Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Time's Up ❯ Chapter 4

Jaden awoke from the dream she was having, her body coated in sweat and her breath coming out in a shudder. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead into the inside of her palms and groaned in pain as her headache pounded heavily as it left and finally faded away to a nothingness. She moved her hand through her hair and was about to hop out of the bed, when her body suddenly froze up and she was clenching the blanket so hard, her knuckles were turning white.

`It wasn't a dream…all that crap really did happen…', she wearily thought.

"It was no dream. No such thing as a happy ending for you, Jaden." A voice growled out to her from the corner.

Jaden whipped her head to the voice and narrowed her eyes at the young CEO and rather overly annoying Kaiba. Jaden scrambled out of the bed and knew without looking at her arm that her millennium bracelet would still be there. Ever since she put it on, the damn thing won't let go of her. No matter who or what would try to pry it off of her nothing resulted in the removal of it from her upper arm. She stared at Kaiba and how relaxed he seemed in front of her.

"Had it been You or Yugi, you can bet that I would have been able to get away." Jaden growled out back to him. He seemed to not care.

"Mokuba has that effect on people." He stated nonchalantly.

"You use him as your pawn when you see fit!" she screamed back at him.

Kaiba glared at her.
"Damn you. I don't use him. He's my brother. We're family. Hey, at least I have one…" he said with a crooked smile at the end.

Jaden stood there stunned. She put her head down for a brief second. The next thing she knew she was laying a size 6 foot into his stomach. Kaiba clutched his stomach and groaned from the sudden pain. Jaden took no notice of his pain and ran for the door. She clutched the doorknob and it turned!

`Mr. Genius here forgot to lock it.' She thought.
"Moron." She mumbled to him as she walked out of the door and as far from him as she could get.

Jaden stepped out into a very well lit hallway. Huge windows repeated themselves all down the hall, and the sunlight fell in patches on the floor in front of her. She ran towards a window to at least find out where she was.

She was still at the Kaiba Mansion. She really wanted to get out…now.

Figuring there might be a servants entrance to the floors, Jaden ran down the hall. At the first door she hesitated. She needed to stay calm, even if the pharaoh and the High Priest seemed to want her head on a silver platter…not that she could blame them.

Jaden closed her eyes and focused her mind on the way out of this over-bearing home of the Kaiba brothers. She felt her arms and shoulders relax, as she raised her head and started walking towards what she had been told was the exit out of here. To her freedom, even if it was on the streets.

The last door, yes, the knob turned and she could see the stairway just a few feet in front of her. Jaden ran towards it and was about to run down it, when from the bottom she saw Mokuba and Yugi walking up it. Panicking, Jaden picked the door closes to her and jumped into it. She left it open a crack to watch the approaching duo.

`Ah, crap crap crap. Did they have to come upstairs now?!?!?!' Jaden was yelling in her mind. Then remembering Yugi's ability she kept her thoughts quiet. She just wanted to get out.

Jaden's body tensed as she heard their footsteps ascend the stair case and finally reach the top. She felt her heart stand still as she watched Mokuba lead Yugi in her direction. Jaden leaned back a little, just in case. Within just a few steps of her, in the direction they were heading she heard a door slam open and Kaiba's heavy breathing. Yugi and Mokuba stood in shock as they watched Kaiba run towards them.

"She's escaped. Have you seen her?!" he shouted at both of them.

"No, Seto. I was taking Yugi up to see her and you, so you two could question her together. Are you alright big brother?" Mokuba looked like he was going to cry.

Jaden frowned, a little upset that she had caused Mokuba pain.

`Oh, well', she thought.

She noticed Yugi stiffen, and a moment later, relax. It happened so fast, that the two brothers didn't even notice it. Jaden did however.

"You two go and let the others know what has happened. She's still here somewhere. We will find her." Yugi sounded so positive she felt like a piece of lead just plummeted into her stomach. Mokuba had already run ahead and she could hear him in his high pitched excited voice telling everyone what had happened. Kaiba left a few seconds later to round up some sort of search party and alert his guards. Yugi stayed standing where he was, still facing the other end of the hallway.

