Chapter Three: The First Ghost
Warning: male/male 'situations' and suggestion.
The room slowly dissolved around him, and Seto was left with just his pajamas and a blanket as the blackness expanded. He poked his head out from under the covering and shivered, the sudden cold hitting him harshly. In front of him stood a familiar figure in a black trench coat.
"Bakura! Send us back to the normal realm now!" Kaiba barked at the spirit, but the tomb robber just smiled oddly at him. "I'm not Bakura, Kaiba. I'm the ghost of Christmas past,"
In the albino's ear, the small speaker informed him that Seto was starting to have doubts and was getting increasingly uneasy, which the spirit of the ring was only too happy to hear. "Leave me alone," Seto hissed, but Bakura just shook his head and chuckled.
"Not until you've seen what I have to show you," was the reply. The white haired yami strode forwards and grabbed Seto by the arm, hauling the CEO to his feet. Unable to resist properly due to being wrapped in a heavy blanket, the brunette just scowled and tried to salvage his dignity. He yanked his arm out of Bakura's grasp, and then let out a short gasp of surprise as the Shadow Realm began to shift and change, forming itself into the orphanage from so long ago.
"How did you know about this place?" the billionaire demanded, his face oddly pale. Bakura glanced over at him and smirked. "I told you, Seto, I'm a ghost. I know everything about your past."
"He's been hooked, Bakura, now just get on with it," said Pegasus' soft voice into Bakura's ear from the hidden speaker attached to it. The white-haired spirit pushed Kaiba forward, towards the door of the orphanage. Seto stiffened; he didn't want to have those memories unearthed. But the spirit seemed intent on his goal.
Bakura shoved Seto through the door, and the shocked billionaire yelped as he passed right through the seemingly solid wall. He would've turned on Bakura had he not seen two very familiar people in the room. He stared as he watched a younger, more innocent version of himself give a clumsily wrapped box to his little brother, who also looked much younger.
Then Mokuba gave his past self a small gift wrapped in blue paper. As Kaiba watched silently, Bakura watched him. "You smiled more as a child," the spirit commented in an offhand way. Seto nodded, a little dazed. "I remember this. It was just after my brother and I were dumped in this hell hole," he said in a soft voice.
They watched as Mokuba opened his present, which proved to be a new chess set. "Thank you, big brother! Now we can play again!" said the small boy happily, hugging Seto's former self. They hugged each other for a few long moments before the young Seto unwrapped his own gift; a small figurine of a gleaming white dragon.
//How fitting,// Bakura thought wryly as the scene faded, leaving him and Kaiba standing again in the void of the Shadow Realms. "Why do you hate the holidays so much? You looked pretty happy in that memory, Kaiba," said the spirit, eying his 'victim'. Seto shook his head. "It's not important."
"Wrong answer," muttered the tomb robber, snapping his fingers. The world changed again, and Seto's mansion suddenly loomed up in front of the pair. The CEO glanced sharply at the albino, but the spirit was already walking towards the building. Cursing, Seto followed him.
Bakura led him through the wall and directly towards Mokuba's room. "Why are we here, Bakura?" Kaiba hissed. "To see how you and yours spent your last Christmas, baka," snapped the spirit, pushing Seto through the door and into Mokuba's room.
Seto froze when he saw his little brother sitting on the floor with a chess set that was now old and beaten up. The boy seemed sad, and he was apparently playing a game against himself. "I wish Seto had time to be here with me," the boy sighed to himself, then curled up into a ball at the foot of his bed. Seto moved forward to comfort him, but Bakura pulled him back. "You can't interact here, you dolt! It's the past!"
Kaiba was about to snap back at the white-haired 'ghost', but then the surroundings changed again, settling on his office at the top of the KaibaCorp building. There he was, typing away at his laptop on Christmas Eve. Seto's face fell. Was he really so negligent of his little brother around the holidays…?
"Good job, Bakura. Bring him back," crackled the speaker in Bakura's ear. A little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to further mess with the billionaire, the tomb robber grabbed Seto's arm and jerked them back to the real world. Before Kaiba had time to react, Bakura quickly threw down a small, harmless flash grenade and darted off soundlessly into the mansion while Kaiba shielded his eyes from the light.
