Author's Note: Again, thanks guys for all the comments thus far!
Chapter 3 : Concern
He was shaking, literally shaking with rage. He had to grab a hold of the cold, metal railing just to keep himself steady, and even then he could not contain his fury.
"I can't believe this has happened! After all the work I did in assembling this tournament, all the hours I spent on my deck and strategies, all ending in failure! None of it came to amount to anything! I failed… I failed in winning my own tournament…"
Leaning forward, Seto released a heavy sigh and shook his head. "There is no one to blame but myself. I let the events that transpired in Noa's world affect my game, and in the end, it cost me my own tournament. I couldn't let the past just be for a bit…. I had to keep thinking of what happened…"
Admitting his own defeat was one thing, but admitting he had defeated himself was something altogether new and troubling for the young CEO. He always strove to be the very best in everything, and realizing that he had led to his own downfall made him feel ready to vomit. "I knew what cards to play; I had the order memorized! Did I make a mistake, perhaps? Maybe I played a wrong card or didn't play a card when I was supposed to? No… No, I thought of everything in my head before playing each one of my cards. But Yugi… He beat me. Again! And in my own tournament!"
He growled in frustration and slammed his hands on the railing, ignoring the slight tinge of pain that traveled up his arms. A gust of wind blew past him, sending his trenchcoat and hair swaying to the side, and he involuntarily shuddered at the coldness. He was on the platform stationed on the blimp, deciding it was best to avoid the others and their celebrations of success. He instead chose to ponder on his defeat in silence. The cold air from the sea was beginning to pick up as night began to fall, yet he hardly felt the need to be concerned. There were more important matters to think about, like his tournament. Or the island.
Seto had promised himself that, when he had won, he would destroy KaibaCorp Island, demolishing any trace of his adoptive father into the sea. He would win, claim his title as Duelist King, and take the elevator into the basement, slamming the self-destruct button with absolutely no mercy. He pictured it a thousand times in his head before and even during the tournament, awaiting the sheer relief that would follow. It would signify his rise above his stepfather, that he was better than that abusive bastard. It was mark how he had finally overcome his failings, revealing to the world how he was indeed the very best. But now…now that he had lost…
"I lost. I lost my own tournament. I lost to Yugi. I lost…"
When the tournament was over, he had a choice to make. He could have easily pressed the button, sinking the pile of junk into the sea, never to be seen again. But the satisfaction that he craved from the action would never come from such a loss. In fact, such an act would be embarrassing, as it would reveal his regret, his inability to cope with the loss. And so the island stayed perfectly intact. The island that his father built, that he wanted to destroy since he took over the company all those years ago, was now a small blip in the distance.
He let his hands fall forward past the railing. Staring at the beautiful sea, he watched in the distance as the sun continued setting. It was a beautiful, picturesque moment, and he let the trace of a smile grace his lips at the sight. He suddenly remembered being a kid at the orphanage, watching the sunset every evening from the bridge with his little brother. Mokie, he had called him then. They would just watch, being careful not to stare at the sun for fear of hurting their eyes. Instead, they looked at the reflection in the water, their reflections smiling back at them. Those were…happier times.
And just as quickly as the nostalgia came, it left, leaving behind an empty void. The trace of the smile vanished, replacing itself with the usual frown, and he realized what it was he was doing. "I'm thinking of the past when I should be thinking of the present. I lost to Yugi Motou. I need to think of a plan when I return to Domino. I know I want to begin working on KaibaLand, but will I even be able to focus?"
Indeed, Kaiba had noticed the change since he came back from Noa's virtual reality. While his focus was mostly on the game, the cards, and his opponent's strategy, there was something that had bothered him. He couldn't pinpoint what it was… It had not been a sound, or an image, or something in the distance. No, there was just something that bothered him. "And the fact that it only began after I came back from Noa's world…"
The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He knew Gozaburo did something to him when he was unconscious, and not being able to determine what happened was driving him just as insane as the thought of his loss. It had been a crucial factor in him losing, at least in his mind. Whatever the distraction was, it hindered him, if only slightly. Still, he was not entirely focused on the duel, and it may have been what cost him his entire tournament. Maybe it was just his nerves or the fear that whatever Gozaburo did to him would come back to haunt him, but such an excuse was both improbable and unacceptable. Even if there was something wrong with him, he had yet to see or feel any symptoms, and letting such a minute thing affect his dueling was ridiculous.
"I should have been focused. I've been preparing for this duel for months, and I let something like a trip to a brat's virtual reality affect me. After all this planning!"
Deep down, however, he knew it was a legitimate excuse. He knew Gozaburo did something. He knew what that man was capable of. He easily remembered all those grueling tasks he was forced to endure, all the punishments he received, because of that man. From the description of his virtual wounds from Anzu (before his brother tactfully cut her off), he knew the old man had committed some act against him. Not knowing what it was not only angered him but secretly frightened him.
