Please Read and Review. And thanks to all the people who have taken the time to let me know what you think about the story. I really appreciate it.
MANGA NOTE: Yami and Kaiba's first Shadow Game: Kaiba steals Sugoroku's BEWD from Yugi. Yami challenges Kaiba to a Shadow Game to get it back, promising Kaiba that the loser will experience death. Yami wins when Kaiba plays the BEWD. The dragon is torn between obeying Kaiba's order and it's loyalty to Sugoroku and destroys itself. As part of the penalty game, Kaiba is sealed in a Duel Monsters card, which lands him in the monsters' world where he gets killed by the duel monsters. He relives this experience through his nightmares, at least until Death-T.
TITLE NOTE: Well, I'm back borrowing fanfiction titles from my friends. Stealing Sweet Dreams is a Gundan Wing fanfic by Kagemihari. She's written some great Yami and Seto stories, too. My favorite is probably 'Winding Road'. But Kagi can get me to read fanfics in fandoms I've never heard of. So check her out – but be warned – you might find yourself heading to the bookstore to check out Gravitation or Descendents of Darkness (Yami no Matseui.)
CHAPTER 33: STEALING SWEET DREAMSMOKUBA'S POV
I was used to the speed with which my brother executed his decisions. Oniichan had come home shaken, the previous night. He had done something rare, for him – he had come up to me and hugged me. I could feel him shivering. I knew if he spoke it would be to apologize.
"Whatever it is, it's okay." I said first. It was kind of nice to be able to whisper in his ear without him having to stoop down.
"You don't know what I almost did…"
Luckily I had five years more practice with this mood than he had.
"Almost doesn't count. Whatever it was, you didn't do it. That's all that matters," I told him firmly.
"You should hate me."
"I love you. I'll always love you."
He flushed, but I could see he liked hearing that. It was another difference.
"I need to talk to Kaiba," he said as he left the room. I was thoughtful. Nisama had five years more experience, too. I just hoped he had learned some patience with himself along the way.
The next morning we were all on our way to Egypt to retrieve some Sennen Items. We met at the Museum of Cairo. Although his sister was the curator, I didn't see any sign of Malik. After Yami had banished the Malik created by the Rod (or whatever the hell he was) Malik had seemed to snap back to being a regular guy… of course, the 'regular guy' version had tried to hurt or kill everyone in the room. Since you could say the same about Nisama and me, I wasn't about to throw stones – but that doesn't mean I was buying the sudden switcheroo from homicidal maniac to one-of-the-gang, either. I mean everyone knows that 'Change of Heart' might be a powerful card, but it only lasts one turn. And Nisama had taught me that a real change of heart takes a lot of your own.
Maybe Isis agreed with me. We were there for the Rod. Maybe that's why she had left Malik at home.
Isis had given Nisama the God card he had held so briefly, the one he had rejected for his dragons the one time they had dueled. They hadn't talked since Alcatraz… since the day Nisama had thrown his 'Devil's Sanctuary' card to Yami. He had told Isis that he was doing it to show her that miracles didn't happen, that friendship didn't exist. Then Nisama had stood there waiting for Yami to prove his words a lie.
Nisama and Isis had been allies. They had been rivals. Now he stood in her museum, back in his Battle City gear, scowling down at her. I don't think they exchanged five words all day. Isis was smart enough to see that, for whatever reason, Nisama was doing what she wanted; she was smart enough not to talk through a sale. My brother's non-responsiveness was, as usual, more complicated. She annoyed him. It was more than her habit of spouting what Nisama termed, "superstitious mumbo-jumbo." She had failed one of his two basic tests – and it wasn't her skills as a duelist that were lacking. The only thing she had ever done that he approved of was to be willing to die with her brother. And he considered even that to be too little, too late.
"He's usually marginally politer… at least to women." Yami said.
I knew he would find it funny, so I answered, "He thinks she's a really lousy big sister."
At his look of surprise I added, "Well, you don't see any weird hieroglyphs carved into my back, do you? And let's face it, if Malik had Nisama as a brother, he wouldn't have needed a psycho alter ego."
