~*Ghost of the Past*~

            The hours of the night passed by. Kaiba was sleeping peacefully within his bedroom chambers, his body curled up beneath the silk sheets, his head nuzzled in his pillows.

            Meanwhile, Joey and Yami were asleep outside the home, still sitting on the tree branch. Yami leaned on the tree, his feet dangling within some twenty feet in the air. Joey was leaning on Yami's shoulder, muttering something about French fries and cupcakes in his sleep.

            Suddenly, Yami's watch started beeping. Groggily, Yami slowly stirred, looking at his watch. He realized it was already 12:55 in the morning. Five minutes till one o'clock. Until the first ghost would show up. The night was still dark and young, not to mention freezing. Lucky for the two, they hadn't been freezing to death though the cold really did get to them. He then nudged Joey with his elbow. "Joey? Hey Joey?"

            "Huh? What?" Joey slowly sat up on the strong, firm tree branch, scratching his head with his hand covered within a mitten hand. "What gives Mr. Dickens? It's the middle of the night for crying out loud."

            "It's almost one." Yami brushed some of the snow off his hair.

            "Yeah? So what? Damn it's cold." Joey shivered.

            "It's almost one o'clock." Yami then stood on the tree branch, gazing into the closed curtains of Kaiba's bedroom, screaming at the top of his lungs. "EXPECT THE FIRST GHOST WHEN THE BELL TONES ONE!!"

            And at that point, a huge light flashed before their eyes in Kaiba's room. Blinded, Joey nearly fell off the tree but Yami grabbed his arm just in time.

            Kaiba quickly sat up as he thought he had heard a sound. Opening his eyes, he was blinded by the white light that surrounded the whole room. The light slowly vanished within minutes. As Kaiba's vision came to, there stood a cloaked figure, its face masked its eyes and nose, as it resembled something from The Phantom of the Opera

            "Who…are you the ghost that they have mentioned?"

            The cloaked figure nodded. "I am."

            Kaiba was stunned at this ghost's answer. "But…but you sound like a child."

            "I have been trained and have seen into the past of nearly 2000 years. I am the ghost of Christmas past."

            "What business do you have being here?" Kaiba glared at the cloaked figure.

            "They sent me here for the sake of your welfare."

            "My welfare is fine!" Kaiba snapped.

            "Okay, so your salvation then." The cloaked figure stretched out its pale hand. "Come. Let's go." The door that led to his balcony opened.

            Kaiba looked out the opened door, feeling the cold wind rushing in. "I beg you spirit, I'm a human. I can't even fly. And even if I did, I'd fall."

            "A touch of my hand and you shall fly." The cloaked figure reached out its hand towards Kaiba, which he took it eagerly. Suddenly, the two started flying out the window.

            Meanwhile, Yami and Joey looked up at Kaiba and the ghost of Christmas past flying right above them. With a long rope in hand, Yami started twirling it. Throwing it up, the noose wrapped itself around Kaiba's ankle.

            "Mr. Dickens," Joey looked at his friend Yami. "What are you doing?" Joey looked at Yami strangely, watching the rope going up. Yami held a part of the rope in his hand, giving the end of rope to Joey.

            "Just hold on tightly." Yami replied.

            "What?" Joey looked at his friend, taking the rope.

            "Just hold on," Yami looked up at the two and suddenly, the two started lifting off, both of them screaming as they went higher and higher. Soon, they were higher than the buildings of Domino City. Yami managed to calm himself down, getting used to the view while Joey was screaming like a girl.

            "Hey Joey isn't this fun?" Yami grinned at his friend.

            "NO IT'S NOT!!" Joey screamed. "I wanna get down!! This isn't funny Yami!!"

            "Well, it's part of the story, isn't it?" Yami's grin widened.

            Suddenly, a huge light appeared before the four. Kaiba's eyes squinted, wondering what was up with the light. "Hey, what's with the light? It can't be morning already."

            "It is the past." The ghost replied.

            Meanwhile, Yami and Joey were still hanging on as they too were approaching the light.

            "Oh look Joey," Yami smiled, unusually excited at where they were going. "It's so beautiful!"

            "GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!" Joey screamed like a little kid. And at then, they both entered the light.

