Algol: Wow I am super busy! Work, school, and personal dilemmas…it all sucks up my free time so writing is on the backburner for now. I am trying to churn these out asap though.
Disclaimer: Yugioh is not mine and will never be mine…ever.
Summary: Nothing haunts them more than the past, even a past they cannot remember.
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Chapter 10: ContoursKaiba strode into the parlor room breathless and flushed with exertion. Luckily no one seemed to notice since their attention was riveted to the host who fashioned a maniacal grin on his face as he told the tale of how Akemi's twin grandchildren sacrificed their puppy. Kaiba shook his head discreetly and humored himself with the looks on everyone's face. The park might be exaggerating the tales but the atmosphere certainly held a great deal of darkness, Seto thought as he scanned the room thoroughly. He was doing his best to forget what happened in the corridors only a few moments ago since showing the least bit of weakness before Yami was unacceptable, and the pharaoh was no doubt on his way over to join Yugi and his little crew.
On the far side of the room, next to a well-aged writing table was a pitcher of blue and white flowers. But not just any flowers, the CEO scowled deeply, they were Lotus Flowers. He waltzed over to the container and saw that the flowers were fake, but obviously represented real ones Akemi and her kin kept in the house. It made sense…she was a huge fan of Egyptian myth and such but still…Seto wondered why he felt so torn inside as he gazed at the delicately made silk flowers.
White and blue…white AND blue , Seto repeated as he reached out to touch the flowers thoughtfully, even though he knew they were fake. There was a fine sheet of dust on the petals but the beauty of the natural design was not lost. Then suddenly he left the cloistered darkness of the sepulchral manor and saw a muddy bank filled with white and blue lotus blossoms shinning in a noonday sun like precious stones. His vision was all but filled by them, stark against the fine mud of the nearby river, and en mass like hundreds of hands stretching out towards the sky. A clean, fresh air that carried the silky scent of the flowers engulfed his nostrils, and Seto could scarcely remember anything but this forgotten memory. His fingers no longer touched a fabricated flower, but now moved to touch his clothes and the golden headdress adorning his ash brown hair. He was dressed in white and blue, the robe cottony and cool against his skin, and the warm metal of the crown slipped easily across his fingertips as he inspected that too…
Wait…robes…metal? And then the memory was gone, like the blank pages of an unfinished book staring at him, hinting at potential but nothing more. Seto caught himself before he reeled into the standing vase, gripping the worn wood of the small writing desk as he steadied his balance and fought back into reality. When he regained his senses he became acutely aware of dozens of eyes staring at him. He looked back and responded that a ghost must have pushed him, a look of pure seriousness on his face. This elicited confused looks from everyone but Joey who suddenly found he was standing too far away from the huddled group.
Yami, who was watching Kaiba most of the time, simply steadied his gaze on the man as he dusted off his fingertips and walked back into the group. Something was up but reading the CEO was nearly impossible most of the time. Still…Yami suspected their little encounter a few minutes ago had something to do with Kaiba's behavior one way or another. The dark spirit's lips still tingled anxiously, as if telling him to kiss him again, but he knew it was impossible. Even if everyone here suddenly disappeared there was no way he could do what he wanted desperately to do. Being used wasn't going to get Yami the answers he needed, regardless of the crushing feeling in his chest and the involuntary clenching of his heart.
The tour went on without another "ghostly encounter" but plenty more tales of darkness from the creepy host. Mokuba firmly gripped his stuffed penguin but tried to keep a stoic expression on his face for his big brother. After all, if his brother wasn't worried than neither was he.
The final room was the family library, and in the very center of the room three thick volumes containing the dark arts practiced by the family rested in glass display cases. They were very old and seemed hand-made. The host said that the paper and even the bindings were all hand-made but not by Akemi herself since the carbon dating revealed they were much older than the family line.
Curious, Yami strode over to one of the cases and saw it was open to a page on love spells. That seemed rather odd since this was all supposed to be frightening and dark, not a place to have an incantation on winning over someone's heart. Then Yami's mind quickly changed when he actually read the instructions. A still-beating heart was a component of the spell, and it must be performed in ceremony. What was more, the purity of the person whose heart was used changed the strength of the spell. So the more pure a person was, the more powerful their heart made the spell. That's sick, Yami twisted his face in disgust.
