Authorsnote : Hi so I decided to upload the first chappie and the prologue together because I felt like I owed it to you guys. Thank you are actually taking the time of day to read this but anyway...
Disclaimer: don't own yugioh but I do own the plot of this chapter.
Before the dawn chapter 1
It haad been three days since the young Tea had first arrived. Three days of absolute hell, where you couldn't move about freely, where you were constantly drugged, where you couldn't even see the stars at night. It was always dark, even during the day. Barely any food was given and even less water. They were surrounded by crate like structures, scattered everywhere and covered in a layer of thick dust. There weren't any windows, no showers no nothing, just them in a dirty room with crates. There were vents for oxygen to enter, just enough to keep them alive, and one single door that was guarded by soldiers armed to the tee.
From what people had told her about the guards, they were ruthless. They'd come in and come out whenever they pleased. They'd do whatever they wanted and anyone dumb enough to try and oppose them were met with fatality. On several occasions a few of them tried to harass her but the minute they did they were either called to the so called 'lab' or their camanding officer would warn them or fist them in the face. Apparently the commanding officer had a soft spot for her. This was not a good thing according to Joanna anyway. She always warned Tea to watch her back because any second the commander would turn around and could do anything.
Joanna had been one of the first few that was ever recruited and one of the few to actually survive for so long. Apparently, the serum was originally designed for an instant death but something must have ticked in their sick minds because they decided to make the victim suffer and so began modifying it. Everyone here was used as test subjects. They were all nothing more than mere lab rats.
Tea always had a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach that Joanna knew a whole lot more than she was letting on but she(Tea) didn't want to stir any trouble. Tea was new after all and everyone trusted and relied on Joanna for help and support. Of course Joanna would help out however she could but something about her just didn't quite sit right with Tea.
...
Her head backed up against the wall, her body shaking and traces of tears in her eyes, Tea Gardener rested against the concrete wall. It was cold, very cold. She hadn't quite gotten used to these conditions just yet, though Tea didn't think she'd ever. Where ever she was there was one word she could use to describe it... hell.
Her eyes slowly began to close as her mind drifted. Tea fought off sleep for as long as she could but she couldn't keep herself awake much longer. Her eyelids half closed but then she soon flicked them up again. Tea couldn't fall asleep...not here, not until she got out.
Suddenly, she heard the sounds of footsteps and voices. Tea focused her hearing but she couldn't quite hear what they were saying... something about being an arrogant ass. The door handle screetched as two men entered dragging a young man along with them. His head hung down as if bowing, his face blocked from her view.
They continued to drag him to the centre of that section of the room(please note the very large room is divided into several sections because of the crates) and dropped him flat on his face. His arms were by his sides and his face still hidden from her.
Tea knew all too well who this 'new recruit' was. His well built form, his chestnut hair oh and how could you forget that purple trench coat he wore on her first adventure with the gang... The multi billionaire CEO of the world's largest gaming company himself... Seto Kaiba.
She desperately wanted to race to his side and cradle his head in her lap, telling him that he could their kick ass later right after they gave him a serum. But, being the smart young girl that she is, she didn't. Instead she waited for them to leave the room before she even lifted her head.
Then after hearing the screetching of the door and retreating footsteps, Tea mustered every ounce of strength she had left in her and dragged herself to his side. She knew how terrifying it was to be going through this process, her being the most recent victim. But then again this is a thick headed Seto Kaiba we're talking about and he wouldn't be afraid, no, he'd be mad, furious more like it and that was exactly what he felt. Kaiba was furious. Tea could tell by the extra annoyed scroll plastered on his face.
Soon everyone scampered around him like they did her, trying to comfort her and calm her down. She felt like warning them that they'd only be digging themselves in a bigger grave but then stopped herself. Everyone here hadn't even known the people in the room knew each other so it would be pretty strange, not to mention suspicious, if she, the average high school girl, knew a lot more than most about the most successful teenage billionaire.
