Disclaimer: These characters are not, nor shall they ever be, mine. They are, instead, the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi, more power to him.
This is set during the Noa Arc of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. My understanding of the plot comes from the Hong Kong DVD subtitles, along with the useful episode summaries and US/Japanese version comparisons posted at www.ratandfox.net.
Slight AU: I'm imagining here what might have resulted if Kaiba had somehow been knocked temporarily blind/mute/physically immobile just after his duel with Daimon (or Door or Lector--whoever the creepy Big Fiver with the beard and shades was).
It is an odd, pointless little speculation, perhaps, but my own. Unlike Kaiba and company (see above).
*. . .* are the comments Kaiba would like to be making; regular type is his stream of consciousness; statements preceded by double dashes (--) represent the words of other characters.
_Storm's Eye_
--Kaiba-kun!
*Shut up.*
My lips won't move. Yuugi keeps talking.
--He must be unconscious. Can we move him into the back of the pickup truck?
--What good will that do?
*Hn. Good question, Otogi.*
--Yuugi's got a plan. Right, Yuugi?
*Well, you wouldn't have one, Makeinu, now would you?*
--I've been thinking.
*Great, now Yuugi's "pharaoh" personality is weighing in.*
--The more we all stay together, the less likely it is that Noa or the Five will find a way to defeat us. They've been following a divide-and-conquer strategy.
--And just why does this involve putting that guy in our truck?
*Sarcasm doesn't become you, Mutt.*
There was a pause.
--I'll tell you once we've done it. In the meantime, Jounouchi-kun, can you grab him under the shoulders?
Oh no, the puppy is NOT going to lay hands on me. Not if I have anything to say about it.
It seems I don't have anything to say about it. *Damn you, Noa. Are you coward enough to leave me voiceless?*
--Eeew. Kaiba cooties.
Sophomoric. I shouldn't be surprised.
. . .
--Man, he's light. I bet Mokuba weighs more than him. Doesn't he ever eat?
I've got to admit Noa has modified my SolidVision in some impressive ways. I wouldn't have thought to include the scent of sweat. Or that brief tickle of hair against me.
--Hey! Jounouchi-kun, don't drop him! Could you, I don't know, sit down and pillow his head?
*Noa, this goes WAY beyond humiliation.*
--No, I c--whatever.
I suppose I should be thankful his jeans are worn and soft.
Perhaps I'd feel better pretending none of this is happening.
. . .And you know, it probably isn't.
*Is this another of your sick jokes, Noa? Leaving me sentient yet completely powerless in this world of yours, dependent on the goodwill of my rival and his hangers-on?
*The worst thing is, you've trussed me up like a spider's prey, immobilizing me here so you can get that much further along with what you're planning against Mokuba. So far as I know, your intentions toward him could be as murderous as they must be toward me.
*No, I won't think like that. You're a boy yourself, just as he is. A nasty, twisted little boy, but still. . .*
. . .HEY! What the--
--Um, Jounouchi?
--Aw, shaddup, Anzu. I'm just checking his head for bumps, that's all. The way his head slammed against the railing looked pretty ugly.
*Wait till I can move again, Dog, and I'll show YOU ugly.*
Nobody touches me like this. No one.
Even my doctors--one glare is enough to deter them from conducting a full physical exam on me.
Even Mokuba. A clasp of hands, a rare hug--that's as far as we go in terms of physical contact. Enough human connection for anyone, if you ask me.
. . .Well, the small fry seems to be telling the truth. Those fingers range through my hair almost expertly as he tests for any contusions.
--Guys?
The puppy's voice is muted as he continues to probe.
--D'you think he's, you know, been somehow sent to the Shadow Realm? Like Mai?
I'm not even going to listen to this thread of conversation. Trust the mutt to believe that ridiculous superstitious nonsense. I don't know what Malik did to Kujaku Mai, some kind of hypnosis gone horribly awry. So she's lying unconscious for a while--it's surely nothing like the pup suggests--nothing like--
What Yuugi once did to me.
It IS something like Yuugi once did to me, isn't it.
Only worse. Yuugi was at least meting out his concept of justice, however skewed. But Malik--he's obviously after something more than the God Cards. And justice and fair play are no part of it.
I'm sure Kujaku wouldn't appreciate it, but I am sorry for her. Grateful to her too, of course--without that move of hers we wouldn't have been able to capture the writing on the Ra card. That's where the heart of Malik's strategy lies, I know it. And that's also going to be the key to my defeating him.
If I ever move again.
So strange to be unable to stir a millimeter, yet still be painfully aware of my surroundings-- the corrugated-steel bed of the pickup under me, the wash of voices to and fro above me.
The makeinu's crossed legs propping my head, and his hands still buried in my hair.
And. . .the fingers of his left hand, resting on the old scar.
It was the wages of my first act of resistance to the old man. I was smaller than Mokuba is now, slight, easily picked up and slammed against the glass-fronted bookcase. A shard sliced neatly across my scalp, scattering a trail of red roses over Gouzabourou's cream-colored carpet.
(It was from Gouzabourou that I learned the convenient practice of hiring doctors who don't ask prying questions. At least I choose ones who still seem to care about healing their patients.)
. . .It is terrifyingly tempting to give into this powerlessness. Like they say about freezing to death. . .the sleep seduces you. Perhaps, for once, I can rest. Leave it all to Yuugi--
NO!
*Damn you, Noa! What are you doing to me?*
I've been so caught up in these fruitless thoughts that I didn't listen to Yuugi's plan, whatever it was. But suddenly there's stirring around me. Someone drops off the bed of the truck, apparently in order to go around to the front and climb in. There's a stertorous burst of sound: the engine kicks into action.
--I don't like this at all. Ka-chee! And with Otogi driving, too.
That robot-monkey doesn't seem to have much in the way of guts.
--I'm sure Otogi-san will do a good job.
The mutt's little sister.
--Well, it's not as if Yuugi's plan requires an experienced driver, is it? I'm sure Otogi can manage to drive us over the edge.
*WHAT?!*
--Hey, wait, Otogi, Yuugi! I think Kaiba's coming around! He just sort of flinched--
--Ka-chee! Guys, look back that way! That tunnel wasn't ka-there before, was it?
There's a sudden flame of color behind my eyelids. Then a hateful voice, resounding in the air around us.
--Oh no, this isn't what I had in mind for you. Not at all.
The next moment, I'm standing bolt upright on the floor of the truck, fists at the ready.
--Noa! Kiisama! I yell.
I leap over the side of the truck, spot the tunnels the monkey sighted, and make for them. If that's the route Noa is going to provide, well, I'll take it and be damned to him.
--Wait! Kaiba-kun!
Yuugi and Mazaki are both shouting. I look over my shoulder at them. They're blethering something about coming too. Behind them, the makeinu's rubbing the back of his head and looking angry--the rest of them merely look disoriented.
I snap something at them, whatever will get them to mind their own business. The dog barks indignantly as I turn away again, start making for my goal.
Soon I'm swallowed up by the dark, alone at last, running as though a life depends on it. I hope it doesn't.
Approaching a fork in the tunnel, I slow, pause to catch my breath. Something feels odd. I realize my scalp is tingling.
With a violent shake, I toss my hair back into its usual, unrumpled state. Then I'm off and running again.