IT'S RENOVATION TIME PEOPLE! In other words, I'm re-vamping this fic! though the whole plot will remain, you'll only find some… uh… quirks amuck the chapters!
Disclaimer on everything that I don't own!
Betrayal and Regrets,
By Winterwing3000
"T-Téa! Behind you!" Shizuka uttered, pointed frighteningly the bottom of the door where a mystical yellow glow was coming through. Feeling a little tingling sensation behind, the brunette dancer quickly scrambled towards the other two girls.
The redhead was trembling slightly in Mai's arms. "W-what's happening?"
VHROM!
"YAA! Where tha heck are we!" Joey said, jumping out of his shoes (though not literally). They were standing in the air… well, floating actually.
Below them were Egyptian priests and guards hanging around an arena where a game of giant tablets was being raised from the ground from their commands.
"Hey, Ryou, doesn't this look kinda familiar to you?" Tristan said suspiciously, rubbing his chin with squinted eyes, as if he were recalling a memory that was faint.
"You mean the dream I had in Duelist Kingdom with these people wearing purple cloaks? Very much mate." Ryou said, shuddering. "You guys, I think we're in the past… judging from the ancient ruins and those people dueling with stone carvings." Yugi exclaimed.
"Wait… if we're in the past, then won't we change history?" Duke asked dumbly, still not really grasping the concept of the Millennium Items.
"Nah, it ain't gonna work that way. We're just… er… by standas in this past thingy, right Yug?" Joey turned to face his short friend.
Nodding affirmatively, Yugi turned and looked at Kaiba. Seto's expression was unfazed but surprise shone in his eyes. "Kaiba… you still think this is nonsense don't you. After all the things that you saw and experience with the Millennium Items, even after Ishizu showed you your past. You still think this is illusion and trickery?"
"Listen Yugi and you geeks. You know very well that there is no such thing as magic. As for your crazy Millennium crap and my past…"
"WWWWWWAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIII! HHHHEEEEEEELLLLPPPPPPPP!" Three desperate cries came from the boys' left and they saw three girls holding onto each other for dear life.
"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" they wailed.
The boys, with the exception of Seto, were sweat-dropping as they watched the girls shook their arms in panic.
"Ah… guys… hi?" Yugi said, waving to the girls.
"HUH! YUGI! YOU'RE FLOATING IN THE AIR?" They chorused. "Um… yeah… we're in a flashback of the past… so we're kinda not here in real life… but just watching I guess you could say…" He nervously explained, then fixed his attention to his surroundings as it changed from a throne room arena to the outside deserts.
There was a sound of pounding hoofs drawing closer and closer to them. Then a boy appeared riding a brown horse, roughly around the age of mid teen, galloping and jumping over gaps of a slope-y terrain of the desert in the night.
His dark brown hair was unkept and brushed over his eyes, his skin was also a color of bronze yellow from the heated sun. He was donned in a simple peasant's garment and his feet were bound by white cloth. If you peered closely, you could see the dark blue eyes shining with determination and adrenaline.
"Hey, Tristan, doesn't that kinda look like Kaiba?" Joey whispered to his buddy. "Yeah it kinda does. The resemblance is corny." Tristan whispered back.
As the boy jumped off his steed, they saw that he had found a small campsite with a large caged wagon. Sneakily and cunningly, the Seto-look-alike went close to the cage and inside there was a…
Human girl!
But the unusual thing about her was her silver hair and palest complexion that was merged with bright blue eyes, which very much are identical to Téa's. Quietly, the brunette boy unlocked the cage and whispered urgently, "Come on Kisara." and only to be caught by one of the campers.
"You boy! What do you think you're going with her!" the man pointed accusingly at him, started charging at Seto's mirrored. The brunette boy flipped him over his shoulder and dragged the girl with him to the horse.
The boy sat in front of the girl and asked, "Are they following?"
The girl shook her head. "No."
"I want you to take this horse and go far away from here. Don't come back, okay?" The boy said, jumping off the horse and running next to it.
He slapped the rear end of the steed and watched as the unnatural girl ride off. "Thank you sir…"
"Seto!"
"Thank you Seto! Thank you Seto!"
Their spectators stood there, perplexed and started looking at Seto Kaiba for answers. "Why are you looking at me? I have nothing to do with that!" The original snarled.
Then another golden light flashed before their eyes, blinding them momentarily until they heard a weird chanting. Relieving themselves of the light, they saw the girl…Kisara on a mattress with a circle drawn around it.
The only difference about her was that she looked older and thinner. Candles were lit and an unpleasing atmosphere was leveled into that small room. A grotesque figure that looked like the monster, Relinquish, was speaking in alien.
The blue head of a spirit rose from within Kisara. Soon, it was drawn out. The majestic Blue Eyes White Dragon came out of her body and molded with the Relinquish phantom.
As it was finished, the door snapped open and a priest carrying the Millennium Rod barged in, staring at the girl with horror in his eyes. "KISARA!" He roared.
VHROM!
The darkness soon engulfed them and the place was eerily silent.
"What happened… to that girl big brother?" Serenity asked, terror in her eyes as she tightened her grip on her brother's arm.
