Title: SETO (subject to change)
Rating: T (language, some violence, kissing, alcohol)
Fandom: Yugioh AU
Main Character: Seto Kaiba (will try to incorporate all manga/anime characters as majors and minors)
Genre: Mixed
Word Count for Chapter #1: 6,927
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or the character. As much as I would like to. I also cannot claim ownership of the song 'Sober' by Pink, which is used in this chapter. Saying I own anything but the words/plot itself is like saying that I own a national park. It would be great to, but just not going to happen.
Hey, my first story on ffnet, in the genre of Yugioh. I am not ashamed to admit that I was once a fanatic, but I've mellowed out over time. I think.
Anyway, this came to in me in a daydream over the summer and the idea has refused to let up unless I write it. This is about two gangs in Domino City and certain characters within the two groups running into each other again. Seto Kaiba is the main character, and though he may seem a little OOC (believe me, the first thing he does here is totally not like him), this is planned and will be explained later. I am proud of this, it feels like it will go somewhere by the time I'm done. I type it all up as I go, but the plots and basic story points stay in my head before that point, so updatnig really comes down to whether or not I have time.
Please review. Creative critiquing would make me so happy, because it tells me what to work on and how I can improve my work. So please critique, but no flaming. No likey, no read.
Alright, enough ranting, read and enjoy.
Chapter #1- Ghoul's Turf
'I don't wanna be the one who laughs the loudest
Or the one who never wants to be alone
I don't wanna be that call at four o'clock in the morning
'Cause I'm the only one you know in the world that won't be home.'
The singer's voice stopped all conversation in the room to a sharp halt. The song was at an almost heart-wrenching acoustic level with only his guitar to serve as music. His beautiful voice had taken on a emotional, softly creepy quality that earned a few shivers. Some people swayed where they stood, a few rocking their hips, in time to the song.
'Ah, sun is blinding
I stayed up again
Oh, I am finding
That's not the way I want my story to end.'
He was on a small, impromptu corner stage. Hunched over his guitar and balancing on a borrowed bar stool, he didn't need a mike to make his voice fill the room. Brown hair with random strands of green from a past dye job hung over his closed eyes. His black vinyl jacket was slipping off of his shoulder and revealing pale skin around the top of his white longsleeve shirt. There was a tattoo visible there- the Japanese kanji for 'Ghoul'. There were other hidden tattoos too. A fierce dragon flew across his shoulder blades, a stylized cross decorated his lower left abdomen, and a pair of snakes wound around his right hip.
'I'm safe up high, nothing can touch me
But why do I feel this party's over?
No pain inside, you're my protection
But how do I feel this good sober?'
A pair of gleaming brown eyes across the bar took him in with mild amusement. 'He's in Whisper-mode tonight,' Bakura thought dryly. He absently fingered one of the wicked knives in his pocket.
'I don't wanna be the one that has to fill the silence
The quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth
Please don't tell me that we had that conversation
'Cause I won't remember, save your breath
'Cause what's the use?
"Oooh~ He's cute," gushed a girl nearby, "Don't you guys think so?"
Bakura glanced sidelong at the too-thin brunette with too-innocent eyes that he vaguely remembered coming in earlier. His initial assumption of ditzy was proven. 'Cute isn't the word for him.'
'Ah, the night is calling
And it whispers to me softly, 'Come and play"
But I, I am falling
And if I let myself go I'm the only one to blame.'
"Yeah, sure," muttered the blonde behind her. He rolled his eyes over her head at another brunette with a ridiculous spike in his hair. Neither seemed to care, but even Bakura could admit that the singer was drop dead gorgeous. It was a natural gift he seemed to possess.
"Actually, Anzu is right. He's got a nice body." Bakura nearly choked on his drink at that one. Not at the comment, no, but at the young man stretching like a cat beside her, his hair a spiky crown of red, black, and gold. His purple-red eyes took the singer in far too hungrily. Beside him, a sweeter and smaller twin image giggled. Bakura took an instant dislike to them.
"Don't start stalking him," warned the blonde lazily.
"I don't stalk, Jonouchi," the taller one chuckled.
'I'm safe up high, nothing can touch me
But why do I feel this party's over?
No pain inside, you're like perfection
But how do I feel this good sober?'
"Excuse me, bartender? A beer here."
"Juice for me," piped up mini-me. He plunked himself down onto a stool and smiled shyly across at Bakura when he realized that he was watching them. Bakura snorted and looked away.
