Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series
Parallel
Chapter 022
Song: The Thinking Atheist - Set Yourself Free
Originally Written: Sunday, April 10, 2022 434PM to 545PM
. . . . .
"R-Right this way Mr. Kaiba." A male doctor stumbled through Domino City Hospital.
Seto followed behind him, Mokuba not by his side. It was hard to push away the feeling he was naked without him there. Considering the circumstances, he felt the change was important, so he switched out his usual blue trench coat for a white one. The inside of the fabric was blue, like his old coat. Noah said he looked stupid, but Noah also had him hang from the ladder of a helicopter as he announced the Battle City Duel Monsters Tournament. Noah ignored his fear of heights. Seto ignored Noah's criticism of his clothes.
"M-Mr. Kaiba." The doctor cleared his throat after stopping in front of a room. "I'm aware I can't stop you if you decide not to answer, but I was told you didn't reveal your relation to the patient." The doctor pulled at his white coat.
Seto gripped the handle of the steel briefcase he held. He looked into the room, staring. Hidden behind the curtains lying in one of these two beds was Joey Wheeler, recently released from the emergency room.
Seto turned and looked at the doctor with steel blue eyes. "An individual with a death wish decided he was going to stab my friend in the stomach over rare cards from a children's game. Does that answer your question, sir?"
"Y-yes Mr. Kaiba, sir." The doctor bowed, "My condolences."
"Never mind. How is he?"
"He is stable for the moment, M-Mr. Kaiba." The doctor looked at him.
"For the moment?"
"T-The weapon was coated in poison, designed to paralyze Mr. Kaiba. As it entered his stomach, his digestive system is still suffering some adverse effects we are monitoring closely." The doctor bowed his head, "D-Do be careful Mr. Kaiba."
Seto studied the doctor. He was too old and scared of him to not be genuine. "Thank you. I will. Is he alone?"
"Y-yes, Mr. Kaiba."
"Good. Keep it that way. I will be sending my own trusted guards as security. This is not negotiable with the hospital's current security. I am leaving this case with him. Please make sure it remains by his side at all times."
"O-of course! M-Mr. Kaiba! I'll let the necessary staff know."
"Good day." He entered the room. He took a seat next to the bed.
Joey was deathly still, but he was breathing, and that's all Seto could ask for. He finally loosened his grip enough to set the briefcase on the floor.
"Hello Joey. Tristan is with Serenity in the hospital. Her operation went well, but it's unknown if it's successful." He folded his hands as he rested his forearms against his legs. "I have announced a new City Wide Duel Monsters Tournament: Battle City. I think you would have liked my introduction. Noah had me hang from a helicopter ladder. Everyone looked like large ants. You aren't qualified, but I hacked the system and entered you into the tournament. In this briefcase are your duel disk, rulebook, and some rare cards suited to your deck."
He paused, thinking. What else? "I announced the tournament, but it wasn't scheduled by me. It was set up by my brother Noah….I implore you, Joey, that if you see a female Bakura Ryou with navy blue hair, that you promptly turn around in the other direction and pretend you didn't see her." Seto bowed his head. "Let me handle Amane." He glared at the tiled floor.
"Do you know who attacked you? No, I suppose not. The man was a member of a rising group of Duel Monsters obsessed criminals Noah and I have been tracking. They are called Rare Hunters, because they hunt for rare Duel Monsters cards. They force their victims to duel for the right to keep their own cards, and anyone who resists is sent to the hospital, or their grave." He swallowed thickly. "I can't be sure if Amane is behind this. This isn't quite her style. I apologize."
He sat in the deafening silence of the room. The beeping heart monitor only seemed to make the silence louder. He continued rambling. "I'm certain you've seen and heard of Ishizu Ishtar by now. If you come across her, she is my ally, so you can trust her as well."
He handcuffed the briefcase to Joey's bed, and hooked the digital lock to the chain holding the dog tags around Joey's neck. "That is for you. Don't lose it, please. It opens the briefcase. If you do lose it, just find me. Ask one of your guards and they will give you a code that will turn the briefcase into a tracker allowing you to do so, but you will probably go the stubborn route and pretend they do not exist. In either case, I will give you another."
One last thing… "I need to go now. Another individual with a death wish decided to lock Yugi and Tea in a warehouse and light it on fire. Bandit Keith was found at the scene, murdered from multiple stab wounds. Obviously, it was not Yugi or Tea who committed the act. As per our agreement, I am long overdue to check in on him. Her as well." He bowed his head in a nod, as he stood next to Joey's bed.
As he slowly opened his eyes, a third, faded golden one appeared on his forehead. "It would be a shame against your reputation if you did not make it in time to participate, so…please recover soon. The finals are in a month."
He walked out the room, his arms lighter, and his forehead missing an eye. His heart, unfortunately, was heavier than he could ever remember it being, and he witnessed both of his parent's deaths. He took out his cell phone, and dialed a number. It was a burner phone, because Noah did not need to know everything he was doing, just because his father ordered it from him.
"Good afternoon, it's me." His heavy boots knocked against the floor. Memories fluttered through his mind.
It was lunch time at Domino High a few weeks ago. He was sitting on his usual bench under the tree, reading another book, when Joey sat right next to him.
Joey wrapped a heavy arm around his shoulders. "So, I see we finally have something in common, Mr. Kaiba."
He blinked. "What is it you need, Joey?"
Joey cleared his throat and looked ahead of him.
Seto looked up and followed his gaze. Yugi and Tea had drawn a small crowd. They were interested in their newest work in progress dance routine. Tristan, Duke and Ryou watched from the sidelines. Occasionally, almost at random, their focus switched from Yugi and Tea to their surroundings.
"Of course."
Mr. Kaiba, because it was something of a threat, and the arm, because it was a pleading question to a friend as well.
Joey dropped his arm, and stretched both his arms dramatically. "Glad that we see eye to eye, Mr. Kaiba."
Seto watched him stand up and push his way through the crowd, much like a bouncer. He lowered his head, and continued reading his book.
A/N: You probably won't find my inspiration song. It's from a promo of a youtube channel, The Thinking Atheist. I don't know how many years ago it was since I heard the song, and I don't know the actual name of said song.
So many of my story ideas involve individuals being burned with or affected by fire in some way. Huh. At least the warehouse burning was canon.