A few moments passed. Jaden wanted to run out of the small room she'd taken refuge in and jump out, away from everything here.

"You can come out now." Yugi's voice had changed. Oh goody, she was in the presence of the Pharoah.

She contemplated for another second before opening the door and walking out. She stood in front of him and she felt his gaze pierce into her soul. She felt the inner power in her start to rise up in defense and started to slowly push him out.

"I want to leave." Jaden stated flately.

Yami stood staring at her. He crossed his arms and formed a small crooked smile on his face. It irritated her to see him so regal and proud in front of her.

"You have something we need." He stated simply.

"It's not yours to have." She said sharply. She felt she only had one choice. She ran into him and shoved him into the wall. He grunted when his body made contacted against the wall. Jaden took a few steps back and watched as he merely shoved himself away from the wall and take a defensive pose in front of her.

When she had pushed him, she allowed the power to build up within her. When he stood back she finally released it at him. Without waiting to see what happened to him she ran towards the steps. She ran down them, taking two steps at a time. She felt a rush of warmth behind and moved her body in time just enough so that only her right shoulder got burned from the immense power that had been aimed at her, and rather went past her. Despite the pain, she kept running, the front door now looming right in front of her. She spun around as she reached it and looked up at the steps as Yami was running after her. She spun her head to the side to see Kaiba throwing some dark energy at her. She threw some of her energy back at it, just enough to slow it down before it hit her in her mid section. She felt as though the upper part of her body had been thrown into ice cold water, and then she felt her skin burning from the pain. She spun around and yanked open the door. She came within inches of running into Tea` and stopped. Instead with a laugh she grabbed the other girls wrist and spun her body around to face the two who had just reached her, but were still a few feet away.

Jaden put up one of her hands against Tea`'s head and leered at the two.

"Either of you follow me and Tea` feels a pain that she didn't know existed. She's not like either one of us, so she'll be taking a long time to heal from it. Back up now!" Yami immediately stepped back and after a few seconds Kaiba stepped back also, neither looking very happy. Jaden tightened her grip on Tea` and the two ran off with Tea` dragging her feet.

A couple blocks away Jaden stopped and let go of Tea`. Tea` immediately backed up from Jaden and stared at her angrily.

"You ok?" asked Jaden. Tea` was stunned at Jaden's words that she numbly nodded her head. A moment later she shook her head and narrowed her eyes at Jaden.

"Why did you take me?" Tea` demanded. Jaden gave her a blank look and then shrugged her shoulders.

"I needed to get away and I knew that they'd let me go, if I used some sort of a …persuasive means, shall we say? Anyways, I'm sorry if I have scared you, but I don't enjoy being kept somewhere against my will and I just wanted to leave. You can leave now." Jaden nodded at her and began walking away.

"I'm sorry." Tea`shouted as Jaden walked away.

Still walking, Jaden turned around, smiled and waved at the girl, that had circumstances had been different, the two would have been friends.

After gathering what few things she had stashed up in her small one room home, whe walked out and locked the door behind her. Jaden walked down the creaky wooden steps and back onto the busy markets street. People seem to cover every square inch of the area as Jaden had to maneuver her way over to her employer's stand, one of the larger ones on the market too.

Jaden made her way over to the small round smiling man and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Lee, I'm sorry that I have to leave you, but," she started, handing him the key to the small room she had lived in.

"No, its ok. I understand. If you are interested though, I know of a job you can get from friend of mine. Room and board comes with pay." he said.

Jaden smiled. Really smiled.

"You're awesome Mr. Lee!" she exclaimed.

"I know." Mr. Lee smiled, nodding his head.

*****

With a full stomach, thanks to Mr. Lee's generosity, Jaden sought out the address that he'd written on a piece of paper and given to her. He had also called his friend ahead of time to let him know that he was sending over a future employee.

"If you ever need a job, come back and see me. You are a good worker!" Mr. Lee had said.