Marik, in all of his insane glory as bartender and Bakura's friend/partner in crime, smirked at the kid. "Spiked? I won't charge it."
"No thanks," replied the kid with a blush that made his twin glare at Marik, "Anyone else want something? Atem said he'd buy when we left."
'Comin' down, comin' down, comin' down
Spinnin' round, spinnin' round, spinnin' round
I'm looking for myself, sober
'Comin' down, comin' down, comin' down
Spinnin' round, spinnin' round, spinnin' round
Looking for myself, sober'
"Beer," chorused the guys. The girl, Anzu, didn't respond, too busy watching the singer and swaying in time to the music.
"I said that?" Atem glanced sidelong at his little twin. "You're exceptional at putting words into my mouth, Yugi. But I can never get mad at you for some reason."
"Natural charm I guess."
'When it's good, then it's good, it's so good 'til it goes bad.
'Til you try to find the you that you once had
I have heard myself cry 'never again'
Broken down in agony just tryin' to find a friend, oh, oh.'
Marik plonked four drinks in front of them and plastered his trademark grin onto his face. "A buck for the juice, two for each beer. Pay up now if you're not planning on seconds."
"Service with a smile," joked Jonouchi. He took a swig from his mug as Atem tossed the money onto the countertop. "Ah, that's good stuff."
"I'll have another too Marik," said Bakura absently, "Strong stuff this time."
'I'm safe up high, nothing can touch me
But why do I feel this party's over?
No pain inside, you're like perfection
But how do I feel this good sober?
I'm safe up high, nothing can touch me
But why do I feel this party's over?
No pain inside, you're like perfection
But how do I feel this good sober?'
The final note made the song seem eerily unfinished, but the singer slid away from the stage with liquid grace and ignored the broken applause. He vanished through a door that Bakura knew led to the upper floor of the bar. He'd leave his guitar upstairs and come down to get a drink or two. Marik would give him a freebie- he always did that for his two 'favourite customers'. Bakura was lucky to be the other.
"You're quiet tonight," commented Marik as he took a minute to chat, "From past experience, that's never a good thing." He smirked. "What are you plotting, and can I get in on the action?"
"You never change." Bakura ignored the kid that hastily looked away from him.
"Well, if you're not planning on anything..." Marik leaned forward and whispered, "Want to wreak havoc close to home? I promise I'll take any blame if we're caught."
"Doing what?"
"Not sure yet. Haven't gotten Rishid in a while, and Ra knows my sister needs a laugh," said Marik brightly, "That or we steal something. Something good. Or maybe a fight-"
"Not interested," waved off Bakura before Marik's enthusiasm infected him, "Last time your crazy sister wouldn't let me inside for a week."
"That was because you trashed the bar."
"Aw, if it isn't everyone's favourite performer. You were awfully melancholy tonight 'Whisper'," said Bakura with a smirk.
'Whisper' blinked at him languidly from seat beside Bakura that he had taken soundlessly. Marik was already passing him a glass of amber liquid and received a nod of thanks. His blue eyes were devoid of expression as he took a sip.
"Whisper?That's a nice stage name..." Anzu smiled at him with lowered lashes- trying to seem seductive and failing for the most part- and sauntered up. "That was a beautiful song. Your voice is amazing. My name is Anzu," she added quickly. He looked back at her unblinkingly as she continued. "I guess you could say that I depend on musicians. I'm a dancer, see, and I-"
"I'm not interested," he interrupted bluntly, "You're also a Duelist." He pushed aside a few locks of her auburn hair to reveal a dangling blue sapphire on her earlobe. On closer inspection, each person in the small group of friends had at least one piece of jewellery with a sapphire on it. The majority of the jewelry actually glittered full blue and silver.
"Damn, didn't even think to charge more," muttered Marik. Jonouchi gave him a long look, taking in the torn, skintight shirt Marik wore and his perfectly natural tan. The bartender sensed a darkening cloud coming in and hurried off to harass a rather attractive blonde that was down the bar. Bakura was already tensing up in anticipation.
"What's it to ya?" Demanded Jonouchi. "Not like it affects you in any way."
"This is Ghoul's turf," said Bakura, "Why would some Duelists in highschool be this far from home?"
"Think we're bottom of the barrel?" The brunette snorted. "For your information, Yugi here is the best I've ever seen with a chain." To prove it, the little one fished out a steel chain link from his pocket and dropped it back in. The clinking noise hinted that it was attached to more.
