YUGIOH

Blast in the Past

Chapter 25.

Kaiba planned on heading straight to work the next day, but he instead told the driver to take a different turn, going passed the school. He directed his driver down one particular street, and to go slow, looking for something.

Kaiba was looking for the house he stayed in, in that alternate world. At first, he couldn't find it, and began to wonder that maybe all this time that item did only put him into a coma, and his mind simply made everything up. But then, he realized he was looking right at it. It was hardly recognizable, all boarded up and abandoned. But there it was....the same design, the same number....even the same color, though faded as it was. Weeds had overgrown around it, and it seemed to be abandoned for some time. It made him curious, wondering if maybe that's where his parents used to live before the tragedies took place, and he never knew. "Stop the car!"

Kaiba got out, and began to approach it. It was now difficult to decipher between the memories he had gained from this alternate world and this world, to know if this was the house he once lived in as a child.

"Sir....this is not the best neighborhood to be in." The driver warned him.

"Keep your business to yourself." Kaiba stated, and went over to the front door, looking it over. Then finally, he kicked the door in.

"Sir....even for an abandoned home, that may be considered 'breaking and entering', and 'destruction of private property'." The driver again tried to warn him.

"So let them try and put me in jail." Kaiba said, approaching the car once again. He took his briefcase, and said, "Why don't you go bring the car back, I'll walk to work today."

"Are you....sure?" The man asked.

"Yes, now get going." Kaiba said, patting the car, then walked towards the open door, as it drove away. The driver was still concerned about Kaiba looking through an abandoned building, but no longer questioned him, and drove off.

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Kaiba entered the building, looking around the old house, which was falling apart. His memories of where he had lived the last few weeks still fresh in his mind. He could easily picture the kitchen, the living room, the master bed room, laundry room, bathroom, Mokuba's room, and finally his own bedroom. There was no furniture left, pretty much just a bunch of old boards, scattered that dropped down from the ceiling. Lights had been ripped out, plaster ripped from the ceiling and fallen apart, making it unable to tell the design anymore. Any wallpaper scraps that were left on the walls all turned a rusty brown, wet, soaked, moldy, now mostly just bare walls. Even sinks and toilets had been ripped out a long time ago, house stripped clean. He went into Mokuba's room again, looking around, then back to his room, and finally once again his parents room....or how he remembered it. Kaiba then squatted down, lowering his head sadly, saying aloud, "They probably never lived here, anyway."

Something caught his eye then, and Kaiba turned to see some old rotting cardboard box. He moved to it, and opened it to show some papers in it. But they had all been destroyed and unrecognizable to read. When he tried to dig into it a little more, he merely found old shavings from a mouse that made it into a home.

"Eeuch!" He spat, throwing the box. Having enough, he was ready to leave, but found the corner of a brown strip of paper sticking up from the floor, which was hidden underneath the box. He pulled on it gently, bringing the rest of it up from being tucked under the floor. Since the paper was mostly under the floorboards it had been better preserved than anything else in this house. He looked it over, realizing it was a very old homework sheet that was left behind. A child's scribbling at attempted math problems, and whoever wrote it wasn't very good at it....or atleast the word problems he could figure out. The kids handwriting was terrible, and very basic....and the paper was still faded and slightly smudged. In the left hand top corner was a name, and when he read it he turned white. The name on it was Seto Rykuma.

"My god." He whispered dropping the paper, and looking around the house. Was this the very house they lived in as a kid?

Slightly freaked out at what he learned, he stuffed the old paper away in his coat pocket, and quickly left the abandoned house. He walked a ways until he made it back near the school, and leaned heavily against a street light. What he had experienced....could it have been what would have happened to him, if his parents had lived?

He thought about what to do with his discovery. He could try and preserve the house, rip apart every board and try and find any scrap of history he could. But Mokuba seemed emotionally fragile after what happened to him, and he didn't want to make Mokuba questioning Kaiba's love for him again, by making him think he was trying to bring them back, by picking through an old house. His life with Mokuba was far more important to him then some world he was not truly a part of. Plus, perhaps he should instead have it all torn down, giving a final closure to him once and for all.

As he thought about this, he heard a voice, call, "Hey, Kaiba!" And turned to see a familiar blond heading his way.

"Mai?" Kaiba asked, as she approached.

"Wow, I'm shocked to hear the infamous Seto Kaiba would even know my name. I'm flattered." She smiled.

"Why would you think that?" He asked. "You're Mai Valentine."

Kaiba hesitated, then repeated it with a long pause in-between the name, "Mai....Valentine." When he said it the first way, it sounded more like he was saying 'my valentine', embarrassing him a bit, since he still remembered he fell pretty hard for her in the other universe.

She chuckled at his name separation, understanding the reason....he wasn't the first to catch its meaning.

"You made it all the way to the semi-finals in both Battle City, and Pegasus' little tournament. That's not an easy task for even some of the better duelists out there." Kaiba stated.

"Well....thanks. I guess since you always put Joey Wheeler down all the time, I just assumed you might feel the same about me." She smiled. "Anyway, I just wanted to say I'm glad to see you on your feet again, kiddo. I heard you gave the whole school a pretty good scare, when you collapsed like that. Any idea what it was from?"

