Kaneda-Shotaro and Yami Tetsuo: Thanks! I hope you enjoy this one as much as you did the last; I really worked hard on it!
babygurl: Heya, princess! I'm glad you like this story, because your opinion means a lot to me. Thank you for your patience, your compliments, and your all-around sweetness. Love ya, and catch ya soon!
Angel-Belle: The Mokuba thing was a tough call, to be sure. Still, though, I wanted to reinforce Kaiba not being able to love anything, since he doesn't really know what love is. The story hinges on Kaiba's discovery of love and its power, and I felt that it might be strange to have him say that he loves Mokuba without really believing it, since to me lying is a worse offense than anything the truth might bring. Anyway, hope that made sense, and I hope to see more of your reviews! Later, Angel!
Lizzie: Thanks for answering that question for me; once The Ride is done, we're going into Joey's story! I'm happy you think I'm an awesome author, you're an awesome person to keep reviewing my stories so faithfully. Thanks for everything, Lizzie!
Blue Lagoon Loon: LOL, neither can I. Thanks for the compliments, they're much appreciated. It's nice to know that the little things don't go unnoticed, so thanks for reviewing and letting me know they don't!
Cherry: Thank you! I'm so glad you have confidence in me, and I'll keep working hard to earn that confidence. It's reviewers like you that make all of this worth it... thank you from the bottom of my heart, as corny as that is, LOL.
Tessabug: LOL, dang, I hate when that happens, especially to your reviews! Well, anyway, the part I read was cute, and I look forward to the next review (hopefully complete). Later, 'Bug!
Daisy and Nuva: Hey you guys! LOL... I bet this angst is more Nuva's speed, huh? Don't worry, D-Chan, things are gonna be just fine, although perhaps not yet...sweatdrops Anyway, read on, and tell me what you think! I value your reviews and opinions!
Disclaimer: Guard-chan no own!
Warnings: Angst, one punch thrown (LOL), Kaiba bashing basically everyone... I think that's it!
Chapter 3: Dirty Sunshine
As usual, I'm the first to arrive in class. My aluminum briefcase hits the floor with a familiar thud as I sit down in my seat, as far from the front of the room as I can possibly get. Yet another symptom of my complete and total isolation from the world around me, I suppose. Any shrink would have a field day dissecting me. Let them try; I'm about as good at mind games as I am at Duel Monsters. I'd send them to their own psychiatrists.
Not long after I settle in, Yugi and Yami walk in, trailing none other than Joseph Wheeler behind them. The tricolor-haired boys pause in their animated dialogue to stand before my desk, obviously expecting me to acknowledge their presence. One would expect them to realize by now that I have no interest in pursuing a friendship with them, or anyone else for that matter.
The midget cracks first. "Good morning, Kaiba," he ventures pleasantly. I hate the way he looks at me with those wide, innocent eyes. That syrupy voice of his isn't exactly my favorite sound in the world, either.
I glance up derisively. "Good morning," I return curtly. Unconsciously, I sit up just the slightest bit straighter in my chair.
Apparently, my tone doesn't meet with His Highness' approval. "You will apologize this instant for being anything less than civil to my hikari, Kaiba," the spirit growls, and those deadly crimson eyes blaze with an untapped anger, the sight of which I am sure has sent lesser men to their knees, kissing the Pharaoh's feet and begging his forgiveness. Unfortunately for Yami, I'm not lesser men.
"Make me," I challenge, setting down my book calmly. For a moment, I really believe he's going to try and strike me, but then Yugi latches himself to his dark side's arm obstinately. Too bad; it would have been fun to put Yami in his place for once, and I feel more than a bit angry with Yugi for denying me the chance.
"Don't, Yami," the little pacifist is saying, "I'm sure Kaiba didn't mean anything by it."
This is the final straw. The day I accept help from Yugi Mutou, especially with his precious Yami, is the day that I tear up my Blue-Eyes and fall on a kitchen knife. Actually, that second one might not be too far off at this rate. Wake up, I chide myself. This is most definitely not the time to be wallowing in depression.
I pin Yugi with my coldest, iciest glare, and I think I can actually see him shiver under its power. "The last thing I need or want is some parasitic runt making excuses for my actions. Are we clear?"
His gaze drops down to the floor, and he shuffles off to the desk in the center of the front row. "Crystal," I hear him reply. Satisfied, I sit back down and continue reading, as though nothing had happened.
Yami looks at me, and his nails dig into his palm hard enough to draw blood. "Kaiba..." he growls, and I can see the ghost of his third eye appearing on his forehead.
I smirk, knowing how devilish I must look. "You'd better go see if Yugi's all right, don't you think?" I remind him.
The spirit of the Puzzle turns around, just in time to see his light's shoulders shake violently, the other boy's head already resting on the desk. His ruby gaze flicks between me and his Aibou, and with an angry grunt, he stalks to the front of the room and cradles Yugi to his chest softly. Pathetic.
At this display, the only thing I feel is an all-consuming sense of triumph. I've just alienated for life the only person who speaks to me anymore, aside from Mokuba, and hurt him badly in the process, and yet I feel no guilt, no remorse. I know I should, but I just don't. What does that say about me, I wonder? Am I so far gone that I am numb to any emotion but cold, empty, satisfaction, and even then only at times when I should be feeling something completely different? Am I that broken?
"Kaiba." The voice behind me jars me out of my thoughts, and I turn to face the blond guttersnipe, whose presence had completely slipped my mind. His eyes are just the slightest bit narrower than usual, his entire body tensed. Yet another self-righteous loser spoiling to give me a lecture.
"Shouldn't you be at the obedience school across the street, mutt?" I give a snorting laugh. "Oh, but don't they charge by the hour? Guess you can't afford it, then."
