Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Seto's Wish Alternate World Conclusion ❯ C16 Ultimate Sacrifice III ( Chapter 16 )

 

C16 Ultimate Sacrifice III

 

The kid seemed to be trying to stifle a laugh, saying, “If you say so. Let's just duel and get this over with.”

 

“You don't believe me. Well, then I guess I'm gonna have to duel ya to prove it.” Joey said.

 

The two were dueling and Joey was shocked...he was getting his butt kicked by a kid. “Man, this is embarrassing. Maybe I was a little too overconfident or something, and didn't play my hardest...that's gotta be it.”

 

“Or maybe you're just not as good as you pretend to be.” the kid smirked. “This next turn I'm gonna stomp you, Wheeler...not that you had a chance in the first place, but it'll still be amusing.” The kid pulled his card and looked at it. It was a Blue Eyes White Dragon. `Damn, I can't use this...I need a substitute.' he thought and blinked his eyes.

 

“Hey, I think there's a glitch in the system...it felt like the whole screen just blinked for second, or something...” Joey said.

 

“I didn't notice anything.” Kasey said. “I summon forth Lord of Dragons in attack mode!”

 

“Is that it?” Joey asked.

 

With an evil grin, the kid sneered, “No.....”

 

Joey gulped at that moment, worried what was coming next.

 

“I then use the magic card `Flute of Summoning Dragons.' allowing me to summon forth two dragons directly from my hand, allowing me to call forth my two Hyozanryu in attack mode. Now my dragons, take out Wheeler's remaining life points!” Kasey cried.

 

“Say, what?? No way!” Joey cried. He had one monster in defense mode, but there was no way he could fend off all three monsters on the field. Joey's life points quickly hit 0.

 

“Man, kid...you're ruthless. You remind me of another guy I used to battle...except he'd cream you.” Joey said, putting out his hand to shake it.

 

The kid hesitated, looking at the hand as if it was a weapon and not a friendly handshake. But the kid took it after a moment and said, “It was a good game...you were simply outclassed.” He then released Joey's hand, turned, and walked away, saying, “Perhaps I'll see you again, sometime...” and vanished from the game.

 

“Yeah, I'll see ya around, Kasey. Heh...good kid, needs an attitude adjustment, though.” he said and pulled himself out of the game. Joey got up to see Yugi and Tristan waiting for him to get up. He pulled himself up and looked at the other seats to see the kid was already gone.

 

“Hey Joey, you look like you were having a blast in there. Good game?” Tristan asked.

 

“Well, it got a lot better when that Kasey kid joined my game. Man, you had to see him....he was good. And to think, the kid was only 14.” Joey said.

 

Yugi looked at him strangely, saying, “What are you talking about, Joey? No one else joined your game. The entire time, no one took any of the seats, but you.”

 

“But...but I played him, he...” Joey said, turning around to face the seats and the computer and then it clicked. “No way...”

 

“What is it, Joey?” Yugi asked.

 

“Uh...nothing, you're probably right. It had to be part of the game. They make these things so real now, you know?” Joey said to them, though he had an idea what it really was.

 

It was the next day in the evening, when Joey came to the Kaiba's mansion. “Can I help you, sir?” the gate man asked.

 

“Uh, yeah...tell Mr. Kaiba that I'd like to see him. I'm Joey Wheeler, a friend of his...” Joey smiled.

 

The man called on the phone, giving the information to MK, who responded to let him in. He opened the gate, allowing Joey to go to the front door. Immediately, the door opened, as MK said, “Hi Joey, it's great to see ya!”

 

“Um...yeah.” Joey laughed. “Sorry kid, it's just gonna take some time for me to adjust to the new you. Every time I see ya, I keep thinking I'm seeing Seto Kaiba giving me a big warm greeting...”

 

MK chuckled, saying, “Geez, Joey....I've been this way for awhile, now. How much time do you need?”

 

Joey sheepishly rubbed the back of his hair, saying, “Hey, it aint my fault. We haven't seen ya in a while....”

 

“Oh, sorry about that. I've been real busy...” MK said, sounding rather sheepish. “Well, come on in. We can talk more inside.”

 

Joey and Mokuba chatted for a while. MK tried to sound as cheerful as he could, explaining that he was learning a lot and figuring out how to deal with all the people he had to meet with at work, all the time. And his brother was taking the brunt of the business off of Mokuba's hands by doing it himself. All Mokuba had to do was use a computer scanner, so Kaiba knew what he had to do. Mokuba also explained how he had connected their computer systems all together and how his brother routed out a whole handful of spies they didn't even knew worked for them.