"Honda," warned Atem sharply.
"Guess you don't know a heck of a lot about Duelists," said Jonouchi offhandedly.
"They're one of the two biggest gangs in Domino," said 'Whisper', "The Duelists and the Ghouls. You'd have to be living in a closet to not know about the Duelists, the gang is overly public and leaning slightly towards a Merry Men deal. Bold, brash, and don't hide the fact that they have power. Ghouls, on the other hand, are far smarter about what they do, almost never getting caught and certainly not as ready to tear off a few heads if someone so much as looks at them wrong. Yes, mutt, I do know 'a heck of a lot' about Duelists."
"Scrap that," Bakura murmured, "He's Shadow tonight."
"What was that?" Asked Yugi curiously. Bakura narrowed his eyes in response.
Jonouchi was ready to boil over. "Don't call me mutt, I'm not a dog you-"
"You two had better not be starting another fight," a new woman sighed long-sufferingly. Honda and Jonouchi jumped at the sudden appearance of an exotically beautiful woman that had seemingly materialised on Marik's side of the counter, a habit she had picked up from 'Whisper'. Her resemblance to the bartending crowd pleaser flirting a little further away was striking.
"Not at all," replied Bakura smoothly, "They are."
"Isis," greeted 'Whisper/Shadow' smoothly.
She favoured him a small smile. "That's hardly a proper greeting for me."
He smirked slightly and leaned forward, using a long fingered hand to pull her head towards him. Bakura almost choked on laughter at the expressions on Anzu and Atem's faces as the two kissed- rather passionately for a greeting- over the bar. But when 'Whisper' tilted his head slightly, his dishevelled hair revealed a golden ear cuff that stood out from his other piercings. Atem's eyes narrowed when he realized that from his distance it looked strongly like a golden dragon.
"Ghouls," he growled.
"Calm down," soothed Yugi, "It is Ghoul turf. I'd think it was weird if we didn't find one."
"You too?" Honda asked Bakura lowly. In response, Bakura brought his hands up to tug on both of his ear cuffs. Why he had two over the standard one was beyond the Duelists, but that was really just typical Bakura. It didn't need a reason. Now that they were looking for it, the Duelists saw a matching ear cuff through Isis' trailing black hair as she kissed her longtime lover.
"Oi," said Jonouchi angrily, "Stop shoving your tongue down her throat and look at me!"
He did pull away, slow enough to drive the blonde crazy. Isis whispered for only him to hear, "If you're looking for a fight, Seto my dear, I request that you take it outside."
"I hardly want a fight," replied Seto Kaiba softly, "But of course I'll lead them out."
"Thank you." Isis stepped back and shooed Bakura away from a bowl of cherries her brother had left out.
"Girlfriend give you permission to-"
"Shut up dog, you're grating on my nerves." Seto turned full around and actually faced the Duelists as he leaned back against the counter, elbows propped back on the hard surface. His muscles were completely relaxed but Isis and Bakura knew only too well how easy it would be for him to knock the blonde punk across the room. The teenagers had actually formed a semicircle around him and Bakura during Anzu's initial attempts at catching his attention. Jonouchi was the one staring him straight in the eye with clenched fists.
"No Ghoul is gonna call me mutt and get away with it," growled Jonouchi.
"Then follow me outside so you don't ruin everyone else's night," said Seto cooly and he stood up. He was taller than all of them by at least a couple of inches and it seemed to sink in for Yugi and Atem at least, that he was not only older but was bound to have more experience than the hotheaded Jonouchi.
"Back down Jonouchi," said Atem sharply, "It isn't worth it. Let's just leave them and get out of here."
"No way! No Ghoul-"
"You said that already," interrupted Bakura. He snitched one last cherry and spun around on his stool. "Can't have you in a five on one now can we? I'll come out too and teach the kid a lesson."
"We'll be the ones teaching you a lesson you won't forget," said Honda. He seemed as primed for a fight as Jonouchi.
"Let's dance Ghouls," cackled Jonouchi, "I need to blow off some steam anyway."
Seto walked past him, giving Atem an unreadable look as he passed and headed for the doors. Atem decided then and there that he didn't much care for those blue eyes and their owner, especially when Seto easily caught some sort of walking stick that looked strongly like a sword sheath that Marik tossed his way. Bakura followed after him like an overly-eager dog. "Don't worry," he threw at Jonouchi as the Duelists followed, "We'll make sure you don't look too bad for school tomorrow kiddies. I promise."