"I… I don't know… what did happen Yug? And why the heck is Kaiba in that thing?" Joey said, asking Yugi for some clarification.
"I don't know either Joey. But I think that man with the Rod was… Kaiba's incarnation." The king of Games was hesitant. Seto himself looked speechless. That wasn't him. There wasn't such thing as magic… but the dragon, his Blue Eyes. How was it in that girl? And why the hell does it seem to affect his past self? If that man was even his past self, how could it be possible?
An image started to form in front of them. A large white building with multiple windows, which were mostly blackened, stood in front of the gang. Only a few of the some hundred windows were lit. Ambulances and cars were parked in the front door and some nurses and doctors were coming out or in of the building. Soon, they yanked into one of the corridors near the ER room.
"Um… guys… I don't think we're um… in Egypt anymore." Téa pointed out, since the large white scenery took its place. "It looks like we're in our time. And I think we're…"
"In the hospital…" Mai said, eyes turning to the brunette girl.
Everyone was silent until they were brought in front of a room where they could hear shrill cries of an infant. Their future selves were gathered in front of a bed and the one holding the tiny bundle was… Téa!
The brunette dancer gasped, eyes widened. Was this… her future when… her child was… born! No… it couldn't be. It can't be. They… her friends… they can't know this yet. She wanted to tell them personally! Not from seeing this… this isn't right! It was her only se—
"Téa, whatcha gonna call her?" the blond asked. The girl that was sitting up on the bed, cradling the now presumed baby girl, smiled lightly at her friend before replying.
"I-I don't know. But I'm sure that she would connect me with her father. Like a thread… Meimyaku… the thread of life." The young mother's voice started to get raspy as tiny droplets fell onto her hospital gown.
"Forget Kaiba! That son of a bitch just left you when he knew!" Tristan retorted.
"Tristan!" Serenity scolded. "Don't listen to them Téa. Even though Kaiba act like he doesn't care about you or his child, I know that in the inside, he is wishing for you to be by him. He is paying the bills for most of the things, isn't he? He's watching you and Meimyaku in the shadows. Like you always say. Don't give up hope. And hope would bring miracles to the world, like this little girl."
"Thanks Serenity." The brunette girl sniffed and gave everyone in the room a teary smile.
The Item that Yugi was holding glimmered once more and took them back to the present, leaving everyone in their thoughts until they turned to look at Téa. Her eyes were glazed with tears and they slowly traveled down her cheeks. "Téa?" Yugi asked hesitantly. The girl fell onto the couch behind her and bowed her head, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Téa wailed, covering her face with her palms. Mai and Serenity tried to comfort the weeping girl while the boys were still perplexed of what they were just told. There were just too many things going on with their friend, too many secrets that she had kept from them. It made them feel… sad. They were disappointed that Téa didn't let them feel trustworthy. Sure they might be against some of the things at first, but they could look it at her point of view and sort things out. But this was just too much.
She was pregnant with a child belonging to the first person on their hate list; she was with Seto Kaiba's kid. This felt like betrayal to all of them, like she was no longer on their side, but as if she were siding with Kaiba. Joey was looking at his friend to the other guys. They were shocked and things felt unjust in the room.
"Téa…" The ex-gangster stared at the brunette dancer. "I'm s-so sorry guys… I-I wanted to tell you… but I-I just couldn't think of the way you would react. You guys probably hate me. But I-I just didn't want to be abandoned by you guys. I have no more family and now that you hate me… I have nothing left." sobs racked Téa's body. Yugi walked over to his long childhood friend and hugged her tight. Soon Tristan, Joey, Duke and Ryou joined the embrace.
"It's gonna be okay Téa. If you tell us, we would understand, at least learn to understand it…" Ryou said awkwardly, trying to comfort the girl. "But now people are trying to kill her and then do something with the kid." Duke pointed out, only to receive glares from the girls, excluding Téa.
"That's true. But we could protect Téa from being kidnapped!" Tristan argued. "Either way, we can't let anything happen to Téa." Yugi said. "Bu-but what c-can I do? I can't k-keep hiding from them f-forever! Sooner or l-later, th-they're gonna try and take b-both me and the kid." The dancer said, hiccupping every so often as her crying slowed.
"Then get an abortion." A cold voice sliced through their traumatic thoughts. Everyone turned to look at the CEO, who was glaring down at the wretched Téa.
"Wh-what?" The girl said, lifting her face off of her hands. "Need I repeat myself?" Seto said, narrowing his eyes at her.
"What tha hell Kaiba! It's ya kid! And now ya just wanna kill it? How cruel are ya!" Joey exclaimed rising from the embrace. By now, warm tears leaked out of her stormy blue eyes and Téa turned to burry her face in Yugi's shoulder.
"This doesn't concern you, mutt. It's between me and Gardner." Gardner… he's back to last name terms with me… Téa thought distraughtly. The thought made her cry harder and Mai rubbed her back softly, telling her that they were there for her. Serenity's eyes started tearing as well. She couldn't bear to see her best friend cry like this.
