Disclaimer: I kinda don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. In fact, my opinion about the show carries very little weight to those who produce it. *glare* I'm not going to let that bother me.
Thanks: To Relinquished for beta-reading this chapter. She has an amazing amount of time on her hands, that's for sure. But then, this chapter isn't that long. It can't be too bad, can it?
Gomen all the people I didn't thank last update. As some of you may know, ff.net was engaged in the process of going insane. I had almost one hundred e-mails, all the same few. *grins at Renee the Rabid Squirrel, Sachi-chan, JudyNFran, Maruken, and evilcourtney* Wow, I saw you guys names a lot. *dissolves*
Sachi-chan: You actually like my characterization of Yuugi-tachi? *cheers* I'm glad I did something right! Thanks!
Renee the Rabid Squirrel: Heh, some people had issues with that report…. *grin* Btw, there was a part in "The Secret Window" where Johnny Depp is looking accusingly at a squirrel before passing out. I dunno, your name reminded me of it at the moment. That was an awesome movie.
TeeDee: It's good to know people like what I write. Thank you. Also, don't worry about the negative endnotes. It's just BSing anyways because I'm big on self-derogative humor.
Freai: Thank you. Here's another sort of suspenseful ending then!
FyreFlie: A vehicle made of fried veggies and shrimp; hmm… you may just be on to something there. *grin* You could eat and drive at the same time! *optimistic about all of this* Here's the next chapter then, if you want to read it. Gomen there's no tempura made products.
Maruken: Yeah, Seto/Ryou has been done actually (don't worry, I wasn't too aware of it either). Lets see if I can make it work. Here's the update!
Rikki-the-fox: Yes, the brainchild of a caffeinated authoress at four in the morning: the 'no' gag. Good to know it's appreciated! Thank you.
Pastbyer: Get ready to feel explained: There isn't a whole bunch of logic behind food names I guess. You probably can't find tempura because it originally isn't even Asian. The origin of the cooking and all that was Portuguese. Tempora meant times in Latin, and had to do with days the Portuguese wouldn't eat meat (them being devote Catholics), called Ember Days, or Quattuor Tempora (the 'four times' of the year). They would eat fried shrimp on those days instead, which is how the Japanese started frying food, and why they named the process after the Latin word for 'times'. *grin* I hope I'm not boring you…. I figured you'd like to know. Thanks for the compliments btw. Here's chapter three!
JudyNFran: I'm glad you consider this a great find! I appreciate the compliment. *cringes and turns white* Heh, you may not want to poke at too many of my other fics there. Some are better by far than others…. *looks around nervously* Erm…yeah….
The lady winged Knight. S: *dizzy from being shaken* Wow, I'm awake. Here's what happens next. *anticipating another shaking*
Shrine Maiden Kitty: I've hear of Ranma 1/2, but haven't got around to reading it. *broke* I'm thrilled you like all my fics. It's good to know. Thank you.
evilcourtney: Don't worry, I find it funny too. Isn't it tragic, though? *sarcastic* Yeah, pairing can really mess you up, man. They addle your brains.
Windswift: *laughing* Gomen, Ryuuji may not redeem himself anytime soon. He's got a nice POV here though. Kudos for him then, eh? *pats chapter on the head* Wait a kawaii little fic.
Elle-FaTe2x1: I hope Ryou lives too. *looks nervously at her main character*
~!~!~
Chapter Three: Gone
"Uh, maybe it's a few blocks down?" I offer, optimistically praying and hoping Kaiba Seto is wrong for once in his life. I sincerely doubt my wistful thinking, but I wouldn't say no to it coming true sometime soon. Kaiba looks at me as though I ought to gravely consider enrolling myself into a mental hospital. I almost agree.
"Bakura-kun, I have a photographic memory. The bus is gone."
Oh… well that sure changes things a little…. From what I've learned through television and literature, you simply can't question the accuracy of a photographic memory. Kaiba has to be right then. I'm now going to consider whether it was possible for a troop of ants to carry off the bus. I narrow my eyes at their nearest insect comrade and speculate.