'Mutt' certainly fit- Jonouchi growled low in his throat.
Anzu trailed a little bit after the others and kept pace with Atem. Her hand was in her pocket. "Should I...?"
"No," he said flatly, "Don't shoot until one our friends are dying. I'm sure not wasting a bullet on a Ghoul unless I know I can kill it."Anzu knew why he sounded so harsh and bitter. It wasn't exactly a secret why he hated Ghouls so much. She slipped her hand into his and felt a slight squeeze in return before he pulled away again.
The cool air outside was a big change from the inside of the bar. The Duelists shivered slightly as Bakura smirked and burrowed deeper into his jacket just to spite them. It certainly worked because Jonouchi glowered even more and kicked a trashcan in the alley they'd been led to.
"An alley," scoffed Honda, "That's original."
"At this hour, I highly doubt that there are enough people on any street nearby." Seto lit a cigarette behind his cupped hand and gave the Duelists a creepily blank look that sent a chill up Anzu's spine.
"That's it," snarled Jonouchi. He wrenched a chunk of broken pipe from one the dumpsters and faced Seto in a fighting stance.
"Do you even use your head?" Asked Seto quietly. "I know that you're a Duelist and everything, but stop and think for a second. You're- what? Sixteen? Seventeen?- and practically begging for a fight. Go home now and don't do something you'll regret."
"Don't act all high and mighty," spat Jonouchi as Yugi uneasily watched Bakura grip something in his jacket pockets, " You just don't wanna lose. I don't like it when people act all high and mighty- and I don't like guys like you!"
"When was I acting all high and mighty?"
Jonouchi had apparently reached the end of his patience and swung out hard at Seto. He was really good in a fight with the right weapon. But he didn't plan on Seto blocking it, cigarette balanced between his lips. The clashing sound of Jonouchi's pipe hitting the deep red swordsheath rang in the quiet night. The Duelist was close enough to have read the golden Egyptian hieroglyphs had he known the language. Seto flicked his cigarette away. "I would have liked a verbal response mutt," he said coldly.
A length of chain shot out at him, and guided by deft movements of Yugi's hands, came dangerously close to hitting Seto's face. The Ghoul brought his free hand to his cheek and felt a small trickle of blood as Yugi pulled back his chain with a satisfied smile. Jonouchi grinned and made to congratulate his friend. Seto noticed and his position changed in a heartbeat, his arm shooting up to deliver a solid blow to Jonouchi's ribcage. He crashed onto the ground with a solid WHUMP and struggled for breath as Anzu hurried to help him up. Bakura could hardly contain his glee.
Honda tried to land a blow also, but Bakura reminded them of his presence and tripped him. "Don't make me laugh," sneered Bakura, "Kiddies like you should stay in school. Lessons on the street tend to hurt."
Yugi struck out again, aiming for Bakura this time. Jonouchi had managed to pick himself back up and was lunging at Seto. Anzu stood back and watched every swing her friend delivered be pushed away by Seto like it was nothing. Atem was certainly torn between who needed help more- Jonouchi or Yugi. It's not like Yugi was in danger of being hit, seeing as Bakura was only jumping around and laughing his head off every time Yugi's chain came close. Jonouchi, on the other hand...
"Ack!"
Seto landed another sound hit and Jonouchi's pipe went flying when he hit the ground. This time he was much slower getting up. When he got into a sitting position, Seto closed his hand around the ornate gold inlaid handle and pulled the gleaming sword from it's sheath in a single fluid movement. He held the slightly curving tip to Jonouchi's throat.
Anzu reached into her pocket again and her fingers closed around her handgun. "Don't you dare hurt him!"
Yugi had stopped dead too and Bakura looked slightly put out at the lack of fighting. He sulked over to Seto and glowered behind his friend. "Why couldn't you have kept him going fora couple of extra minutes?"
"He doesn't need the humilation. Crawl back home dog, and start thinking about what battles you fight." Seto sheathed his sword, and just like that, it looked like it was over. And to him, it was.
Atem glared at Seto with venom. "Who the hell do you think you are? You don;t just break off in the middle of a fight."
"It means nothing to you," dismissed Seto, "Go home."