 

“You sure they're spies, though? Just cause an email sounds bad, doesn't mean it was really them doing it. Those guys can be pretty sneaky.” Joey said.

 

Mokuba smiled, saying, “Seto has also been connected to the security system and has full camera control.”

 

“Maybe so, but he can only see one thing at a time.” Joey said.

 

Mokuba shook his head, “You don't understand, Joey. His mind was pulled from his body and imbedded into the computer. He doesn't have to do only one thing at a time, anymore. He `is' the computer. He can do practically everything at once. It makes me worried, too. If he can do so many things at one time, he must get awfully bored at times. And I can't always be there for him. I just don't know what to do...”

 

“You want me to stay over tonight? We can hang out...” Joey asked.

 

“Well, I dunno. I normally stay with Seto at night. I try and keep him company.” MK said.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x

 

(End Flash)

 

“I thought you said Mokuba stopped doing that with you?” Kaiba asked.

 

Computer Kaiba answered, “This happened a bit earlier before that took place. During this time, Mokuba only started to distance himself more.”

 

x-x-x-x-x-x

 

(Continued Flashback)

 

“Well, it's only one night. Just tell him you got a friend over...you know he won't mind.” Joey said.

 

“I know, but...” MK stammered.

 

“Mokuba. You can't sit around all the time worrying about your brother. I know you're upset about all this, but you'll only make him more upset if he thought you weren't letting yourself have fun, cause you were too worried about him. That's not why he did this.” Joey said.

 

MK gave a weak smile, saying, “Yeah, you're right. Of course you can sleep over.”

 

It was late in the night, when Joey snuck into the computer room. He looked up at the camera, noticing it move in his direction. Joey gave a smirk, saying, “Yeah, you're watching me, aren't ya? Well look out Kaiba, cuz I'm coming in!” He sat down on the VR system and put his cards in, switching on. In a moment, he was sucked into the Virtual World.

 

Joey looked around...things had changed since the last time they were there. He was on the top of a hill, looking down over a huge city, that looked like they were crawling with people. In fact, it looked just like Domino City.

 

“Whoa...” Joey breathed, wondering if he was controlling every person in that city. `What a computer mind like he does, when he gets bored, I guess.'

 

He turned around, looking to find someone, still not seeing who he was expecting. Finally, he shouted out, “All right, come on Kaiba...where are you?? I know you're out there and you know I'm here! Don't make me come after you!” Only then did he notice the great shadow looming over him. Joey looked up, horrified to see a Blue Eyes White Dragon flying down at him. He whirled around, falling to the ground, crying out, “Yeeaaaahhhh!!!” and was instantly snatched from the ground, as the dragon went flying high into the air.

 

Joey clung on for dear life, but the claw tossed him and he went hurtling down towards the ground, crying out, “MOMMEEEE!!” finally being caught and now on the Blue Eyes black. “Okay Kaiba, this ain't funny anymore!!” Joey cried out some more, as the Blue Eyes did a spiral, causing him to fall again, before landing on it's tail, then tossed back onto the dragon's back-end again. The great dragon continued to climb higher and higher into the air and then seemed to stop, as gravity seemed to finally claim the beast. He turned and began to spiral down into a nose-dive. Joey screamed again, Saying, “Up Simba, up! We're gonna die! I think I'm gonna be sick!” He came faster and faster towards the ground and just at the last second, he took a sharp curve, crashing through trees and skimming the ground. Finally his talons grabbed onto the earth, allowing him to stop fast and causing Joey to be launched off the back of the mighty beast and go bouncing off the ground a couple times, finally hitting a tree. Joey moaned incoherently, sprawled all over the tree and the ground...the dragon did a heck of a number on him.

 

Joey finally came out of it, as he heard laughter...biting cold laughter, that could only be caused by one person.

 

Joey began to recover and looked over at Kaiba standing right where the BEWD was a moment ago. “Have a nice trip?” Kaiba asked, with a knowing smirk.

 

“You jerk! What did you do that for??” Joey snapped, finally standing back up.

 

“I thought you'd be honored. There's not too many people that get the privilege to ride such a magnificent beast as that. So...aren't you supposed to be with Mokuba?” he asked.

