A/N: To be honest, I never thought that this fic, or anything I wrote for that matter, would ever gain any degree of popularity. My first attempts at writing fanfics were pretty weak, and I decided to can them last summer. I came back during the fall with a Teen Titans fic and a Street Fighter fic, and as of now have left both unfinished. Then…as the coolness of winter set in, I decided to try my hand at some YGO fics…. and I finally found an audience. You people have supported me when very few others have, whether it's writing or anything else I'm going through. I don't know what else to say except THANK YOU for your praise and your criticisms, your coolness or your craziness, and just for being you. I haven't hit triple digits in the review column yet…but I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this fic so far…
The Broken BowAnime Ruthless
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The Future Mrs. Kaiba
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Seto KaibaX (who still holds the shortest review on record)
So…whether you have reviewed every chapter since the beginning, or you read and review every once in a while, or if you just come in to stop by and leave a little note of encouragement…thanks.
I love all y'all.
NOW ON WITH THE DAMN FIC!
Chapter 21: Life Goes On
Nathan Colby was tired. He had just coached a basketball game little more than ten hours ago, suspended one of his players, went on a speeding binge around town trying to find his star player to tell him that said suspended player was in the hospital, and he had to find a way to console his players and tell them that everything would be alright. He hadn't even had time to think about sleep, much less attain it. He sat down near a table full of magazines, next to Yami Mutou…Yugi's twin brother.
"How's he doing?"
Yami looked over at his coach, his face pale and tear-stained. "He'll live…at least that's what the doctor told me."
"I see…you know, I was in a situation much like yourself. Almost fifteen years ago. I had a brother, William Michael Colby…heh; everybody called him Mike because he hated his first name. Well, he was a star athlete when we were in high school, he was 18, and I was 17. I skipped a grade when I was younger, so I was able to catch up with him academically, but never athletically. He did things on a football field that no mortal man will probably ever do again."
Nathan picked up one of the magazines, smiling slightly, and continued."
"Anyway, we had beaten our hated rivals in a big-time football game that night…and he went out to party afterwards…I was with my girlfriend when I heard. A guy driving an 18-wheeler fell asleep at the wheel and hit him head on…he didn't stand a chance in hell."
Yami didn't notice that the coach had put the magazine over his face to hide the tears that were coming down.
"First I didn't believe it. You know, they say denial comes first. Then I saw the body…or what was left of it. Then I knew Mike wouldn't come home again. He wouldn't be there to tease me about my girlfriend anymore. He wouldn't be there at football practice, helping me work on my mechanics. He wouldn't be at our graduation to receive his diploma and accept his scholarship to LSU. He wouldn't be there to grow old with me. But…as it does when anyone passes away…life goes on. Hell, I remember, we had a football playoff game four days after my brother's funeral…"
Flashback
1992 Louisiana High School Football Playoffs
Glenmora High vs. John Curtis
Allister takes a knee, and that will do it. The John Curtis Patriots have defeated Glenmora High 21-10 to advance to the second round of the state football playoffs.
End of Flashback
"You have to move on…as much as you might not want to, as much as you want to change things, you have to move on. I felt so empty when, for the first time, I put on my football uniform without my brother sharing the locker next to mine. The hurt came back when basketball season, when I did the same thing for basketball. It was like a part of me died. Um…I know this doesn't have anything to do with your brother, but I just wanted to say this: take advantage of this opportunity God has given you to mend your relationship with him. If you don't help him, I promise you you'll live to regret it."
By this time, Yami himself was in tears, stunned into silence.
"I'm going to bed…just remember what I said, OK?"
Nathan got up from his seat and walked away, unaware that someone had heard the entire conversation, and was in tears as well.
Ishizu had heard everything.
Meanwhile…"So…how did it end?" Serenity asked, hugging on to her semi-boyfriend.
"You should know, you were there weren't you?"
"Yeah…but I want to hear your version of things."
Back to the past…2003 New York High School Basketball Championship
15 seconds to go…Domino East leading 78-75, Mokuba Kaiba dribbling the ball down the sideline…he passes to his brother Seto on the wing…finds Smith at the top of the key…three pointer for the tie? YES! We are tied at 78…the Cougars will inbound the ball, no timeout. Devlin…blazing by defenders passes to Yami Mutou…He pump fakes, shoots, no good…WHEELER TIPPED IT IN! JOEY WHEELER WITH THE TIP IN AT THE BUZZER GIVES DOMINO EAST THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! I DO NOT BELIEVE IT!
End of Flashback….
Back in the present….
"So…is that why you hated my brother? Because he tipped in the winning shot?"
Kaiba put on his trademark smirk once again. "No…it's because he made me question myself as an athlete. All my life I had been trained to excel at two things: running a corporation and playing basketball. Wheeler made me question myself, and my beliefs. He pushed me to a level I had never been pushed before in my life. Did I want to play this game? Did I actually enjoy doing it? Why was I doing it? He made me look into my soul and ponder if I was doing what I wanted to do with my life. At the time, I guess I was angry at him for it."
"Have you found it?" Kaiba noticed that her beautiful brown eyes were looking up at him, looking for an answer.
"Maybe, maybe not."
They didn't know it, but Joey had heard everything.
Meanwhile…"I swear Keith, if I find out that you had anything to do with Yugi-boy's little accident tonight, I promise you that you will see my REAL nasty side!"
Pegasus slammed the phone down, his anger fuming towards his assistant.
Damn that fool! I have enough problems with Odieon and the damn FBI breathing down my neck with these investigations…maybe a nice glass of wine will help me unwind…
As Pegasus sipped on his $500 wine, he pondered whether or not to proceed with the next step of his plan.
Several Days Later…Well…at halftime we still have a basketball game on our hands here at the Domino Dome, Domino City leads Navy, but the lead is only one, 33-32. We'll be back on the Domino City Radio Network with our halftime show after this…
Life goes on, but will it ever be the same?
Not a long chapter…but not too short I guess. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next time, with the mailbox and Dragon's Lair back in full swing.
BDB…out.