Title: A Christmas Carol – Revised
Chapter: A (not so) generous spirit.
Disclaimer: …TIS THE SEASON TO NOT BE SUED! Me no own.
Reviews: You guys are great! Thanks a lot for all the wonderful reviews. They really –do- work, you know. Here's a few replies and to all those without replies, I thank you too, A LOT, it's just that I need the space…okies?
Marik Fangirl:Ah. Thanks for catching that. Enjoy.
dragonlady222:Didn't even have to guess, huh? Good job.
Puzzleshipper: Please do.
Nyami Rose: Hey, thanks for getting me to post. Yeah, that song. I like Bakura-singing fics, myself. Sure, I'll check them out ASAP.
Once again, to all my reviewers, thanks a lot for the motivation…
"Your turn!" A voice trilled merrily.
"Oh, no you don't! I'm not wearing some girly getup like that spiky-headed, camel-hugging idiot."
"We had a deal, didn't we? You'll be rewarded for your services. You yourself said that it would be worth it."
"You better not put me in some kind of pansy outfit or else…"
"Or else? Hahaha…as if. We make the threats here, now get moving!"
"Or what?"
"Or else."
-----
He shivered, cursing the bitter cold of winter and grateful for his thick covering…bitter cold. He was –supposed- to be inside, right? Yes. He wanted IN. Warm, A.C.ed room with lots and lots and lots of shiny, pretty…
Except, -unfortunately-, he really had no idea what he was doing. 'Okay, okay…how did the pharaoh do this?' The palest of spirits wondered, scowling at the snow. "Shazaam! Open…sesame…! MOVE, YOU STUPID WINDOW!"
Nada. Absolutely nothing. He sent a glare heavenwards and a couple more around him. 'Open, already! Open, or I'll--'
Out of the blue…and white, considering the massive blanket of frozen water, the spirit of Christmas present heard a loud SLAM, nearly making him jump out of his skin (or over-sized robe.)
"Well…not exactly what I had in mind, but…heh, I'll take it. And everything else." He cackled softly, his snowy hair tumbling over his shoulders.
----
Were Kaiba not exhausted, he would have found it quite strange that there was the equivalent of the noise from a frat party going on downstairs. Not to mention the red, silver and gold blurs constantly parading around outside his door. However, being too tired to revert to his ever-logical side, he accepted this as the norm.
After all, the norm included 3000-year-old spirits, dark, cloudy force fields created by magic, egomaniacs blatantly declaring themselves the world's new ruler…strange blurs were pretty boring in comparison.
It was actually the yells in Arabic that eventually caught his attention…rather loud, annoyed yells.
Groaning for the millionth time that night, Seto warily cracked open one eye, completely unamused by whoever decided to make this night a living, breathing torture session.
Another blur and a foreign curse finally got his attention. Seto drew himself out of bed zombie-style and naturally fell flat on his face after two misplaced steps.
"Stupid industrial-sized comforters…always—tripping or zomezing." Seto slurred, shaking off the almost intoxicating feeling of sleep.
Tired, but annoyed enough to press forward, Seto staggered out of bed into his hallway. He squinted in the dim light, willing the shadows in his blurry vision to take shape and form.
"Yami, if you're back, I swear…I'll have Yugi planning your funeral by tomorrow at the latest." Seto muttered. He meant for it to come out in a hiss, but it was hard enough trying to put logical sentences together.
Continuing on, Seto found that the dim light came from the downstairs, the kitchen to be precise. Grumbling under his breath, he staggered down the stairs. Reaching the end, he blinked like an owl in headlights, cursing the light like a true night creature…and he gaped at what saw.
There, atop a pile of valuables gathered from various corners of the house, was the millenium spirit of the ring, Bakura the King of Thieves himself. He was dressed in red robes, with a faint Egyptian air about the style, a wreath of holly crowned his snow-white hair and sandals (though the impracticality was protested) adorned his feet.
There came from him a ghostly glow, reminiscence of the one from Yami…and yet, his was different. Darker, yet strangely…a certain sort of mirth burst forth from his solemn presence. Granted, that was probably because he had gotten his hands on everything in sight before Kaiba had even gotten up.
