Save Me

By Ash Kaiba

DISCLAIMER!! I don't own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters. I do own the event.

Wow...I am amazed. You readers are AWESOME!! Your feedback makes me happy. As promised, here's the new chapter.

Chapter 1: Changes

Two Years Later…

An 18-year-old Seto Kaiba listened to his math teacher. He lectured the class about exponents and other review stuff. His fingers rested on keys with bumps. He could "see" the room by the teacher's voice and his fellow classmates' response. His left index finger brushed the four key, which was hooked to a machine with number plates. He'd been talking with this in math class after the accident. Yet, he still struggled with reading.

"Kaiba-kun, an easy question for you. What is f(x) x²-x+4 when x6?"

Kaiba worked the problem in his head. His middle and index pushed the "3" and "4" keys to show the answer of 34. The class congratulated him with the teacher giving him praise.

"Uyru-sensei? I'm here to help Kaiba to lunch."

"Yes, come in, Mutou-kun. Class is almost over. Your assignment is in the appendix of your calculus books. You will do problems 1-50 for tomorrow." Uyru paused. "Have a good day, Kaiba-kun."

Kaiba reached down and fingered the wheels of his chair. Cold metal directed him to a rubber rod, which lay in the lock position. He pulled the bar toward him, unlocking the brakes. After he finished writing Kaiba's assignment, Yugi Mutou pulled the chair away from Kaiba's desk. Then, he directed the chair towards the door. The boy questioned him. Kaiba answered with a nod or a simple hand gesture. He listened to Yugi's stories and his laughs. Jealousy filled his mind as his face grew dark. Yugi then said something.

"Kaiba, I've heard about an operation. It's your choice to go through with it. But, it is supposed to help people with handicaps like you."

The teen lowered his head lower.

"Don't lose all your hope." Yugi paused. "Hey, remember when you came back to school?"

"Now, class, this is Kaiba-kun's first day back. Let's all give him a warm welcome." Ms. Chono grinned. "To your seat now, Kaiba-kun."

He nodded slowly, struggling to remember what the classroom looked like. His hands gripped the wheels of his chair and slowly rolled them. An endless gloom blocked his sight. He would stop and hold his hands out to find where the desks were.

"Come on, Rich boy! You don't have all hour!" A student yelled at him.

His head went lower as he bit his lip. Kaiba focused on the challenge. As he tried to roll the wheelchair forward, it disappeared under him. Laughter filled his ears. His fingers told him he was on the cold floor. His arms pushed him up.

"Come on. Get up and walk to your seat. You're not fooling anyone." Another student yelled.

Kaiba opened his mouth to complain, but snapped it shut as he remembered he was also mute. His mind whirled to find a way to tell them that he was dependent on other people. But, he couldn't find one that will work. He pulled his arms around his chest. His torso wobbled and he immediately returned his hands to their previous position.

"Hey! Knock it off!" A voice with a Brooklyn accent yelled. "Give back his wheelchair!"

"This isn't funny," another voice replied.

He couldn't tell what was going…until Joey Wheeler spoke to him.

"Here, man. Let me help you back up."

The ground disappeared as a body cradled his weak frame. The solid back of his wheelchair returned as he listened to Joey repositioning his legs. Someone started to push the chair forward and through a right angle. The chair stopped and he heard his brakes being pressed against the tires.

"I'll help you to your next class," Tristan Taylor whispered.

Kaiba reached out to him. He heard a "You're Welcome." Then, the class started.

A small grin glowed on his face. Yugi patted his shoulder as he noticed the curving of the lips. The blind eyes looked at him with a thank you note written over them. Yugi was used to being taller than his Duel Monsters rival, who quit the game because of his blindness and lost of his voice. The world the Kaiba remembered was now different.

Mokuba Kaiba was the star of Domino City. Seto Kaiba was for old school duelists. Under Mokuba's control, Kaiba Corp. had amusement parks in America, Japan, China, France, and Germany. The Duel Disks were upgraded and the life points went up to six thousand. No matter how many times Mokuba would say Seto helped him, everyone refused to believe that a handicapped, blind, mute teenager would be able to help. Slowly, his name disappeared until the anniversary of the accident.

Yugi and his friends could clearly see that Kaiba was slowly rotting away. His dreams were shattered as were his hopes. The life he had taken for granted was ripped away from him. All the time he wanted to spend with his brother was reverse. But, Kaiba knew something was wrong. Something that Yugi and his friends would notice in time. Kaiba felt the world closing in around him. And there was nothing he could about it.

Somewhere else in Domino High…

"Hey, Ren. Are you coming?"

"Yes, Terri! I'm just getting my things!"

"Hurry up! We have to get there before the line gets too bad." Terri complained.

Serenity Wheeler exited the classroom with her handbag in hand. Her long auburn hair struggled to free itself from the bun that held it hostage. Her light brown eyes glowed warmly. The pink outfit looked adorable on her slender frame. She looked at the blonde and smiled. "Okay, let's go!"

Terri smiled as they walked the locker filled halls. A brunette ahead of them snared Serenity's attention. The brunette wore a girl uniform and stood in an opened locker. Serenity quickened her speed as Terri started to complain. The girl's figures were reappearing from her past. Her aquamarine irises stared at the books as if she was in deep thought.

