When vengeance goes too far

Chapter 6: Realizing consequences

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Yu-Gi-Oh. They are the property of Kazuki Takahashi, Shonen Jump, Konami and Shueisha comics.

Kaiba looked at Kisara as if she was crazy. He could've sworn that she said that she was the Blue Eyes White Dragon. He had been humiliated by Serenity Wheeler, he got his revenge, but his conscience had caught up with him and then Mokuba had deserted him. Now he was in some dream world where he had met his stepfather again along with an old Egyptian who claimed to be his father from five thousand years ago. Now he was faced with his stepbrother and a woman who just claimed to be the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"You're full of it," Kaiba, said, "The Blue Eyes White Dragon indeed."

"It's true," Kisara, said, "The Blue Eyes White Dragon was my ka."

Kaiba said, "I don't believe in that crap. I'm sick and tired of those Egyptian fairytales. I know who I am. I am Seto Kaiba, the President and CEO of Kaiba Corp. Just leave me alone with those ridiculous stories."

Kisara sighed.

"You're a really stubborn one," she said, "You refuse to believe in the supernatural even though irrefutable proof has been shoved in your face. Or maybe you do know that it's all true, it's just that's you're afraid of what'll happen if you acknowledge it."

"That's right Seto," Noah, said, "You're afraid of change. You like things just the way they are and you're afraid of the consequences if they were to change."

Kaiba growled.

Kisara said, "Anyway, whether you believe it or not doesn't matter at the moment. What does matter is what you did to that girl."

"Is this just to make me feel sympathetic towards the Wheelerette?" Kaiba, said, "Your wasting your time. She got exactly what she deserved."

"Did she?" Kisara, said, "I do believe your conscience is catching up with you."

Kaiba growled. Though he hated to admit it, Kisara was right. Ever since he saw Serenity's devastated state, his conscience had begun to catch up with him. At first he was able to shake it off, but as time progressed, it became harder and harder to shake off. It kept coming back to pester him.

"Why?" he thought, "I've never felt like this about anyone else in my life, why's the Wheelerette different?"

"Maybe it's because she's younger than all of your other victims," Kisara said, much to Kaiba's shock.

"Did I say that out loud?" he thought.

"No Seto," Noah, said, "We spirits can read minds, much like Pegasus when he had the Millennium Eye."

Kaiba closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm ready to wake up from this crazy nightmare," he said.

Kisara said, "Go ahead and deny it, it'll just make the consequences more severe. The bottom line is, you went too far in your vengeance and all over bruised pride. Five thousand years ago, you may have been prideful, but at least you had a heart. That Gozaburo character really changed you all right."

Kaiba said, "Look, just go away, I'm not in the mood for this. Maybe I like the way I am, ever think of that. Maybe I want to be bitter and despised in the world." Of course, he didn't mean it. He just wanted Kisara and Noah to leave him alone. However, it was all in vain.

"You don't fool us Seto," Noah, said, "I've learned a lot about you from Kisara here. I remember when I reminded Yugi of the fact that you didn't like him when he was fighting to save you and Mokuba and you know what his answer was? He said that you and he were locked in a five thousand-year-old rivalry. At first, I was like you, refusing to believe in such nonsense, but after I sacrificed myself to stop my father, my spirit watched over the Battle City Finals and I found irrefutable prove that proved that Yugi was right. You can't deny those visions you saw of Ancient Egypt."

Kaiba said, "Just hallucinations brought on by Ishizu's lies."

"You came up with inexplicable explanations to explain how the impossible is possible just so you don't have to think about it," Kisara, said, "How can a person's words bring on hallucinations and how can a shorter-than-average boy become taller with a deeper voice?"

Kaiba realised that he'd hit a dead end. How indeed? Gozaburo and Aknadin had lured him into the same trap.

"Anyway," Kisara, said, "Let's not get too off track. It's time to show you the consequences of your actions. If words alone won't convince you, then these images or "hallucinations" as you call them hopefully will."

