Kazuki Takahashi owns Yu-gi-oh! And I don't, therefore this… is the disclaimer. I am writing this purely for my own enjoyment and entertainment, and if anyone out there gets a kick out of this, then have at it. Kick it for all it's worth.
Meaningful Simplicity
By: Sakura Takanouchi
Author's Notes: This is set kinda AU, I guess, but it still pertains very close to the original series. They live in Tokyo, not Domino City. Some relationships and loyalties may be untrue to the original series. Gozaburo is still alive. And Joey Serenity's father (undivorced) owns the electronic technology company CyberDyne. [1]
PROLOGUE
Two households, both alike in dignity
In Tokyo, the setting of this story
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny
Where innocent bloodshed tarnishes their hands.
Two children born of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
Whose misfortune ruefully overthrows
And with their death ends their parents' strife.
Secretly they continued their love
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
But by their children's end they realize
Their feuding was shallow but got worse with age;
Read on, the story's just begun,
And be sure to leave a review when you're done.
ACT 1
SCENE 1
"Ah, this fresh air feels so good!" Tristan Taylor said as he and his good friend Joey Wheeler were taking a walk around the business district of their hometown of Tokyo.
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. Being stuffed in that building for hours is boring and tiring." Joey waved to a few CyberDyne workers as they walked around the building.
"Heh. Being the heir to the fastest growing Tech Company in Japan has its perks, huh?" Tristan raised his arms and folded them behind his head. "And boy am I glad you got me a job there, too! Especially because I can be with that cute sister of yours, Serenity."
"Hey. You be careful with her." Joey's voice turned rough as the topic of conversation turned to his younger sister.
FLASH FORWARD
"Do you promise to never hurt her, make her cry, or make her miss her favorite TV shows?" Joey, wearing a priest's robes, said to Tristan and Serenity.
"Uhh…Joey? I don't remember that being in the marriage vows…"
"Comply or die, my friend." Joey responded, making a fist.
FLASH BACK
"Yeah, I got'cha."
"Hey! What are those freaks doing here? On CyberDyne Property, too!" Joey pointed to two young men walking towards Tristan and Joey.
"Those are KaibaCorp uniforms! They're probably spies sent here to steal our latest software! We should tell them to get lost," Tristan suggested as they kept walking towards the two young men of their rival company. It was a slow game of chicken; each person staring at the other; knowing they would confront each other eventually yet unwilling to say or do a thing.
They were mere yards from each other. But as Joey and Tristan passed the two men from KaibaCorp, Joey stuck his foot out. The taller of the two tripped over it and fell to the ground, his raven locks bobbing and his tanned arms narrowly breaking his fall.
"Hey! What did ya do that for?" He shouted at Joey and Tristan, who hadn't stopped walking. "Don't you know who we are?"
"It's you, punk, who don't know who we are!" Tristan retorted as they spun around. "Don't mess with us, especially on CyberDyne turf."
"My name is Duke Devlin, and I'm not afraid of taking you guys down, right here and right now," he said, motioning for his friend to back him up.
"Uh…I really don't think we should be fighting," he said. His looks were that of a pacifist; long, white hair and soulful dark eyes.
"Come on, Bakura! He tripped me, and now I'm going to pay him back in full!" Duke Devlin towered over Joey and punched him.
Joey skidded back several feet but recovered quickly as Tristan charged forward. "I will not let you hurt my friend!" He kicked Duke in the stomach. By now Joey had jumped on Bakura and was punching him in the shoulder. Their fight was in full swing, even when more workers from both companies saw the fight and instinctively joined it.
The shouts of "Down with the CyberDynes!" and "Down with the KaibaCorps!" could be heard from every street corner. And all this shouting brought attention.
"Enough!" Cried a voice from the second floor of the CyberDyne building.
"Father…" Joey whispered. The CyberDyne workers instantly backed down. The KaibaCorp workers stood there like chastised children.
"I never want to see a fight break out like this on CyberDyne property, or the worker will be fired!" Joey's father's voice was firm; this was a threat he was able to go through with.
"And the same goes for all members of my company as well," a graying man in a red business suit replied, walking casually down the street.