With thank you's still spilling out of her mouth she waved good bye and headed off towards her new job.

Now she was walking along the sidewalk in a neighborhood filled with small shops and nice homes.

"2626 Hale Ave. This is it." Jaden said stopping in front of a two story red building.

'Turtle game shop. Wouldn't mind working here...' thought Jaden as she yanked open the door and walked inside. A slight tinkling of bells sounded when she opened the door.

"I'll be right out" called a deep pleasant voice from the back of the shop.

Deul Monster cards and accessories lined the walls and rested on shelves in the glass counters. She walked forward towards the register that was seated off to the side of the back counter.

Jaden reached the register just as the person from the back came through the open doorway.

"Hi, I'm Jaden. Mr. Lee told me about a job that I may be able to acquire here?"

"With room and board also. I'm Mr. Moto. Mr. Lee told me of your past work experiences and his reference alone is more then enough."

Jaden nodded her head and listened as he told her what her responsibilities would be if she chose to work for him. Manning the register, a little stock and inventory...the basics for her to do. It was better then most of the jobs she had ever had.

"So do you want the job?" Mr. Moto asked.
Jaden nodded her head and smiled.

"Good, I'll show you around now. Follow me please." Mr. Moto said. He was a small pleasant man, and Jaden liked him already.

For the next thirty minutes he showed her the whole first floor which consisted of the front store area and the back held extra merchandise and a small desk for work.

Next he lead Jaden upstairs to the main living quarters. It wasn't small and cramped like Jaden thought it would be. It was the size of a medium to big apartment. He took her down a hallway where the bedrooms were and opened up a door at the end. He handed her a key and let her step inside.

"This'll be your room and that's your key for the door here. I'll also be giving you two more in a minute-one key for the front of door of the shop and one for the door into the living quarters. Do you like your bedroom?" Mr. Moto asked when she didn't say anything.

Jaden was staring around the room. It had a small twin bed pushed to the far side of the wall, one of those short fat dressers next to it, a small walk in closet and another door to the side of the closet. She walked over to it and opened it up.

"A bathroom?" she voiced aloud. A bit stunned. She didn't think she'd get a room with her own bath with it.

"Yes, I'm sure you wouldn't like sharing a bathroom with two other guys. That is purely yours." Mr. Moto said, sounding a little smug with himself.

"I love it." Jaden said. And she did. Compared to all the places she'd been in since living on the streets, this was paradise.

"As you know, I'll be providing food also at no extra charge, but if you want anything for yourself that I haven't bought, you can get that on your own." he stopped and took a good look at her.

"Is there anything else that you need to get that you don't have with you?" he asked. Jaden shook her head.

"Nah, this is all I have." she said shrugging the bag off of her shoulder and onto the bed. She turned and looked back at Mr. Moto.

"If you don't mind, I've collected all my wages from Mr. Lee, and If you couldn't tell I need to buy some...things." she said looking off to the side away from his steady gaze.

Mr. Moto nodded his head.

"You'll start work tomorrow...after school?"

Jaden nodded her head.

"Yes, I'll be stopping by there today to pick up my uniform. At least I don't have to buy school clothes," she said smiling. It was the first real smile Mr. Moto had seen from her and it made him smile back.

"Excellent. Why don't you go on out? I"ll give you your other keys to get in and lock up behind you. By the time you come back home tonight, my grandson should be home. Oh, this may be funny asking you now, but do you play Duel Monsters?" he asked a bit hopefully.

Jaden nodded.

"Yeah, but I had to sell my deck, cards at a time when I couldn't find any jobs. I have sold all but three." Jaden said, pulling them out. When he didn't ask for them she put them back on the bed.

*****

Jadens' first stop was Domino High. It was late in the school day when she walked in. She had called from Mr. Moto's home to let them know she was coming in to register and get a uniform. She walked down the hallways, her steps making the only noise in the empty hallways. It sent a slight chill down her spine but she had shrugged it off by the time she reached the main office.

"Name please?" asked the secretary.

