Merry-Go-Round by Mooguri Klaine

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Chapter Three:

"Bring us to the Domino Theme Park," Seto ordered the chauffeur. More people gawked at them, especially when the limousine dragged slowly, stopping in front of Seto. Truth be told, Seto wanted to get out and go ANYWHERE just to escape from those irritating prying eyes. Yugi shifted uncomfortably as he too felt the stares of the onlookers.

"Sir?" the driver's voice sounded unbelieving, as if wondering why Seto Kaiba wanted to go to a...carnival, of all places.

"You heard me, now get moving!" Seto roared at the poor driver, who closed the door hurriedly and scurried over to the driver's seat, keen to get as much distance away from his angry master.

Anger was an understatement. Seto was losing his cool so quickly, it was like holding water in cupped hands, every drop slipping away at an exponential rate. He felt this feeling once when most -if not all - of his executives had turned against him - no doubt hungry for power - taking hold of his younger brother, and delivering him to another business rival, owner of Industrial Illusions Company, Maximillian Pegasus. But at least his anger back then was justified. He was almost stripped of the corporation entrusted to him, and most of all, Mokuba was being held hostage at that moment. Anyone who wouldn't get as hysterical is definitely not a human. Seto grumbled noiselessly, for he felt really foolish at the moment; he was getting frustrated at someone meekly asking him for a nice trot in a theme park. It wasn't really something to get mad about, yet here he was, full to the brim with impatience, and irritation.

But baby-sit? Seto Kaiba, business tycoon and heir to the Kaiba Empire, baby-sit some kid that his lover ordered him to watch out for without his approval? Seto didn't see this coming in his life. Perhaps it would've been better if he watched Mokuba reading a book instead. Next thing I know, I'll be selling cookies for a cause, he shuddered.

Then it hit him. An expression of comprehension dawned in Seto. It was Yami. Seto wanted to see him, to be with him so much that it was the only thing on his mind. Such was his yearning that he felt so maddened when his only free time with his lover is tossed aside, forced to do something he'd never like in a thousand lifetimes and reincarnations - if there ever was one. It was as if the very gods were testing his threshold of patience.

Wait a minute.

He glanced at the other passenger beside him. Yugi remained rather calm despite Seto's apparent outrage. He looked a bit unnerved and shaken but he looked quite complacent.

This is a conspiracy. Seto knew that it was Yami's idea to make Seto MISS HIM by deliberately avoiding him, Hikari acting as the accomplice, posing as a kid 'simply' wanting a kiddy day at the carnival. He knew that Yami knew how much he had planned and prepared for this. Seto could only imagine Yami somewhere inside Hikari's mind, laughing at his pathetic excuse of a joke, for Seto is not one bit amused.

You'll pay for this, Yami, Seto swore to himself, as he resolutely drifted his gaze to the window. After this, I'm going to make you suffer...

+++

How very right Seto was.

For in Yami Yugi's mind room, Yami was laughing his head off as he surveyed his lover's reactions. Even his other self felt quite amused at the turn of events; both of them wanted to see how far Seto and his short-fused patience could go. Then, Yami was quite sure he saw Seto flashed him a rather dangerous look that said, "You'll pay for this" Yami licked his lips eagerly. This will be fun.

+++

After several uneventful minutes, the limousine finally arrived at the said carnival. Hikari Yugi practically jumped off the car and gazed open-mouthed at the theme park. True, he'd been there some time ago for countless of times, but for some odd reason, he felt it was like going there for the first time. This was probably half-true, as it would be his first time with Kaiba. Hikari may be a teenager, yet his heart still possessed a heart like that of a child, thus making him appear younger than his usual age. This, accompanied with his way-out-of-the-ordinary tri-colored hair, draws more attention, him being easily spotted despite his lack of height. (A/N: If I dye my hair the same way as Yugi, maybe I can easily be spotted too? I'm just as small as Hikari, barely reaching the height of five feet, yet my friends CANNOT see me from a distance, claiming that I was too small to be noticed anyway...I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! T_T)

Domino Theme Park had been around for quite a while, though it still invites a lot of people even on ordinary days. As with all other carnivals, Domino Theme Park is just as colorful, buildings sporting a bright shade of pink to the color of sick purple, and every color of the spectrum anyone could imagine. Yugi saw the carnival from the high above the air once, while on Kaiba's blimp, in the heat of the Battle City Finals. And from that height, the carnival looked like colorful playing blocks amidst the sea of the drab and gray structures. It wasn't an eyesore; on the contrary, it sparkled more like anything, especially at night. But even in the hazy afternoon sky, the theme park shimmered with more colors. Hikari could see the myriad of people enjoying their day, strolling in a carefree manner. Shrieks of glee and delight passed by Hikari's ears as a roller coaster roared from a distance. Laughter joined the din, complementing the happy noise, and balloons drifted lazily in the air. The happy atmosphere was contagious; Hikari couldn't suppress a grin forming in his lips.