"Answer me," snapped Atem, "No one can put Jonouchi on the ground that fast. I've only seen a handful of people move like that and you aren't one of them."
Seto's icy blue eyes returned his stare with bored intensity. Something stirred in the back of Atem's mind, something important but too dim and distant to fully recall. He dismissed it as anger began to surface. "You have nerve, you know that? Pulling us out here and then just deciding to leave. A real Ghoul would fight us until someone was completly out," he spat, "I don't care much for your attitude here."
"Attitude? I'm not the one who wants to keep fighting out here. Now if you don't mind, it's late, and I don't feel like wasting my time with a bunch of wannabe Duelists like you." Seto went to walk past Jonouchi, only to have Yugi's chain sing past his ear again and hit Bakura square across the jaw.
The theif cursed vicously and seemed to ignore the blood dripping from the deep cut. "That's it, you little-" He was too livid to come up with a scathing enough name for the boy. He lunged before Seto could reach out and pull him back. Yugi blinked, and Bakura pulled a wickedly sharp knife out of his jacket pocket- one Seto recognized from a store window a few blocks from the bar. The short Duelist jumped back to avoid the full slash and took the blade across his upper left arm.
Atem raced forward and caught Yugi before he hit the ground in shock. "Call an ambulance," he hissed, and Anzu completly forgot her handgun and whipped out her cellphone. Jonouchi looked ready to knock Bakura's skull against the pavement as he watched Atem rip off his own sleeve to stop the blood pouring from the wound.
"I guess tonight wasn't a total loss," smirked Bakura. Seto muttered something that in his numbed state of mind, Atem believed was along the lines of 'sadistic '
"The ambulance is on the way," announced Anzu shakily.
"You... you-" Tristan struggled to find that right word to describe Bakura. Yugi moaned faintly and seemed to black out in his brother's arms.
"Well done," snapped Seto to overall surprise, "I really hate you sometimes. That wasn't necessary Bakura. Now there's a fricking ambulance coming and a kid bleeding all over the place. You are the biggest damn idiot I have ever met."
The Duelists stared at his sudden change of overall personality, but Bakura took it into stride. "I'm not the idiot here. That little brat drew blood first." He added, a bit more quietly, " Didn't think I'd actually cut him that deep anyway. I thought he was faster that that." Bakura only half-shrugged as Seto gave him a glare to freeze weaker hearts.
The sound of sirens was barely heard in the distance and Jonouchi supported Yugi as Atem rounded on the two Ghouls with fire in his eyes. He dropped into a low fighting stance, with tensed muscles and fingers splayed out. Seto vaguely remembered the stance, not that it was called White Crane, but he remebered someone very familiar using it before. He absently brought a hand to his left shoulderblade and his fingers grazed the area over a scar that trailed down to his hip and rose to the side of his neck. The stance was too recognizable for his liking.
"Mutou?" Seto murmured. Bakura's eyes widened beside him and stared at Atem with new interest.
Atem heard the whisper and his crimson eyes narrowed possibly further. "How do you know my name?"
"It is you," said Seto in surprise. Then his voice hardened. "Bakura, get inside. We're finished here."
"Don't even think about it," snarled Atem. That's when he shot forward and struck out with a powerful kick. Seto blocked with his sword once again and the two stayed in the position. "Answer me; how do you know my last name?"
"I'll tell you a story about a foolish old man and how he taught his grandson everything he knew." Seto's eyes closed as he knocked Atem away. "The boy was a natural leader, I won't deny that, but he was as foolish as his grandfather." He drove his elbow hard at Atem's ribcage and barely missed. "He had an older friend who tried to stop him from doing some incredibly stupid things. Not that the boy ever listened. Both had younger brothers." Atem was lucky to avoid Seto's next blow. "Another rival who wanted the role of Duelist's leader showed up one day, the boy got into a fight and his friend had to bail him out. The friend's brother was at the wrong place at the wrong time when the rival got angry. Tell me, starting to sound familiar?"
"There is no way that you could be him," gasped out Atem after Seto finally landed a clean hit to his side, "He's dead. Died with his brother." But his eyes flicked away. He knew that half of what he said was a lie. Seto didn't notice, as his eyes were still closed.
"Atem, what are you talking about?" Demanded Honda uneasily. Anzu reached for the comforting weight of her gun again.
"I didn't die with him- you just left me for dead when you found out that I wasn't one of you. That I wasn't planning on becoming a Duelist. I became a Ghoul after that incident and never looked back."