 

“When did he tell you? I didn't see him leave to mention it. He just kind of fell asleep...” Joey asked.

 

“I thought you already knew. After all, you had a nice chat with me, before climbing into your VR pod. I obviously saw the whole thing. He doesn't have to tell me.” Kaiba said.

 

“So then...you heard everything he said, too.” Joey swallowed.

 

Kaiba hesitated with his answer, as he looked down at Joey. He finally turned away, looking down at the city, saying, “Yes, I did. Mokuba...forgets sometimes just how many abilities he's given me.” Kaiba sighed, before adding, “He's wrong, you know. I'm not alone...I'm never alone. I get to see everyone and everything that's happening. I get to see him every step of the day, everything he does right and wrong. In fact, being here has allowed me to see him even more than I ever had a chance to when I was alive.”

 

“You're still alive, you're just stuck here. You might see everyone Kaiba, but you don't get to be with too many people. You don't get just a little bored or lonely from all this?” Joey asked.

 

Kaiba glanced back towards Joey, giving a “Hmph.” answering him, “Perhaps you forgot who you're talking to. You're the one always telling people what a lifeless machine I was...how ironic that I would actually become one.”

 

He looked away, back at the city. “I never liked people in the first place. They were always a burden to me. Now I no longer have to deal with any of them. I have control of my entire world, at my very beck and call...like a god. I don't need to eat, sleep, dream, drink...none of it. All human annoyances have been ripped from me. It gives me even more time to do any of the work I need to do. And as Mokuba said, I don't have to do only one thing at a time, either. I can do everything at once. I can observe through every camera, every microphone, perform every task I need to get done, plus still interact with an annoying Mutt like you....and not even acknowledge one moment of effort from it all. For the first time ever, I am ahead of my work schedule. They can't give me enough to do to keep busy. So, how could I possibly wish for anything more?”

 

“You know what else you can do? You can lie like a son of a bitch. You can try all you want to convince me this is fun for you, but it ain't working, Kaiba. No human can enjoy this...this is like a private hell, a prison without walls. But I ain't saying what you did is wrong, either. I ain't like Yugi, or Mokuba, or the others...I think what you did was great. Hell, if I was in your shoes in the same position, I'd have done the same thing for Serenity.” Joey said.

 

Kaiba said nothing to that, continuing to stare out at the city.

 

“Hey, Kaiba....listen. I just wanted to let you know that if you ever have something you wanna get off your chest, I'd be happy to hear you out.” Joey said.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Kaiba answered.

 

Joey smiled, saying, “Well, I know while you were yourself and Mokuba was fine, if you ever needed anyone, you always had your brother. Well, there might be some sensitive subjects that you can't talk to him about no more...like regarding what happened between you two. You say something wrong, you say something maybe you don't like and you gotta worry about upsetting him. So, I just wanted to let you know, you don't have to bottle those things up. You can talk to me...and I promise I won't talk to anyone else about it, neither. Okay?”

 

Kaiba shook his head, saying, “You're an idiot. Even if what you were saying is true, why would I waste my time on a nobody like you?”

 

“Because this nobody might be all you got to talk to, and trust it won't go to the wrong set of ears.” Joey said.

 

Kaiba turned to Joey, saying, “What makes you think there's any reason I should trust you with anything?”

 

“Because unlike anyone else, I too have a younger sibling and I know what you'd be willing to do for him, like I would be willing to do for Serenity. None of the others can understand cuz they don't have a brother or sister. Besides, it's not like you weren't already opening up to me anyway, right?” Joey asked, flashing a smile.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Kaiba said, glaring down at him.

 

“Sure ya do...Kasey. Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about, Mr. Dragon deck. So, what was that glitch in the system.....were you cheating?” Joey asked.

 

Kaiba stared Joey down for a moment, as he considered his answer. Finally, he turned away and sighed, looking back down at the city. “I don't need to cheat to defeat you. I changed the final card I got. I didn't want you to see a Blue Eyes White Dragon coming to the field, when I'm the only one that possesses such cards.” Before Joey said anything further though, he added in, “I was checking the games to make sure they were working properly.”

 

“Sure ya were. So, uh...what did you mean that even when Mokuba was there with you, that you can't get near him?” Joey asked.

 

Kaiba realized that perhaps he said too much when he was talking with him, while pretending to be someone else. He should have known that with Yugi and Tristan watching, Joey would quickly figure out he was the only one playing the game. “It's not important.” He answered. “You should probably go...humans need their rest.”