After slipping back outside, Bakura handed the earpiece back to Pegasus, who grinned. "You played Kaiba-Boy like a fiddle. Well done, Bakura."
The spirit grinned and winked. "It was my pleasure. Really," he said and nodded to the other 'ghosts' and plotters. "Call me and tell me how it ends up. I need to go home to Ryou… he wanted to go caroling later," said the albino, blushing slightly. Joey snickered as Bakura retreated to the gates of Seto's estate. "Bakura… caroling… hehe…"
Yami rolled his eyes. "Malik, it's almost time for your turn."
(Reviewers' Corner! With City, Bob, Seto, Bakura, and Tristan!)
Bakura: *glances at Tristan* Newbie. I pity you.
Tristan: Huh?
Seto: *snickers*
City: *pokes Bakura*
Bakura: Alright, alright… *mutters*
City: Hmm? What did you say, 'Kura?
Bakura: Nothing. *sends everyone to that fun place, the Shadow Realm*
Bob: *reading a list* First up is… Misura.
Misura: Kawaii! I love Joey and Seto being together, even if Seto could be a little bit nicer. (Ah well, it's Seto, ne?
Seto: I RESENT THAT!
Misura: At least he's given Joey a nice warm winter jacket. ^_^
Seto: *mutters and sulks*
Bakura: *snickers*
Misura: Pegasus being there too was such a nice touch1 I like Pegasus being one of the 'good' guys. ^_^
Tristan: …what's going on? I'm confused.
City:
Actually, that was suggested by a reviewer known as Peter Kim! Thanks, Peter!
Misura: Now, since Bakura asked for a gift .. I'll
give him a flame (because he seemed to want one) *holds out candle*. Sorry if
it's not what you wanted, Bakura, I'm sure Ryou has a much better Christmas
gift for you. ^_^
Bakura: You're in a nightmare, shark boy… *turns to Misura and sees candle* For ME? *gets choked up*
Seto: You know, we probably shouldn't let him have that.
Bob: *nods frantically in agreement*
City: I am not interfering. Yet.
Bakura: You are a wonderful, wonderful person! *hugs candle and coos to it* Even Ryou can't top this… yes… Fire… burn…
City: Ooookay, he's starting to sound like Dilandau.
Dilandau: *pops out of nowhere* What?
Bakura: Burn…
Dilandau: BURN!?
Seto: Shit. *runs for cover*
(Explosion)
City: *zaps Dilandau*
Dilandau: *disappears*
Bakura: *singed*
Tristan: Oww, that hurt…
Seto: This is why we don't give the MANIAC fire!
Bob: Erm, next up is WolfKeeper989… a previous reviewer.
WolfKeeper989: Keep it up!!
Bakura: *sweatdrops* Isn't that like… One word different from what this person said last time?
City: I don't care! It's a review!
Bob: Hmm, next is another past reviewer, Gutterflower Skellington.
Gutterflower Skellington: I like it so far! *glomps Bakura* ^_^
Bakura: What the hell?
Gutterflower Skellington: I RULE YOU BAKURA-KUN *puts
collar on Bakura and holds onto a leash* ^_^
Bakura: o_O;
Gutterflower Skellington:
Update soon! ^_^
Bakura: Dear Ra…
Seto: *smirks*
Bob: Uh, I think I'll take over now. Last but not least is Spiffy Serval.
Spiffy Serval: Kaiba's getting scared ^_^
Seto: I AM NOT!
Spiffy Serval: Hiding under the covers like that, anyone else think he's a little jumpy?
Tristan: I do, I do!
Spiffy Serval: What is Seto doing with a pistol under his pillow? No wonder he can't fall asleep!
Seto: Protecting myself from nutcases like Bakura over there. And from those stupid assassins.
Spiffy Serval: Also, the "bah"s are hilarious. Seto sounds like a sheep. Hope to see an update soon!
Seto: *sputters indignantly*
Tristan: Hehe, that's funny!
Seto: BAH!
Tristan: …Hey, you do sound like a sheep when you do that! Can I shave your head?
Seto: Get away from me, you freak!
City: This is getting weird… even by my standards. o_O
Bob: In that case, let's end this.