"That's…bad…." I say pointlessly, retreating to the role of Captain Obvious. Judging by Kaiba's expression, he must be seriously considering my intelligence—or more, my lack thereof. I'm convinced he's suffering from the mental strain of a most proficient refusal to accept the situation. That, or he's contemplating how exactly to handle this. These two ways of dealing are actually quite opposite, so, since I'd more than willingly go into temporary denial, Kaiba's probably solving the problem.
Good for him, then.
After a few minutes (which happen to be the longest of my life, outside the elevator yesterday), Kaiba pulls out a mysteriously concealed cell phone. We're saved! I'd cheer and jump, like I've lost the what's left to my already embarrassingly small supply of sanity, only there are people nearby watching. Instead, I awe at how well Kaiba is taking everything, along with all of the responsibility he must accept in my own little deficiency. If I were watching from a distance, I'd have no idea two teenager boys had missed the bus home and were stranded in the worst smelling city in the country. In fact, I wouldn't think anything of them except for wondering just what the hell is wrong with that white hair boy, who's screaming about being delivered and blessed and is kissing a cell phone, while a nearby brunette threatens to pummel him.
Not implying that I'd ever do such a thing, of course. I can get excited and thankful on my own terms, which don't happen to be so extreme.
"Bakura-kun, stand over there or something and try not to make a scene." Kaiba orders with a certain, unquestionable authority, and points towards a stone bench. I look at him, clueless.
"Why?"
"Maybe because I don't want you in on my conversation?"
"Oh." I nod and sit down.
I don't know what about calling a cab, or one of his many limos, is so personal to Kaiba. I'd happily dial up at a public pay phone with fifty people in line listening. Calling a cab isn't some private display of your lack in any other transportation. Even if Kaiba were finding out the bus schedule, it wouldn't be that secretive (though I'd sooner jump in front of a bus than board one for the next few months as I try to coax myself into forgetting a few former experiences). Of course, there is Kaiba's terrific reputation to consider. He probably has to make some kind of privacy negotiation where nobody mentions the fact Kaiba Seto had to take a cab home. Being a rich CEO, people generally don't expect Kaiba to pull up in some form of public transportation. Even I think it would an unusual occurrence to witness. I'd look up at the clouds and wait for the sun to blow up because such a thing could never ever happen unless the world were ending in Tokyo and Kaiba just happened to be escaping in a cab since his limo was destroyed by a meteor.
And on that point, Mokuba would probably be ecstatic. The kid has an odd taste for violence. The world (or at least the country) blowing up would probably make him laugh till he realized the destruction was steadily growing closer to his front door. Whether he'd panic or have his brother pull out a top-secret spaceship to contact colonies on the moon, I'm not too sure. It'd be pretty amazing if there were colonies on the moon to begin with. I could live up there.
I'm not thinking it'd be too difficult for me either. My head spends loads of time in the clouds as it is.
Coming back down to the current situation now, however, I can see Kaiba not so far away in the distance. He is not looking up at the sky and watching meteors piercing the atmosphere. If I were listening, I could hear what he's saying because, believe it or not, he's still on the phone. I'm not sure he'd even notice the world ending anyway.
Talk much, Kaiba-kun?
I wonder whether I ought to say something, or quietly study the amazing lack of grass and plant life in this part of the city. If Kaiba takes any longer, I'm going to go to the public phone a few shops away. I won't stop to consider the consequences. Kaiba can get back to Domino on his own terms, and I can too. Pulling out some change and solving my problem is looking very appealing while I wait for the conversation that's never going to end to wrap up in the next decade.