 

“Don't ever forget you're human too, Kaiba.” Joey told him. “And before I leave, I wanna know what you meant by that. Is Mokuba becoming more distant with you? Is he afraid to come close, after what happened?”

 

Kaiba gritted his teeth, “I can't touch anything, all right? It's not the same for me in this world, as it is for you. You're alive, you have a body...all I am now are thought patterns. I can create a form at a whim that appears to be as solid as you. But unlike you, I can't feel. It's another part of my humanity that was lost to me...”

 

“I...I didn't know.” Joey said.

 

“I don't need your pity.” Kaiba hissed.

 

“I aint pitying you. What you did was the noblest thing I ever saw a person do, and I wouldn't belittle you by pulling the pity routine! I...I honestly never knew you had it in you, to do something so selfless for your brother. Even when you were alive, I put down your loyalty for Mokuba, cause I thought you were being a creep even to him. I mean, when we saw you, even around him you seemed cold.” Joey said.

 

Kaiba answered, “Mokuba's all ready been kidnapped enough times on my account. The more I reduce his importance to me in public, the less chances there are for anymore kidnapping attempts.”

 

“You mean.....you're worried about that?” Joey asked.

 

“This surprises you?” Kaiba asked.

 

Now that Joey thought about it.....he supposed it didn't. Mokuba `had' been captured at least twice since he's known them. “I guess that makes sense. But, that don't mean you can't treat him nice in front of us. Hell.....we aint gonna kidnap him!”

 

“Hmph.” Kaiba muttered, glaring down at his homemade city. “And what makes you think you're the only ones around. There's not too many times I recall when it was just me, Mokuba, and the rest of you hanging around, without other people passing by.”

 

Joey thought about that again. “Yeah.....I guess you're right.” he muttered, remembering the random times. Finally, he asked, “So, what is it like being in here? Is it as bad as I thought it is?”

 

“It's time to go to bed, Wheeler.” Kaiba answered.

 

“I won't tell him...” Joey said. “What are you afraid of, showing there might still be a spec of humanity in you? Come on, Kaiba...for once, just be honest. There's no reporters to worry about here.”

 

“If you don't listen, I'm going to be forced to throw you out.” Kaiba said.

 

Joey sighed, “Fine, I give up. I'll leave. But if you need anything, give me an email. It's `theman@domino.com'.”

 

“How original.” Kaiba smirked.

 

Joey asked, “If you want to meet sometime, maybe I can get back on the arcade VR unit and we can talk there...you know?”

 

Kaiba waved his hand and Joey was immediately thrown back to his body.

 

/End Flashback/

 

((Uh......I've been putting the `flashback' notes in parenthesis. If any of them seem different than the original Flashback notes, just change them to make them uniform....okay?))

 

“So, Wheeler's now your writing partner'?” Kaiba asked.

 

CKaiba turned away, muttering, “Only occasionally, to shut him up.”

 

Somehow.....Kaiba wasn't convinced. CKaiba's familiar behavior when he was trying to hide something and knew himself too well. “Hmph. I'm surprised you're even wasting time with this little `pen pal' relationship of yours. Does he make a great pet, or something? Are you really `that' bored?” Kaiba asked, sarcastically.

 

His other side scowled at the knowing glance he was being given, refusing to stoop to actually admitting enjoying any communication with Joey, whether he did or not. “I said he emailed me.... I didn't say I was responsive towards him. Anything I had to say to him was only for Mokuba's sake. Unlike you, it's not as easy for me to know how he's feeling at all times, locked inside a machine. I don't have a choice but to get the opinion of another, on occasion. And unfortunately, out of the whole worthless gang of them, Wheeler was the least annoying when it came to trying to get me to `talk' and `open up' to him.....not to say he didn't try, as well.” At that, computer Kaiba turned away, once again avoiding the knowing gaze of the other.

 

Why once he could tell he was lying. Though it would never be apparent to anyone else, he simply knew himself too well. Never reveal a weakness.....the first lesson he ever learned, and never forgot. And if CKaiba had begun to offer information to Joey, then he was definitely forgetting those rules. But in a computer world where he had no one, even he would probably grow desperate after awhile.