"Kaiba-san! We apologize for—"
"I do not want apologies, I want you all back to work!" Gozaburo's mind was often of the fanatic, and now was no exception. "I will not tolerate any association from my company with the Wheelers or anyone of CyberDyne!"
And the fighting was over as everyone scurried back to work and to the events of their day.
SCENE 2
A young man lay atop the stone wall surrounding the garden in the middle of the KaibaCorp Commercial Complex. He chewed on a piece of Pocky as he stared into the sky, cloudless as usual.
"Hey, Seto!" He wished he could be left alone more often. Business Tycoons wanted nothing more than to use him whenever it was convenient for them, and he had no patience for that. He brushed his chestnut hair off of his face, brushed the pocky crumbs off of his shirt and sat up.
"Hey, Duke, Bakura," Seto greeted them as they ran across the gravel paths of the garden.
"Oh, you missed a great fight! We smashed those jerks from CyberDyne! You should've been there!" Duke Devlin recounted the fight to a sarcastically interested Seto.
"What were you doing napping, anyways? You know Gozaburo's going to have your head when he finds you," Bakura said.
"Yeah, well…I don't care. All of these new ideas of his and his tycoon friends tires me out." Seto swung his legs over the wall and sighed.
"I know what we could do to get in some fun tonight," Duke said slyly.
"What?" Bakura asked, interested.
"An invitation came in the mail yesterday. The Wheelers are throwing a huge party for the success of their company. There's supposed to be a great DJ, food, and it's in that hot new club downtown!" Duke relayed the information smugly.
"And you got invited? Even though you work here?" Bakura asked.
"Yeah. Probably because Dungeon Dice Monsters is a joint project between both CyberDyne and KaibaCorp. So, I'm gonna sneak you two in, and we're gonna party!" Duke raised his fist in triumph.
"Yeah…That's gonna be great," Seto said. Maybe a party would help cheer him up…at least a little. But hanging with his friends at that party could be fun…if they stayed away from the Wheelers themselves; especially Joey.
Shrieks could be heard from the huge complex that was the Wheeler family residence.
"I got you!" A feminine cry was the response as two girls tumbled down the hallway.
"Okay, kiddo, you win. But now it's my turn! Ready or not, here I come!" The older one tossed her blonde locks as she closed her violet eyes and counted to ten. The younger girl ran into another room and hid behind the door.
The older girl ran down the hallway searching for her with no avail. But someone else did open the door, barely squashing her.
"Oh, Tristan! I didn't see you there!" She whispered.
"Serenity, what are you doing here? I almost squished you with the door! And why are you whispering?" He asked.
"I'm hiding from Mai. We're playing hide-and-seek, and It's her turn," Serenity explained.
"Oh! I get it," Tristan whispered. "Oh, Serenity? You know about that dance tonight? Well…I'd be honored if you'll come to the dance...as my date."
"Really, Tristan? That would be so much fun!" Serenity gushed.
"I thought I heard voices coming from this room." Mai appeared in the doorway, a hand on one hip. "Come on, Serenity, let's get some lunch."
"Yeah! I'll go put our order in!" Serenity left the room and walked towards the kitchen.
"So, loverboy, you better clear it with Joey just how you feel about her," Mai warned. "Or maybe I could just have you in my debt and tell him this afternoon," she mused.
"It'll go by a lot better if you tell him," Tristan admitted.
"Good!" Mai tapped his nose as she followed Serenity to the kitchen.
SCENE 3
"So, how do I look?" Serenity twirled in her short skirt. It had strips of blue, green, and black color on the fabric, which suited her coloring. A black top complemented the ensemble. Blue sandals added to her height.
"You look great, angel. I just hope that brother of your is turned out just as nicely," Mai smiled at Serenity. In a tight purple dress and black jacket, Mai looked stunning.
"Now get outta here. Don't keep your date waiting. I've still got to track down that blockheaded date of mine," Mai winked at Serenity as she left her room.
Tristan was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. 'Man, she looks good!' he thought as she walked self-consciously down the stairs.
"Hi, Tristan," She said as she walked up to him. Although several years younger, her sandals boosted her height to match his.
"Shall we?" He offered his arm to her as they left her house and headed into a Company limo to the party.