"All those times he said I was worthless, that I would amount to nothing in this world. Every time he hit me, slapped me, tortured me, only to tell me to keep my mouth shut under penalty of targeting Mokuba next… I thought I had escaped all of that."
And now, several years after the bastard he was forced to consider his adoptive father threw himself out a window, he was still haunted by his actions. Closing his eyes, he took in a large breath of the ocean air before releasing it, hanging his head as he did so in an attempt to rid himself of the stress that was accumulating inside him. He knew what would await him when he returned. Reporters and cameraman asking him how it felt to lose his own tournament. CEOs and businessmen considering his loss to be a sign of weakness. His fellow workers wondering and gossiping about his decline in the dueling world. All of this was awaiting him when he returned to Domino City…
"And now I have to consider Gozaburo…even after his death…"
"Hey there, Kaiba."
His eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly spun around to see Anzu standing in the middle of the platform. She was wearing her usual blue shorts and white shirt, as well as her matching blue shoes. He scoffed at her and turned back around to face the ocean.
"Not even a hello back? I guess I can't say that I'm surprised."
He heard her footsteps approaching him and realized with mild dismay that she was obviously here to talk to him. He waited until he could see her standing to his left out of the corner of his eye before turning to look at her.
"Wow, this is a beautiful scene," she noted, smiling over at him. "No wonder you're out here, even if it is a bit chilly."
He wanted to tell her to go away, to leave him alone, but two things were bothering him. One was that she was alone. It was the first time he had ever seen her without Yugi or the group, and he was curious as to her reasoning for finding him. The second was more personal…and more painful.
"Yeah, I suppose," he responded, realizing she was waiting for an answer. When she didn't continue, he frowned before mentally swallowing the last bit of pride he felt. He had lost his tournament; what was a courteous gesture to him? "I… I didn't get a chance to thank you for taking care of Mokuba."
"What do you mean?" she questioned, glancing over at him. He decided looking at the ocean was a much better option and quickly did so to avoid her gaze. It was embarrassing enough having to admit that he, yet again, let Yugi's group rescue his brother. But thanking them for the job well done was hard for him. He knew, however, that it was their due, and he knew he would only have so many chances left.
"When I was unconscious in the virtual reality, as well as during my brief period when we returned. You made sure Mokuba was safe and that he got out of Noa's grasp. Thank you…for making sure Mokuba was okay."
"Kaiba, we never would have left you or your brother in that place. It's fine."
"She couldn't just accept it and say "you're welcome," now could she?" he thought, deciding to let the comment slide. "Just know that I am grateful for your help in the virtual reality."
She nodded and returned her gaze to the ocean. Silence soon surrounded the two, but it was a comfortable silence, ironically enhanced by the slight breeze now blowing. For the first time in years, it felt relaxing for him to be standing next to someone. Usually people were out to scrutinize you, size you up, and decide on whether or not to use you or abuse you. He never got that vibe from Yugi's group in general, particularly from Anzu, and it both fascinated him and worried him. All people were scumbags, but she… She had a heart. Something he never understood.
"And now I'm getting philosophical. I must be getting exhausted."
He went to push himself away from the railing in the hopes of getting his mind off of the dismal thoughts floating around his brain when he noticed something out of the corner of his right eye. He blinked and turned to see a man standing next to him, a man he had never seen before. He frowned and stared in curiosity, wondering where this man had come from. He was wearing what appeared to be a scientist's outfit. It was almost cliché: a white, button-up shirt, brown pants, business shoes, and a white lab coat with some pens and pencils sticking out of the breast pocket. He had brown hair that was parted in the middle, revealing tips of gray, and thick glasses. He appeared to be older, perhaps in his fifties. He was smiling, staring out into the ocean just like they were. But Seto hadn't heard him approach, and Anzu mentioned nothing of him.
"Who is this guy?"
And just as he thought this, the man slowly turned to stare at him, his smile widening only the slightest bit. Tilting his head to the side, as if motioning to some object, he leaned forward and whispered in a familiar voice, "Syringes are sanitized, sir."
Blinking in horror, Seto was dumbfounded when he saw nobody standing next to him. There was just empty space; the scientist was now nowhere to be seen. Doing a 180 degree turn, he was shocked to see no trace of the man. It was as if he had never stood there, and given that Seto had never seen him before, it was actually quite plausible.
But his voice…
"Syringes are sanitized, sir."
"Kaiba, is something wrong?"
Turning to face Anzu, he wasn't surprised to see her staring at him in wonder. He looked back to see that there was indeed no sign of the man. Sighing, he shook his head in disgust and said, "No… There's nothing wrong."
"Syringes are sanitized, sir."
There was no doubt in his mind that that was the voice he had heard the previous night. No doubt. "But that is impossible! How did I just see him standing here? Was that really him, or just my imagination? I don't remember ever seeing such a person before… Even if it was my imagination, why did it seem so…realistic?"
"Kaiba, are you sure you're okay?"