            They were all blinded for an instant before they finally arrived in the front gates of the orphanage. The ghost of Christmas past took Kaiba by the hand, going through the gates. Kaiba looked at the little kids running around the playground. "Hey, there's Mokuba. And there's Takasaki. They were my chums back before we got adopted. And there's Kazaku. Hey you guys!" he noticed that they were all ignoring him. "What's going on? Why aren't they answering me?"

            "These are the shadows from your past Kaiba." The cloaked figure replied. "They could neither see, nor hear you."

            Yami and Joey were standing on the playground of the orphanage, watching the little kids run around. "And so here we are in the orphanage Kaiba grew up at. It was ever since Mokuba was born and Kaiba was four that their parents had abandoned them. This is where most of their childhood was spent."

            "Please Mr. Dickens," Joey was still dazed after their trip. "Please promise me you won't make us go through that joy ride again."

            Yami snuck an undercover laugh. "We're on the ground aren't we? So start feeling relieved."

            "Yeah," Joey leaned against the wall, watching the kids run around. "Safe at last." Suddenly, a low growl sounded off right behind him. Whirling his head around, a bulldog growled right behind him, giving Joey the meanest look. "Uh…uh…nice doggy…" Joey grinned, stepping back. "Good doggy. How about a chicken I got from the noodle shop?" he tossed the chicken skin to the dog, which it did not make any move but continued to give Joey a mean look. "Uh-oh." He then started to run like crazy around the playground with the dog chasing him.

            Yami shook his head, watching Joey being chased from the dog. His eyes then turned to Kaiba and the ghost of Christmas past enter the building. He then called out to Joey. "Joey, stop playing with the dog."

            "AAAHHH!" Joey screamed, getting some attention from the little kids. "Save me!! Save me!! Save me!! Save me!!"

            "Oh all right." Yami pointed to the entrance of the building. Joey ran after Yami, the dog approaching closer. As soon as Joey jumped in, Yami slammed the door right behind him, the dog banging himself, knocked out.

            "So, Seto Kaiba, do these settings look rather familiar to you?"

            Kaiba and the ghost of Christmas past stood in what seems to look like a small classroom. Four desks made up one row for the next four rows.

            "This…this was like a school for me and Mokuba," Kaiba's voice shook. "We spent half of our school life here."

            "Yes, but have you noticed that before you even got adopted, despite having a few friends, you never had time to hang out with them?"

            "What do you mean? I was just busy before the holidays." Kaiba stared at the empty classroom.

            "That's just it," The ghost of Christmas past replied firmly. "You were always busy with your work and such that you never truly experienced the Christmas side."

            The two looked on, seeing a small boy with brown hair entered the classroom with all his books, making his way to the desk in the middle. Sitting on his chair, he opened what seems to be a business book, reading it.

            "C'mon Seto," Mokuba called happily. "Me and the guys are having a snowball fight with the others. Come on, your on my team."

            "Can't you see I'm busy?" Kaiba never once looked up.

            "Lighten up Seto," Mokuba frowned. "At least for once, you can enjoy the seasons and spirits of the holidays."

            "Who cares about Christmas anyway?" Kaiba snapped. "People tell you that there is a Santa Claus when it's just nothing but a guy with a pillow for his belly."

            Mokuba shook his head sadly leaving the classroom. "You just don't get it do you bro?"

            Meanwhile, Yami and Joey were on the other side of the classroom, leaning against the wall. Joey was munching on a bunch of grapes as they watched the two.

            "Kaiba," Yami started off. "With much distinction, Kaiba watched his childhood slowly unfold before his eyes. Years of age and distraught developed within this child. By the time of age 14, on his birthday, he had a special gift."

            "You know," Joey popped another grape into his mouth. "No offense but this fruit taste funny."

            Yami took a glance at the grapes in Joey's hand, then at the fruit bowl on the teacher's desk. "Say, you know that fruit is wax?"

            "Hmm." Joey looked over at the grapes in his hand. "Oh yeah, I was wondering why it tasted funny." He then spitted out the fruit.