"HEY! Bakura, what on earth are you doing in my house?!" Seto demanded, shouting up to the rejoicing thief.
"Hey, priest." Bakura greeted nonchalantly between bites of something he'd stolen from the refrigerator. "Mmm, you know, you should buy A1. That other stuff is not only expensive, but it tastes like dirt."
"Thank you for appraising my condiments, Bakura." Seto snapped, rolling his eyes to emphasize his sarcasm. Sarcasm which Bakura obviously cared nothing about.
"No problem." He replied, shrugging and contentedly returning to his…sandwich, apparently.
"Bakura-kun…why are you in my kitchen, eating my food, sitting on top of MY stuff?!" Seto bellowed. Bakura blinked, unaffected.
"What? I'm just helping you enjoy the season of giving. You can give me all this stuff…it'll be nice or whatever. Where's your Christmas spirit?" Bakura asked, feigning innocence. Then he laughed. "Oh, that's right. I'm your 'Christmas spirit.' Well, that explains a lot."
Seto laughed sarcastically. "Great. Another lunatic breaking and entering at…two in the morning."
Bakura shrugged. "I'm not breaking and entering. The front door was wide open." He smirked, because--of course, this wasn't necessarily a lie, par-se. It was wide open. After a little spirit magic, of course.
Seto groaned, exasperated. "Bakura, if you don't get out of my house—"
"Look, Kaiba, do you think I want to be here any more then the pharaoh did?" Bakura asked, scoffing.
"Obviously. You seem like you're enjoying yourself just fine, stealing my things and eating my food." Seto pointed out, scowling at Bakura.
"I meant other then that." Bakura mumbled, shrugging. "Anyway, you can't get rid of me any more then you could get rid of the pharaoh. You're stuck with me for a full hour, buddy."
"Fantastic." Seto droned, turning around and attempting escape via the stairs. "That's nice and all, but I've had enough haunting for one night."
"Hey! Get back here! I have a job to do, priest!" Bakura yelled after him, attempting the same trick Yami had used early. After snapping his fingers a couple of times, finding it did absolutely nothing…he jumped down from the pile of treasures. Deciding on the tried and true method, he grabbed Seto and dragged him back into the kitchen.
"Go away…" Seto hissed.
Bakura shook his pretty little head. "Nothing doing."
Another glare of resistance, which had little to no effect. Seto missed the days when people flinched whenever he gave them that look. "Lemme guess. You're doing this for Ryou?"
Bakura dropped Seto's shirt and stared incredulously. "Who tol—I mean…uh…Ryou? Why would I do anything for—"
"Oh, like everyone else doesn't know? When you aren't eyeing everything in sight with market value, you're making eyes at Ryou." Seto scoffed, crossing his arms.
"For you information, hikaris and yamis are supposed to be…like that. What's your excuse, pretty boy?" Bakura snapped.
"For what?" Seto demanded, arms dropping to his sides as he towered over Bakura, appearing intimidating…or trying.
Bakura sneered. "For 'making eyes' at the mutt, priest! What do you think I'm taking about?" He leered at Seto. "You must think you've got everybody fooled, Kaiba. But not me."
Seto reeled back, 'disgusted,' though Bakura didn't buy it fore a minute. "Me and Wheeler? You're sick. You're worse then sick, you're a psychopath."
"And proud of it." Bakura added, dismissing the argument as he lost interest in Seto's 'denial' as he called it, pretending to be coughing. Seto shot him a glare for it.
"Whatever, Kaiba. I don't take any interest in your personal life unless I'm forced to. Now, what was I supposed to—right."
Bakura straightened himself. "I am, as you may or may not have guessed—" And he coughed 'idiot,' earning another glare. "The spirit of Christmas present. I don't know what I'm here for and I don't care."
The kitchen vanished around them and Seto was floating again. Bakura hrmphed, annoyed. "Lost all my stuff…" He muttered.
