A Random Act of Kindness
By:
Setalina Muro
Summary: Seto Kaiba is desperate to get copyright for Duel Monsters from Pegasus so he can launch one final project. Finding this all too entertaining, Pegasus makes a deal. "Find someone in desperate need. But you have to find them, approach them, and sincerely offer them your help. And I want to watch this. If I approve their need, and they accept the help, I will give them three million dollars, and you will have your plans." But Pegasus never expected to be won over by the simplicity of a girl on the verge of going blind… SxP
Short Summary: Seto Kaiba is desperate to get copyright from Pegasus. Pegasus makes a deal. Seto can have his papers if he helps someone. But Pegasus never expected to be won over by the simplicity of a girl on the verge of going blind... PxS Opticshipping
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The initial idea of OpticShipping came to me through Yamiko Yakou (now Imperfect Paradise) I don't have a problem writing PegasusxShizuka and if you have a problem, don't read it! This plot, however, is mine.
A/N: I took a mental health day. And honestly, I needed it more last week then I needed it today, but still. Okay, so you probably shouldn't even be getting this update. And I know it's been over four months since I first posted this, but that's not the reason. The reason being I have seven million reports due (okay, like four, but that's not the point) within the next two weeks, and I'm giving up sleep to get them done. So, last night, I'm working on the history report and its about 1:30 and I damn near fell asleep at the very uncomfortable computer desk trying to get it done. (I didn't which is what leads to my mental health). But we're good now, which is why you lucky devils do in fact get this.
Notes on the Story:
The pairing in this story has been changed from the previous Optic/Silent- Triangle to a good-ol' straight Opticshipping. No pairing connection to Kaiba what so ever.
Ah, at the end of the first part of the chapter, Pegasus slips a bit OOC, in my opinion. I apologize for this, but I tried to make it semi-plausible. Forgive me.
Chapter One
Sometimes I wish I had another train of thought. I wish I had someway to alter the things running through my mind. They torment me. The drive me to that brink I've dangled from so dangerously for so long.
Atop the coral sheets of my bed I sit, staring out into the blank night. Perhaps it's not so blank. There are stars, glittering shining stars out there. I feel a cool breeze from the open windows drift past It's a lovely night off the coast of a lovely beach. Everything's so lovely. Then why do I feel so ugly? I feel like a monster. I feel lost.
I miss Cyndia…
I bury my face into my hands. Ever since the final day of my servitude to the Sennen Eye, my nights have been tormented. Perhaps there was a power in the item that kept my shadows at bay, shadows that would eat at my heart and destroy me. There had to have been some kind of miracle to the dark powers in the object that kept me from reliving it all.
But now that's gone. It's all gone, and I no longer have such a thing to protect me.
Dreams comes to me often, as they did before, but now they are a frequented by a deep abyss in which fields of blood red roses spread out like death itself, petals blowing away like sand in the wind. Blinking against the onslaught against the starless black of sky, I stumble forward, a voice calling to me desperately, pleading, really, in hopes that I will come and rescue them. The voice is female, delicate, yet firm. I'm sure that if she tries hard enough, she can rescue herself, but it never works out that way.
And I get there too late.
What remains is a body, tattered and worn. The flesh, once a delicate pink, torn and bleeding; a once beautiful face wreathes in pain. Blue eyes stare up at me, a mouth shudders for breath as the chest slowly rises beneath a sheath of blue fabric, a pink bow torn to shreds atop it; burnt white lace and golden hair. I wrap an arm around the ragged being, gently lifting it, no, her, to gaze into the tear-rimmed eyes of my once beloved…one hand, mangled beyond recognition, but with a touch I can never forget, brushes past my face. Her voice rings gently through the air.
"I knew…" she coughs. "I…I knew you'd come. I knew you'd save me from this…Pegasus…"
I can only shake my head. "I failed, Cyndia," I whisper back. The tears begin to prick at my remaining eye. "I failed and I have nothing left to give for you…I only…Cyndia, know that I lo-"
But here she fades into dust, smiling softly words on her lips, her body blowing out of my hands into the wind. I fall to my knees, and there the dream ends, leaving me clutching what little ash of her remained and she, fleeing to a light with a broken trust and what I can only assume is a broken heart that matches my own… (Au1)
There were so little times in which I said those words to her. And it was never enough. Even as her spirit fled, they hesitated to pass my lips. I regret that more than anything, the fact that I rarely told her I loved her, even though she had always meant more to me than anything. I hadn't said it. And now, it was too late to do anything about it.
I take leave of my bed, the night air cool against my legs and bare chest, moving out the door to the balcony I've become very enamored during the past three months. I sigh, making myself comfortable in the lounge chair positioned on the deck. I lay my hands across my stomach, gazing up into the sky at the stars glittering above. They say if one looks hard enough, they can find their destiny written there, but all I see is a jumble of galaxies and words; tiny suns with their own orbiting planets. Light from those planets, suns, takes hundreds, even thousands of years to reach the earth. It will be years before we know if a star dies. Yet the single great light of my life vanished in an instant. I knew the light faded, but it's still striking me, because…it was there…
Blinking away the bizarre thoughts, I sit up. It's not my style to dwell on these dreams. They've been occurring for years, but something about this particular dream disturbs me. There is something that feels…changed. I cross my legs, sitting up in what has been 'Indian style' (if I remember correctly from childhood games), my arms still folded over my chest. Thinking back on the dream, I try desperately to discern what the difference was.
Not the roses, the cry, nor even the sight of my beloved torn was out of the ordinary. Our speech matched anything previous; the gestures were all the same… what had it been?
