Reviews make me so happy! And I'm always willing for a comment or two to help keep this story rolling along. Although I am the type to just keep on writing no matter if anyone reviews or not... Just ignore that last bit. (don't own YGO)

Fire and Ice

By Sakura Takanouchi

Chapter Three

"Uh... Why are we here?" I asked as we walked along Fifth Street in downtown Domino.

"You'll find out later," my companion replied. We rounded the corner and there stood this monstrous glass building with tons of people inside and out. It was some sort of party. Elegant women in evening gowns and cocktail dresses sipped champagne with dashing men. There was a live band, and several couples were dancing.

"Suddenly, my companion threw off his cloak to reveal a black and red tuxedo. My clothes felt soft to the touch and I looked down. Somehow I was now dressed in a beautiful red evening gown! I looked at my feet, and they were clad in glass slippers.

My companion led me into the room and we started to dance. It was a slow song, not lively, but we made a good pair. After a song, I suggested sitting down in one of the tables, but my companion insisted into taking me into a long hallway adjacent to the ballroom.

"Why did you take me to this?" I asked as we entered the privacy of the hallway.

"Because, Serenity…" my companion answered, and for the first time I saw the face of my companion. I looked into the cruel eyes and smirking smile of Seto Kaiba. "You are mine..."

"AAAH!" I sat up in bed, gasping for breath. I looked around me. I was in my room, everything was normal, and I was in my pajamas... not some red silk evening gown.

That was some dream. What was Seto Kaiba doing in my dream? And what was I doing in my dream? I looked at my clock. It was 4:40 in the morning. I sighed and rolled over, attempting to regain the hour I had to sleep. 'Seto Kaiba, you've taken over my thoughts during the day, but leave me at peace during the night!' I thought as I drifted back into dreamland.

My alarm clock woke me roughly at 5:40 with its shrill incessant beeping. I rolled over and out of bed, taking my covers with me. "Alright, I'm up!" I told my alarm clock and promptly unplugged it.

I decided to put my hair in French braids, and spent more time than usual on my choice of jewelry and accessories. If I was going to spend today battling against Seto Kaiba, I might as well do it looking my best. At least I had Gym Class last.

At lunchtime I waved to Yugi, who was eating his lunch in his usual place. We talked about Duel Monsters, and I learned about tributes and about the different types of magic cards.

"So," I began, "If I have these two cards on the field, and this magic card in my hand, then I can fuse them together?" I asked hesitantly as I placed my new 'Polymerization' Card on our makeshift 'Field.'

"Yup!" Yugi replied. "You should enter one of the local tournaments, for more practice. My Grandpa knows a lot about the upcoming tournaments."

'I think I'll do just that,' I thought. 'The sooner I get used to competition, the sooner you'll know what it means to lose, Seto Kaiba.'

Before I knew it, I was rushing down to the locker rooms for gym class. I had finally gotten Domino High's Gym uniform, which was basically the same as any other, a white ringed T-shirt with my class number on it, and really short navy shorts.

"Listen up, class." Our gym instructor, Imato-sensei, told us as we sat down on the gym bleachers across from him.

"The culture festival is coming up, and it has been decided that everyone will participate under their last class, instead of their homeroom. Clear?" Imato-sensei looked around the faces of the students, whose reactions differed from shocked to happy.

"Score!" Kaleigh gave a high-five to Tomohiko, obviously glad of the switch.

All I could think was, "Now I have to work with Seto. This is gonna really be a bummer. Oh well."

"Now," Imato-sensei continued, "We need to have two class representatives to decide what we're going to do, etc. I have chosen the two that, since this is gym class, have the highest grade and athletic aptitude in this class. I have chosen Serenity Wheeler and Seto Kaiba.

'Dammit!' I thought, fuming. 'I can't work with him! He'll just want to do things his way.'

"Hey, congrats," Tomohiko said. "Imato-sensei was right to choose you. You're really athletic and now you get to work with Seto, that guy you were flirting with yesterday!"

"I was not flirting with him!" I yelled, and then looked around, embarrassed, since everyone was starting at me. Seto looked at me with a smirk and his eyes glittered.

CHANGE POV! (SETO'S)

Crap. They had just called my name to do a leadership role for my class. Don't they get that I'm not into that stuff? I blanched as I heard the other name called. Serenity Wheeler. Serenity. The same Serenity who had rescued, or should I say, 'helped', me a few days ago. But her last name remained unknown to me. Until now.

I knew fairly well her older brother, Joey. How could I not? That damn puppy was always starting fights he could never win. His sister was just like him. But she seemed to inherit more desirable traits than her brother. I wasn't sure if he even had any desirable traits. I don't know what that other duelist, Mai, sees in him.

This changes everything. And now Serenity's embarrassing herself again, spouting nonsense as she usually does. But at least, now it was interesting nonsense.

CHANGE POV! (SERENITY'S)

We spent the rest of the day playing dodgeball, much to my resentment. In fact, my anger at the world caused me to start taking out my frustration on the dodgeballs, flinging them at the other team, winning the game.

"See? You are more athletic than you let on!" Kaleigh encouraged. I looked at my feet, not knowing what to say.

'No one here knows it's just an act. That I've been lucky so far. I can't play basketball to save myself. I can't play anything else to save myself. Although I may have to save myself soon.' My thoughts wandered, as did my concentration on the game.

I came back to reality when a ball hit me square on the head. I looked around, dazed, and saw Seto's grinning face. "Gotcha," he whispered.

