YUGIOH

Blast in the Past

Chapter 6.

It was after breakfast, and Kaiba was back in his bedroom. It wasn't easy finding clothes to his liking, since to his distaste most of it consisted of T-shirts and jeans as well as even some ripped up clothes, though he couldn't fathom why he would even keep things like that in his drawers and not in the garbage can. Yet, in one corner of his closet he did find a button-down long-sleeved dark blue shirt which was atleast acceptable, along with black jeans, and he did have even a couple of long trench coats....though they were black leather. So putting on the leather coat, he looked around through his room to quickly familiarize himself with it. Hidden in a box, he happened upon some Duel Monster cards, though they didn't seem to be touched in awhile. He had a deck made up, but his deck was totally off-balance, and he desperately needed some better cards to touch them up, too. But he was pleased to see he did have atleast one Blue Eyes among his cards. He put them back away, and decided he'd give a good look at them later. After all, if this 'was' a virtual world....he might need them.

Kaiba then came back out, to see both his parents turn and give some kind of death stare at him. He looked at them, and asked, "What?"

"Before you go off to school honey, we wanted to talk to you." His mother said.

"Seto....before you came down with a fever, your teacher called. Your grades have been continually slipping." His Dad said.

"Honey, I know teenage years can be hard for you, but you got to understand that school is really important." His mother added.

Kaiba was rather confused at this. 'What, did I get....a B or something?' "What's the problem....what was my grade?"

"Seto....you're grades are practically straight Ds. If they get any lower, you're going to fail....you might even be held back a year." The father stated, causing Kaiba's eyes to widen in shock.

"Honey, if not for yourself, atleast think of Mokuba. He looks up to you, Seto....and if you don't care about school, then he's not going to care." The mother added.

"You gotta start straightening out, son." His father insisted sternly, though seeming to be worried.

Kaiba was pale at the thought of himself practically failing anything, and them mentioning Mokuba seeing him slacking like that also hit home. 'That's not possible....' He thought. He looked at his parents, and said with a determined look in his eyes, "It's not going to happen....that I promise you. Father, Mother....I'll make you proud."

His response actually caught them off-guard. He seemed so upset from their speech....they were expecting him to blow them off, like a normal rebellious teenager. They paused, and the father said, "Well....all right. We'll see what happens, Seto. I hope you mean it."

"Now, walk your brother to school, honey....and try not to hang around your friends, with your brother around. I don't trust them, they're a bad influence...." The mother said.

'Friends?' He thought. "Uh....yes, of course. I'll see you later, then."

"By, honey." The mother said, hugging him, that he gladly accepted, still feeling so happy to see them both again.

As the mother hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek, the father yelled for Mokuba, who ran out, saying, "I'm ready!"

The two walked out the door, and Kaiba looked around, then at Mokuba, saying, "You....probably know how to get to your school, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Mokuba said.

"So then, why don't you lead today....would you like that?" He asked, since he had no clue where the school was from here.

"Really?? Thanks, big brother!" Mokuba said, and proudly trotted in front. Kaiba made sure to keep a quick mental note on what his house looked like, the coloration, and number as they headed away from it, as well as where they were going.

As they continued down the street, it wasn't long before they made it to the middle school that Kaiba was actually used to bringing his brother to. Mokuba said his good-byes, and skipped away. Kaiba then assumed if Mokuba went there, then he must still go to his normal school, and began walking in that direction.

On his way to school, Kaiba heard a familiar voice, calling, "Hey Seto....wait up!"

Kaiba froze from having someone dare call him by his first name, and especially because the person's voice was unmistakable. "Wheeler...." He muttered darkly to himself, wanting nothing to do with him, right now.

And to make matters worst, Joey had the nerve to slap his filthy hand on his shoulder, saying, "Hey Set, guess you're over that cold now, eh? We gonna get the money for the concert soon?" Kaiba turned to Wheeler, with a cold 'if looks could kill' glare at Joey's hand, then up at him. Joey immediately removed his hand, saying, "Uh yeah, I get it. Hey….we don't go for that touchy-feely crap either, do we Tristan?"

"No....no way!" Tristan agreed, playing Joey's personal 'yes man'.

They feared him, Kaiba realized. It was nice to see respect from Yugi's little 'friendship group', for a change. But he didn't let up, yet. Kaiba snapped at Joey, "And what did you call me??"

"What? Well, Set....you know. You said you liked it. It gave you that 'evil-god' sounding name." Joey smiled, as Tristan laughed his stupid laugh, and didn't seem to even know why he was laughing.

"Well my first name is Seto, which I expect to be pronounced properly. And I expect you to call...." Kaiba suddenly stopped before he could finish. What was it he expecting Joey and Tristan to call him? He couldn't have them call him Kaiba.

If his mother and father were alive, they certainly wouldn't have the name Kaiba. But he was so young....he couldn't remember his original last name, anymore. It was simply too long ago. No one brought it up yet, either. He'd simply have to figure that out in school. But in the meantime....he realized he had no choice but to let them call him Seto. The thought just irked him to death, but it was that or make himself sound even more stupid by asking them what his name was.

"Never mind...." Kaiba finally said, finishing his sentence like that, and continuing to school, with the two morons still following him, talking about music bands, and throwing cans and such.

'Why are these losers following me?' He began to ask himself, and was considering turning around and harassing them, some more. But then, it finally dawned on Kaiba....these two morons must have been the supposed 'bad influences' that mother was warning him about. At that thought, Kaiba suddenly gave a cold biting laugh. They looked over at him, and Joey asked, "Whassup, Seto….what's so funny?"

"What's funny was I was warned this morning by my mother that you two were some kind of bad influence on me. If she only knew...." He laughed some more. 'What a joke, like these two idiots would be something I would actually listen to.'

"Yeah, really!" Joey said, as they both laughed with him, their thoughts were not exactly on the same wave-length. 'If his mother only knew what kind of trouble they got into together....she'd probably try and ban him from ever leaving the house.'