Suddenly the whole area lit up and Kaiba had to shield his eyes. When he opened them, he still saw Noah and Kisara, but he noticed that he was also in the Domino City Hospital. All three of them were floating in midair at the top of the main lobby where Yugi, Tea, Mokuba and Tristen sat. Tristen was comforting or trying to comfort a tear-filled Serenity, who looked worse off than before. Kaiba's conscience started to go into overdrive that was the only way Kaiba could explain it, for now he couldn't shake off his guilt.

"Still say that you have no conscience?" Noah said.

"Shut up," Kaiba, said, "I don't want to hear it."

Down below, Mokuba said, "I can't believe Seto would do this. I'm really sorry Serenity."

"It's not your fault Mokuba…" Serenity managed to say between cries.

Tea said, "Kaiba ought to be ashamed of himself. This remains me of that time he left your grandfather to die Yugi, you know after he defeated him before your first match."

Yugi nodded. Though he had said that he wouldn't believe that it was Kaiba without proof, Mokuba's arrival and confession had erased all doubt from his mind. He thought that Kaiba would've at least learned to move on with his life, but apparently he had been mistaken.

Yami appeared next to him and said, "I know, it's a shock, but apparently Kaiba's too far gone. If there was ever a good person inside Kaiba to begin with, then that person is gone now and now even Mokuba realises it."

Kaiba was shocked, not only could he see Yami, but he heard every word as well.

"This can't be," he said, "This is a trick."

"It's no trick," Kisara, said, "That is the spirit of the pharaoh. He's the one you've been duelling against, not Yugi Moto."

Kaiba said, "Lies, all lies."

"Really Seto?" Noah, said, "The proof is in front of you. Don't you remember times when you just happened to see Yugi and he appeared to be talking to thin air?"

"Yeah," Kaiba, said, "I just thought that he was just not right in the head." He remembered times when he saw Yugi while he was just passing by. Yugi had been talking to what looked like thin air. At the time, Kaiba just shrugged it off, saying that Yugi obviously had problems. However, now he could see the source of Yugi's so-called imaginary friend, an older version of himself with a deeper voice and extra blonde streaks of hair.

Yami looked up and then glared directly at Kaiba.

Kaiba had to admit that he did feel a little intimidated. In the past whenever Yugi was like this and glared at him, Kaiba had felt as if he was glaring deep into his soul, though he wouldn't admit it. Something about Yami's glares made him feel uneasy.

"It's all your fault," Yami's voice came in Kaiba's head, "You better hope that you can fix this otherwise you'll be sorry."

Kaiba cowered in fear. Kaiba didn't know who this was, but he was smart enough to know that he did have control of Yugi's body at times and he had never used such a threatening tone while speaking to him before. Something about his voice told Kaiba that Yami meant business and unless he sorted everything out, something terrible was going to happen to him.

"Let's go," Kisara, said, "There's one more place here where we need to visit."

Kaiba felt his body involuntarily moving. Noah and Kisara were at either side of him.

"Where are we going?" Kaiba demanded.

"To Mrs Wheeler's room," Kisara, said, "Both she and her son were victims of your wrath as well. I guess the term, collateral damage is the most appropriate here."

Kaiba just grunted. Noah sighed.

"You can be irritating at times," he said, "How Mokuba was able to stay with you for so long before realising your true self is beyond me."

Kaiba said, "Shut up."

It didn't take long to reach the room Mrs Wheeler was in. She was awake and sitting up in bed. Sitting on a chair at the side of the bed was a battered and bruised Joey. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut and he had bandages applied to various parts of his body.

"If he had more bandages, he'd be a mummy," Kaiba joked, much to the displeasure of both Kisara and Noah.

"This is nothing to joke about Seto," Kisara, said, "This is a result of your campaign to devastate Serenity."

"Whatever," Kaiba said.

Down below, Mrs Wheeler looked at Joey.

"Got yourself into another fight, eh Joseph?" she said.