He sighed and returned his hands to the railing. "Yes, Mazaki, I'm fine," he answered, though his voice was becoming shaky again. "That voice… I know I've heard that voice before. It was when I woke up, after we had escaped from Noa's virtual world. When I woke up… When they…"
"Mazaki… What did Gozaburo say in the virtual reality?"
The question seemed to surprise her, for she took a step back before sighing heavily. "Well, he said something about testing biological weapons—"
"You said that already. You told me what Noa did, how he exploded or whatever, and then how he came out and began ranting about weapons. But what did he say after that?"
"If you'd let me finish, Kaiba, I would tell you!" she scolded, crossing her arms over her chest. He growled in frustration; was she honestly going to act like a spoiled brat now? She waited a minute, as if expecting him to throw an insult back at her, before continuing. "He said that he wanted… well, that he wanted to make you suffer for taking over the company. So he said he…he said he was starting to test the biological weapons…on you."
"Think of him as our first test subject."
"After that, he told us we would see the effects of the weapons in the real world. That's honestly why we hooked you up to all that machinery once the doctor checked you out. And that is why I keep asking if you are okay or not. Mokuba went to look for you in your room and was surprised you weren't there, so I volunteered to search for you."
"So he really did do something to me. He put…he put biological weapons in me? He tested something on me?" Kaiba didn't know whether to feel anger or fear, and the mixture of the two was making him almost dizzy.
"That's why we were and still are so worried about you," she stated. "We didn't know what he meant by that, and from the wounds we found on your arms, we could tell they did something to you. We were scared, scared you would wake up with a serious injury or worse…that you wouldn't wake up at all."
"I'm awake, Mazaki," he curtly remarked.
"Yeah, I can tell," she replied with equal sarcasm. "But something's wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"What did you just see there?"
His eyes widened for a split second. "I didn't see anything," he answered.
"Then why did you look over there?"
"I thought I heard something, is all." And it was partially true. He heard the man speak, but only after he saw him.
"Are you sure that's it?"
"Mazaki, I'm fine."
"Kaiba…" He turned to face her directly and was surprised to see genuine concern in her eyes. She seemed to realize that her quest for information was futile, for she let her hands fall to her sides and said, "Just be sure to tell us if there is anything wrong. We all care about you, and we're all worried for you right now."
"You don't have to worry about me," he replied. "I don't see why you would want to anyway."
"Is it really so hard to believe that we actually care about you?" Her voice was rising in pitch, and Seto couldn't help but smirk at the knowledge that he was irritating her.
"Actually, it is."
"Why?"
"Why should I answer you?"
"Kaiba!" She growled in frustration, and he mentally chuckled at her reaction.
"I'm not talkative like some people, Mazaki, and I rather like being that way. So you can return to your friends and tell them that I am still alive and okay."
"Why don't you come back with me? Mokuba wants to see you."
"Then tell him where I am. He knows where the platform is."
"But Kaiba—"
"Mazaki, I'm not going back down just to listen to everyone talking. I like the peace and quiet, thank you very much."
"You know, just because you lost your tournament doesn't mean you can just hide from us." The statement was spoken casually, yet the sting involved caused him to visibly flinch. He glared down at Mazaki, who was surprisingly glaring back at him with equal anger. "I understand why you're so upset, but in the end, Kaiba, it's just a card game! What Gozaburo did to you in that virtual world matters more to us than a stupid game! If you're really hurt or feeling strange, then you should worry more about your health than your status in the dueling world!"
He glared down at her, not knowing what to say. "Mazaki, you have no idea what I am thinking right now, and it's none of your damn concern!" he shouted back. "I am fine. Go tell your idiotic friends that I'm still alive and breathing. That's all they have to know!"
"And what about Mokuba? You do realize he is freaking out with worry because you are too stubborn to come down and talk to the rest of us, right?"
While her threats concerning Yugi and his group hardly fazed him, the mention of his brother stung Kaiba. He never wanted to hurt his brother, yet look at all the trouble he caused during the entire tournament. Still, if his brother was worried about him…
"Why didn't Mokuba come up with you if he is so worried about me?"
"Because he wants you to hang out with the rest of us, Kaiba."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"He knew that if he came looking for you alone, you would just shoo him off."
Kaiba's eyes widened. He didn't really think that of his older brother, did he?
"Come on, Kaiba. It's only for a night, and you can talk to Mokuba. He's really worried about you. He saw your wounds… He knows something happened. We all know something happened."
He realized that he was in a losing battle. To say no would mean upsetting Mokuba, and to say yes would subject him to a night of Jounouchi and Yugi celebrating their victories (although Seto could easily mock Jounouchi's cheers). Growling in defeat, he closed his eyes and muttered, "Fine. I'll come back down."
He noticed her smile immediately and turned in disgust. He wasn't doing it for her, that was for damn sure. Taking a quick second to examine the platform, he sighed when he saw no sign of the man from before. "Maybe it was just my imagination. I am starting to feel tired… Perhaps that's it?" Hearing Anzu begin walking towards the elevator, he sighed before following the relentless woman back into the blimp.