Kaiba paused, before answering, "You haven't talked to Yugi's little group lately, have you?"

"Well....no. It's not easy to keep in contact with them when a tournament's not on. I don't go to school anymore, after all. I was just in the neighborhood to see a girlfriend of mine, when I came across you. Wait a minute...." Mai then paused. "You're out here walking around near school, when school isn't even in. Did you're car break down and you lose your cell phone, or something?"

"No. After being in a coma for a week, you can say I thought I could use a stretch." Kaiba answered.

"A coma?? You were in a coma? So....what 'did' happen to you?" She asked.

"I'd rather not get into details. You should try asking Yugi, sometime. With his line of expertise, I think he could explain a lot better than I could." Kaiba said.

"Hmmm?" She asked, not understanding, but shrugged, and said, "Well....okay."

There was a moment of silence between them, and Mai was looking like she was about to say her good-bye's to him, when Kaiba spoke up, saying, "So, you don't see any of them. That's funny....I thought you were possibly dating one of them."

"Naw....I think those clowns still need to grow up a bit, before I even consider that. I thought once that maybe Joey might try and ask me, but I'm afraid he didn't muster up the nerve to." She chuckled.

He smiled, "I see. So then....I guess that means you're not seeing anyone, then."

Mai eyed Kaiba curiously, saying, "No, I'm not right now. But why would you ask me that? You couldn't actually be trying to hit me up for a date or something, would you?"

Kaiba nervously rubbed the back of his neck, as he asked her, "Would you mind? Maybe a quick lunch or dinner, sometime?"

Mai crossed her hands, saying, "The rich and popular Seto Kaiba, asking little old me out? So what, are you between dates or something? Just because you're rich and popular doesn't mean I'm going to fall on my knees and swoon over you. Maybe that works for some girls, but...."

"Listen, I'm not trying to buy you, here, and I'm not that popular with the girls like you're suggesting....I normally don't even have time to date anyone." Kaiba answered, thinking maybe this whole idea was a losing cause in the first place. "I'm....not very good at doing this. Maybe this was too direct for you, and maybe your association with Wheeler already made me look like the bad guy in your eyes. If you're not interested, then fine....I was just asking." Kaiba replied.

She froze from that, staring at him, thinking, 'Wow....he really sounds sincere about this. I wasn't really expecting that from the guy. Maybe there's a soft side in him, after all....or maybe the coma got him thinking about his attitude, for a change.' He looked like he was about to walk away, assuming her silence was a no, before she replied, "Wait a minute! All right....why not? It's not like I'm dating anyone, anyway. I can't guarantee you're my type, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun hanging around each other." She smiled, and shrugged.

He gave a smile, which equally surprised Mai....she never seen the guy smile before, except when he was stomping some unsuspecting duelist. "How about tomorrow?" He asked.

"Oh....tomorrow's no good. I'm getting my nails done that day." Mai said.

"It takes you all day to do your nails?" He asked.

She put her hands up, saying, "Look at these things. You think I can keep them in perfect shape like this, from a simple nail job? Besides, I go to a very expensive place, where they guarantee to use all clean items and nail polish every time. Believe me, it's worth it....the last thing I need are these beauties getting an infection."

"All right....what about three days from now?" Kaiba asked.

"No good, I'm getting my hair done." Mai said. "And yes, that's also an all-day event, before you ask. Besides, I also got to go clothes shopping that day, which makes it an all day-all night event. I'm very particular about my clothes, but then again....I'd say, so are you." She said. "Wait a minute, what about the day after tomorrow....I'm free then."

"No good, I got a meeting on that day." Kaiba said.

"What about Saturday?" Mai asked.

"Saturday?" Kaiba asked, thinking. "Nnnnnno, no good. I promised that day to Mokuba. But what about Sunday?"

"Uh-uh....no good." Mai said.

Kaiba smiled, saying, "Who would have thought I'd run into someone who's schedule was as busy as mine. Hold on a minute....let's compare notes." Kaiba squatted down, opening up his briefcase, pulling out his electronic planner. "I'll tell you the dates I'm presently clear, and you tell me if any are open." He looked through his planner, as Mai pulled out her little calendar book and looked through it. "I have next Tuesday, and Friday presently clear."

"Oh....I can do Friday!" Mai said.

"Dinner?" Kaiba asked. "You have any preferences?"

"I figured knowing you, it'll probably be someplace expensive. And when it comes to expensive restaurants, any will do. How about a movie, too?" Mai asked.

"Deal. Pleasure doing business with you." He joked.

Mai laughed shaking his hand, as they put their things away and began to walk, and make small talk together. Kaiba understood that he would never see his parents again, and couldn't bring back the fantasy life he had lived. But that didn't mean that he couldn't attempt to make a few changes in his life. He knew that Joey seemed to have a thing for Mai in this universe, and Mai wasn't sure Kaiba was even her type. But in the other world, if they 'had' gotten that close....who knows?

There was still another year of high school, before Kaiba would graduate, just like in the other world. If they could stay together that long, maybe it would turn into something. And maybe when they graduated, he may still get her to live with him, and decide to try and start a life together. It may not be the case, but it was worth a shot for him. And if Joey didn't get insanely jealous from it, maybe he'd even try and be a little nicer towards him, too.

END