Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is owned by me. Not. It's owned by Kazuki Takahashi, that man is amazing…
Trust and Secrets
One shot…(takes place during Battle City)
Téa knew that Seto Kaiba could care less about her group of friends. What she didn't know, or what she couldn't understand was why. What was so wrong with having friends at your side to back you up? Why didn't he have any friends to back him up? Was it illegal? No, he just didn't like them.
Mokuba constantly defended his brother, either since that was the only family he had left or because Seto was good at one time. At that time he showed he was good, now he showed it every once in a blue moon. Maybe it was both reasons, but it still aggravated Téa that he didn't like friends.
Seto especially didn't like Mokuba being friends with the "geek patrol". That day Téa confronted Seto.
Flashback (earlier that day)
Seto had finished his duel with Ishizu, later Téa went to congratulate him. Which wasn't a good idea, it would just boost his stubborn ego of his.
"Kaiba."
"What do you want Gardner?" he asked with his normal angry tone.
"Great duel today. I was half expecting you to lose."
He sneered, "Really now? Well that's what I get for trusting in strategy. And not some stupid 'Heart of the Cards' mumbo jumbo."
"The 'Heart of the Cards' isn't fake!"
"It's fake, get over it. And your stupid little friendship speeches. I don't want to hear it."
"Friendship is what keeps me and my friends going."
He scoffed at her, "I don't need friends. I need to keep faith in my deck."
"Yes you do need friends!"
He turned, and said, "You're wasting my time, time I don't have."
"Tell me. Why do you hate friends so much?"
"You don't need them. You think you do but you don't."
"You do need friends. You can't just bottle yourself up!"
"I can, I will, and I have."
"Why don't you have friends?"
Seto turned and faced her, "They bring you down, and they crush you when you're down. I don't need some 'friend' bringing me down when I'm at the top."
"What about someone to pick you up when you're down?"
"I don't need friends, I have Mokuba."
"What if you didn't have Mokuba? What would you do then?"
He smirked, "Well I do have Mokuba now don't I?"
"Think. What if you didn't."
Seto sighed at her persistence, "Simple. I would pick myself back up, and start it over until I was at the top again."
"What if you couldn't. What if you needed help?"
"I've gotten this far now haven't I?"
"What if all you needed was a friend?"
"I wouldn't. Now let me ask you, what have you gained from being friends with Yugi, the mutt and Taylor?"
"I have gained people I trust."
"No, you have gained being on the sidelines. Left to cheer for Yugi and Wheeler. Pathetic. Cheering. Trust can be broken."
He turned and started walking away, but Téa quickly caught up and stood in front of him.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Trust. It's fragile. It can be broken."
"I don't understand."
He sneered again, "Of course you wouldn't. I forgot it must be difficult for a Cheerleader like you to understand such uncomplicated things."
"Enough with the jokes Kaiba. Explain what you mean."
"You all believe in each other, and understand each other. Now say if one of you said something, that ended up angering another. None of you could calm them, that person has lost your trust. Even after all the experiences you have shared."
"I understand."
"Really? Well it's about time, I didn't think it was that difficult to solve." he added sarcastically.
When he started to walk again, she stopped him.
"I understand why you don't have any friends."
Seto's face darkened, then he asked, "Why don't I have friends?"
"You don't trust anyone. Why don't you trust anyone?"
"When or if you even become a CEO let me know. Until then, I'll tell you. When you own a corporation, you don't trust competition. You don't trust allies, want to know why?"
Téa slowly nodded her head.
He continued, "You're allies, if they get too close to you. They want to learn more about you, they want all your secrets. Then once you're not 'friends' anymore, they sell out your secrets to your competitors. Then you go out of business. My corporation has many secrets about our technology. I don't need some second-rate corporation stealing them, and using it to make a profit!"
"That's not all is it? That's not the entire reason you trust no one."
Seto slightly shook his head, then began to move forward. Once again Téa stopped him.
"Gardner move it. I don't have time for your stupid twenty questions interrogation."
"That's not the only reason now is it?" she repeated.
"No. It isn't, now get out of my way." he growled.
"Only if you tell me why you don't trust anyone."
"I don't have to tell you anything."
She blocked his path with her arms, which he pushed through with no effort.
"Kaiba! Tell me!"
"What is it to you Gardner? Don't you have somewhere to be? Why don't you go and give Yugi a friendship speech?"
"Maybe I will later. Tell me."
He smirked, "If I do, then you have to admit the 'Heart of the Cards' is a joke, and that friendship speeches are a waste of precious time."
Téa glared at him, "Kaiba, stop messing around and tell me."
"I don't see why you're so interested in my beliefs. Why don't you go and bother someone else with your petty friendship speeches."
"Sorry I don't take requests, from ego maniacs."
Seto glared at her, and growled, "That wasn't a request. It was a command."
He swiftly turned and walked to his cabin. Leaving Téa to stand in a darkened hallway, speechless.
End flashback (present)
Téa was sitting in her cabin. At least now she knew why Seto didn't have any friends. Trust. His words echoed through her mind, "Trust. It's fragile. It can be broken." She thought it over, what he said was a possibility. She could easily see Joey getting angered by one thing or another. With that anger, comes rage. Joey's rage was near uncontrollable. If he got angry enough he could turn his back on his friends, losing their trust, forever.
Téa fell asleep that night dreaming…
Téa's dream
She was wearing a formal business suit, and in front of her was Joey, Yugi, Tristan, and Duke. They all seemed to be arguing over something, then they turned to her. They looked like they expected her to pick whose opinion was right.
Téa couldn't decide so she just shook her head and walked away. They continued to bicker. The next thing she knew was she was sitting in a coffee shop and across the table from her was none other than Seto Kaiba.
He was wearing his white business suit with a blue dress shirt and tie, along with his signature smirk. They appeared to be having a discussion of corporations. He was laughing at her, and gave her an 'I told you so.' look. As if to say, I knew this was going to happen but you didn't believe me.
"So, do you trust anyone with your secrets about your company?" he asked.
"No. Why would I?"
He laughed, "Now you understand, it took long enough. And you're just new to the CEO world."
She just glared at him. Then he continued.
"Don't look so angry. Do you trust your secrets with your friends?"
She nodded.
Seto shook his head, "Then you have learned nothing."
"Learned nothing?" she thought, "How can I have learned nothing? I have no secrets to share! I have been open to my friends and I do no suspicious activity!"
End dream
Suddenly Téa's vision became blurry, and the image of Seto disappeared. She woke up to sunlight streaming through the window adjacent to her. She still felt disturbed by Seto's words and her dream.
To make things worse, later that day Joey approached her.
"Hey Téa. Can I tell you a secret?"
Alright, that was my first one shot story. I usually do chapters…but I decided not to this time. I know this didn't actually happen on the blimp, but hey that's why it's called fan fiction right?
Please review and tell me how I did on my first one shot! :D
I don't think this is my best work...but I felt the urge to write it...