"Look ma," Joey, said, "I got jumped and beaten by the same mob dat beat you up." It was obvious that he was trying to restrain himself from verbally lashing out at his mother. Kaiba had known that Joey didn't get on with his mother all that well.

"Really," Mrs Wheeler, said, "And I suppose you know who's responsible for this."

Joey clenched his fists. He couldn't lash out at his mother, at least not at the moment. Serenity was as devastated as it was and Joey knew that a fight, even a verbal one between him and his mother would only devastate her further. However, it was very difficult to restrain himself. It took everything he had just to do that.

Eventually, he sighed and said, "Look ma, I know we don't get on dat well, but I'd like to call a truce, at least for now; not for ourselves, nor for each other, but for Serenity. She's been devastated enough and all our fighting will do is make the situation worse."

Mrs Wheeler surprising replied with a heart-warming smile.

"At last we can agree on something Joseph," she said, "Okay."

"Thanks ma," Joey said.

"You're more considerate than I thought," Mrs Wheeler, said, "Guess I was wrong to some extent about you. Anyway, I guess it's time I let you in on a little secret about Serenity."

Joey said, "A secret, what sort of a secret?"

Mrs Wheeler said, "Ever since I took her away, she's been really quiet and shy and because of this, she didn't make any friends. Her emotional state was already unstable. According to a psychiatrist, Serenity had a personality disorder that meant that she got upset really easily and could be totally devastated if something big were to upset her. I would've sent her to live with you once I found out, but you were living with your father at the time and I didn't trust you being with me. I felt that you were too much like your father and would be a bad influence on Serenity."

Joey remained quiet. He knew that to say something would probably go back on his word. The truth was, he was angry at his mother even more now. She knew that something was wrong with Serenity and from what she said, she did absolutely nothing, not that there was much she could do apart from trying to be with Serenity 24/7 and that was an impossibility. Serenity was a strong person and whenever she was in emotional pain, she was able to hide it quite well. Joey remembered when he received the videotape of Serenity telling him that she was going blind. Though she looked happy, Joey could tell that inside, she was falling apart. He could see it in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Joseph," Mrs Wheeler, continued, "I know that saying sorry doesn't cut it, but you already knew why I didn't want Serenity being with you in the first place, right?"

Joey nodded. He had to admit that his mother did make a point. Joey had been living with his father, who was a drunk and was very abusive. As much as Joey hated his mother, he had to admit that he'd have much rather have had Serenity living with her rather than with him and a violent drunk like their father. Joey remembered how his father was and was glad that Serenity wasn't there to endure it because if what his mother said was true, Serenity probably would've lost the will to live and died years ago. Unlike Mrs Wheeler, Mr Wheeler didn't really care who got custody rights over who. He probably would've left Joey for dead if he could've gotten away with it.

Though he hadn't forgiven his mother for what she did, he smiled in the sense that at least, now that he thought about the whole situation he had reached an understanding with her.

Kaiba growled.

He heard the whole thing and somehow, he was able to know what each of them was thinking.

However, he was growling because he was angry with himself, though he wouldn't admit it. He was angry with himself for not taking Serenity's personality disorder into consideration. He never really thought about those he stepped on. If someone humiliated him, he retaliated and that was usually the end of it. However, in the past, all of Kaiba's victims were male and Serenity was a girl, not to mention in her early to mid-teens. She was younger than Kaiba's other humiliation victims.

"You do care," Noah said.

"No I don't," Kaiba, lied, "I'm just angry at the fact Mokuba's gone." It didn't work though.

Kisara and Noah took him back into the lobby and this time they were on the ground and Kaiba was thankful that Yami was no longer around, or so he thought. Kaiba looked at Serenity, who was still crying and she looked considerably worse.

"What have I done?" he thought, "But isn't this what I wanted?"

"Sometimes what you want isn't as great and as satisfying as you think once you've got it," Kisara, said, "People that want everything that get their wish suddenly realise that without people to share it with, it's all worthless."