"Who is he?" She heard someone ask.
"I don't know," said Joanna, "we'll only find out once he is enjected with the serum. "
"If he lives long enough," she heard another say.
"If," repeated Tea, "what do you mean by 'if'? He's going to make it through, right Joe?"
"It depends on the persons will, sweety. Think of this as a trial run."
"Huh?"
"Jump on my train of thought, okay. For instance, in a video game, you have to pass the tutural to make it to stage 1. The criminals behind everything want to see if he can survive this suffering long enough."
"Why?" Tea asked very confused as to how someone could be so inhuman
"To see if he can endure what's really in stall, for all of us."
"And what's that?" She asked hotly
"Don't know."
Ignoring the tension in the air, all focus shifted back to Kaiba, surely he'd remember all this. Tea couldn't help but feel as if she'd burst out into tears seeing him in such agony. They'd been through a lot together, even though they barely spoke to one another, and he even saved her life on one account. It was strange seeing the merciless business man with his face in the dirt.
A small smile played on her lips as she remembered a certain incident that she'd always laugh about.
It was anafternoon in summer, after a heavy thunderstorm. The gangwas out for the day and invited Mokuba to join them. God only knows what lie that little kid told his brother becausewhen he picked him up... let'sjust say Kaiba wasn'ttoo happy...
"Mokuba, what the hellare you doing with them?" Asked a very ticked off Kaiba as he gazed upon his younger brother playing catchwith Joey at the park.
"I told you, my friends invited me to go out with them." He replied nervously.
"Mokuba there'sfriends and then there'sthe geek squad, a major difference."
"Hey!" Shouted Joey at Kaiba, " what'swrong widhanging out wid us?"
Kaiba didn'trespond, instead he sent a death glare in Joeysdirection and began making his wayto his car.
"Oi! Moneybags! I'mtalkin' teye!"
The now aggrivated blond made hisway to the two Kaibas ignoring his friends screams. Tristan ran after Joey, knowing all too well what was going to happen leaving Bakura, Tea and Yugialone.
"Oh bother," said Bakura
"This isn'tgonna end well," asked Tea, " is it Yugi?"
"Who knows. But most probably... no." Replied the spikeyhaired boy.
The three glanced at each other then began racing over to Joey, to try and stop him.
Joey on the other hand still hadn'treached them yet, thankfully but then something happened that none of them expected...
"Oi! Moneybags! Look at me when I'mtalkin te ye- woah! "
Joeys foot colidedwith something brown and slippery... that'sright mud. The teenage blond went flying as he skidded on the groundsending debris of mud in the air. Kaiba heard the blond shriek and looked back, out of ourcuriosity, just in time to catch the mud.
His face plastered with sort of a slash of mud on one cheek. His eyes burned with a hot fire, growing immensely every second. His attention was then caught by the most innocent laugh he'dever heard... Teas.
The blue eyed brunette was holding her stomach and laughing. Was she laughing at him? Oh no, she was laughing at her idiot friendslipping and sliding in thepatch of mud, trying to get out. Her gaze soonlanded on him and she began walkingtowards him.
"Sorry Kaiba," she said as she took out her face cloth still giggling, "we're still training Joey not to play inthe mud."
When she reached him she raisedher face cloth. Kaiba thought she'doffer it to him but oh he was so wrong. She began dabbing his face, taking away the mud spots.
Kaiba stood frozen. Was this girl that absent minded as to what she was doing? Obviously that was the case because she was still giggling, a gentle sparkle in her eyes.
"Hey!" Shouted joey as he was being helped out of the mud by Tristan and Yugi, both also covered in mud now, curtiousyof Joey Wheeler.
"What?" She responded turning herhead around in amusement, her fingers grazing his lips as she did, "I'mjust using an analogy he'dunderstand withoutmaking a fuss about it."