I was rewarded by Yami's laugh. Not too many people find my brother's particular form of insanity entertaining. I was glad he didn't answer though, because he couldn't agree with me without admitting my brother was crazy. We both knew it was true, but I was glad he wouldn't say so out loud… even to me.
YAMI'S POVIsis opened the door to the long hallway that led to the items. But as we stepped into the room, the mists of the Shadow Realm closed around us. Then the monsters appeared. The first was the Battle Ox. For once, Kaiba seemed to have forgotten about his deck. He ran forward, saying with a lunatic grin, "I've had a lot of practice with this one,"
"Nisama!" Mokuba yelled, and started forward, only to be tackled by Seto. "Let me go! I have to stop him!" Mokuba insisted.
"You can't stop him. You know that. Right now, you can only distract him."
Mokuba nodded. As they stood up, Seto hugged his brother, saying "It'll be okay. He'll be fine." Although they were the same age, Mokuba relaxed at his words.
Kaiba had almost reached the Battle Ox. The monsters were the same as in the nightmare I forced on him after our first Shadow Game. Only Kaiba's reaction was different. It was so swift and sure that I knew only many nights of practice… of replaying the scene in his mind over and over after waking up in a cold sweat… could have made his movements so fluid.
Kaiba sprang forward, and the force of his leap pushed the Battle Ox's axe backwards, severing the monster's jugular. Spraying Kaiba, as must have happened hundreds of times in his imagination, with its dying blood.
Following the path of his dream, of the nightmare Shadi had witnessed and described to us, Kaiba swiftly decapitated the Hitosame Giant; then halved my poor Mystical Elf as she knelt and chanted. He was picking up speed with each monster he destroyed. This time he was ready for the Luster Dragon, swinging the axe to cut off her outstretched paw, talons and all; then burying the blade in her chest as she fell forward with a keening wail.
He managed to free his weapon just as Gaia, the Fierce Knight bore down on him. For a moment Kaiba was lost under his hooves, disappearing in a cloud of dust and sand. I gasped, expecting to see his mangled body, but it was clear that this was part of Kaiba's strategy when his blade flashed upwards, striking the horse's soft underbelly. The animal gave an almost human cry as it fell.
I stood there, stunned by the speed and ferocity of the battle – and by Kaiba's evident enjoyment—as Kaiba rolled away from the dying animal, and plunged the axe into the Gaia's back. He left it there quivering, as he grabbed Gaia's lance. Swinging it over his head, and moving almost faster than sight, he spun to thrust it home through Summon Skull's eye socket. I could hear Kaiba's harsh breaths as he yanked it free just in time to fend off the Wicked Worm Beast. The monster's tentacles slithered forward, as it reached for the weapon. Kaiba didn't struggle for possession. He pushed it towards the beast, buying enough time to grab the second lance from Gaia's lifeless hand, and throw. His aim was true. The point sailed straight through the monster's heart.
Throughout the entire violent skirmish, Kaiba had moved with a terrible lethal beauty that reminded me of his video game avatar, of the Elven warrior, Ninquiloce – except Kaiba was faster, and far more graceful.
Kaiba retrieved the lance and swung it lightly over his head, as I had seen him swing his Bo Staff. He turned to face us. He was bloody, disheveled… and laughing. "I guess practice really does make perfect," he smirked.
As usual, he had turned a moment too soon. I don't think anything could cure Kaiba of the habit of gloating before the duel was truly over.
The Wicked Worm Beast had been the final monster in his dream. It had not occurred to Kaiba that Akunadin might have other plans. Bicurbox, the monster Pegasus had used to steal his soul, popped up behind him, scythe in hand. I drew a card from my own deck, hoping it would be as real as Akunadin's monsters. The Dark Magician sprang to life, his staff pointed at the monster looming behind my Ryuujin. I hoped Kaiba would understand that my demon was there to help him, not to deliver the final blow. Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he took in the Dark Magician's threatening posture; he was still unaware of the danger at his back. Kaiba held Gaia's lance in his hand. Now, as he faced my faithful servant, his arm cocked back to throw. But Kaiba hesitated, unwilling to destroy my soul card. He looked past my Dark Magician; looked into my eyes. Suddenly his own eyes widened and he dropped to the floor; allowing my Dark Magician to fire at Bickubox, destroying his final adversary.