"Hey, Seto, lookin' nice!" Duke said as they met in front of the club. There was a huge throng of people coming in and out, but Duke, Bakura, and Seto got in easily.
They took the elevator up to the twenty-seventh floor and stepped out. Already there was a huge crowd of people dancing to the fast-paced music. There was a huge food corner, with booths for the party-goers.
"Later, dudes. I'm gonna go chill with those pretty girls," Duke said, and left Bakura and Seto alone.
"I'm gonna go get some food," Bakura said, and was gone, too. Seto was left all by himself, surrounded by crushes of people streaming onto the dance floor. He moved out of the way and leaned against the wall bordering the dance floor.
'Why did I even bother coming to this when I knew I wasn't going to dance?' He thought. He contented himself by watching all of the dancers dance to the American song 'The Electric Slide'.
His gaze settled on several teenagers he knew to be CyberDyne employees. Then he saw his nemesis Joey Wheeler dancing with a vivacious blonde. Then he saw another girl, dancing in the middle of the floor. Her reddish hair gleamed off of the disco lights as she danced in time to the music.
'Well, she's the most decent they've got, for CyberDyne,' he thought. Then, her eyes wandered over to the corner of the room and met his. 'Ack! She's staring at me.. with those vivid green eyes,' Seto lost himself for a moment in their gaze.
'Hmm…I've never seen him around before,' Serenity thought as her gaze wandered over to a young man leaning against a corner wall. 'With hair like that and eyes as pretty as his, I'm sure I would've recognized him around before. He must be new.' As the song ended, she ambled over to the food spread to get some punch, she noticed that that young man was following her. Or just getting some punch at the same time she was.
But Joey was too quick for Seto. Spotting him over in the corner, he strode angrily to his father and hissed, "How did a Kaiba get invited to this exclusive party?"
"Hmm? A Kaiba, do you say?" Joey's father cleaned his glasses and frowned at his son. "I don't remember inviting any Kaiba. Is he disrupting anything?"
"No, I just don't want him here!" Joey's voice verged on a whine.
"Why not? He is an upstanding citizen, and will cause no one any harm. Let the boy stay, and have fun as you were doing." His father turned back to some guests and talked about the company.
Joey scanned the crowd for his sister, but didn't see her. At that time, Tristan came up to him. "Hey, man, have you seen Serenity?"
"Nope. But she's probably in the bathroom or something," Joey answered.
SCENE 4
Serenity had actually wandered out into the balcony, where she could get a good view of the stars. Seto followed her, grabbing a punch glass and then taking a second one as well. He watched her as she stared at the sky. They were all alone on the balcony.
"Do you like to watch the stars?" He asked, startling her.
"Oh! I didn't realize anyone else was here," Serenity looked a little surprised, but her expression changed when she looked out into the streets below them. "The stars are beautiful, and one hardly ever gets a chance to see them like this."
"Like what?"
"I don't know… it's just, they seem to shine so bright tonight." She put her arms on the railing of the balcony. "My name's Serenity. What's yours?"
"Seto. Want some punch?" He offered her a glass. She accepted it and they drank in silence for a moment.
'I wonder what drove me to follow her,' he mused to himself. 'I'm not…attracted to her, am I? Certainly not. I have no time for this.'
'Hmm…Seto seems really nice, and he's cuter than Tristan,' Serenity thought as she drank her punch. 'I should ask him to dance when we get back inside.'
Without warning, Seto, lost in conversation with himself, turned abruptly to go back inside. The wall speakers were piping in the music, which had turned to a slow song.
Serenity reached out and grabbed his jacket. "Stay with me," She insisted. "Dance with me."
Although Seto refused at first, Serenity pulled him back towards her and took his hands. "You know how to dance, don't you?" She teased. She placed his hands around her hips and put her hands over his shoulders. They swayed to the music for several minutes, while never making eye contact. As the song ended, Serenity suddenly stepped away from Kaiba. "Show me your hands," she said.
Kaiba held out one hand. Serenity inspected it carefully, tracing the lines with her forefinger and rubbing all of the calluses on his fingertips.
"You must work with computers a lot. I noticed that when I took your hand a moment ago." She looked up into his startled face; even though several inches taller, her full height barely reached his ears.