I stand up and start walking to the phone, deciding Kaiba can take care of himself well enough without me anticipating his every decision and hoping things transpire the same way in reality as they did theoretically. I really just need to get to a train station and I'm set the rest of the way back. It's really not that mammoth of a problem. Tousan rehearsed with me over and over what I was supposed to do in the circumstance I should be lost somewhere. I admit, I never really thought the instance would arise, but it looks to me like it has. I just hope I was listening enough in my bored disbelief of such a thing ever happening to me and am not just making plans of action up as I walk towards the pay phone. In a worst-case scenario, that would not be good. It would be easy to make myself even more lost, and who wants that?
Fortunately, I find my way to the phone without a problem (yay). I can no longer hear Kaiba talking, but this is because I have just expanded the gap between us considerably. I don't truly mind, nor care, as I reached into my pocket for change. Suddenly someone comes up behind me and I freeze. There's a knife centimeters from my throat.
"Money, kid?" {A}
On second thought, maybe I should have stayed on the bench.
~!~!~
"You can hang there all day Jounouchi, you aren't going to prove anything to anyone."
Jounouchi glares from the railing and sticks his tongue out with about the maturity of a five-year-old. Honda sighs and looks around helplessly, not sure what to do. I come up to save the situation.
"Just what are you proving by hanging there, Jounouchi? Not much is happening, except you look like an idiot. Congratulations. Will you come down now?"
Jounouchi glares. I shake my head and continue, "You know, I've seen dogs with half a brain protest authority better than you."
"I'm not pissing on a fire hydrant."
"I know, it's worse."
"Why you little—" Jounouchi takes an off-balanced, upside-down swing at me and plummets. I look down at him sprawled over the pavement steps in mild curiosity and amusement.
"You missed." I state obviously. Jounouchi frowns back up and growls. I'm not sure if this is supposed to entice some sort of fear or make me fall over laughing. I'm leaning towards the latter and smirk in return to his vindictive feelings.
"You're an idiot."
"But note: It wasn't I leaning off the museum staircase railing. At least I'm not insane."
Honda rolls his eyes and butts into the banter, "Well, that stands to question, Otogi. What where you on the railing for anyway, Jounouchi?"
"Protesting."
"What?"
"The fact I'm stuck with you guys as partners."
Honda's expression falls significantly at Jounouchi's reason. Apparently he's offended. I don't see why he should be; he's only played the inu's lackey for two years. All right, so maybe the fact Jounouchi is transgressing from their formerly close friendship is a bit of a downer, but I'm here, so it can't be that bad. Plus, Jounouchi is never going to have Bakura Ryou as a partner for this trip. The leading points 'he's angry' and 'he's Jounouchi Katsuya' will make the great egotist Kaiba refuse. Kaiba's stubborn to the point of obnoxiousness, and Jounouchi isn't the sharpest of wits behind some rather violent impulses. I'm not sure Bakura would agree with either. It's sad. Things don't go his way often, do they?
Bakura, that is. Not Jounouchi or Kaiba.
"Don't worry, Honda!" I say enthusiastically, seeing his still slightly dejected face, "Jounouchi's still immaturely sore with us at how we put him with Kaiba. The behavior is completely juvenile."
"Says the same guy causing reckless mayhem the entire trip? Oh, you're real mature Otogi-kun," Jounouchi snaps sourly. He starts up the steps to the museum, deciding he'd rather catch up with our babysitter than stay near Honda and me. Of course, we don't follow and ignore this action until the sensei starts screaming for us to hurry up. I'm not convinced to move until Anzu joins in. Unlike the upstanding and official educator, she's pulling out death threats like a pumped yakuza on steroids. Knowing Anzu, I'm not about to question the veracity of these warnings. The girl's got the potential to be lethal if she sets her mind to it. I don't know what Yuugi sees in her, really, the frightening butch assassin.
"It's about time you guys caught up. We've been waiting here forever. What were you hanging from the rail for, Jounouchi-kun?"
Jounouchi's confidence from before suddenly wavers, "Ano…ore…." Lucky for him (or not), he's got me here to explain it for him. "Oh, he was protesting."
"Protesting what?" Anzu asks, giving Jounouchi a look. The inu pleads wordlessly for me not to go on. Unfortunately, this is too much fun (in an odd, sadistic kind of way, mind you).