"Jaden Red. I called earlier to let you know that I was enrolling-" Jaden was cut off by the overly perky secretary.

"Ah, yes Miss Red. Just fill out these papers and give me your sizes and we'll give you your uniforms." Jaden took the papers and stood against the high counter there, signing and writing in the empty slots her information and past school experience. As she was signing her name to the bottom of the last sheet, validating all the information was true, the last bell rang and she nearly jumped out of her skin. The perky secretary noticed.

"You'll get used to that noise soon enough. Welcome to Domino High, Jaden Red." she said, handing her a small box which contained her new uniforms. Jaden nodded her thanks and turned to leave. When she saw all the girls walking by in...*pink* blazers, she thought she was going to throw up. The thigh high skirts were the worst part. She just prayed that she didn't see anyone's butt poking out from underneath the little skirts...especially her own.

Jaden shoved the small box under her arm and headed back out into the hallway to leave the school. Unfortunately she stood out like sore thumb, in flared jeans, black boots and a small black t-shirt. She ignored the stares and continued on her way out. Tomorrow she'd look like everyone else there...just another brink in the wall...right?

A pair of shocked blue eyes followed Jaden as she walked right past her and out the building. Tea` stood dumbfounded. After everything that had happend, she was now going to attend the very same school as they did. Tea` thought she'd feel a lurch of fear in her stomach and instead found herself smiling.

'Jaden isn't bad. Kaiba is...' thought Tea` as she looked off to the side to see Kaiba walking out of the classroom like he didn't care about anything or anyone. Tea` looked back to find Jaden and ran ahead of her friends before they came out and saw who else was here.

Tea` was able to follow Jaden with ease, considering she was the only one not wearing a uniform and also because of her blood red hair. Tea` ran right up to her.

"Hey Jaden." Tea` said smiling at her.

Jaden stopped walking and spun to her side stunned. She smiled when she saw Tea`.

"I thought that you'd be avoiding me if you ever saw me again. Do you go to this school?" said Jaden jerking her thumbs towards the school.

"Yeah, you starting here soon?"

"Tomorrow. I just picked up my uniforms." Jaden said. Tea` nodded and smiled.

"What are you up to now?" she asked. Usually perky people got onto Jadens' nerves, but, Tea` wasn't a sickingly perky person. Just a happy kind of person.

"I've collected all my due wages from my old boss and from other people that have owed me. I've found a new job with free room and board and now I'm going shopping for new clothes and stuff." Jaden looked up at the smiling Tea` kind of uneasily.

"Um, would you like to come with me?" asked Jaden.

"Sure! I'm lucky I don't have any homework tonight. And hanging out with another girl for once would be nice." Tea` led the way towards the mall. Jaden shoved the small box with the uniforms into her bag and threw the strap over her shoulder.

Tea` helped Jaden with the shopping and locating certain products. Two and a half hours later, they were down and leaving the mall.

"So where do you live now?" asked Tea`.

"I'll show you. It's not that far from here." Jaden said. She led the way and her and Tea` talked the whole way there. When they stopped outside of the Turtle game shop, Jaden reached into her pocket, trying to fish out the key for the front door, since the shop was now closed.

Tea` was more then a little stunned.

"Um, Jaden, who do you work for?" she asked shakily.

"This nice old man..um...Mr. Moto...yeah." she suddenly yanked out a key, and smiling, unlocked the door.

"Want to come in?" asked Jaden.

Without replying, Tea` walked in and walking towards the stairs leading to the living quarters she heard Jaden telling her to go right on up and she'd be right there. She just wanted to make sure she locked the door behind her.

Tea` walked upstairs and couldn't believe that Jaden was ...HERE! She opened up the door to Yugi and Mr. Moto's home and stepped inside.

Jaden was behind her in a just a few seconds and smiling she stepped in and shut the door behind her. At the sound of the door closing, Mr. Moto came strolling into the living room area where the door was located at.

