I Will Always Be the Same
By Anime Queen
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A/N: Finally got the story straight in my head. It's been so long that I forgotten how the story was going to end, originally *dodges flying eggs* Yes, I know, not the best writing technique. And I'll even admit that I had no idea how it was going to end from the beginning. As long as I had something to write, I guess it didn't really matter, but, well, now it does ^_^;;
But the story's straight, I know what's going on with this one, or at least for now. Endings are alterable when I'm the one writing the story ^_^;; Hehehe.... Well, whatever the ending will turn out to be, it will be good, I promise! The goal of the story won't change.
Sorry for the rant. Here's the thanks to the sources of my inspiration!!
HAWK SAGE: Glad to hear that you're still writing your fics ^_^ Thanks for reading!
Looks like inspiration is leaving... T_T
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, or any of its characters, just this fic.
******************************
Chapter 13 – Pain is a Good Diversion
The first time I woke up I wasn't aware of anything but a horrible pain all over my body. My head still hurt unbelievably, and I was having trouble focusing. Very faintly at first, but with growing loudness I heard people, voices. They were all talking at once, it seemed, the sounds becoming more and more distorted.
My eyesight cleared a little, and I saw that it was only two people – Seto Kaiba, and someone whose face I could not see. I tried to call out, but found the effort very draining.
I became aware of aching joints, but something was holding my limbs in this uncomfortable position. I tried to twist my hand inside the shackle-like bond, only to irritate my bullet wound further. I felt similar coarse leather straps around my other wrist and ankles. Then I felt the cold of the wall seep into my body, and began to realize the frightening seriousness of the situation.
Struggling against the dryness in my throat and all too much aware of my frantic heartbeat, I made my best effort to call out again. At first the sound was only in my head, with faint whimpers escaping my lips.
"Seto!!!" it finally burst through, burning my throat and almost making me choke. But I ignored the pain. "Seto!!!"
"What are you yelling for, I'm right here."
I blinked. I was no longer in that building. I was sitting upright in a narrow bed. I had to adjust my eyes to the lack of light in the room to really see where I was. My throat still burned, and I massaged it gently. I must have cried out in my sleep.
Fearfully, slowly, I turned my head, and, against all hope otherwise, locked gazes with him. He was wearing a look of worn indifference, staring emotionlessly at me. I didn't know what to say, so I composed myself as fast as I could. I pretended to be arranging my hair and nursing my hand, but I could feel that he was still looking, as if searching for a flaw.
=Please stop staring=
What I wouldn't have given at that moment not to have cried out his name. For him not to have heard it. I wondered why he wasn't saying anything. Explaining where we were, what happened.
=Anything but the silence. The silence is betraying me=
I decided to use the usual strategy. Distract him. Blame him.
"Are you just going to sit there, or explain?" I turned on him with a cold stare and a tone to match. He visibly flinched, but only for a second. He got up from his previous location in a wooden chair. A little stiffly, I noticed, and felt guilty. He must have been in that position for a while. I bit my lower lip while his back was turned, but the commanding gaze was back in my eyes to greet him when he turned around.
"Currently, we're on board passenger liner "Esperance". You've been unconscious for two days now." After a short pause, he continued. "Do you remember anything... after they caught us?"
The previous uncomfortable feelings rushed back, but I stopped them, placing both my hands over my face and shutting my eyes until the physical pain of aching muscles took over.
I was surprised at the measured gentleness with which both his enveloped mine. His strong fingers moved over my skin, warm, soothing...
=No! This can't make up for everything=
I gasped at my unexpected reaction.
"Don't touch me," I announced monotonously. His hands immediately retreated, in one hurried motion. Sneaking a peek at him through my fingers, I was even more shocked to see him clenching his teeth, looking at the ground.
"So you do remember," he whispered, "You have every right to dislike me."
"Dislike you...?" I repeated the phrase over and over in my head. For some illogical reason it was not making sense. But I let the brain take over. "I abhor you. Hate you. Despise you."
He flinched with every word, and I was fighting a battle with myself to take those words back. It was the logical thing to do, right? I had every right to be mad, right? He deserved it, right? Right?
The thoughts became too much for me. The memories came back too. Memories that I wanted gone, memories that I wanted erased. I desperately wanted to do something, anything, to stop my thinking. My frantic searching gaze fell upon a glass of water so conveniently placed on a table near my bed. Snatching up the thin glass, I swung it into the wall with all my strength.
The glass shattered into so many pieces, and they rained over the covers from under my hand. I kept pushing against the jagged concave shape, bruising my palm in many different places. The pain became noticeable when the crushed pieces of glass fell away stained red, and I was forced to shift my attention to the new set of wounds. Satisfied with the effectiveness of the act, I set about plucking the tiny pieces out of my skin.