"It does concern me! It's my friend ya talkin' 'bout asshole! Ya think ya could just tell ha what ta do? She ain't ya slave, Kaiba! She's tryin' ta save ya kid! YA KID!" Joey snapped at him angrily, stepping up to the brunette boy.
"What I tell her to do is none of your business Wheeler." Seto snarled at him, only to receive a blow on the jaw. The amber hair girl let out a small hoarse scream when her brother threw a punch squarely at Kaiba's face. Tristan and Duke immediately stood up and tried to hold back Joey while Seto regained his composure and wiped the trail of blood that came down from this lips.
"Get a hold of yourself man! Remember, we have to help Téa." Tristan said, struggling to securely lock Joey.
"I will once I knock some sense in ta that bastard! Thinkin' that Téa's his slave or somethin'." The blond boy gritted, fighting the holds against him.
"Guys, stop this fighting! Can't you see it's only going to make it harder for Téa?" Mai said, raising her voice over the arguments.
The boys all turned their attention on the weeping girl, hearts dropping at the terrible state that she was in. Seto, however, turned his face to the wall, feeling a pit of disgrace in his stomach as well as sadness. When Joey felt the grips on him slackened, he quickly jumped at Seto, fists raised.
The two sober girls were now letting out small screams and the guys stood protectively over them as the fistfight broke out in the small room.
Yugi was silently thanking the gods that his grandfather had decided to close the shop for a few days while visiting his friend, Professor Hawkins in the Mediterranean archeological dig site and not seeing what was currently happening at his store.
Punches were exchanged and so were kicks. Joey, having more experience from street fights during a young age, slyly tricked Seto into thinking that he was aiming for his face. Instinct reflexes came to life and the brunette covered his face but fell down on the ground, the wind knocked out of him.
Joey, thinking that it was over, was about to turn around before he also landed on the floor, face first.
"NO! STOP! … PLEASE STOP…!" Téa shouted covering her ears as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm not worth it… it's not worth it Joey. If… Kaiba doesn't want anything to do with … this… then… just let him go. I'm the one to be blamed. If I hadn't kept so many things from everyone… we would all still be happy. Everyone would be living like they should be… without a selfish girl like me… so please… stop. I don't want this to happen to us. I just don't want to see you guys get hurt anymore…" The girl was now curled into a ball, leaning on Serenity and Mai.
"I-I think I shouldn't see you anymore. It's for the best, Se-Kaiba, for the both of us…" Téa stuttered and sighed inwardly, looking away from the boy.
"Hn. I'll have your things packed by tomorrow." Seto said nonchalantly, walking out the door and into the gloomy night. By then, the tears that welled up in her eyes were flowing down her cheeks as Téa painfully watches the CEO walking out of her life.
There was only that one thing that kept them apart and it would've been safe, but the fates hated her… they seemed to find her life a particular puzzle. But, Téa didn't feel ready to leave him just yet. She needed him, however, he didn't need her. Why would he? He has all the fame, the glory, and the women that threw themselves at his feet for him.
Téa's heart fluttered with sadness a longing. She didn't care if he pushes her one last time; all she wanted to do was be with him for a little longer. Undecidedly, she ran after him. Her friends went after her, thinking that she was going to do something stupid. Téa saw his shadow, walking down the street towards the curb and stood underneath a lamppost.
"Kaiba!" Her hoarse voice echoed lightly through the streets.
Seto turned to look at the girl with a cold look and slipped his cell phone back into his pockets. When Téa finally reached him she saw the icy cold look. That look had enough power to make a person feel weak and useless, and that's exactly what she felt.
Téa tried to talk to him but as soon as she opened her mouth, Seto shot her a glare, silencing her. By the time everyone else had caught up it was like the worlds most fatal stare down between Seto and Téa.
No one spoke for a long while, but as soon as Joey was about to break the silence Seto's limo pulled up. "Your things would be at Moto's by dawn."
The brunette girl watch woefully as the black car slid out of the curb and into the dark street. Téa fell to her knees, crystal-lined eyes watching the road and the dust that the limo left behind. Crushed by the pressure and worn out tonight's commotion, her world went black.
AN: I DECLARE TO YOU THAT THIS CHAPTER IS FINISHED! AFTER ALL THIS TIME (a month and twenty-six days to be exact), MY READERS, IT'S HERE! MOST APPRECIATION TO NIGHTBRINGER3000 AND YamiYugi12128! And you reviewers too! For being encouraging and supportive of my fanfiction! You guys are my inspiration! AND I'M SOO SORRY ABOUT THE SHORTNESS OF THIS CHAPTER! It's supposed to be angst-y… but I can't type it… it make me cry… so I had to force it out of me… that makes this chapter a forced one. Anywho, review what you think of this chapter. The next chapter would be started around my November vacation (three weeks) so I'm terribly sorry that I'm making you guys wait so long! And HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2004 TO EVERYONE! MAY YOU GET A GOOD SCARE!
P.S. I'm sorry if I'm not totally correct with the ancient past. After all, in the US, we're only in the Doom Org. So we're not even close to the past or revealing the powers of Atemu/Yami.