"MY stuff." Seto corrected, still ticked off—but that didn't last very long. After all, he found himself standing smack dab in the middle of Yugi's kitchen in his pjs.
How'd he know it was Yugi's? Because Yugi was standing right in front of him, apparently waiting patiently on something. Seto stared, momentarily mute. "Yugi?"
Bakura appeared beside him. "Nuh uh. This is Christmas present…like Christmas past, these are only visions, like dreams. No more, no less. Which really bites, because I could put pink dye in Yami's hair gel right now or spray-paint his favorite pants—"
A giggle from the living chibi. "Yami? Are you done yet?" Yugi asked, raising at eyebrow in the direction of the millenium spirit who was just outside the room."Uh…ano…no." Yami sighed. "Actually, aibou…I'm kind of having a hard time with this." He muttered, sounding embarrassed.
Yugi chuckled. "Need some help, then?" He offered, sounding sympathetic and full of pity for the darkling.
"Yes. Please!" Yami called, sounding relieved.
Seto and Bakura unconsciously appeared to follow Yugi, but Seto realized, with some effort, that he wasn't walking or anything. Some force inexplicably drew him behind the little game king like metal to a magnet.
The sight they were met with made all three people (who weren't Yami) want to hit the floor and laugh their heads off. Bakura burst out laughing immediately, Seto snickered and Yugi tried to hold back his own giggles.
"Oh, Yami…what on earth happened?" Yugi asked gently as he bit his lip, trying to conceal his obvious amusement. "Did the wrapping paper attack you?"
Poor Yami, sitting in the living room, covered in tape, ribbons and bows, sighed in exasperation. He looked like a gift from a tornado. "I believe so." Yami eyed the roll of ribbon with suspicion. "You never told me how dangerous wrapping presents could be."
Yugi laughed then, but composed himself, then he shook his head and sighed. "Well, don't worry. I'll get you out of there…somehow." Another giggle. "Besides…you did a great job."
Yami arched an eyebrow. "Yugi, I didn't wrap a single present."
Yugi grinned. "Yes, you did. Mine." Yugi sat next to Yami and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "And I think you're the best present I could ever get, Yami-kun."
"Thanks, aibou." Yami smiled back at Yugi, feeling his heart flutter again…and they shared chaste kiss.
"Eww. Do I have to watch this?" Kaiba asked, disgusted by the mushy display.
Bakura was too busy gagging to answer at first. "Ewwww…get it away. GET IT AWAY! My eyes…they buuurn!"
Yami's smile wavered for a moment. "As nice as this is, love, Mr. Present would like to be unwrapped now. Like, right now, aibou-kun."
"Okay, okay…hang on a minute." Yugi murmured, finding the scissors in the giant mess and using them to free Yami from his self-made prison of colorful ribbons and pattern-splashed paper. "Kaiba-kun's present is here, right?"
Yami bit his lip thoughtfully, then nodded. "Yeah, next to Joey's, Honda's and Ryou's. I think. Uh…though, it might be a little difficult to find anything in here now."
Yugi smirked. "I'll say. I've heard of tropical storms, but it looks like a winter hurricane went through this room. Did Mokuba say anything new about his plan, Yami?"
Yami sighed. "He said Kaiba said no. I feel bad for him, hikari. I offered for him to spend Christmas with us, but he said he'd rather be with Seto."
Yugi nodded, smiling sadly. "Well, they're brothers. I know wouldn't want to spend Christmas without grandpa or mom. And definitely not without you."
Yami grinned mischievously. "Naturally. I mean, I know you can't possibly live without me, aibou." He winked.
Yugi rolled his large violet eyes at the former pharaoh, chuckling. "Oh, of course. Now, before your ego gets any bigger, I think we should get started on the Christmas cookies…the presents can wait."
"They got me a present?" Kaiba asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "What would they get –me- for Christmas? Hey, Ba…Bakura? What are you –doing-?"
Bakura was carefully digging through the mass of wrapping paper. "Looking for your present, priest. Maybe it's the god cards." He cackled, returning to his work.
"Hey! It's MY present!" Seto yelled indignantly. "Aren't you supposed to be showing me some other delusion or something?"