Kaiba didn't say a word the whole time. The noise had surely attracted his attention, and I could see him watching me through a few quick glances. We were quiet for a long time. The noise of running feet outside the door made us shift our gazes on the door. The handle turned, and a very tired-looking Yugi, along with a panting Joey, Tristan, and Tea, burst through.
"Geez, what happened in here?" Joey surveyed the damage and the glass and whistled quietly.
"Are you okay?" Yugi wanted to know.
"I'm fine," I told him, at the same time Kaiba said the same thing. The group in the doorway shifted their feet uncomfortably in the silence.
"I'm glad we could repay the favor, Mai," Tea uttered timidly, smiling a little. "I don't think I ever got to thank you for helping Yugi and Joey that time."
"But I gotta admit, hauling you out of the water was no easy task," Tristan grinned.
"The water?" I looked at them, suddenly interested, "Please, tell me what happened."
Yugi hesitated, and then glanced at Kaiba uncertainly.
"We're not sure. Both of you were floating in the water alongside the ship," he looked between me and Kaiba, waiting for something. "We should be asking you guys what happened to you."
I looked at Kaiba helplessly. I knew what happened; I didn't know why. Who were those people? What did they want to find out from him? Why did I have to get mixed up in all that? I pulled my knees up to my chest, still waiting for Kaiba to start talking. But minutes passed, and he hadn't.
"Why...?" I voiced the question on my mind. "Why?" I kept repeating it, and when my voice got too faint to be heard, I was still moving my lips.
The group in the doorway was glancing between us, feeling rather uncomfortable and out of place, but I bet they, too, wanted to know.
Kaiba was hesitating visibly. He kept opening and closing his mouth, but no sound was coming out. After what seemed to be an eternity, he got up and walked across the room. When he was almost to the doorway, Yugi and Joey moved apart, making way. He was between the two boys when he turned around slowly.
"Those men were a black market syndicate. Among them are some past Kaiba Corp employees. Traitors," he spat out the last word in disgust, and then sighed. With a weary glance in my direction, he finished, "They were after Kaiba Corp's developing technology."
****************************
Please oh please review!! ^___^ I worked hard on this chapter, hopefully it didn't seem too rushed?? Thanks for reading guys!!
By Anime Queen
*******************************
A/N: Finally got the story straight in my head. It's been so long that I forgotten how the story was going to end, originally *dodges flying eggs* Yes, I know, not the best writing technique. And I'll even admit that I had no idea how it was going to end from the beginning. As long as I had something to write, I guess it didn't really matter, but, well, now it does ^_^;;
But the story's straight, I know what's going on with this one, or at least for now. Endings are alterable when I'm the one writing the story ^_^;; Hehehe.... Well, whatever the ending will turn out to be, it will be good, I promise! The goal of the story won't change.
Sorry for the rant. Here's the thanks to the sources of my inspiration!!
HAWK SAGE: Glad to hear that you're still writing your fics ^_^ Thanks for reading!
Looks like inspiration is leaving... T_T
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, or any of its characters, just this fic.
******************************
Chapter 13 – Pain is a Good Diversion
The first time I woke up I wasn't aware of anything but a horrible pain all over my body. My head still hurt unbelievably, and I was having trouble focusing. Very faintly at first, but with growing loudness I heard people, voices. They were all talking at once, it seemed, the sounds becoming more and more distorted.
My eyesight cleared a little, and I saw that it was only two people – Seto Kaiba, and someone whose face I could not see. I tried to call out, but found the effort very draining.
I became aware of aching joints, but something was holding my limbs in this uncomfortable position. I tried to twist my hand inside the shackle-like bond, only to irritate my bullet wound further. I felt similar coarse leather straps around my other wrist and ankles. Then I felt the cold of the wall seep into my body, and began to realize the frightening seriousness of the situation.
Struggling against the dryness in my throat and all too much aware of my frantic heartbeat, I made my best effort to call out again. At first the sound was only in my head, with faint whimpers escaping my lips.
"Seto!!!" it finally burst through, burning my throat and almost making me choke. But I ignored the pain. "Seto!!!"
"What are you yelling for, I'm right here."
I blinked. I was no longer in that building. I was sitting upright in a narrow bed. I had to adjust my eyes to the lack of light in the room to really see where I was. My throat still burned, and I massaged it gently. I must have cried out in my sleep.
Fearfully, slowly, I turned my head, and, against all hope otherwise, locked gazes with him. He was wearing a look of worn indifference, staring emotionlessly at me. I didn't know what to say, so I composed myself as fast as I could. I pretended to be arranging my hair and nursing my hand, but I could feel that he was still looking, as if searching for a flaw.