"Ah, Jaden...Tea`!! What a surprise!" Mr. Moto said.
"Jaden, dinner will be ready in another five minutes. Tea` you're more then welcome to stay if you'd like." Mr. Moto walked out of the room and back towards the kitchen.

Tea` spun around to face Jaden.

"Do you know who Mr. Moto is?" asked Tea` with worry in her eyes.

Jaden frowned and looked up at her.

"Yeah, my old boss recomended me to him and he owns the game shop below...and seems to know you..." Jaden said with her eyebrows raised. "You staying for dinner?" asked Jaden.

"JADEN!!! Mr. Moto is Yugi's grandfather!" Tea' yelled at her.

Jaden felt her jaw drop and she felt like her heart was doing a relay race in her chest.

"Oh, damn..." Jaden whispered. Her first instincts were to run, but she felt like a deer in headlights. Plus she really didn't feel like running anymore.

Tea` watched Jaden go from her shocked and slumped position to standing back up and looking her square in the eye. Jaden smiled and for some odd reason, Tea` wasn't worried about her. She knew she wouldn't run. Tea` looked around and walked into the kitchen to ask about Yugi.

When she walked in she saw him in there sitting on a stool at the breakfast counter, his back facing her.

"Yugi?" asked Tea`.

Yugi turned around and gave her a small smile.

"Grandpa just told me about the new person he just hired. I was kind of surprised when he told me it was Jaden. I realized that she wouldn't have taken the job if she knew that I lived here. And from what grandpa has told me, she needs this job. Where is she?" he asked hopping off of the bar stool.

Tea` walked back into the living room with Yugi following her. Jaden's eyes widen for a split second when she saw the two coming into the living room, but Jaden crossed her arms over her chest and stood up tall.
When Yugi smiled up at her, she cocked an eyebrow at him and frowned. To her surprise he held out his hand as if she wanted her to shake it.

"We will be living together now and I don't want you to be afraid. I and no one else will hurt you if you live here with my grandpa and me. But you've gotta trust me." Yugi said.

Jaden sensed the pharoahs presence, Yami was it? But it was the boy who was in front of her now. Jaden smiled back at him and shook his hand.

"As long as Kaiba doesn't come around here, then we should be fine." she said.

Tea` looked at Yugi and back at Jaden.

"Jaden, he also attends Domino High. But if you're lucky, he might not be in any of your classes. What year are you?"

"Third" she said. Yugi and Tea` kind of slumped.

"So is he. We all are." Yugi said.

Jaden shrugged it off.

"I seriously doubt that he's going to attack me in school, guys." she said jokingly. With that they all sat down for dinner.

*****

Domino High. Main office. 8:30 am.

"Miss Red here is your schedule and a map. Enjoy your first day." The perky secretary said handing Jaden her schedule. She walked out and headed towards her homeroom.

While Jaden was in the office, Yugi and Tea` were telling Joey, Tristan, Duke and Bakura about Jaden starting school today, here. Kaiba was listening in from the back of the room, his fingers were hovering right above the key board of his laptop, which froze when he heard Yugi telling everyone that Jaden was starting school here.

Bakura and Duke were surprised about the new information about the last millenium bearer and even more so about her being in school today. Joey and Tristan were wondering if she was going to beat up Kaiba. Kaiba was still stunned with the news but didn't let it show. He resumed typing like he hadn't heard anything.

Jaden stood outside of the door way of her homeroom.

'315. This is it. Yippy.' Jaden thought bleakly, walking in. She stopped when she entered the room and began scanning the seats for a place to sit. Instead she saw the teacher and headed over to talk to her.

"Hmm, you must be Jaden. Welcome to Domino High." she said. Tea`, Yugi and everyone else looked over with shock to see Jaden talking to their homeroom teacher Mrs. Sayn. Tea` walked over to her teacher and Jaden.

"Mrs. Sayn, Jaden and I know each other, and she can sit next to me, so I can fill her in on the campus and classes." Tea` said, seemingly coming out of nowhere, Jaden thought. Mrs. Sayn nodded her head and Tea` led Jaden towards her new desk to drop off her things. When she was done, Jaden looked up and saw Yugi smiling at her and beckoned her over. She walked over and looked back at Joey and Tristan who were staring at her hard.