For some strange reason, I completely fail to see his fist coming at me until it connects with my jaw. His strength, coupled with the vehemence behind the blow, send me staggering into the desk behind me, totally off balance. My sapphire eyes narrow; nobody touches Seto Kaiba and gets away with it. Especially not Joey Wheeler.
Just before I can mount my own counterattack, though, the nosy bitch of a sensei arrives. Her eyes go from Yugi, leaning against Yami with red-rimmed eyes, to me and Joey obviously facing off. I know my face must be sporting a flaming red mark right about now, and I am also aware that she's not at the right angle to see it, especially in this awful lighting. With any luck, her idiot pride will lead her to believe that she came in at just the right time to avert the beginnings of a fight.
"Is there a problem here?" Why do so many people have annoying voices today? Hers sounds like nails down a chalkboard, and I suddenly want to hit her even more than I do the mutt.
"Not at all, sensei." The glint in those golden eyes, the spark of victory as he turns his back on me and walks to his seat, I will never forget. I burn the memory into my soul, letting the hatred, the anger, the desire for revenge suffuse me. I will bide my time, and when my moment arises, he will rue the day he ever had the nerve to turn his back on Seto Kaiba. With a growl so low that only I can hear it, I take my seat once again and flip open my book, although I have no intention of reading.
As the sensei begins her lesson on something I would have been able to teach at five years of age, I begin to plot my revenge against that lower-than-dirt mongrel. Quickly, I rule out physical torture; it's far too good for the likes of him. No, this will have to be something emotional, something that will shatter his spirit, a wound that he will carry with him the rest of his life. How, though, am I going to come across such an opportunity?
My eyes bore into the back of his head with an intensity that could pierce steel. I watch him scratch his head confusedly, sharpen his pencil three times, and crumple up two mangled sheets of paper, both covered in scribbles that I suppose must be his version of writing. I will make my own opportunity. He must have a weakness; once I find it, I can exploit it, and turn it from a vice into his destruction.
Content with that plan, I lean back and stretch my legs out as I go back to reading my book. Your days are numbered, Joseph Wheeler.
* * *
A few days later, I'm reorganizing my already immaculate locker for the thousandth time. I am still no closer to finding a weakness to exploit, but I remind myself that it's only been a week. Things like this take time, or as the cliché puts it, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. Years, months, days... whatever it takes, the result is all that matters.
I hear someone clear their throat next to me, and slam my locker shut to find none other than Yami himself leaning against the adjacent storage space. "Can I help you?" I demand, hefting my briefcase. "I haven't got all day, you know."
"So I've heard." His eyes shone with an emotion I couldn't quite place. Perhaps he thinks to avenge the pain I inflicted on his light that morning? Key muscles in my body tense, ready to attack or block a surprise offensive in a heartbeat.
However, Yami doesn't do anything of the sort. He simply sighs and folds his arms across his chest, over the Millennium Puzzle. "Kaiba, I challenge you to a duel."
A duel? Now? He can't possibly be serious. There's only five minutes until class begins. "Don't you think your timing's a little off, Pharaoh?"
"Not now." comes the frustrated reply. "Tonight. At Tristan's house."
"Why there?" I glare at him cautiously, crimson and azure clashing for dominance. If he lies, I will know it. There is no one alive that can lie convincingly under my cold stare.
"He's having a party, and my hikari and I are forced to attend." He's not so much as blinking. Perhaps he's telling the truth, or simply waiting to start lying in an effort to throw me off balance. It's not going to work. "I would leave it until the next day, but unfortunately my schedule isn't cooperating. I don't believe yours would be too flexible, either, but I've checked with your brother, and he says you are free tonight."
Damn him for being so well-prepared. "What's the catch, Yami?"
"The duel will be recorded, and the winner will receive the tape as his prize," the spirit explained. "At least three television stations have expressed an interest in airing an all-star duel such as this one. Whoever wins not only has bragging rights, but the power to humiliate the loser before the entire television audience of a major network." He grins at me, daring me to refuse, to turn tail and run like the coward he thinks I am.
This could be a very dangerous proposition. If I lose to him, he'll get the tape aired as payback for what I said to Yugi. If I win, though, my reputation as the number one duelist will be secured, globally recognized once again. With an end to our stagnant rivalry at hand, how can I possibly refuse to go for it?
"Does Yugi know about this, I wonder?" We both know I'm stalling for time, but Yami answers gracefully.
"No. I didn't tell anyone until I was sure you'd accept."
Carefully, I nod. "I'll meet you at Taylor's for eight o'clock." I say as I turn around, my coat billowing out behind me. "Don't expect me to wait for you should you be late, but don't bother being early."
As I walk to class, another side to the situation occurs to me. Wheeler's going to be at that party. This could be the perfect chance to catch him off his guard and finally uncover that elusive weakness of his.
I settle down into my seat and take out my duel deck, fishing out the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons, staring at them passively. I have long since memorized every single detail of every single card in my deck, but seeing my precious dragons calms me somehow. They are the embodiment of what I have always wanted to be; strong, powerful, and most of all, immovable. For all my achievements, that is something that still eludes me; the power to resist change, the opportunity to stagnate. Some days, I wish life were as simple as these three cards; never changing, never moving, compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but intricate enough to hold your attention for years. Most days, however, I just don't think about it.
With a sigh, I put the cards back into my deck and slide it back into the hidden compartment under the lid of my briefcase. Tonight, I know, is going to be one for the record books. One way or another.
* * *
I'll try to get chapter 4 out ASAP, don't worry! I have a few ideas, but it might take a while to pull them all together, so bear with me, okay? Thanks for your understanding, and please review!!^_^