"Protesting the wonderful set up of Sensei's where he shares rooms and seats with Honda and me. It seems he'd prefer Bakura."
"Again?" the Sensei sighs in exasperation. We turn as one to look at him. "All right, I'm tired of this. Where's Kaiba-san? I'm changing the seating arrangements. This is wasting too much of my time."
We look at the sensei in stunned silence. He gave…. I can't believe it.
"Are you serious?"
"If it will stop all this pathetic complaining, yes!" he exclaims, aggravated to the final stroke. It's amazing. Jounouchi's protesting and hanging from a public railing finally won him his way. Maybe the inu knows what he's doing?
No, I take that back. Jounouchi looks about as awed as the rest of Yuugi-tachi.
"So…lets find Bakura-kun, then…." Anzu says slowly. "He's on the bus…right?"
"Hai…."
Everyone heads back to the bus. Jounouchi all but bolts in, ready to announce his victory to the stuck up billionaire. The jubilant expression on his face freezes, however, as he looks back. Following close behind, I soon see why.
Kaiba isn't there. Neither is Bakura.
"Whoa, where do you guys think those two went? I thought Kaiba only left the bus to catch up with us back in Tempura. Why would he change his behavior?" Anzu ponders aloud, bringing into words exactly what all of us are thinking. Of course, we don't consider Bakura having a hand in this. Kaiba's the one in charge there.
"Maybe they're looking around?" I offer sensibly, "I mean, we have to write a five-page report when we get back."
Everyone nods with this and how plausible an explanation it serves. Anzu decides we should all wait for Kaiba and Bakura to come back. Since nothing else seems so interesting at the moment, we unanimously agree to say. A few comments and an hour later, students start coming back. The rest of the class assumes we got ourselves in serious trouble this time as they pile in. I smirk and wave to a few groups, though I have no idiot deed to be proud of. It just seems to right thing to do until we drop the bomb on Kaiba. For some reason, I'm anticipating his reaction. Something about Kaiba makes you want to see him have a bad day, to see circumstances not go his way for once. I'm sure Jounouchi feels the same way, only to an excessive level that would be more than alarming.
After a little while longer, everyone is back but Bakura and Kaiba. The sensei looks nervously at the bus driver and the clock. He starts assigning silent numbers to heads and names. In the end, everyone is accounted for minus two. This isn't good. We should have left thirty minutes ago.
"Where's Kaiba and Bakura-kun?" Anzu asks blankly.
"Not on this bus."
She glares at my reply, but it's the truth. They're not here. They aren't coming either. Whether they ditched us (I don't see why) or Kaiba kidnapped Bakura (it seems somewhat possible), I'm not sure. It had to be voluntary, though, at least on one half. Kaiba would never get lost or miss the bus. His ego wouldn't allow the insult. Therefore, it must have something to do with him. He probably suspected the sensei would cave. If I'd know he took it all so seriously, I would have reconsidered letting Jounouchi protest in front of the museum.
"I don't think they're coming." I say to Yuugi-tachi. It seems I'm taking stating the obvious a tad too far as a few frown at me. That, or it's something they don't want to hear.
Well, gomen, just it like it is.
~!~!~
{A}: Money, kid? Yeah, I just don't believe muggers are really that dramatic when it comes to dialogue (I kinda didn't want dialogue there in the first place, but I felt it clarified the situation). I mean you want their cash, right? What else needs to be said? Victims are not going to feel better about it all if the person who robbed them had a pretty vocabulary. Everything else sounds like a movie line, too dramatic for real life. Believe me, the knife is enough. It gets the point across, if you know what I mean.
Endnote: Well, I guess I'm too damn caffeinated to know what the hell I'm doing anymore. *people screaming* Of course, I had a reviewer number increase second chapter, if that really means anything. *looks around feeling tired* I'm not even gonna try to rationalize.
~Ling no Yong~