            "Mr. Seto Kaiba," a stout, old man stepped in the classroom along with Kaiba's schoolteacher. He then turned to the skinny lady, nodding for her to leave. "Ah yes, a fine looking business man indeed. Your teacher has told me great things of you." He then patted his shoulder. "Yes, a fine man indeed. I believe we can give you an internship in a few weeks. Noah, our boss, has agreed that you would be fine addition to our company indeed."

            "Yes headmaster." Kaiba replied, nodding. "I will be very honored to work for Noah. Only, however, that if I were to be adopted, you will adopt my little brother Mokuba as well."

            "Fine, fine," the businessman nodded. "We'll see what we can do from here. Though I must warn you, Noah runs a rather successful toy company."

            "As long as me and my little brother get out of this hell hole then I wouldn't mind."

            Meanwhile, the older Kaiba looked on into his past, his childhood. "I…I don't believe it."

            "You must believe it." The spirit whispered softly, taking Kaiba's hand. "Come, there is much more to see."

            Kaiba looked back on his child self talking with the businessman before following the spirit into the light. Blinded for a moment, they reached the lobby of a hotel lobby.

            "Wait a minute," Kaiba's eyes widened with shock. "This place…"

            The ghost of Christmas past nodded. "Yes, this was the Christmas party your boss Noah threw." The spirit took Kaiba's hand as she led him to the ballroom where a hundred people or so gathered. There was Noah on stage addressing the guests, with a red wine in his hand.

            "So he goes like this," Noah had a silly grin on his face, his aqua hair a bit ruffled. "He decided to swim back to the shore from the island. And there he goes, eighteen, nineteen miles…the shore was right in his sight. Since like, you know, from the island to the shore is twenty miles apart. Finally, he says, "I'm to tired to go on.", so he turns back and swims back to the island."

            This sent the guests cracking up. One of them actually spat out their wine, laughing so hard. Kaiba recognized who that was.

            "That's…" he eyed the table on the front row. "That's me along with my business partners Tristan and Duke. And there's my boss Noah."

            The ghost nodded. "Something happened on this rather fateful Christmas Eve don't you think?"

            Yami and Joey were in the back dressed in waiter suits. Both had a glass of fruit punch in their hand as they watched the whole scene unfold.

            "Kaiba watched his past unfold on how he became a very successful businessman at such an age of 15. His life was business, his school was business…"

            "Heck," Joey interrupted, sipping on his juice. "His free time is business."

            Yami smiled up at Joey. "How did you know?"

            "I don't know." Joey shrugged. "When you know Kaiba well, everything about him is business."

            Kaiba slowly approached Noah with a white slip of paper in his hand as the dancing started. Most of the guys were dancing with their girlfriends and so forth while Noah talked with a girl about Kaiba's age.

            "Mr. Noah," Kaiba approached Noah. "I'm just worried about how much this party is gonna cost. I mean, check out how much the party's cost." He handed Noah the bill from the hotel manager.

            Noah's eyes glanced at the bill. He then laughed at Kaiba. "Oh c'mon Seto, this is Christmas time. Lighten up, the bill we be taken care of. Stop working and worrying and go enjoy yourself. Go meet new people. Oh," he then took a glance up at the tall brunette. "By the way, this is my stepsister Serenity. My mother married her father. Serenity, this is Seto Kaiba. One of my most top, trusted, and not to mention the youngest, associate of Tinker Toy Corporation.

            The young girl smiled at Kaiba as she was introduced to him. She wore a white strapless dress with diamonds on the bottom. A slit ran from her leg all the way to the bottom. "Hello there."

            Kaiba gently took Serenity's hand, kissing it, watching Serenity's face turning red with embarrassment. "It isn't often that I meet such a fine, divine creature such as yourself."

            "Well…" Serenity giggled. Suddenly, a slow song played from the speakers. She then looked up at Kaiba. "Would you mind having this dance?"

            Kaiba gave Serenity a soft smile, taking her hand. "I will be glad to." The two then made their way to the dance floor.

            "What?!?" Joey's mouth dropped open as he saw his own sister dancing with Kaiba. "No, Mr. Dickens, you must be mistaken. It can't be my sister with Kaiba. It just can't be!" his finger kept pointing at Kaiba and Serenity on the dance floor.

            "Well," Yami smiled nervously. "To tell the truth, it is your sister."

