YUGIOH

Eternal Darkness

Chapter 2.

Kaiba was waking up before the alarm even hit. He couldn't stand it anymore, it was just too bright in his room. He pealed himself up, and stumbled out of his room, heading down into the basement where his workout room was, as well as a den he never used, anymore. At the den, he closed himself in and collapsed on the couch.

Kaiba wasn't sure how much longer he slept, but was woken up when he heard the mansion pager activate and Mokuba's voice calling for him. His arm flailed up and hit the button, snapping, "What!"

"Seto....where are you? I've been looking all over for you, but I couldn't find you! Aren't you going to school today?" Mokuba asked.

There was a pause, as he blinked a couple times. There wasn't a bit of light in this room he was in....and yet he could see in here as clear as day. He didn't get it. And he was so tired, he felt like it was 3 in the morning. "What time is it?" He asked back.

"Seto....it's passed 9." Mokuba said.

His eyes widened. He rubbed his eyes, replying, "You should have called me sooner. I'll be up in a minute."

"Up? Oh....then you're downstairs. Were you working out?" Mokuba asked.

"Not exactly." Kaiba muttered.

Kaiba left his den, and headed to the stairs. As he opened the door, the bright light attacking him was painful, but he managed to pull himself out, anyway. In the kitchen, he fumbled for a pair of sunglasses....something he normally never wore, then headed for his room to get changed.

Mokuba was really worried, as he watched him. Finally, heading into his brother's bedroom after him, he called to him from the bathroom, "Seto....maybe you should stay home today. You don't look so well. Infact, you look really pale. Do you want some food? We got coffee made in the kitchen."

"No thanks, not hungry." Kaiba called back, from the shower he was taking in the pitch black room.

"Seto....you need to eat something." Mokuba cried to him.

Kaiba answered, "I'll be fine, Mokuba. I'll eat when I'm hungry. Now stop mothering me, already. You're late for school, yourself."

"Yes....'Dad'!" Mokuba spat back, and stomped away, trying not to act so worried, even if he was.

Kaiba left the shower, and looked in the mirror before looking down to get his razor. It clicked only a second later that he didn't see his reflection at all. Whipping his head back up, he clearly saw himself. 'Maybe I didn't get enough sleep.' He thought, rubbing his eyes.

He definitely looked like shit. His eyes looked blood shot, and he was pale white. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear 'he' had a drug addiction. Then again, he was still trying to figure out how he could see in the pitch black dark, as if the light was on.

The two brothers got ready, and left for school. During the trip, Kaiba was constantly covering his face like he had a headache, trying to save his eyes from killing him, even while the sunglasses were still on his face.

Mokuba sighed, saying, "You don't act like you're fine. What's with the sunglasses?"

"Eye strain." He muttered. "It's nothing serious."

Mokuba shook his head and turned away, knowing there was no convincing his brother when he was determined. 'He should have just stayed in bed. What's losing one day of work or school really going to hurt?'

Mokuba was dropped off at school, and the limo headed for Domino High. This was one of those times Kaiba was very grateful for having a limo available, so he didn't have to try and drive again. And fortunately, his car was moved out of the bushes from last night as well, so the limo had no problems getting through the driveway this morning.

He took his tardy note to the teacher, while on the phone arguing with the police on last night's incident, as he headed to his seat, hanging up the phone to try and pay attention to class. He had attempted to take off the glasses but it was too bright, so he kept them on, making the class give him all sorts of stares, and worried looks from Yugi.

It wasn't long before the teacher called him up to the front. "Mr. Kaiba, I'm sure you're aware that students are not allowed to wear sunglasses in class."

"I understand that, but there are extreme circumstances today, Ms. Finneran. If you'd like, I can give you the number of the police department....they're making out a report on last night's attack, as we speak." He answered.

"Attack?" She asked, curious.

Kaiba answered quietly, trying to keep his voice from prying ears from the students. "I was attacked last night."

"Oh....I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I'll let it go this time." She said. Kaiba returned to his seat, as the teacher continued their lesson.

By the end of class, the students were picking up and starting to leave the class. Kaiba had to fight to stay awake, barely finding the energy to do anything. He felt so lethargic, like he could sleep for a week. And there was something....something he kept smelling, that he couldn't quite catch. There was an odd scent in the air that smelled....good to him. He just wasn't sure what it was.

"Hey moneybags!" A cry suddenly snapped him back to reality, before he could doze off.

Not looking in their direction, he began to put his things away, muttering, "Get lost, Mutt. Now's not a good time."

"Kaiba....you don't look so well." Yugi said, observing Kaiba. "You look kind of pale."

"Yeah, like more pale than you normally look." Joey teased.

Tristan then joined in laughing, "Yeah, even more pale than Bakura."

Ryou now laughed along, and suddenly looked over at Tristan, saying, "Hey!"

"And why do you have a bandage on your neck?" Yugi asked, ignoring the others.

Though Kaiba had hoped the bandage would not be easily noticed under the school collar, it was large enough to still be seen on the left side of his neck. His hand unconsciously went to it, rubbing at the bandage, as he muttered, "If you must know, I was attacked....not that it's any of your business. Just make sure to keep it to yourselves, got it?"

"What, some cheerleader got too rough for ya?" Joey joked, resulting in Tea whacking Joey one in the shoulder for it.