I reluctantly walked out of the game, and sat down on the sidelines with everyone else who got knocked out.

My team lost the game, and then class ended. Imato-sensei requested that both Seto and I meet with him, and so we stayed behind. "Now," He said, " We need you two to come up with whatever our class will do by this Friday. Do either of you have any ideas?"

"A martial arts tournament," Seto suggested.

"Carnival Games," was my idea.

"Carnival games! An excellent and inexpensive idea. You two can meet up later to discuss the details. See you!" Imato-sensei left us in the Gym.

"Look, it's not my problem that we were both picked to run these 'carnival games', so don't expect me to do anything." Seto turned to leave, but my hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Please just deal with it," I insisted. "We need a sponsor if we're gonna pull this off, as well as your input. I really shouldn't have been chosen for this. Please?" I begged.

Seto's perpetual smirk widened. "How fitting it is to your station to be begging to me," he said.

"Watch it…" I cautioned, and then changed my tone of voice. "Seriously, I really didn't have the aptitude to have been chosen. So you can't walk out on this!"

"I knew that athletic side of you was just a façade," he said.

"It was just a lucky break or two piled on top of loads of exaggeration and misunderstanding," I admitted.

"So, you're saying... is that I'm a better athlete than you?"

"Yes." At my remark, Seto's smirk left him, feeling only confusion. 'I won! So why do I feel so depressed?' He sat down on the bleachers, and I joined him. "So, why aren't you good at sports? You can be, I've seen it."

"Oh…" I answered. "It's just, that… ever since my parents got divorced, and I went to live with my mom, I've never gotten into any. My mom really isn't athletic at all. And then I started losing my eyesight…" Seto then leaned closer to me and looked into my eyes. I saw clearly every detail on his smooth face and deep blue eyes, for the first time devoid of any cruel intentions.

"Your eyes look fine to me," he said. I blinked and broke his stare.

"Yes, my eyesight has returned to normal ever since my eye surgery. Yugi gave Joey the prize money from the Duelist Kingdom tournament, and he used it to pay for my surgery."

"It must have been difficult, with your parents divorced, as well as your eyesight failing you." Seto stretched his arm and placed it around my shoulder. I leaned into him, grateful for the comfort he offered.

"It must have been tough for you, too," I said, breaking the silence that followed his last comment.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I know it must be hard on you to run your company at such a young age." I explained.

"I have a little brother," Seto commented. I wasn't sure if he was trying to change to subject or if he was just talking.

"Really? What's his name?"

"Mokuba." After that, another long silence settled down upon us. I shifted my weight and stood up to look at my watch. "I'm sorry, Seto, but I have to go."

"Don't."

"Huh?"

"Don't go." Seto reached for my hand and pulled me back towards him. Unfortunately, this jerking caused me to fall into his lap instead of on the bleacher beside him. I must have looked shocked, but Seto said nothing. Instead, holding me with one arm and gently pushing several strands of my hair back with the other, his head leaned down and he kissed me powerfully on the mouth.

I tried to fight temptation, but it was hard not to resist him. He kissed me again and again, now moving to my neck. I felt my skin start to burn, but I was powerless against him. He held me strongly, and there was no way I could escape.

I could not do this. It just wasn't right. I screamed, "No!" and as I felt his grip on me loosen, I tore away from him and ran out of the gym, leaving a confused Seto sitting alone in the gym.

POV CHANGE! (SETO'S)

'Why did she do that?' I thought, standing up, the door still swinging. 'Why did I do that? She is a Wheeler, someone far below me. And yet, I can't stop thinking about her. We've been arguing nonstop for the past few days, and now I had to go and kiss her. Dammit, what's wrong with me!'

I sat back down, amazed. 'Now its going to get complicated working on the festival.' I stood up and started walking towards the exit. "Carnival games, my ass," I said before leaving.

POV CHANGE! (SERENITY'S)

After I had left, I didn't have enough time to go to Yugi's after school, because I was seeing the new Miyazaki movie with Tomohiko. I did have enough time to change out of my uniform into street clothes, however. I made sure to wear a turtleneck shirt, hiding the blistered skin on my neck. We got a bite to eat at a small café near the cinemas. I had so much fun that I forgot about Seto Kaiba... and about that kiss.

That night, I lay in bed all night just thinking about it. 'First all we do is argue, and then he kisses me?' I thought. 'It's not like that was my first kiss or anything. Whatever. I just really don't want to go to school tomorrow.'

I dreaded it so much that I finally passed out at 1 in the morning. I was no happy camper 5 hours later. I could barely lift a finger until I had brewed some coffee. Then I zinged around my apartment, getting everything in order. Then, I began to drag myself to school.

A/N: Hi everybody! I love you all, and your reviews really get me through these chapters, but I wasn't expecting to see this much of a reaction from the dueling parts of this fic. Wow! Just to let you guys know, I wasn't planning on doing that much dueling, and to focus on Serenity and Kaiba, but since it gets such a positive feedback from you guys, I'll definetly try to get some in by chapter four or five. But still, I hope you guys like this chapter. I'll get to writing the next one as soon as I get a few reviews. Come on, people! You know you want to review!

Also, for rating purposes, I know there's the whole 'language bit' and 'romance bit' to consider, but I just like writing PG-13 fics. I guess that's a good rating for this.

One more thing: Is everyone ok with the chapter lengths I've been doing? I know they'res gonna be some variety in chapter length, but I'll write longer chapters if that's cool with everyone. It's just that short-chaptered fics annoy me. How about you guys?