Bakura waved him off. "I'm on break!" He shouted, still digging. "Come on, come on…"
Suddenly and perhaps thankfully, (though Bakura forgot that technically, objects in dreams and visions are practically worthless,) the scenery melted away again. Bakura huffed…then sighed. "Hikari did say that if I stole any presents he'd melt the ring down into a paper weight."
Seto twitched. "Whatever. What, exactly, was the point of that scene?" Bakura shrugged. "Who knows? Implications on your brother's issues with you? Proof that people care? Fangirl appeal…" Seto's cobalt eyes blinked in confusion. "What was that last one?" Bakura returned the confusion, staring back with equally blank eyes, glancing around the room with suspicion. "Huh? One what? Is it shiny?"Seto groaned. "Never mind. Look, can we please get on with this? I don't have all night…I want sleep and I want it NOW!"
Bakura sniffed indignantly. "Geez, priest. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the emperor-sized bed this morning. Keep your prissy pants on, Kaiba, I'm going. I'm going." More scenery appeared.
---
"Hey, Joey…" A reddish-brunet greeted the blond with a grin. "How are you doing, big brother? Ready for Christmas?" Serenity giggled happily and gave Joey a peck on the cheek.
Joey blushed and wiped it off. "Okay, sis. Knock it off…I love ya too. I'm doin' fine. The house looks great, ya know. You've been doin' a wonderful job."
Serenity beamed. "Thanks, Joey!" She returned to stringing up the decorations and glanced back to see her brother 'crashing' on the couch.
Seto stared blankly at the surrounding home, (trimmed with every kind of Christmas decoration imaginable) and at the scene in front of him. So…that was Joey's sister. She looked like she was fine, for someone who was supposed to be visually impaired. "What are we doing at the mutt house?"
"I dunno. Maybe your undeniable desire to jump him hypnotized me into taking you here." Bakura shrugged. "By the way, do you realize how badly you need a haircut?"
"I do NOT like the mutt!" Seto was seething. "And have YOU looked in the mirror lately? At least Yami only cross-dresses on Saturdays. I –hope-."
"You and me both." Bakura added.
"So, how's mom?" Joey asked softly, the question bringing a mellower mood to the discussion.
Serenity smiled understandingly. "She's fine…a little frantic from time to time and she's always worrying about me, but mostly, she's fine. How's…" Serenity trailed off and paused for a moment, regretting bring up the past.
Joey frowned. "Same as always, Serenity. But don't worry…I'm getting' along fine, ya know? Besides, Yugi and Yami are still lookin' after me." Joey grinned. "By the way, we're gonna pay them a visit, right? After all, Yugi, (not to mention Anzu,) would never forgive us if we didn't."
Serenity giggled. "Mmm hmm…I still have to give them my Christmas present. They've done so much for us…" The brunet reminisced thoughtfully about having her sight back. Her bother's courage, Yugi's generosity, Yami's skill…that was the reason she had her life back.
Joey's thoughts weren't half as happy though…thinking about how, after all their efforts, in the end the solution was only temporary. It was so unfair. Serenity deserved her happiness. He wanted so much to help her. So much to protect her. A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Joey? Jo…are you okay, big brother?" Serenity asked gently, examining the expression on Joey's face.
"Oh, uh…yeah. I'm fine. I, uh…just missed ya and all, ya know? Actually, you remember that beach that you loved so much? How bout we go there again?" Joey asked, wiping his eyes and attempting a toothy grin.
Serenity blinked for a long time, wondering if she'd heard Joey right. "But, Joey…it's in the middle of December."
"Uh…right."
"I'm lost. What's wrong with the broad again? I mean, other then the stupid grin, the stupid giggle and being Joey's sister?" Bakura asked, staring at Seto.
Seto paused for a moment, remembering the look on Joey's face. That was the look he made when he saw Mokuba, soulless and in shackles. The look of someone, feeling hopeless and devastated but still trying to remain strong. "She's going blind and Joey's family can't pay for another operation."