            "Say what?!?" Joey was stunned. "I thought she was out with her friends on Christmas Eve and now it turns out she snuck out of the house to join that dumb ass Noah and his business party." He clenched his fist. "Wait till I show him."

            "Whoa, easy Joey." Yami tried to hold his friend back from pounding on Kaiba. "You don't want to change the future with Noah and Kaiba hating you now would you?"

            "Kaiba hates everybody," Joey managed to restrain himself. "And Noah's a washed up pothole. Why did dad have to marry his mother is one thing."

            "How about just being glad that Kaiba and Mokuba were never adopted by Noah and his clan." Yami released his grip on Joey.

            "Yeah…I guess you got a point."

            "I just can't believe it." Kaiba stood there. The ghost of Christmas past stood right next to him removing its cloak. Kaiba looked up at the ghost for the first time, realizing it was a woman. Her black hair flowed to her waist as she smiled.

            "Boy, under that cloak and the mask is really hot. These are the things I will never get used to." Her phantom mask was in her hand.

            "Who are you?" Kaiba glared at her.

            The ghost looked down at Kaiba. "That depends. My name or who I am?"

            "Tell me your name woman!" Kaiba clenched his fist.

            "Arrogance runs in your blood, does it not Seto Kaiba? Very well, my name is Ishizu. That is all you need to know," she continued to look on at the dance floor. "Something else happened a year or two after that fateful meeting, has it not?"

            "No," Kaiba's eyes widened. "Please, don't show me that."

 But it was too late. The bright light surrounded them before they ended up in the park at a playground. Serenity was swinging on the swing set. The snow covered the ground, some have been falling. Her fingers wrapped around the chain links that connected to the swing.

            "Hey Serenity." A young Kaiba smiled, approaching her. He wore a long black jacket, black mittens and black shoes. The only article of clothing that wasn't black was his scarf, which was gray. He wore dark sunglasses, looking into the eyes of his girlfriend. "Sorry I'm late. You said you wanted to see me?"

            Serenity nodded weakly as she got off the swing. "Yes. You're late…"

            "I know," Kaiba frowned. "I'm so sorry," he planted a kiss on Serenity's cheek. "I got held up in the office again."

            Serenity looked up at the afternoon sky, a frown curled her lips. "It's our anniversary today."

            "I am so sorry that I forgot. But I did not forget your anniversary gift." He then reached into his pocket, taking out a small black box. Opening it, he revealed a small ring with a ruby on top. Taking it out, he then slipped the ring onto Serenity's finger. "Happy anniversary."

            Serenity gazed down at the ring with wonder, then up at Kaiba. Sadly, she took off the ring from her finger. "Seto, I…I've wanted to talk to you."

            "Huh?" Kaiba looked down at Serenity. "What's wrong?"

            Taking Kaiba's hand, Serenity pressed the ring back on his palm. "Seto, I…I don't think we should see each other anymore."

            "What?!?" Kaiba was actually stunned. "But…but why?"

            "It's just…you're always so busy with work. I appreciate that you're helping my stepbrother with his company and all but you never had any time for me. Within one year since we met, you've spent some time with me at least ten times." A single tear streaked down her face. "I'm very sorry Seto Kaiba." She then leaned forward, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek before brushing past him.

            "Serenity, wait!!" Kaiba tried to reach his arm out to her but she was too far away.

            Meanwhile, Joey and Yami watched the whole thing on the monkey bars. Joey was crying softly at the scene. Yami looked up at Joey for a long moment before wrapping his arm over Joey's shoulder. "Oh Joey. It's okay. There, there."

            Joey leaned against Yami. "I can't believe that actually happened. It's so sad."

            Kaiba watched his other self standing there, noticing that a single tear streaked down his face. His other self turned and walked in a different direction. Kaiba started to cry for a moment before whirling his head towards Ishizu. "Ishizu what gives?!? Why do you love to torture me so?!?"

            "I told you," Ishizu replied. "These are the things that have happened. They are what they are, do not blame me."

            "Leave me you vixen tramp!!" Kaiba yelled. His eyes then gazed back at the ground. Darkness surrounded him for a moment before he found himself back in his bedroom. Sitting on his bed, he buried his face in his hands crying softly.