Kaiba turned to look at the remains, which along with the other monsters, was fast dissolving into nothingness, although their blood still stained his face and clothes.
"Your… Dark… Magician…" he stammered, as if being saved had shaken him more than almost being killed.
"Yes." I answered. "He protected you. He always has, and he always will. You don't have to leap forward alone, any more."
"But it was my nightmare," he said, confused; before adding: "It wasn't even the worst. Are you really proposing to share those, too?"
"If necessary." I kissed his bloody face. " Now do you begin to understand? I will stand by your side, whatever we face. I promise."
"What I'll never understand is why," he replied with equal fierceness, before kissing me swiftly in return.
His arm was still resting on my shoulder, his hand was still knotted in my hair, as he turned to the open-mouthed group behind us, and said, "What the hell are you all standing there for? The way seems to be clear for now."
Shadi was waiting for us inside the next room. I heard Kaiba growl at my side. I was glad that the lance had disappeared, since he looked like he wanted to test Shadi's solidity once more. But my former servant surprised me. Instead of handing the Eye and the Rod to Kaiba or even Seto, Shadi offered them to me.
"I thought they belonged to Kaiba?" I asked.
"The moment Seto – either Seto – touches them, Akunadin will be aware of it. He may come after them swiftly." He turned to Kaiba, and said, "Do not claim them until you are ready."
But it was Seto who answered Shadi, rolling his eyes as he said: "Don't sweat it, Wonder Boy. You mean to tell me you've been studying this guy for 3,000 years and you still don't have a clue how he thinks? What an asshole."
It was unclear if he was talking about Akunadin or Shadi.
"Akunadin thinks he's got me in his back pocket – that is if he had a back pocket in that get-up of his," Seto continued. "So he's not going to do anything stupid until he's had a chance to talk to me. And luckily he's used to waiting."
Shadi sighed. "Do not be so overconfident. It is always a mistake to underestimate your enemies."
Seto flared at that. "Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do? You may think you know me, but you don't know shit."
Unexpectedly, Shadi smiled at that. "Perhaps not… but there are some moods I remember very well.
Shadi turned back to me and bowed. "I will rejoin you when you are ready to transfer possession of the items."
As usual, he disappeared.
KAIBA'S POV"At least that explains why it was so easy for us to get to the damn things. Akunadin wants us to have them." I pointed out.
"Easy?" Isis asked.
"Kaiba is right. This was just a feint. The Shadow Realm can be much more perilous," Yami agreed.
"Anyway, the main point is – when he comes after us, I want to have home field advantage. It's time to go back to Domino." I added.
"You don't mean right now?" Isis asked. "You can't go anywhere in your condition. You need to rest." She wrinkled her nose, "Not to mention clean clothes. You should come back and relax while we find you something to wear."
I could hear Mokuba and Yami whispering behind me. When had they gotten so chummy?
"I wish she'd lay off the big sister routine," Mokuba complained. "She should remember – he's an older sibling too. She couldn't have said anything more likely to get him behind the controls of that plane, probably still in that bloody coat."
I could feel Yami smirking behind my back.
"For someone whose moves are erratic enough to defeat destiny, sometimes he's remarkably easy to predict," Yami replied.
Good.
Just what I wanted them to think.
Of course I was getting behind the controls of my plane. I loved being in the air… soaring… free… as if I was melding into the plane's body – becoming part of its power and speed. As if I could outrun myself. As if I could chase down my dreams.
I thought of my recent flights. If Mokuba hadn't been in the plane, I would have loved the flight after my duel with Amelda. Engines screaming, the earth rushing up to meet me… the jet powered by my dragons (for in the end, weren't all dragons mine?)… every nerve straining to bring us home.
I had never confessed to anyone so fanciful a notion – but it was in the air that I felt closest to my dragons. As if my fire fueled their flight. As if I was part of their ascendance. As if they were welcoming me into the sky.
The customized Learjet Global Express XRS had been modified according to my specifications. Even fully loaded, it had a cruise speed of Mach 0.87. For a 19-passenger bird, it handled like a dream. It wasn't a bad plane, but I was sorry it would be the last one I'd fly. What I really wanted was my Blue Eyes jet. And to be alone – or with Yami beside me – to be with someone I did not have to protect; to have someone to enjoy the speed and beauty of the flight with.
