Chapter 2 - Return to Earth
The universe spun around Kaiba, reconstituting his very being. Even his analytical brain couldn't keep up with all the permutations, the raw energy sparking through a thousand synapses. Only one thought held his psyche together.
Téa Gardner.
He smiled amidst the chaos as the storm finally came to an end and his eyes opened to the grey walls of his space station.
Success.
Kaiba let out a breath and flexed aching muscles as blue screens began to light up around him.
"Welcome back, Mr Kaiba," the obsequious voice of his AI intoned. "Running your vitals and a complete diagnostic check of the Duel Dimension System. I will notify KaibaCorp and Mr Mokuba straight away."
"Hold that last," Kaiba ordered, hating himself. I need to think…He would give himself over completely to Mokuba in a moment. First he had to process this latest twist in his battle with the Pharaoh.
"As you wish, sir. Your vitals are stable as is the Duel Dimension System, although-"
Téa Gardner. The name pulsed through him more intimately than the previous inter-dimensional waves. Images of her face passed through his mind - smiling at that mutt Joey in class, haranguing Kaiba himself in Duelist Kingdom, wringing her hands in fear for her beloved Yugi at Battle City.
No…not yet… Kaiba forced his mind back to the post-mission protocols, flipping switches and checking the readings from the Dimensional Domain Emulator as the AI droned on in the background. Newly found lust was no reason to skimp on his work ethic.
There were cracks in the outside casing and some of the circuits had overloaded. Not surprising given the astronomical forces the Emulator had been subjected to. Mokuba was right, the thing was dangerous. Kaiba rubbed his brow and jumped as sparks crackled from one of his head receptors. He ripped it off and opened the pod door, eager to breathe fresher atmosphere, even if it was just the recycled oxygen of KaibaCorp station.
Air hissed as the door sprung open and Kaiba sighed, looking up at the silver panels surrounding him. He had made it, despite all of Atem's dire predictions. Smirking, he grabbed the Quantum Cube from its perch and held it up.
I have the keys to your kingdom now, Atem… Kaiba thought as the light limned the cube's edges …But I've found something much more interesting in mine.
His eyes gleamed under his fringe, full of suppressed wickedness. "Find me the location of Téa Gardner," he interrupted the AI's prattle. He was alive, the system was viable, anything else he could read in a report later.
"-Yes sir, running a deep system search on 'Téa' + 'Gardner'…There are currently over two thousand Téa Gardners across the world and climbing, would you like to narrow the parameters?"
"Search in connection with Domino High school in Domino City," he replied and watched avidly as the results appeared on his left-hand screen.
There she was. The bob cut, the big trusting eyes, the nauseating smile. Government records followed high school ones with laughable ease. He'd cracked their so-called security systems when he was twelve and no official would dare press charges against KaibaCorp whatever their politicians said to the masses.
New York? His brow raised as he scanned down further. What's she doing there?…Juillard? Hmm…
So the geek squad had finally broken up, had they? How sad…But Gardner had actually followed through on her oft-mentioned dream. Impressive. Even he had heard of the world famous performing arts school, which meant she had a modicum of talent and ambition.
Good. I would have hated to debase myself with some drop-out waitress, Kaiba thought, then shook his head at the ludicrousness of the situation.
He'd never thought of Gardner as anything more than a passing irritation, especially when she dared to stand up to him in Pegasus's castle and Noah's knock-off virtual world. Now he found himself eager to remember every moment, every word. The way her eyes flashed when she defied him, those long legs barely concealed by a succession of inappropriate outfits, her helpless entrapment by Marik on Domino pier.
I sacrificed a helicopter and risked Blue-Eyes, he thought, recalling the uncharacteristic compulsion he'd had at the time to protect the annoying girl. She never even thanked me!
She'd thanked his brother though. More importantly, she'd helped save Mokuba from the Rare Hunters.
Perhaps she is worthy of my attention…Kaiba relaxed back into the pod, letting his body thrill with unfamiliar desire.
Just wait, Atem, Kaiba thought, remembering the Pharaoh's disconsolate look as his mind dwelt on the queen he could never have. This time I'll take something precious that belonged to you. I'll take the life you wanted and the woman you wanted to share it with, then you'll know the pain of defeat that you've served to me all these years.
"Sir, we are receiving a transmission from KaibaCorp Headquarters - shall I put it through?"
Kaiba repressed all lustful thoughts in an instant and banished Téa's details from his screen. "Yes."
"Big brother!" Mokuba's beloved face burst into life above him as the big screen activated. "You're back!"
Kaiba smiled. "Yes, I'm back Mokuba, as promised." He noticed the dark circles and worry lines under his little brother's eyes. "What's been happening?"
Author's note: Thank you so much for the reviews so far. I hope you are all continuing to enjoy the story and our favourite KaibaCorp a-hole remains in character! Do let me know what you liked and why, what you think will happen next etc and if you want to discuss Seto, Téa and Azureshipping, drop me a PM. The rating will change to M from next chapter as Kaiba's thoughts become more x-rated, but this story is an in-character slow burn with worldbuilding, rather than a straight to sexy times fic.
Life is tough atm (like it is for all of us) and I'm competing with that and my fantasy novel that I'm trying to get finished so while I'll try to update regularly, things may be sporadic. I have a habit of embarking on multi-chapter slow burns that I lose energy for, so your enthusiasm really helps my inspiration! Take care x