 

And Kaiba could understand if the other was simply trying to grasp onto the last shreds of sanity that he could, and he could understand trying not to reveal a weakness. But if this version of him had no problems `chatting' with Wheeler, there was no way he would accept the insult of not being honest with his own self.

 

Kaiba snapped at him, “Who are you trying to fool? Maybe you forgot whom you're talking to. At this moment, that loser Wheeler isn't the person you are talking to, right now. This world's obviously gotten you desperate enough, that you feel the need to be scrounging for a crutch....though I can't say I agree with your choice of who to lean on.”

 

Kaiba turned away in disgust. “Hmph.....it's sad, really. I can't imagine ever feeling `that' desperate!”

 

“Shut up!!” CKaiba snapped angrily at the other. “This isn't about me, it's about Mokuba! It doesn't matter how I feel, I don't need anyone.... especially Wheeler. I have Mokuba.... he's all I ever needed. That's never changed.”

 

Kaiba turned back to the other, muttering, “But you said he doesn't come to visit, anymore. He might be what you need, but he's here, anymore. He's forgotten you.....”

 

CKaiba looked down to hide the pain from those words. It's words he never wanted to admit to himself, and now a mirror image of him was forcing him to face the horrible fact. It certainly felt that way.

 

“He doesn't mean it.....” CKaiba said softly. “It's my fault. I've thrown this responsibility on him, when he wasn't ready. He's just busy. Besides....it's what I really wanted, anyway.....for him to move on. If he hovered around here all the time instead of focusing on reality, then I would have failed. At least now.....I know he's happy.”

 

He looked back up at Kaiba, who was staring over at him without emotion.....without pity. And for that cold glare, he was grateful. He was tired of people feeling sorry for him. “I'm not going to lie.” CKaiba said. “It hurts to think I may be nothing to him, anymore. Yet, very few seem to understand that none of it matters. He doesn't need me to drag him down...and I had a promise to keep.”

 

Kaiba nodded, saying, “...and you kept it. You what was necessary for him. It's like you said....if he remained dependant on you forever, he'd never learn to lead a life of his own. You did what had to be done.”

 

“Exactly.” CKaiba nodded, for once feeling relief from someone who truly understood him. Even Joey didn't totally get it. But how could he? He was Joey.

 

“Wheeler has insisted I try and push myself closer to Mokuba, but he doesn't understand this.” CKaiba said, not realizing the incriminating words he had just muttered. He was simply too pleased to talk to someone who wasn't constantly preaching to him how to dictate what was left of his existence.

 

“You told the Mutt what you were feeling?” Kaiba asked, shocked.

 

CKaiba inwardly groaned at the question......it was too late to deny it, now. “It was a moment of insanity I was having, being in here for so long. I know it was a mistake...it was a mistake the moment I said it. Now he won't leave me alone about it. I haven't talked to him further on the subject, since it was spoken. I was half tempted to explain to him why I won't, but I figured I'd regret that, too. And I can't tell Mokuba...if I do, I'll only be guilting him into seeing me, and I don't want that. If he comes to visit me.....I want him to because `he' wants to, not because of the way I am, now.”

 

Kaiba nodded, saying nothing further on the subject. CKaiba didn't even have to explain to him why he didn't want to talk to Mokuba about it. It was probably annoying enough having anyone else communicate to him with words of pity. It would be hell to have Mokuba showing up to visit, simply out of that same pity. CKaiba wanted Mokuba to see him because he would miss him as a brother, not because he felt obligated to him since he owed him.

 

And Kaiba didn't pry further on him and Joey, either. Now that CKaiba at least admitted enough to him that he was in fact communicating to Joey, he didn't want to know more. He knew more than enough, as it was.

 

“Exactly how long do you plan on sticking around?” CKaiba suddenly asked, making his voice sound his usual tone of disinterest. But in truth, he was actually hoping this Kaiba wasn't planning on leaving very soon. It actually felt good talking with someone who could relate to him, without worrying that he was going to preach to him or tell him what he should and shouldn't do. Yet, he had a feeling his time here was not going to last much longer....

 

Perhaps Kaiba sensed the hidden urgency in the other's words or actions, or perhaps he was simply too weirded out to stick around here, anymore. Either way, he answered almost too quickly, “I suppose now would be as good a time as any. I hope things work out between you and Mokuba.”

 

Kaiba then pulled out the box, wanting out of this place as quick as possible. He couldn't deal with anymore of this. With a few box changes, he was gone almost as quickly as he arrived.