Atem actually looked afraid as he felt his legs be pulled out from underneath him. Seto had his sword unsheathed again and gazed down coldly at the Duelist. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again Atem," he said with that same chill, "You grew up to be a young man, and I really didn't recognize you at first."
"Atem," Yugi moaned. Jonouchi pulled him closer to the mouth of the alley. The sirens were closer now than they had been.
"Seto... Kaiba? Is that really you?" Atem crouched in a defensive position. "You ended up a Ghoul?" He snorted in disgust.
"Better that than dead or a Duelist," muttered Seto, "Get out of my sight. Now."
Atem's eyes closed briefly. "Traitor. Grandpa used to joke that you were my older brother, always trying to keep me out of trouble. Never returned the favor, did I? Is ten years too long?" He laughed to himself. "I don't feel like returning it anymore. Not after what happened back then and what your new 'friend' just did to Yugi."
Seto pulled back his sword, and Anzu took it as the first movement of a killing thrust. She pulled out her handgun and aimed at Seto's chest. "I'll shoot if you move again," she said sharply.
"A headshot is a killing shot," interjected Bakura pointedly. He just shrugged and hung back, totally unfazed by the weapon. "Inside, you were looking to date him."
"Anzu, calm down," said Atem gently, "He can't do it. He won't."
"Try me."
Two things happened very quickly. Seto gave a halfhearted swing to get Atem back on his feet, and Atem lunged forward to block and make an attack of his own. Anzu saw that Seto's sword would make contact and decidedly pulled the trigger just as the blade came close to leaving a wound on Atem's chest.
The gunshot was followed by silence as blood began to drip from a wound.
"Sweetheart? You missed me."
Seto smirked and let go of Atem's arm. Seto had pulled Atem over just enough to shield himself from Anzu's surprisingly good aim. The bullet had buried itself in Atem's shoulder and the Duelist collapsed in a heap at Seto's feet. "It's a non-lethal wound," he commented indifferently as Anzu dropped her gun and rushed over to Atem.
Jonouchi glanced between the two injured brothers in a sort of frenzied worry as Bakura sauntered past him, laughing his head off. Seto lingered beside Atem for a moment before sheathing his sword and shaking his head. "Wasted effort," he said under his breath, but Anzu caught a flash of something in his eyes. It was gone in a second.
"Hurry up ambulance," hissed Jonouchi as he gathered up Yugi and watched Anzu and Honda support the seriously dazed Atem.
"Make sure you stay away from now on," said Seto as he trailed after Bakura, "You can't win all of your battles.
"Atem recognized you," said Honda hoarsely, "Why?"
"Not talking tough anymore? Hmph, I'm sure he'll tell you everything you want to know when he wakes up. Stay out of my life, dweebs, and I won't make yours a living hell." And with those rather charming and slightly confusing parting words, he dissappeared around the corner and melded into the shadows as the ambulance pulled up.
Fifteen minutes later, Anzu was gripping Atem's hand in the back of an ambulance and apologizing over and over. "I shouldn't have shot," she whispered, "Having Yugi hurt is bad enough, we don't need you out too."
Atem blearily opened his eyes and took a moment to focus on her. "Not... your fault," he murmured, "Seeing Seto... suprised me. Got a little too cocky and a little too lazy." He closed his eyes again and remained still and silent until they arrived at the hospital. Jonouchi, with Yugi, had already decided that he couldn't much stand this Seto Kaiba and he was definetly getting a few answers. When he was sure that his two friends would be alright, that is.
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After watching the ambulances from the front door of the now closed bar, Seto returned inside to see Bakura sitting on the bar counter with Marik, recounting the suddenly much more thrilling and dramatic tale.
"-and so the little brat finally gets a lucky shot in and cuts my face up, and starts smiling like he's won it all. Let me tell you, he did not have victory for long, no should have seen his face when I got his arm with-"
He set his sword on one of the now-clean tables and felt slightly guilty that he hadn't been inside to help Isis clean up for the night. He'd have to make it up to her. Seto was shrugging his jacket off when Isis herself came up behind him and gently touched his shoulder blade. "Any injuries that I should know about? Bakura mentioned you took a bit of a hit."
"It's just a scratch," dismissed Seto, "Just barely bled."