I was glad I had taken Seto with us in the Blue Eyes White Dragon jet, glad I had shown him the sky. Mokuba had been right as usual. I had given Seto one more memory he would not be able to take back with him. One more memory I would have to keep in his place.
I'd be in the air today all right – to say goodbye. For I had read the message in that golden orb in Shadi's hand. One of us was going to have to shove that thing into his own eye socket. One of us was going to be half blind. One of us was going to lose his pilot's license.
Inadvertently, Isis had provided me with all the cover I needed. Her tactless, intrusive comments had ensured that no one would wonder about my decision to fly. I would be confirming their expectations, while inwardly confounding them.
I snarled at her. My annoyance was real. For someone who had failed so miserably at being a big sister, where did she get off lecturing me?
"Didn't you just hear Ghost Boy say we had to get this junk to a safer location as soon as possible? I'd say that rules out a shopping spree. I'll call my staff to bring a fresh set of clothes to the airport when we land. If anyone's offended by the blood – they don't have to worry – I'll be up front, flying."
Perfect.
No one said a word as I strode from the room.
Thanks to Clarity for editing this chapter. I really appreciate it.
PHARAOH'S PALACE NOTE: Once upon a time there was a yahoogroup called The Pharaoh's Palace. However it has just been deleted by Yahoo for the third time (someone has no appreciation for fine art.) Anyway the group manager/Palace Keeper, CrimsonVioletEyes moved the group to MSN. It is an adult group. The link is on my biopage. The address is http/ groups. msn. com / PharaohsPalace (Please note I put in spaces because that's the only way I can put the address here without screwing up the formatting, so just delete all the spaces if you're trying to type in the address.)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh – I hope it's clear that the very beginning of Seto's narrative takes place just before the conversation with Kaiba at the end of Chapter 32.
One thing that's always struck me about Malik is that while the alter ego that seems more connected to the Rod (the one that kills their father) is definitely the more psychotic of the two, the other one did kidnap and/or try to kill Yugi, Anzu, Jounouchi and Mokuba – so I'd hardly think he qualifies as nice-guy-of-the-year… a point that would not be lost on Mokuba.
I've often thought (yeah, I spend waaaaaaay too much time thinking about this stuff…) that from Kaiba's point of view, Isis was a total failure as a big sister – I mean look at the mess her brother turned out to be – and I don't see Kaiba as the type to accept excuses. I think he'd be fairly contemptuous of her failure to but her brother's welfare above what she saw as her duty to the pharaoh, her obedience to her father, and her beliefs. I mean she couldn't have thought living below ground with no human contact and getting his back carved to ribbons was going to be good for him. It was more that she didn't think – she just accepted that this was their destiny and the way things had to be. Can you see Kaiba in similar circumstances making the same decisions? And the only time she seems to inspire a sense of fellow feeling and respect in him, is when Kaiba realizes that she's willing to die if she can't save her brother.
Monsters Note: As for the monsters from his Shadow Game with Yami…. The manga makes it clear that Kaiba re-experiences being killed by the duel monsters through his nightmares. I could see Kaiba staying up, replaying the whole experience in his mind, until he figured out a way to win.
Airplane Note: There really is a Learjet Global Express XRS and the description is from their web site. Thanks to Boonta Champ and Madam Hydra for pointing me to the site in an earlier discussion about what kind of plane Seto Kaiba might fly.
RESPONSES TO REVIEWSSeto (well, and some Kaiba): (Daje Elle Namte, Desidera, StainofCurare, Zak a.k.a. YGO Ecogoth) I think Seto has a kind of forced adult wisdom – because he's had to function as an adult for so long and in so many high pressure situations. But a lot of his reactions and feelings are still the ones of the young adolescent that he is… so I try to let them sort of seep out around the edges, particularly in his thoughts. I think that's part of what makes Yami and Kaiba such a powerful couple… because Yami gives Kaiba a place where he feels safe enough to explore his feelings and be a teenager. And I also wanted to show that Kaiba's difficulty with seeing touch as a show of affection has long roots.