Kaiba could feel her soft fingers grazing his shin as she continued to clean the mud away. Theywere so silky and delicate. He fought of the urge to trace her beautiful skin with his lips, adorning them with every ounce ofhis attention. He snappedout of that little day dream of his as his lips met her fingers, accidentally on Teas part of course, who was still in a fit of giggles.
"There, " she said, " mud is good for the skin but just rinse yourface when you get home in case there'ss-spots- oh god!"
She realised what she had done. She cleaned The Seto Kaibas face and practically made himkiss her fingers. Her face was soon tinted with a slight twing of red. She stepped back and stood next to Bakura, her face slightly tilted foward.
Instead of pulling a fit, Kaiba pulled his coat down by the collars and left with a very quiet very short 'thanks'
No one dared to speak of that little incident, especially Tea. It just felt sonatural to her when he was so close and oh how she'd drown in his eyes... Theywere so gorgeous!
Her mind was pulled back by someone calling her name. It was afraid and worried at the same time yet familiar.
"Tea, " said Matt, "come on, we've gotta go. They're coming."
Her blue eyes drifted to the paralysed Kaiba, no way was she leaving him. He may be a jerk but he was still her jerk, the gangs jerk so that technically made him part of the infamous 'geek squad', as he'd put it, and there's no way she'd ever leave a friend alone in a terrifying situation.
"Tea, Tea come on."
Matt then rushed away to the others as the door screetched and men walked in carrying a small metal suitcase.
"Lookie here," said one of them, "what's a pretty girl like you doing out here and not hiding like rats with your friends?"
Tea didn't say anything but instead turned her attention to the CEO in front of her.
"Oh I see, you like this guy is it? Very brave ye are."
Once more Tea ignored his comments and just carried on worrying for Kaiba. If this guy didn't give the serum or cure or whatever soon, Kaiba would die.
"29," said the commander, " that's enough. Enject the serum already. I have other things to do than listen to you gossip."
Teas eyes flicked to his. A small smile graced her face, thanking him. He simply nodded in response and then continued to observe the administration of the serum.
Tea watched closely as well. Her eyebrows crouched together when she saw his finger retreating from the plunger of the syringe. He only gave Kaiba three quarter of the required dosage. She looked up at him, a wicked smirk on his face. She then knew what was going on. The soldier only gave Kaiba that amount because she had gotten him in trouble with the commander. She began frantically shaking her head and muttered quite 'no's' as he stood up and began walking out the door.
"Wait!" She screamed as she dragged herself on the floor, "don't do this to him! He's innocent! He didn't do anything!"
"How touching," he said as he left.
Tea then turned to her only hope. Her eyes begged him to help her but the commander gave her a sad look and shook his head. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him them turned around back to see Kaiba who was as motionless as ever.
"Tea, " said Matt after the two had left, "what's wrong?"
"They didn't give him the entire serum" she chocked.
"Oh boy, he's in trouble."
"Hush," said Joanna, "your gonna scare him."
"It'll take a lot more than that to scare him," blurted out Tea.
Everyone turned their attention towards her giving her confused looks.
"Turn him to face us," said Joanna quickly.
Tea then skidded herself next to Kaiba once more after they turned him around. She watched his chest rise and fall rythmically as he breathed. At first she hesitated but then slowly she bagan removing his smokey quartz hair from his face.
"His name is Seto Kaiba," said Tea suddenly
Everyone around her gasped. What was the Seto Kaiba doing in captivity?
"Seto Kaiba, " said Matt drawing near, "no way. I heard this guy is a billionaire"
"Yeah, " said Tea, "he is. I recognise him from a magazine. I was supposed to write an article about him in the school newspaper but I never got an interview so I had to just read up about him and write based in that."
"What's going to happen to him? " asked Tea softly
"I don't know. He could die." Responded Joanna
A/n
Yay! Chapter 1 complete. I made this chapter a little longer than my other ones for those of you that read My sunshine prologue. Sorry for leaving it for so long. I update every Thursday and thank you to all you people that actually read my authors notes.