Isis looked up at him, sea green eyes troubled as her thumb came up and lightly wiped away the small trickle of blood on his face. "It really was him, wasn't it," she said flatly. Not a question. "Fate often enjoys toying with us in painful ways. It shouldn't trouble you that he was here. Throw your hands up and move on.
"Throw my hands up? You've been listening to your brother talk nonsense again. I've never heard you use that term before," Seto chuckled, leaning back against the table, "What a romantic thing to say."
"Perhaps that wasn't the best time to forget my speech," she said with a rueful smile. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around Seto, feeling him return the embrace loosely. "Have they left us so soon? I half imagined that my bar would be in ruins by this point."
Bakura overheard and threw in his piece. "Yeah, they left in an ambulance. Good riddance, I say."
"An ambulance?" Seto winced a bit as Isis pushed him away and fixed him with a horrified expression. "You sent a few teenagers to the hospital? How on earth do I still stay in business with you three around here? I know you, Seto, and you certainly would not do that to anyone still at school age. Never mind that-"
"One was shot by the girl," interrupted Seto in his defense, "By his own friend. The other, however, was Bakura's doing. Just a slash to the arm – I'm positive that no major artery was hit. I swear."
"Bakura," called Isis sharply. Marik smirked and ducked behind the counter as Bakura caught the look and swatted out at him. Seto gathered his jacket and sword as Isis stalked up to reprimand the suddenly sheepish theif shrinking away from her. Oh yes, hell hath no fury like a woman. It made Seto love her all the more.
"I'm going to see Rishid," he told Marik quietly, "Call me again if she seems ready to kill him." Not so he could save the theif, but to watch with the bartendeer.
"Don't leave me here alone," whined Marik. But he still winked and settled himself in a spot where he got a good view of his sister scolding Bakura within an inch of his life. With luck, the theif would be humbled enough to let Marik pet him like a favorite dog afterwards. His fingers were crossed.
Seto slipped upstairs and the sound of Bakura protesting over hard words was blocked by the soundproofed door. Above the bar was the apartment shared by the three Ishtars, Seto, and Bakura. Seto lived there as Isis' lover, Bakura as some sort of adopted family friend. The kitchen was down with the bar, but upstairs were the the bedrooms- one for Seto and Isis, one for Bakura and Marik, and Rishid's- as well as a living room, the bar office, two bathrooms, and what had once been a dining room converted into a den. Not bad for five people, and the occasional 'guests' brought by Marik and Bakura.
He made a quick stop by his room and propped his sword by the guitar he had lovingly played earlier. The jacket he tossed onto the bed without a second glance. Seto stepped down the hall and softly knocked on the last door on the right.
"You may enter," came a hoarse, muffled reply.
"You look like crap," said Seto bluntly when he saw the person propped up in the bed.
Rishid offered him a small, tired smile as Seto leaned against the doorframe to his darkened room. "Thank you. I feel like it," he chuckled, "What's with the commotion I heard outside? Namely, the sirens?"
"Bakura happened." The answer was plain and accepted.
"My sister is downstairs scolding him then? I almost wish I could see it," joked Rishid. He coughed into his fist. "This awful cough has stayed longer than I had expected. I hope that it isn't passed on to any of you."
"We'll be fine. Do you want me to get you anything? Water, some of that medicine, that god-awful soup Isis made? Don't tell her I said that," Seto added quickly as Rishid laughed again, breaking into another fit of coughs.
"No, I think rest should be all I need. But I'd like to hear your story about what happened tonight."
Seto sighed and began to fill Rishid inon the basic facts. He found himself sitting in the chair beside the tall man's bed by the time he got to Bakura's attack. When he finished, Rishid's expression was similar to his sister's. Mildly frightening. "Both are in the hospital, and as far as I could tell, have non-fatal injuries," Seto said, voice taking on a bored tone.
"Hmm." Thankfully, Rishid accepted his judgement. "Atem. It is not a name I have heard you mention in a long time. I've heard whipsers about him, but not from your lips." He was subtley hinting at Seto's not so secret past with the Duelist.
"It's been ten years," murmured Seto, "I should be able to say his name, even with what happened."
"Ah. The Duelist's leader should be honored that you will mention him after all this time."
"After his display tonight, I wonder why no one has wrestled the title from him yet," said Seto bitterly. Rishid regretted even mentioning it until Seto slumped back in his chair with an expression that read 'I'm too tired to care about the world right now'.
Seto sighed. "Give me another minute to ask you a question, then I'll leave."