=Please stop staring=
What I wouldn't have given at that moment not to have cried out his name. For him not to have heard it. I wondered why he wasn't saying anything. Explaining where we were, what happened.
=Anything but the silence. The silence is betraying me=
I decided to use the usual strategy. Distract him. Blame him.
"Are you just going to sit there, or explain?" I turned on him with a cold stare and a tone to match. He visibly flinched, but only for a second. He got up from his previous location in a wooden chair. A little stiffly, I noticed, and felt guilty. He must have been in that position for a while. I bit my lower lip while his back was turned, but the commanding gaze was back in my eyes to greet him when he turned around.
"Currently, we're on board passenger liner "Esperance". You've been unconscious for two days now." After a short pause, he continued. "Do you remember anything... after they caught us?"
The previous uncomfortable feelings rushed back, but I stopped them, placing both my hands over my face and shutting my eyes until the physical pain of aching muscles took over.
I was surprised at the measured gentleness with which both his enveloped mine. His strong fingers moved over my skin, warm, soothing...
=No! This can't make up for everything=
I gasped at my unexpected reaction.
"Don't touch me," I announced monotonously. His hands immediately retreated, in one hurried motion. Sneaking a peek at him through my fingers, I was even more shocked to see him clenching his teeth, looking at the ground.
"So you do remember," he whispered, "You have every right to dislike me."
"Dislike you...?" I repeated the phrase over and over in my head. For some illogical reason it was not making sense. But I let the brain take over. "I abhor you. Hate you. Despise you."
He flinched with every word, and I was fighting a battle with myself to take those words back. It was the logical thing to do, right? I had every right to be mad, right? He deserved it, right? Right?
The thoughts became too much for me. The memories came back too. Memories that I wanted gone, memories that I wanted erased. I desperately wanted to do something, anything, to stop my thinking. My frantic searching gaze fell upon a glass of water so conveniently placed on a table near my bed. Snatching up the thin glass, I swung it into the wall with all my strength.
The glass shattered into so many pieces, and they rained over the covers from under my hand. I kept pushing against the jagged concave shape, bruising my palm in many different places. The pain became noticeable when the crushed pieces of glass fell away stained red, and I was forced to shift my attention to the new set of wounds. Satisfied with the effectiveness of the act, I set about plucking the tiny pieces out of my skin.
Kaiba didn't say a word the whole time. The noise had surely attracted his attention, and I could see him watching me through a few quick glances. We were quiet for a long time. The noise of running feet outside the door made us shift our gazes on the door. The handle turned, and a very tired-looking Yugi, along with a panting Joey, Tristan, and Tea, burst through.
"Geez, what happened in here?" Joey surveyed the damage and the glass and whistled quietly.
"Are you okay?" Yugi wanted to know.
"I'm fine," I told him, at the same time Kaiba said the same thing. The group in the doorway shifted their feet uncomfortably in the silence.
"I'm glad we could repay the favor, Mai," Tea uttered timidly, smiling a little. "I don't think I ever got to thank you for helping Yugi and Joey that time."
"But I gotta admit, hauling you out of the water was no easy task," Tristan grinned.
"The water?" I looked at them, suddenly interested, "Please, tell me what happened."
Yugi hesitated, and then glanced at Kaiba uncertainly.
"We're not sure. Both of you were floating in the water alongside the ship," he looked between me and Kaiba, waiting for something. "We should be asking you guys what happened to you."
I looked at Kaiba helplessly. I knew what happened; I didn't know why. Who were those people? What did they want to find out from him? Why did I have to get mixed up in all that? I pulled my knees up to my chest, still waiting for Kaiba to start talking. But minutes passed, and he hadn't.
"Why...?" I voiced the question on my mind. "Why?" I kept repeating it, and when my voice got too faint to be heard, I was still moving my lips.
The group in the doorway was glancing between us, feeling rather uncomfortable and out of place, but I bet they, too, wanted to know.
Kaiba was hesitating visibly. He kept opening and closing his mouth, but no sound was coming out. After what seemed to be an eternity, he got up and walked across the room. When he was almost to the doorway, Yugi and Joey moved apart, making way. He was between the two boys when he turned around slowly.
"Those men were a black market syndicate. Among them are some past Kaiba Corp employees. Traitors," he spat out the last word in disgust, and then sighed. With a weary glance in my direction, he finished, "They were after Kaiba Corp's developing technology."
****************************
Please oh please review!! ^___^ I worked hard on this chapter, hopefully it didn't seem too rushed?? Thanks for reading guys!!