Seto and Gozaburo: (Daje Elle Namte, Desidera, StainofCurare) In this story at least, I see Seto as being complicit in all the games he's playing with Gozaburo – that's part of what makes them so destructive – in a sense Seto is doing this to himself. I think this complicity is part of the nature of their relationship. So I think from that point of view, a milder form of sexual abuse, that Seto would have permitted as a price he was willing to pay to achieve his goals, was more likely than an outright rape, which he probably wouldn't.
Akunadin: (Desidera, Nachzes Black-Rider, StainofCurare, Yume no Zencho, Wintersslayer) I think Akunadin does care about Seto – he could never have come so close to persuading him if at least part of his feelings weren't sincere – but it's a very kind of selfish caring. I think he likes Seto as a reflection of himself – which is why he sees it as a betrayal when the original Seto won't follow the path that Akunadin has laid out for him, or live out Akunadin's dreams.
Seto and Kaiba: (AmunRa, Ceribi Motou, Daje Elle Namte, Wintersslayer, Zak a.k.a. YGO EcoGoth) One thing that struck me at the end of Battle City/Alcatraz is that when Kaiba thinks about reclaiming his dreams (and his life) it's the 10 year old version of himself that comes to mind. But one thing that attracted me to writing this story (well besides the fact I wanted to give the 13 year-old punk a story of his own) was the idea that maybe it was time for Kaiba to get to know his 13 year-old self a little. Writing their conversations is interesting because although neither talks much to each other, they both understand each other very well. But while I wanted to give them their own individual voices, I also wanted them connected enough to make it believable that Seto could grow into Kaiba. And I just realized that the last chapter was the first time Kaiba and Seto managed to talk to each other and resolve things without having Mokuba as an intermediary. And I didn't realize it until Daje Elle Namte pointed it out – but the first person Kaiba admits that he gets that Yami trusts and cares for him and that he returns those feelings to – is Seto.
Kaiba and Yami: (Amarin Rose, Bishonen no Miko, Troubled Talent, StainofCurare) It's interesting how almost straight through Yugioh, Yami does trust Kaiba and has faith that he can be a better person than he's indicated. And Kaiba is often in the position of disagreeing with Yami and looking for him to prove that friendship and trust are real. So I tried to think how that would play out in terms of a relationship, where I think feeling trusted by Yami would be important to Kaiba, and give him the ability to try and trust himself (or Seto). Another reason I like this pairing is because I think Yami is one of the few characters with the patience to give Kaiba the time to sort thins out on his own.
Destiny: (Maris) Well in this story I tried to provide a loophole by saying that if Seto makes different choices, he could change the past. (Really remind me never to write a time travel story again!) But I agree – it's ironic that both Seto Kaiba's get the implications, and Shadi – who should certainly believe that whatever is meant to happen will happen – is the one who's worried. And I agree about Battle City too – if Isis really believed in destiny, why wasn't she more relaxed?
Yugi-taachi: (kittycat1158) One of the advantages of writing fanfiction is that you get to focus on the characters you want to – which accounts for Sugoroku's increased time. So this story focuses more on the Kaibas (all of them), Yami, and to a lesser extent Yugi, than the rest of the Yugi-taachi. Anzu is more interested in her own dilemma of whether to go out with Yugi. Her feelings about Kaiba and Yami were explained in Chapter 13. Ryou Bakura isn't in this story (which is complicated enough without adding another Sennen Item.) And (with apologies to Honda fans) I'm not sure Honda thinks much about anything…
Note to Destiny: Thank you. I love Madam Hydra's stories too. Moving Forward is probably my favorite.
Note to mistressKC-wanteddeadoralive: As you can see, Kaiba's still gloating too much.
Note to Clarity: Yeah the image of Seto at school is pretty funny….
Note to Amarin Rose: Well, for Kaiba to admit that he liked Yami best – is quite an advance!
Note to Ceribi Motou: Thanks! To me that part showed how well Kaiba and Seto really did understand each other, and how Kaiba sort of looked at Seto almost like his actions were a test of their character. I think my favorite part though was earlier, when Kaiba is talking about trying to wait up to see his father and then realizes he did the same thing to Yami. It was like – ahhh, a flash of insight!