"What? You guys look like you're trying to shoot lasers out of your eyes or something..." she said to them.

Tristan and Joey relaxed at her questioning tone and smiled awkwardly.

"Well, considering everything that happend yesterday, we didn't think we'd ever see you again." Tristan said.

'He's kind of cute', thought Jaden. When she realized what she was thinking she blushed lightly. Everyone thought it was from embarrasment from yesterday and became more relaxed around her.

"But we can understand why. Kaiba's not the nicest person in the world..." Joey muttered under his breath, but lound enough for her to hear.

"You got that right." Jaden said. While they talked for the next few minutes before the bell, Jaden felt someone staring hard at her. She tried to shrug it off but she had to turn and look to see who it was. Kaiba was staring straight at her with malice in his eyes. She threw back a nasty look right at him and turned her attention back at Tristan poking fun at Joey.

When the bell rang, they all took their seats. Tea` and Jaden were seated in the middle with Yugi and Bakura up front, them, then Tristan and Joey behind them. As it turned out, Jaden shared classes with Tea`, Yugi, Bakura, and a few with Kaiba, unfortunately. One of them happend to be Sociology, but luckily Tea` was there also. There were only two seats left. One right next to Kaiba and another empty seat next to it. Jaden took the empty seat farthest from Kaiba.

He gave a small sneer at her choice of a seat farthest from him. Jaden was ignoring him and that was fine with him. Looking at her arm, he could almost see her Millenium bracelet through her little pink blazer's sleeve. He wanted that bracelet.

Soon enough the class ended and he watched her leave. A small crooked smile played at his lips. Tea` shot him a look of warning and he simply averted his eyes and ignored her.

Sociology was her last class for the day and she made her way over to her locker. Students everywhere were either cramming books into book-bags or fleeing from the campus. Not that she blammed them. When she reached her locker, she kept trying to open it but it would budge. A fist shot out of nowhere, and with a pound, the locker door swung quietly open.

"You gotta knock them around to make 'em work sometimes." said Joey.

"Thanks." said Jaden and smiled back at him. He nodded and headed over to his locker. She turned back and started stuffing books into her book bag. A minutes later she swung her bag over her shoulder and shut her locker. She turned around and almost smacked into some one. Bakura was standing there smiling down at her.

"It's Jaden, right?" he asked. Jaden nodded.

"I'm Bakura, in case you forgot. You doing anything after school?" he asked. She liked his soft voice and the British accent he had. He wasn't too bad looking either.

"Actually I start work for Mr. Moto this afternoon. So that's where I'm headed." she said.

"Mind if I walk with you there?" he asked.

"Not at all." She and Bakura left the school together. Jaden noticed a few looks of surprise from some of the students around her. Espeically the girls. When they got outside, she asked him.

"What was that all about?" she asked him. Bakura looked confused and looked down at her.

"What?"

"All the students were looking at us weird." she said.

"I don't know. Maybe it's the students who are weird." he said smiling. Jaden couldn't help but smile back.

"So how long have you had your item for? I have had mine for nearly three years now." Bakura suddenly said, and unbuttoning his blue school coat, she saw the millenium ring hanging against his chest.

"Wow, you millenium bearers seem to be everywhere" Jaden said in amazement, still walking towards the Moto residence and her job.

"But I don't feel like talking about my Millenium bracelet today Bakura. I'll let you guys know in a while. Ask Yugi if you have any questions." she said.

"Oh, but i'd rather hear it from you. But its ok. We just want to make sure you don't have an evil spirit within you...though i have heard that you let Kaiba have it yesterday." Bakura said, then chuckled lightly.

"He deserved it. He's kind of creepy." Jaden said.

"But also a genius. Be careful around him Jaden." they had reached the Game shop and they said their goodbyes. Jaden walked inside to start her first day on the job.