"No." Kaiba muttered coldly at Joey. Then turning away, he added, "That psycho they're calling a vampire in the paper decided to target me last night."

"Damn....you can't be serious!" Tristan said.

Tea gasped. "Gods, it's a good thing you made it alive. Did they catch him?"

"No. He was loaded up on drugs or something, making his strength almost inhuman. I barely got him off of me." Kaiba answered. 'Why am I even talking to them?' He suddenly wondered, finally catching himself. He realized his tiredness must be getting to him.

"Damn....even with those Judo moves of yours?" Joey asked.

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts, and glared down at Joey. "I told you....he was on something. I kneed this guy in the crotch and he didn't even flinch." Kaiba then smirked at that, saying, "I bet he's feeling it this morning though, if he didn't overdose by now."

"Kaiba, that's serious....you shouldn't even be here. You should have stayed home and rest." Yugi said.

"I'm fine. I still have work after this. I'll rest when I get home." Kaiba said. Now glaring at them, he snapped, "Now if you geeks are done with the 30 questions, I have another class to go to."

They moved aside, letting Kaiba pass. But before he made it out, Joey suddenly asked, "Hey Kaiba....they showed all those guys he killed had bite marks on his neck. Did he get you, too?"

"You know Mutt, you really are as stupid as you look." Kaiba answered, and kept going.

"Hey! What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Joey snapped.

Tristan said, "Forget about him….you know Kaiba."

"He's really lucky." Yugi said with worry. "If he's the same person that attacked all those other people, then that would make Kaiba the only survivor from those attacks."

"Huh....yeah. It would figure if anyone would survive it, Kaiba would. Nutt'n seems to get him down." Joey said.

Yugi still looked worried, though. "I don't know. He doesn't look very well, at all. And Yami said he sensed something strange about him."

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After 2 more classes, Kaiba was feeling even worst. He began to phase out, almost like tunnel vision. He was hearing the teacher, but it sounded strange....she was so clear and yet sounded like she was down a very long hallway. He could see every movement from the students, every noise they made, every whisper they muttered....it was maddening! The light was still terribly bright, and that smell was becoming stronger, while he was becoming weaker. And there was a whispering that also began to run through his head. It was whispering his name, Seto....Seto....Seto....

"Mr. Kaiba!"

He jerked his head up, realizing he must have fallen asleep. The teacher that had just yelled his name, asked, "Mr. Kaiba, is my class so uninteresting today?"

Kaiba answered tiredly, "My apologies Mr. McCaffery, I'm not feeling well today. May I be excused?"

"Fine, head to the nurse, then." He said, and continued class.

Kaiba realized he just couldn't do it, anymore....he had to get out of here. He didn't hear Yugi ask to go to the bathroom either, as he packed up and walked out of the room.

Kaiba had already left the school and was almost at the limo before Yugi could catch up enough with him to get his attention. "Kaiba, wait!"

Kaiba turned to see Yugi run over, gasping for air. He could hear every beat Yugi's heart was making. "What is it, Yugi?"

"I'm....sorry....I....need....talk...." Yugi muttered, catching his breath.

Kaiba waited for Yugi to recover, before he finally said to Kaiba, "Sorry. I wanted to tell you that Yami sensed something strange from you."

"Yami?" Kaiba asked.

"Yeah, you know....the 'other' Yugi." Yugi said.

Kaiba sighed. "Great. Now you're starting to name your personalities."

Yugi didn't look happy, but didn't want to argue. On the other hand, Yami was ready to come out. As the Millennium Item glowed, he transformed....becoming Yami.

"Kaiba!" Yami snapped, "You need to listen to this....it's very important!"

"And you're very over-dramatic. If you don't mind, I'm not feeling well, right now. Tell me how you need to save the world later, all right?" Kaiba asked, tiredly.

"This is serious!" Yami stated. "There is something very unusual about you, today. Kaiba....there is some kind of 'evil' aura that I am sensing around you."

Kaiba gave him a 'you got to be kidding me' glare for almost a solid minute, before replying, "Yugi....did you ever think that maybe, just maybe....I'm not a very nice person? You just managed to pick this 'aura' up from me, 'now'??"

Yami gave Kaiba his 'I know everything' stare-down, even though he was looking up at him, which Kaiba never understand how he did that.

Yami then stated, "You must know that's not true. No matter what you might have convinced yourself that you are, I can tell you for a fact that you are not evil. This aura was never on you before. There's something wrong, Kaiba. Perhaps this man that attacked you possessed some kind of magic." There was a pause, before Yami added, "Kaiba....?"

While Yami was rambling on about as far as Kaiba can figure probably more 'heart of the cards' speeches, that smell he had been smelling all day was back again, surrounding Yami.

Kaiba had been approaching his face closer to Yami, unconsciously smelling that sweet scent, as Yami was talking. Now that Yami accented his name, he snapped out of it, realizing he was inches from Yami's own face.

Kaiba immediately backed away in surprise, before composing himself. Quickly returning his face of dis-interest, he said, "Whatever, Yugi....go preach to someone who cares."

Before Yami could mutter another word, he got in the limo and took off.

Kaiba called Mokuba and told him he was going home to rest, much to Mokuba's delight.