Meanwhile, Seto hesitantly disembarked, the bright colors of the carnival facades did not attract him, its colors making his heart sink with annoyance and dread. And to think he had an amusement park for kids. (A/N: Yeah, Kaiba wanted to, for orphaned kids, for he was once one. Aww, Kaiba's got a good heart! And one more thing: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS WOULD LEAVE A HOTTIE LIKE KAIBA IN AN ORPHANAGE?! *sigh* Oh well, had he not been abandoned, he would not have come across Gozaburo Kaiba, and maybe he wouldn't be the hot, rich corporate as he is now, eh? And he might not have met Yugi and be entangled with him after all, so I'm thankful that he IS an orphan! XD) He wasn't contradicting himself; he was just in the wrong situation at the moment. Just when I want to get it on with HIM, he grumbled.

Then he felt a soft tug behind him and saw Hikari gazing back at him. "Let's go in!" childlike Yugi exclaimed.

Seto gave a deep, almost-defeated sigh. What choice does he have, anyway?

Yugi entered the threshold of the theme park. He started to tread the cobblestoned path to the rides. Hikari Yugi stood, almost transfixed, as he took in the sights and sounds of the carnival around him: the music from the merry-go-round, the noisy bleeps of the arcade machines, children laughing, talking, playfully shoving each other... Yami Yugi felt it too; it made his heart soar. Somehow, deep within him, all these sounds are vaguely familiar and similar to something, like a far-away memory. Yami sighed sadly; he knew it might have been from his former life, the life he can barely recall. If only he can remember...

Yami briefly tossed aside his feelings. My memories are slowly unfolding, returning to me. They will come back.

Hikari sensed his other self's temporary sadness. Yes it will, he assured him.

Yeah, Yami said, grateful at Hikari's words. Let's go back to torturing Seto...

Hikari laughed and went on ahead.

Meanwhile, Seto lagged a bit behind, as Hikari practically barged inside the amusement park without paying an admission ticket; Seto had to pay for it too. He irritably stuffed a thick wad of bills at the pompous ticket attendant - who was only doing his job - demanding payment of the said ticket. Seto practically tore the head of the poor carnival employee, telling him not to get too jumped up over someone not paying a ticket. "Like hell I can pay for that ten fold, more than your lifetime's worth of salary," Seto snapped. "What do you think I am, some financially-challenged loser?" The poor employee almost wet his pants. Satisfied, Seto went in to follow Hikari. He then saw Yugi stop in his tracks, and Seto silently observed him from afar. Seto was sure that he saw a flicker of Yami's eyes mingled with Hikari's, eyes of sadness noticeable even at that distance. What could -

Then quite suddenly, that sad look disappeared, and Hikari Yugi moved, turning his heels and happily called to Seto. "Kaiba, over here!"

Seto could only wonder what that look could have possibly meant. He followed the enthusiastic youth wearily.

As little Hikari bounded a few paces, he instantly saw a bundle of people clustered just beside the arcade. "Oh will you look at that! Duel Card Games!" he exclaimed. Even Yami seemed to stir inside his mind room; after all, THIS is what he was born to do. Hikari approached the crowd and peeked at the ongoing duel.

Seto quirked an eyebrow. "Duel Card Games," he muttered, a bit interested. Finally something to amuse myself with. The Duelist persona in him was an intense spirit; perhaps his thirst for competition and supremacy had driven him to be such an excellent player, be it Duel Card games or silent intellectual ones like chess. 'I am the Ahead of the Game' was Seto's crux, his motto. This, of course, fitted him perfectly.

(A/N: Oh yeah, Kaiba's a really gifted chess player; he once had beaten his foster father in it, a brilliant player too. I mean, why shouldn't Gozaburo Kaiba be? He's the head of the Kaiba Corporation before, when it used to be a military empire. And chess is a territorial game, right? It was Kaiba who changed it into something else after his dad's death ^^ Hehe, just a thought. XD) (A/N: Oh, and another thing: 'I am the Ahead of the Game' is Seto Kaiba's image song in the Yu-Gi-Oh Soundtrack, featuring the cool voice of seiyuu Hikaru Midorikawa. And Midorikawa voiced Heero Yuy (Gundam Wing), Kaede Rukawa (Slam Dunk), Tokiya Mikagami (Recca no Honou), and my all-time favorite RPG Tales of Destiny where he lent his voice to Leon Magnus! Well, Midorikawa-sama is one of the most popular dubbers in Japan, he had a myriad of roles, so I just said a few. XD Sorry for the interruption, now on with the story!)

Seto made a few steps closer, making use of his height to gaze at the Duel. His heart sank. He snorted. Just a bunch of kids playing, he said to himself, feeling somewhat disappointed. He looked at the playing techniques of the young duelists and snorted some more. No apparent strategy, no balance of Trap and Magic Cards, he observed half-heartedly. I thought that dog, Joey, had only that style of fighting. I guess I was wrong.

Even both Yami and Hikari seemed to have lost interest in the present Duel. Obviously they have seen better and more exciting ones. Hikari slipped back, away from the crowd when Yami muttered to him in a hurried, almost panicky voice. Quick, Hikari, drag Seto away from this. Better not let his unquenchable thirst to Dueling get to him or...

"Yami, I challenge you to a Duel!"

****TBC****

Author's Note: What's the use of the draft when I refused to follow it altogether? This part was totally out of the plan. Oh, but what the heck! I didn't expect this to happen but still I'm thankful for the added scene! ^^ Before I start blabbering away, mooguri_klaine@yahoo.com is available for anything you wish to ask of me or tell me privately. Other than that, I'd love to hear from you all, so send me a review; a sentence or two will do! ^^