Kaiba said, "I fail to see how that relates to my current situation."

"It's simple Seto," Noah, said, "Now that you've seen the consequences of your actions, you realise that you've made a mistake. Come on Seto, stop denying it."

Kaiba sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry," he said, "I'm sorry. I never imagined it would be like this. I wish I could fix it and make it up to Serenity somehow."

"You called her Serenity," Noah, said, "What happened to Wheelerette?"

Kaiba said, "Serenity is her name isn't it? Maybe I forgot to refer to her the way I usually do."

"I think it's something else," Kisara said.

Kaiba said, "What do you mean Kisara?"

"I think you love her," Kisara said.

"Oh please," Kaiba, said, "She's a Wheeler… Oh who am I kidding, yes, it's love."

He looked at Serenity again. Seeing her devastated was devastating him, as was seeing Mokuba depressed. It was the consequences of his actions. He devastated Serenity and lost Mokuba as a result and it was doing the same to him what he did to Serenity.

"I guess now you'll show some respect for the saying, "What goes around comes around"," Noah, said, "You beat an awful lot of people at Duel Monsters and eventually, you suffered defeat. However, you were too caught up in your rage to accept that you got what you deserved."

Kaiba growled. He didn't know why he was in love with Serenity, he just was. Seeing her devastated made him realise that he loved her and now that he knew about it, he was devastated even more since in his view that if there ever was a chance for them to be together, then he blew it.

"Not necessarily," Kisara, said, "You could still apologise. She might not accept it, but at least she'll know you're sorry."

Kaiba sighed and said, "Thanks Kisara, Noah. I think I understand now."

The room faded and the three of them were back in the darkness.

Kaiba said, "So do I get to leave here now?"

Kisara said, "There is one last thing you need to do in order to put your past behind you for good."

Kaiba sulked. What was it now?

"You must win a duel," Noah, said, "If you lose, you'll remain here and your opponent will leave with your body."

Kaiba said, "What?"

Kisara said, "Yes. Your opponent is standing right there." She pointed behind him and Kaiba spun round and gasped.

Behind him stood someone that looked a lot like him. In fact, it was his mirror image, apart from the facts that the skin had a dark tinge to it and the were markings below the eyes. The mirror image of Kaiba wore his school uniform. He looked exactly like Kaiba during his first duel with Yugi, only he had a duel disk on. He had a sinister smile on his face as well.

"Hello," the Kaiba look-alike, said, "It's me, Kaiba and this time you don't stand a ghost of a chance."

"What is this?" Kaiba, demanded, "I'm Kaiba you impostor."

"You're both one and the same," Kisara, said, "That's the part of you that the Pharaoh banished to the Shadow Realm and who he was forced to duel against at Duellist Kingdom. You remember when Pegasus's men stole your deck and you discovered that Yugi was duelling against someone posing as you, don't you?"

"Yeah," Kaiba, said, "So that's the impostor?"

"I'm not an impostor," Evil-Kaiba, said, "I'm you. I'm the part of you that you lost after your first duel with Yugi, my departure is the reason why you've softened somewhat, though not much thankfully."

"You lie," Kaiba, said, "If it's a duel you want, then it's a duel you'll get."

Author's notes: How's that for a strange twist? It's Kaiba versus Kaiba in the next chapter and Kaiba's fighting more than just a duel. If he loses this duel, then his dark side is free once again. I felt that if Kaiba was to change, then he'd have to confront his darker side, the part of him that Yugi banished to the Shadow Realm and who Pegasus freed in order to duel Yugi again. However, what surprises does Evil-Kaiba have in store for his counterpart? Can Kaiba defeat an opponent that can anticipate his every move and who probably knows Kaiba better than he knows himself? I thought that adding a duel in this fic would spice things up a bit Sorry is Kisara's role was not to everyone's liking, but in order to make up for it, I'll have her meet with Kaiba again. I really wanted to do more with her this chapter, but I felt that the chapter would be too long. Anyway till next time.