She took his other hand and stared into his eyes. They were such a bright blue, a color that rivaled the sky. He returned her gaze, facing his blue orbs against her green ones. He noticed that, along the corners of her eyes there were small scars. They were the mark of laser vision surgery.
A strong feeling welled up inside Seto; in an act of uncontrolled passion that he knew he desired; he met her smiling lips with his strong ones.
She was what he had yearned for, for so long. Her innocence drove him mad, yet he found it pleasing at the same time. Their kiss was short but sweet, and they both stared at each other, wondering what would happen next. She returned the kiss, yet upon opening her eyes and seeing the clock, she broke the kiss and ran back inside.
Seto stared at her in shock. He had just found his strength; it was her. He had to see her again. With the first genuine smile on his face in months, he strode back inside.
"Serenity! Where have you been! I've been looking all over for you!" Joey, with Tristan at his tail, scolded her.
"I'm sorry, Joey…I was outside," she confessed, but kept the rest to herself.
"Well, the party's almost over, so I'm glad you came back in now so we can all go home together," Joey said.
"Let's go, Serenity," Tristan said.
"Okay," She answered, following them but looking all around her for a final glimpse of Seto.
SCENE 5
Meanwhile, Seto was searching desperately for someone who might know where Serenity lives. The room was full of CyberDyne employees; he was sure to find someone who would know.
"You look like you need to find something," a voice from behind him said.
"Someone, actually. Would you be able to help me?" He asked the woman behind him.
"Alright, hon. The name's Mai. Just tell me who you're looking for," she said.
"Someone named Serenity. I need to know more about her," Seto told her.
"Oh! I know who you're talking about. Serenity Wheeler. I hang out with her all the time…"
But Seto hadn't heard anything past Wheeler. Serenity Wheeler. She was a Wheeler, one of his greatest rivals. 'How could this be?' He thought. 'Yes, I know how this could be. Just imagine. A Kaiba and a Wheeler!' he thought. 'I have been so blind…I wonder if she knew about me this whole time…'
"Hey, Joey, why are we walking so fast?" Serenity complained as they crossed the street. "My feet hurt."
"It's just, that some Kaibas showed up uninvited, and we don't want any trouble, especially since you're around," Tristan explained protectively.
"Kaibas? Really?" Serenity Asked. "Who?"
"Why should you want to know?" Joey asked. "Two employees of KaibaCorp; Duke and Bakura. And there was a Kaiba himself there. I saw him."
"What was his name?"
"Seto Kaiba."
Serenity gasped in shock. 'Him! That guy who I danced with, and then he kissed me on that balcony under the stars…' she thought dreamily. 'But he was a Kaiba! This cannot be!'
"Hey, Serenity, are you alright?" Tristan asked.
"Uh, yeah, nothing a little fresh air wouldn't help," she replied. But inside, she was harboring a hurricane of emotions. And she was nowhere near the eye of the storm.
ACT 1: END[1]: CyberDyne is the artificial intelligence company in the Terminator series. I don't own it.
Notes on ACT 1:
So how does everyone like my first stab at a Seto/Serenity fic? Well, I'm liking it. ACT 2 will be up shortly; I just want the reviews to accumulate so I can get a feeling of what you guys want to read. But I have my own ideas for most of this. Stay tuned.
Notes on Seto:
I must say that he even surprises me sometimes, but as how things have changed for this fic, he should be different. Since he doesn't have to fully manage the company (he's just the heir), he has loads of free time so he can actually make some friends. Like the rumble of the Kaiba Crew and the Wheeler Crew in SCENE 1. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to have them into duel monsters at all in this fic; probably not, since everyone has to go to work.
Notes on the companies and their drama:
These are huge companies we're dealing with. Like, a huge complex of several skyscrapers and plazas. Also, with the amount of workers and guests these companies need, apartment skyscrapers and hotels catered solely to each company's specific needs has created a KaibaCorp 'district' and a CyberDyne 'district' with necessities of a large city. Rival between the companies is intense, and most workers want their company to succeed so they get greater paychecks. So, if you step on your rival company's turf, watch your back.
Stay tuned for ACT 2!
Sakura Takanouchi