"You may ask one hundred and not regret it," announced Rishid.
"You'll have to take a raincheck on the other ninety-nine," replied Seto dryly, "I only have the brain power to deal with one right now. Do you know anything about what happened to Solomon Mutou?"
The question threw Rishid off guard. "I've no idea. If he'd died, I'm sure we would have heard about it, so I assume that he's still alive?"
"Alive? Hn. Alright, thanks Rishid, I'll let you rest." Seto stood quickly and made it to the door in stiff strides before Rishid's quiet voice drew back his attention.
"Pegasus may know something, or even Otogi's father. The man was an enigma on friendly terms with both the Ghouls and the Duelists. Seto," he added a bit more loudly, "Don't think too much on your encounter with Atem. I highly doubt that he will be coming back any time soon. Focus on your life now and not the past."
"You can't face the future by living in the past. I don't run, but I don't look back either," assured Seto. He glanced back at Rishid, and the sick man caught a glimpse of the strong, proud young man he was used to seeing. " Good night, and you'd better get over that damn cold soon."
"I will try," agreed Rishid with a nod and a smile.
Seto closed the door soundlessly as Bakura slunk past like a dog that had been kicked. "Lost that battle, huh?" He shot at him for good luck. Bakura threw back an anatomically incorrect suggestion and dissappeared to crawl into his warm bed. He'd bounce back in the morning like nothing had happened. Bakura was funny like that.
He returned to his own room to find Isis sitting on the end of their bed, hands folded neatly in her lap and back abnormally straight. "I'm in for a lecture, aren't I?" He asked tiredly.
"Not tonight," she said lightly.
"Really? Then why are you so stiff?" Seto stood in front of her and brought his head down to kiss her and rub her shoulders.
When Isis broke away, she sighed and let Seto bring his lips to her forehead. It was a gesture he used to comfort her when she was tense or unhappy, something he had figured out early on in their relationship. "Pegasus wants to see you in the morning," she told him, "He said he 'required your immediate attention in an urgent matter'. "
"And you don't like it... why?" Seto pulled away. "You do realize that I'm a fixer. Hell, Pegasus only calls me specifically if he or someone else is in deep."
"He knows that you're the best fixer the Ghouls have, as any intelligent man would," said Isis proudly. A light blush touched Seto's pale skin. "No, I have nothing against his call. I am merely still upset about tonight's little incident."
"I'll send flowers directly to their bedsides."
Isis gave him a pointed look. "You're just lucky that you weren't the one to shoot. Honestly, it's a miracle that I can still do business."
"You already mentioned that," reminded Seto, "At least it was outside and down a few buildings. Besides, my only intention was to scare off those punks. Not send them to the hospital. So am I forgiven?"
"I suppose," said Isis coyly. She leaned in and pulled Seto down for another kiss. Just as abruptly she broke the kiss and stood up. "I believe that it is one in the morning, and Mister Pegasus expects you at ten o'clock sharp. You must be awake and well rested when you see him," she teased.
"I've survived on less," groused Seto, "No using underhanded tactics like that again."
"Consider it punishment. Come to bed." Isis had already swapped her dayclothes for an oversized shirt that was technically Seto's and a pair of shorts that only saw wear when she slept.
Seto glanced down at his track pants. "I'm just not in the mood to care what I sleep in," he muttered, "Thank god I wasn't wearing that trenchcoat your brother gave me."
"The white one or the the purple one?" Asked Isis sweetly.
"Either. I like them, but entirely impractical. Like your brother himself, actually."
Marik, walking past, heard and couldn't help himself. "I say that you should've worn something that flashy for both of your shows tonight. I could've found a streetwalker costume for you. Even that dumb blonde one wouldn't have been able to resist you."
"Maybe," admitted Seto with a terrifying, cheerful smile, "But 'that dumb blonde' certainly thought you were irresistable, didn't he? If you're ever if need of dramatic, flashy clothing, feel free to wear any one of the 'gifts' you've ever given me. I really won't mind all that much. Just burn them when he's done touching, okay? I'd hate for his germs to contaminate our home."
Isis giggled behind her hand as Marik slunk off looking all too much like his white-haired roommate. "Seto, you are evil!"
"I don't have to be nice if I don't feel like it. I can be, but not if I want the last word."
Is that a good start? I hate first chapters, they have to set the stage and finding a creative, non-cliche beginning can be really difficult.
Reviews please, make my day.