"Téa? Téa Gardner!"

Téa appeared that she gasped in surprise. The smile was made when she looked in Serenity's direction. A couple books rested in her arms. Serenity chuckled as she and Terri stopped at the locker. The blue door was mostly empty, except for a Duel Monsters card and a picture of a boy with black hair and violet eyes. The books looked brand new. The title was written in normal letters and a column of bumps.

"Téa, this isn't your locker." She whispered.

"I know, Serenity. Tristan, Yugi, even Joey know." Téa answered. Her voice sounded full of worry. "This locker…belongs to a friend of ours."

"Who," Terri asked.

Téa stared at her like she was crazy. Then, her pale hand closed the door. She turned her head toward them and smiled. Her eyes appeared tired, worn out as if she was giving too much of herself. "Never mind. I better get going. I have to meet Yugi in the cafeteria."

"Wait, Téa!" Serenity called. Her friend continued walking ahead of them. Serenity stared in shock. Téa had never done this to her. Her mind returned to the books. She remembered a series of lifts on a piece of paper. Her mind struggled to remember how she knew. Terri tapped her on the shoulder and the two friends continued to the lunchroom.

The aroma of the food drew them closer. The line was still short. Terri and Serenity jumped in line. A blonde male stood in front of them, growling that he should have a pass to the front of the line. Serenity analyzed him, but thought better of just saying her brother's name. Her light brown eyes directed their attention to the tables. She spotted Téa and Yugi at the table closest to the door. A male with brown hair and frost covered blue eyes sat with them. One of the books Téa had with her was in front of him. His pale fingers ran over the paper. His eyebrows twitched in irritation. Téa and Yugi talked to him as if they were trying to teach him a different language. The young man pushed the book away and crossed his arms with his head resting on top.

"What is it, Ren?" Terri asked, looking in the same direction as Serenity.

Tristan walked over with his food and said something to the brunette. The teen glared at him with his lips curled up.

"Hey, Kai! Don't kill him! I'm gettin' yours," the blonde in front of them yelled.

Serenity looked at him. His warm brown glowed with impatience. Then, he turned to the lunch lady. His Brooklyn accent laughed at her joke as she handled him a lunchbox with a pair of chopsticks. When he took it with his right hand, she handed him a tray with the school lunch. Joey asked the guy in front of him for two cartons of milk. The underclassman obeyed as he checked out.

"Ma'am." Serenity called.

"Yes?"

"That lunchbox…who was it for?" She asked.

The lunch lady looked at the table with Yugi and his friends. Her green eyes softened at the sight. Sadness lingered on her face as she watched them open the box. Serenity directed her attention back to the table, watching the brunette expertly positioning the chopsticks in his fingers. Her brother cringed at the food, which looked like octopus, rice balls, and other food she's seen in fancy Japanese restaurants.

"The lunch box was for Seto Kaiba."

"Seto Kaiba?" Terri repeated.

"Did he run a Duel Monsters tournament?" Serenity asked as the lunch lady nodded. "Why do you give him a lunch box?"

"You haven't heard about the accident, have you?" She whispered with the girls shaking their heads. "Two years ago, Domino was changed forever."

Silence loomed between them. Then, the lunch lady spoke, "You're Joey Wheeler's sister, right?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Ask your brother. He was at the scene two years ago." The lunch lady added as she gave them their lunch trays.

Serenity stared at the table her brother sat at. Domino was changed by an accident? She wondered.

"There they are! Terri, Ren, about time you two get here!" Arika shouted from their table.

"Oh, shut up, Arika," Terri snapped as they sat down.

Serenity picked up the plastic spork and drove it into the Mac-and-cheese. She noted the awful taste, but ate it anyway to make her mom proud. Arika did his usual conversations. Then, Serenity surrendered to her curiosity.

"Arika, who is Seto Kaiba?"

The second year tensed. "Seto Kaiba? He was the president of Student Council in my first year. Tsubasa Tori was the vice-president until this year…because Kaiba didn't run."

Realizing Arika only gave her a small glimpse of the name, Serenity vowed that she would talk to her brother about him. After school.

Lunchtime- Kaiba…

"Kai, how can ya eat that?" Joey asked.

Kaiba glared at him as he tapped the box with the chopsticks. The clicks from the wood and plastic outlined the box in his head. Something soft and squishy meant food. The praying mantis opened its claws and snared a helpless piece of octopus. He brought it to his face and into his mouth.

"If there's one thing he knows how to do on his own, it's eating." Tristan chuckled as he watched Kaiba finger a rice ball and shallow the octopus.

The white puff levitated up to his mouth as he took a bite. The sweet taste flooded his taste buds as he slowly chewed. He heard Téa offer to take him to a special education class and the three guys agreeing. He gave up debating with them, even though he longed to call Joey a mutt again. What does the world look like now? How has it changed? If I were get what I lost back, how would I be able to fit in?

Chapter 2 is still underwork. Besides, I would like to have at least five reviews before putting it up. And I don't know why...I like having them in school. Do you know what these honorfics mean? If not, tell me and I will tell you at the end of the chapter.