"You just called 'the mutt' Joey." Bakura observed, fairly shocked.
Seto paused for a moment of self-bashing silence. "So? Like that's a big deal." He scoffed at the former tomb robber.
Bakura huffed. "It IS, fancy pants. You never call him anything but Wheeler, mutt, pup, moron and any other affectionate nicknames that tiny mortal mind of yours can dream up."
Seto pursed his lips. "Did it ever occur to you, you freak, that you're mortal too? That you've always been mortal, in spite of the fact that you claim to be some 'spirit'?"
"Did it ever occur to you, you idiot, that I really am a spirit and you're incredibly dense?" Bakura retorted, rolling his eyes. "Good Ra, you've been sent inside a card, you've had your own soul stolen twice, you SAW Mokuba as a soulless shell, you've had a full blown tour of the shadow realm…what the hell do you want?"
Seto was silent for a long time. A very long time. "For this dream to be over."
Bakura groaned and cursed in Egyptian. "Man, you are the dumbest smart person I've ever met."
Seto snorted, eye-rolling at the comment. "That remark doesn't even deserve the dignity of a come back. Either try something better or don't talk at all."
Bakura sighed and sent a glare heavenward. "I –can't- help him! He's too dense! Can't we just leave him the way he is? I mean, it's not like he'll actually listen to any of us…he doesn't even believe our –other- stories."
A moment of silence passed and Seto saw Bakura suddenly showered in a bright light. The pale spirit maintained a solemn silence for an almost agonizingly long time…and then nodded reluctantly. "If you say so, but I don't hold out much hope for him. I'll do my job, but that's as far as it goes."
Seto growled. "-WHAT- job?!"
Bakura sighed, exasperated. "Showing you all this stuff. That's my job. But let's get this straight, Kaiba. I don't like you…I don't really like anybody, but I don't like you. I don't even know you." Bakura paused at this point, then continued. "But, considering your salvation just got tied into my well being, I don't have much of a choice. We're trying to help you, so shut up and listen for once in your life."
"I don't want your help! I don't need your help, either. I'm fine." Seto snapped, storming away into the now black abyss.
"Boy, you really think that, don't you? But you don't know, do you?" Bakura tsk-ed. "You're scared, aren't you, Kaiba? You have a reason to be."
"I'm not—"
Bakura growled. "Don't give me that. Oh, you think, pretty boy, that I don't know what I'm talking about? You think I don't know what it's like?" Bakura chuckled bitterly. "That I don't know what it's like, to seal yourself away from the world, having lost every sense of security you had? Being forced to fend for yourself? GROW UP!"
Stunned momentarily, Seto was once again speechless and Bakura stared at him for a moment, as if to demand a response, but then, remembering that this was merely a job…Bakura huffed and sighed. "Whatever. Just, whatever. Look, I think we've got one more stop ahead, at least. It's getting late."
"Look, I said no." Seto muttered. "I already told you that. Besides, I have work tomorrow and I don't want all of you keeping me up."
"Then take tomorrow off, Seto. It's not going to kill you OR me if you take a break once in a while. It's –your- company!" Mokuba's pre-teen fists clenched as he withheld his stronger feelings.
"Yes, my company. Which means it's my responsibility to run it. I'm not going to neglect my responsibilities." Seto replied, coolly.
"So you'd rather neglect me and your social life, which, by the way, doesn't exist? Seto, that's not true. It's your company, not your life! It's not okay to do this to yourself." Mokuba sighed. "Can't you understand?"
Seto pursed his lips. "You don't understand, either, Mokuba."
"Yes, I –do-! I understand that I'm the only one out of the two of us that actually acts mature." Mokuba shot back, glaring. "I'm worried about you. You keep pushing away life. You even push me away, brother. Someday…I'm not going to be here. What then?"
Seto shook his head firmly. "That won't happen, Mokuba."
"Of course it will. Why are you so afraid of change, Seto? It doesn't make sense to me…I try to help you, but I can't do anything if you won't let me help." Mokuba shook his head, near tears. "-We- want to help you."
"I don't need their help." Seto snapped.