/What's sick Yami?/ Yugi's small telepathic voice piped up in Yami's mind.
Yami was startled at first, and then he remembered he let his mental shields down after he calmed himself from certain…excitement. He turned to his light and motioned for the teen to see the book itself. /See this passage right here? It's written in a form even archaic to what you call ancient Egyptian, but it says that it's a love spell that uses a living sacrifice as the component./
Yugi's eyes widened and the creases of a frown formed on his face. /Did you guys really do things like that Yami? Things like…what this woman did?/
/I'm sure some people did Yugi…but I never knew anyone who did…I would never allow such a thing…/ Yami spoke honestly…but in reality he wasn't sure if such things were done during his reign or not. He would never allow such things to happen, Yami reinforced in his mind, but he couldn't remember much anyway so…he had to trust in his current moral standings to guide his memory. /This type of spell craft is not a part of the natural world, and any love that came from this would be twisted and defiled./
Yugi nodded in agreement and wrinkled his nose at the book. He was glad that such things were now kept under lock and key and remained scripted in something so old only a five thousand year old spirit could probably understand it. Yugi smiled back at the pharaoh and bounded back to listen to the conclusion of the tour. Yami smiled at his light then turned back to the book and furrowed his forehead, perplexed by the nagging feeling in the depths of his mind. Surely this was something he never practiced in his former life. Why on earth would be have needed a love spell anyway? All royalty engaged in an arranged marriage purely for the politics and love was a matter best left suited to nightly liaisons with courtesans and such. As a Pharaoh he could have had anyone.
"Something catch your eye?" Kaiba interrupted Yami's quiet contemplation. The Pharaoh didn't even turn towards the man and replied archly, "Why not read it for yourself."
Kaiba wasn't sure why he even spoke to Yami since all he wanted to do was forget about his moment of pure insanity in the hallway. But something tugged at him like the current of a river around his knees and urged his body to stand next to the ancient spirit. Not too close though, since he still had to maintain his air of aloofness. He did indeed look at the book in front of the Pharaoh but it was nothing of real interest. Love spells…something a moronic teenage girl might find fascinating but not someone like him…or Yami for that matter. He managed a sideways glance at Yami and wondered why the man seemed so distant and contemplative when clearly this was something Kaiba easily labeled as worthless and misguided.
The CEO wasn't really in the mood to discern the cause of Yami's current brooding, far be it for him to actually show interest in that…especially in front of all of his stupid friends. He didn't really care anyway. Whatever the reason it was not worth his time or subjecting himself to a laconic Yami.
Finally the godforsaken tour was over and Kaiba breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He was practically suffocating on the stupidity in the room and needed to desperately get away from Wheeler. Of course Mokuba wanted to properly say goodbye, so Kaiba stood patiently in the distance and waited for his brother to join him. He had no reason to speak to anyone, not even Yami, Kaiba told himself resolutely.
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The walk back to the Gameshop was filled by a friendly, although heated debate, between Joey and Mai. The impeccably manicured woman contested the validity of Joey's claim that Akemi was the ghost that pushed Kaiba into the desk. Though he added that she couldn't be all bad if she targeted Kaiba. "Even an old evil ghost knows Kaiba should be punished," he confirmed. Mai simply yawned and said that the rumors were boring and obviously untrue. Though she neglected to mention that even she was startled by some of the stories. Of course Joey of all people would never know that.
"You know…you have to admit that it was creepy. I don't know if it's haunted or anything but when people…do things like dark arts…you have to wonder what kind of energy is left." Anzu rubbed her chin in thought, clearly more intrigued than scared.
Mai simply chuckled lightly and said, "Energy? Sounds like a gimmick to me. She was a crazy old lady with horrible fashion sense. The only negative energy in that house was her morbid fascination with the color black." Everyone rolled their eyes in jest and let Mai have her opinion about the matter, since she wasn't going to be convinced otherwise anytime soon.
Yami put the book and his current contemplation out of mind as he walked beside his friends. It would not do to be so withdrawn, and he made an extra effort to interact with everyone. Yugi beamed at Yami, thinking that even Kaiba's presence at the amusement park didn't dampen Yami's resolve. He was proud of his friend and remarked at Yami's strength of will. In reality Yami was simply putting everything out of mind…intending to think about it all later when he was alone and Yugi was asleep.
