the squeech of burning tires.

Some intuitive sense interrupted my thoughts at the last minute and I looked up. A black car was barrelling towards me and it was very, very fast.

Quickly, I half-ran and half-jumped to my left, landing hard on the concrete pavement. The car swerved past me, managing to hit my side before turning a full semi circle to make a getaway. I could hear the shocked gasps, and scrummaging of students as they turned to watch the whole scene. No doubt some of them were even whispering words of encouragement for those responsible for the hit and run. My pride and dignity was wounded, and my side ached with an already numbing throb. I glared up at the cloudy sky.

"Excuse me."

"Coming through. Hey! Get your foot outta our way."

The sound of scuffling and shuffling reached me first before I recognised the voices. It would seem that Yugi and his gang were here. I took no notice of them. My mind was still in a stasis of shock, rage and indignation, and once Yugi reached me, I told him what was stuck in my mind. "That. Was. Pathetic."

He blinked in an I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about fashion, but nodded attentively anyway. Obviously he thought I had a concussion and was out of my mind, but I ignored that for now. Just as I ignored the footsteps signalling the arrival of the mutt and his friend. The girl and the guy who looked to have a dice fetish moved from behind them, and looked on with some sort of distant concern for me but I took no notice of them either. My rant needed an outlet as of this minute and I couldn't be bothered with anything else.

"Did you see that? Out of all the ways in this technologically advanced world, he chooses to assassinate me using a car. A black noticeable, car. It is pathetic. It is the most pathetic attempt I have seen."

"Uh, I guess so, Kaiba." Yugi knelt down, and held out his hand to pull me up. I started at it for a second before I decided I didn't need any help to get up. Pushing off the ground and hiding a grimace, I stood up and brushed off whatever dust or dirt that stained themselves onto my uniform.

"Are you all right? That car was going awfully fast..." Yugi looked at me with concern as he pulled back his unwanted hand and stood back up. A twinge of discomfort lanced through me as I noted his sincerity. He always made me feel as if I should be better than I was with his unconditional offer of friendship and forgiveness, but I refused to change time and time again. I didn't need it, I thought adamantly. I don't need anything from anyone.

"I'm fine. The car was obviously weak as well. Pathetic. Hirato is useless."

"Huh? Who's Hirato? " The mutt asked, scratching his head.

"None of your damn business." I turned my back on them. It was true. None of it had anything to do with them and I wasn't about to broadcast my private life just because a car tried to run me over.

"But Kaiba, this Hirato wants to kill you! Aren't you worried? What about Mokuba?" Yugi called out. "You need help. You need some sort of protection or otherwise you or Mokuba could be hurt. The next time something happens, you won't be so lucky, Kaiba."

"I already have everything under control." I halted and tilted my head slightly over my shoulder. "I don't need any help -- little as it is -- from you or your friends."

"But Kaiba, we have an advantage Hirato or whoever it is know nothing about -- "

By God, if he was going to say the Heart of the Cards, I was going to run him over myself.

"We have Yami and the Millennium Puzzle."

Well, that was a first; but I was not persuaded.

"No."

"Kaiba --"

"No."

"Jeez, Kaiba. Will you just listen to Yugi for once in your stupid life!"

I started walking again. "So the mutt speaks. Too bad what he said held no value whatsoever." I could hear gurgling noises coming from Wheeler's direction, but any sputtering insults he was going to say was interrupted by Yugi, who still had worry incorporated into his every word.

"Kaiba! Please. Think about Mokuba...even if you don't want our help, what about him? He's not as strong as you. He's still just a kid."

Damn him. He and Yami were just the same, always causing me chaos and disorder. Once my mind was made, nothing could change it. Nothing except for an annoying ghost and his shorter and livelier clone. I gritted my teeth and told my heart not to turn against me. It listened but my legs didn't. They stopped of their own accord and I found myself standing still once again.

"No." My voice lacked its conviction though, and I knew Yugi could hear it. "Absolutely not."

"Come on, Kaiba. Think about it. What's the worst thing that could happen that hasn't happened already? Let us help you," he said gently, but certainly, utterly convinced that what he was doing was the right thing.

I hesitated. He had hit a nerve when he mentioned Mokuba. I could handle most things, this I knew for a fact. Pain was not a consideration for my body or me but for Mokuba? It very well was. I had spent years trying to keep him safe and now was a hazardous time when the wrong action could destroy what I had protected for so long.

"Tell me your plan." I paused, eyes staring straight forward and hands clenched into a tight fist. "I will give you one chance to tell me what you can do, and then I will decide."

I could hear the gentle sigh of relief Yugi let out and the disgruntled grumbling of Wheeler beside him. "Okay. That's great! Well, for now me and Yami will just have to live with you; maybe --"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" I growled out. There was absolutely no way I was going to live with them.

*`*`*

"Wow! This is gonna be so cool!"

Mokuba was bouncing energetically as he watched Yugi unpack and put away his clothes while I stood in the shadows, quietly raging. It was going to be a long night, I thought grimly, and the sun hadn't even set yet. I, Seto Kaiba, somehow allowed myself to get blindsided by the most irritating spirit in this world and his spiky haired clone. It was degrading. It was humiliating. And I had no choice but to go on with their foolish plans because deep down I knew Mokuba had to be protected at all cost, and because no matter how I suffered, it had to be done. Extra security was extra security. I could handle the paranormal package that came along with it.

"So, Kaiba. How about a game of chess?" Yami appeared beside me with his arms crossed and his head leaning slightly forward.

I grunted my agreement after a moment's pause and we both stood still, staring directly at Mokuba and Yugi. They chattered enthusiastically and happily in the brightly lit room while we stood silently in our own dark places. The symbolism was not lost on me.