I was initially inspired by echomist66's comment about how Seto is always evil. I thought that this would put a different twist on things.


Seto lay on the sandy ground, staring up at the midnight sk—no, he wouldn't even think of the sky, because that reminded him of the person who'd—no, he wouldn't think about that either. His hands clenched and he rolled to the side, letting the tears slide down his face. Damn it, he didn't want to feel like this. He'd never been so weak.

He could smell rain, and was dreading the storm. After all, where would he go? He had nowhere to go, and no one he could trust. All he could do was rest on the small strip of beach he'd found and cry silently, not daring to make a sound for fear of his self-control slipping and him ending up bawling. He wouldn't let any of them have the satisfaction.

There was a soft rustle in the grass behind him, and Seto turned as he jumped up into a crouch, already prepared with a spell to turn whatever it was to dust. He didn't have time for—

"Hey, Seto," Ty said softly, stepping out of the grass with his hands held up warily. "I'll completely understand if you want to kill me."

"I don't want you to be here," Seto snarled, summoning as much hate into his voice as he could muster as he wiped the tears off his cheeks hurriedly. "Leave now, or you won't be able to leave later."

Ty smiled tiredly. "I'll take my chances," he announced, sitting down on a fallen tree. Seto hesitated, then discharged his spell.

"How did you find me? Maybe then I can be sure you won't find me again."

"Maybe then I shouldn't tell you."

Seto hissed. "I could kill you."

"But you won't," Ty told him confidently.

"You want to bet?"

"It appears so. I'm sitting here, aren't I?"

"Damn you, Tyler," Seto muttered under his breath. Ty sighed.

"I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for what happened."

"If you were actually sorry—"

"Please, Seto. I'm trying here, and you know how awkward I am with apologies."

"That's hardly an excuse to betray your friends," Seto spat, feeling all the anger in him congeal into one thick iron knot in his stomach. His powers crackled, sending flashes of light through the twilit air. Thunder rumbled in the distance, leaving his ears ringing.

"Seto…"

There was another rustle in the grass, and Seto glared at Ty. "Who else is here?"

Ty blinked. "I didn't bring anyone."

"Liar!" The anger clenched tighter until it hurt to even look at him. Seto pressed a hand to his head and turned away.

"I'm not lying," Ty said tightly, his words short and clipped.

"You are! And you're a coward! You didn't stop them! You let them kick me out!"

"They already had their decisions made!"

Seto hissed in pain as the magic coiled inside him. It wanted to escape his grasp. The magic wanted to use him. It wanted to run wild and destroy as much as it could before Seto reclaimed it. He couldn't let that happen, but it hurt to keep the energy so constrained. Thunder rumbled again, this time much closer. "You didn't even try to change their minds!"

"It wouldn't have done anything! It wouldn't have made a difference!"

"It makes a difference to me!" Seto screamed. His ears popped, and thunder rang out again, this time much closer. "You're a liar and a coward and a traitor!"

"Don't call me that!" Ty shouted.

Seto wheeled around as the magic and anger melded inside him to create so much tension that he felt like he might snap. "Don't tell me what to do!" The grass rustled again, and he advanced on Ty, who stood up nervously. "Who did you bring? Who?"

"No one, Seto!" Ty snarled.

"YOU'RE LYING!" Seto screeched. Magic burst out of him in a ring of pure energy, knocking Ty over and flattening a nearby tree. Tendrils of energy erupted from the ground, and jets of light flew out from his palm. One smashed into Ty's chest, another into his head.

And then everywhere around Seto swam with streaks of light as magic raced away from him, the arcs of light exploding on contact. The storm broke overhead, and rain fell in icy sheets that Seto was barely aware of as he wrestled with the energy that wanted to control him. Lightning flashed, and as Seto's eyes rolled up in his head, he caught a glimpse of the dark grey clouds that swirled like a hurricane above him. In the last flash of clarity before he was dragged down into unconsciousness, he realized that the storm wasn't natural. He was causing it.


Everything ached. As Seto pulled himself out of his sleep, he realized that he was still tired. In fact, it was as though he hadn't slept at all.

Maybe he hadn't.

He sat up and rested his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. Hunger gnawed at his belly, and thirst left his throat painfully parched. He'd be able to think more clearly once he'd had something to drink. He'd start there. Now with some semblance of a purpose, Seto clawed his way to the edge of the water, splashing some onto his face and drinking huge, greedy gulps of the wonderfully cold water.

His hands were sticky. Further examination revealed that they were not only sticky but red. Seto touched a finger to the back of his head, and it came away bloody. He must have fallen, hit himself or something. But how?

Staggering to his feet, Seto caught sight of a body lying nearby. Green headphones were on the ground beside it. Who… Ty! But what was Ty doing here?

Then all the memories of the previous night came flooding back, and Seto fell to the ground. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

He'd killed the only person who'd ever been there for him.


I might turn this into a short. Who says yeah?