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Mokuba excitedly talked about their day from the passenger seat of the Skyline, and Kaiba kept his attention on the road while still managing to offer his input. He always drove cautiously no matter how short the distance. A lesson he probably picked up from the news of his parents' death.
"It was so cool! I wasn't scared for a bit, but those people were SO crazy. Imagine doing things like spells and stuff…so weird." The smaller boy sat his stuffed prize on his knees so its plastic eyes were staring right at him. "I try not to think about some of the weird stuff though…it's too much like that soul place, "Mokuba commented, patting the head of his penguin. Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the memory of his soul being chained to an afterlife experience he never wished to repeat. Of course people like Pegasus practiced dark arts, the CEO reasoned, But it doesn't mean it's all real. He was using one of those artifacts, not some spell book. One thing Kaiba was grateful for was the ability for a child to recover from trauma. Mokuba was still his happy, innocent self and Seto intended to fight tooth and nail to keep it that way. If Mokuba were left with any traumatic scarring…then millennium eye or no Pegasus would die a horrible death.
He pulled up into the long drive on the Kaiba Estate and couldn't help but think that he lost some footing in his power struggle with Yami. Power was something Kaiba respected and something he knew he possessed in spades. But today…what was he even thinking? He just knew he hated the way Yami was looking at him, the way he was speaking to him as if he was superior, as if he was standing on the summit of some righteous ideal. It sickened Kaiba to see people react to him that way, but when Yami did it…something in his mind snapped and he instantly felt the need to dominate, to compel, to smash, to assault, to win. And he knew how to defeat Yami, though it didn't involve his usual business table or the dueling arena. So he did what he had to do, Seto concluded, he brought his vengeance down and was only too pleased to discover how quickly the Pharaoh responded to him. Yami was tortured with desire, and he felt that burning brand of guilt and lust everywhere Yami touched. His hair, his face, his back, his chest…Yami's fingertips left trails of insatiable delight and a tormenting desperation.
Kaiba parked the car and clicked the logo on his key to lock the doors. He followed Mokuba down a concrete path beside the open garage to a side gate on the eastern side of the mansion. Once inside, Mokuba hurried upstairs to his room to put away his prize and call his friends, though Seto only caught the tail end of his intentions since he was practically running faster than he was talking. Once the cheerful boy was gone Kaiba found himself standing alone in the living room, the incessant tick-tock of the Grandfather clock was his only companion now. He wanted to work on his new design…but that desire seemed so far away now. All he could think about was Yami…and that vision he had at Phantom Manor. Was it really a vision or was he just going crazy? Seto shook his head wearily and meandered towards his favorite cushioned chair, falling back into it as if he were boneless. He stared at his socked feet suddenly wondering if Mokuba even remembered to take off his shoes at the door, but that musing was quickly suffocated by something more disconcerting.
There was an obvious connection between his own past and Yami's…and since smell was the most common memory trigger there must have been Lotus Flowers around at the time of their shared history. It was an emotional tripwire, but the memory was so strong he was completely immersed in it, even to the point where everything and everyone disappeared. That was not normal. But the only person who might have something noteworthy to say about it was the one person he considered his personal rival. Intentionally seeking Yami at the Gameshop was out of the question, even if this memory intended to disturb his thoughts. No…no…he would have to be tactical about getting the information he wanted. Or better yet…he could solve the issue of discerning how much Yami knew by setting a few traps.
Kaiba let a small smile creep onto his lips. Ah yes…the game was still afoot…and Yami didn't have a card in the world to save him from this.
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A/N: Kaiba is so mean! Granted, he is the ultimate bastard imo lol.
Anyway I think updating biweekly is more doable, so that's what I am going to try to do. Again it all depends on what I have going on in my life. Umm…I also hope this isn't going too slow for some people. I sometimes feel like the plot only inched by after I finish a chapter, but I also want to remain somewhat consistent in pace.
Also most of the character info I use is based off the anime, not the manga, and I think in the anime Seto's and Mokuba's parents were killed in a car accident. I might be wrong though since I haven't seen the series for such a long time.
Anyway Seto's hostile takeover didn't go as planned this time so he decides to try something a little different, banking on his ability to read people and Yami in particular.