Mokuba shook silently. "I guess you don't need my help either, then, huh?" Mokuba ground out. "You said that, once. During a duel, you said you didn't need anyone. I just didn't believe you meant it."
Seto sighed. "I didn't! Look, I don't need this now."
"As always." Mokuba muttered, stomping off up the stairs. "Merry Christmas, Seto."
Seto felt guilt in the pit of his stomach for something he hadn't even done yet. Incredible. He hadn't meant to…to say that. He needed Mokuba. He loved Mokuba…dearly. Seto Kaiba lived for his little brother.
Yet, his pride had torn at him in that moment, causing him to do…to say things he had never really meant. Still, it was only one argument. Maybe things could happen differently now, since he'd seen that. Even though it WAS a dream, right?
Then…why did it feel so painfully real? (1) So real that, it was almost impossible to deny that this was some kind of vision. A feeling began to stir inside of the older Kaiba, as he watched the screen slowly drain. "So…so Mokuba's not incredibly happy with me right now. Is that ALL?"
Bakura rolled his eyes. "If that was all, then do you think we'd be showing up at your door in nighties? At least –I- look good though…of course—"
"Then WHY are you here?" Seto demanded, groaning.
Bakura tsk-ed. "You'll just have to figure that out on your own. A little patience would help, though." He added, smirking.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Seto asked, sighing. He eyed the 'ghost/spirit' with suspicion, though he didn't really have to 'suspect' anything except Bakura being…well, himself.
Bakura grinned, eyes and teeth both gleaming. "Just because I'm doing something nice for one night doesn't mean I'm not still sadistic. It's kind of…in my nature. Like being snobby and prissy is in yours."
Seto glared at Bakura and hissed softly. "I'm not PRISSY! Can we just—"
Bakura suddenly felt a cosmic jerk on his soul. He stood stiff as a soldier for a moment, then nodded casually. "Time's up!" He announced. "I'd love to continue this debate, but I've got other plans I need to take care of. I'll come pick up your stuff later…if I'm not too busy."
Before Seto could speak a single syllable of protest, much less tell Bakura off concerning his valuables, they were both dumped back into his room and Seto landed with a -thud- back onto his bed. Bakura was still floating, though.
"Later, priest!" Bakura called as he waved cheekily and smirked. Then he too, disappeared, light consuming his body, leaving a black void where he been a moment before…
Then, the room returned to normal. It was as if he had never came at all. Seto shook his head, confusion and exhaustion once again over taking him. Then, he heard a voice. It sounded distant and faint…
"Hey…priest! I forgot. There's one more visitor yet to come. And don't bother looking for me, I'm taking to you telepathically. Try to pay attention! This one's important!"
Seto looked around for a moment, before hearing a soft snicker…deciding to add 'voices' in his head to the list of things to get checked out…even though he didn't really feel right about dismissing all this. It was real, wasn't it?
'No! No, it was NOT…I swear, I'll never work this many hours again if I can just stop having all these stupid DREAMS!'
The brunet collapsed in bed, yet again…but as he did, a portal of black and purple mists opened in his room like the jaws of Cerebus himself. (2) The air filled with a thick, heavy scent and Seto felt his eyes drift close…
Number notes and info:
1: Guess who made Seto stupid? The dubbers. The real Seto actually believes in magic. No joke. He believes the whole stupid deal. BUT, the dubbers twisted everything…so that, instead of sensing danger, like everyone else, you hear him saying in the duel with Dartz "It must be a duel disk defect" -.- DEAR –LORD-!
2: Cerebus is the legendary, three-headed dog-guardian of hell, otherwise known by the Greek name "Kerberos."
---
If you've noticed the character themes for the different periods of Seto's life, grats.
Would you believe it was actually an accident?
Yami corresponding with Seto's painful past, Bakura understanding his current situation, all by accident. I didn't even realize that the next spirit is also rather fitting. I was just having fun. –shrug- At any rate,
SPRED THE LOVE! HELP THE WRITER! REVIEW!
And a merry…-early- Christmas…I guess.