A phone rings, cutting my thoughts like a knife. My head darts from its resting position, no longer bent forward, eyes closed. I glare at the silver phone by the chair accusingly, as if it interrupted my thoughts and not the caller, so hell-bent upon speaking to me at four in the morning.
"Have you any clue as to what time it is!" I hiss into the phone.
"Hello, Pegasus," the voice through the receiver says, and in my dream-bound haze I fail to recognize the voice until the next statement. It's ruthless and coldly triumphant. "Pegasus, I've found her."
I rise slowly from my seat. "Kaiba?" I ask to reassure myself. After three months, I had merely figured he had decided against our deal and had gone back to focusing on his work to call me again in six months and ask for another offer. "Who?" I whisper breathlessly. "Who is she?"
"Come to Domino and see," he taunts. "Bring those papers and her ailment and treatment rest on you." The phone clicks.
"Kaiba?" I say. "Kaiba, who is she? Give a name, age, something!"
A dial tone rings back at me and I drop the phone, darting through the house with a sudden rush of adrenaline. My heart pounds loudly in my chest.
"Crocketts!" I yell, moving toward his secluded room. "Crocketts!" it opens as I pound on it and Crocketts, black sunglasses in place even with the long white shirt that serves as his sleeping garment, stands there, his eyebrows arched. "What do you need, Mr. Crawford?" he asks, somehow hinting at my mental stability with his tone.
I must admit, I don't blame him at all. My pristine platinum silver hair is splayed at several strange angles, my reaming eye wide. Sweat beads at my forehead. I stand in front of him in blue striped boxers, and right now, I feel as if the marred skin of my left eye is visible.
I collect myself in an instant, but his gaze remains questioning. "Pardon the interruption, Crocketts," I say matter-of-factly, dusting off my boxers nonchalantly. "But I need the plane prepared for an immediate flight to Japan."
He bows slight. "Yes, Mr. Crawford."
"Very good." I turn to make my way back down the hallway, watching its large bay window at the end. A faint light begins to shine through them and I gasp, hurrying closer. "Could it be?" I whisper, my fingers caressing the clear glass.
Crocketts is behind me. "Are you alright, sir?" he asks.
"It's the sunrise…"
"Yes…" he replies slowly.
A strange feeling begins to well up inside of me; an unfamiliar prick touches my eye. My breathing narrows suddenly and I see it…
"I failed, Cyndia," I whisper back. The tears begin to prick at my remaining eye. "I failed and I have nothing left to give for you…I only…Cyndia, know that I lo-"
She fades into dust, sweeping away into the wind, winding into the sky…that black, black sky…
"It's not black anymore. It's…the end to a long dark night," I say. I feel a tingle on my face, and one hand goes up cautiously to touch my cheek. It's wet.
Tears…
"All the roses are turning silver…the endless black sky, its turning pink and…" another tear slips down my cheek. I remember blankly that I have not cried since the night of Cyndia's death. And now… "And…there is a horizon…"
Silence follows my proclamation and the sun continues to rise, glimmering off my tears. And after a moment, I turn away.
"Crocketts, let's go."
A trip to Domino from San Francisco is a lengthy one. Many miles separate the two places and a direct flight to the smaller business district is difficult to find, seeing as most flights must stop in Tokyo first.
The flight seems to be longer when one is impatiently awaiting some sort of miracle…
My fingers tap persistently on the armrest of my chair as the small private airplane I ride in taxies into the airport. Everything is running far too slow for my taste, and I am quickly losing my patience for it.
The entire trip, during the long hours we flew over the Pacific Ocean, I did not sleep (which is odd for me. Plane rides and long distance car rides tend to make me ill. Sleep is one of the few remedies). I sat tersely in my seat as I do now.
Sighing effeminately, I reach into the pocket of my suit to extract a watch portraying the oh-so-lovable Happy Bunny, his pink paws pointing to the time. Returning it to its proper place, I glance down at myself.
The suit I'm wearing is sadly not the trademark red I most frequently appear in (though it is as much associated to me as trench coats are to dear Kaiba-boy). Instead, I sport a pair of pinstriped brown pants and a butter-cream colored shirt. A likewise chocolate colored coat is slung onto the chair next to me, a brown hat sitting atop it.
Smiling softly, I reach for the hat and take it between my hands, fingering the brim. This hat had been one of my father's own, and one of the few kind gestures he had extended toward me. He gave it to me when I was fourteen, on the day before I fell completely in love with Cyndia. After she had passed, I had taken this hat and traveled to Egypt, where I received the Sennen Eye It is, to me, a symbol of new beginnings, and every time I put it on, something in my life changes drastically, and I had been prompted to bring it here today.
Finally, the plane jolts to a stop, and I stand quickly, throwing the jacket over my arm, grabbing a small suitcase from an overhead compartment, and racing down the aisle of the plane. The door opens as I step out.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford," a man at my elbow yells over the dull roar of the engines as I dismount the steps. I move past him quickly, murmuring some reply as I push the hat roughly onto my head and sprint away from the plane, across the runaway lot toward an open door leading into the Domino Airport.
The airport is busting with people. It's a smaller port than most, but constantly busy nonetheless. As I move through the crowd, I pull the brim of my hat lower, pushing past another group among the chattering mass. As it is, I am attempting to avoid detection, because, of course, it will not be long until the telltale silver hair begins to attract attention. Already whispers are forming behind me as I force my way toward a blaring green exit sign.
Suddenly, a hand catches my arm and I am jarred to a stop.
"Hey!" I exclaim indignantly. "What's the big idea?"
"Shut up," a familiar voice growls lowly. "You're causing a scene."
I blink and raise the brim of my hat to peer at the man speaking to me. He slowly slides the black sunglasses down the bridge of his nose, exposing distinctly cold blue eyes. The harsh glare sends an instant shiver down my spine.
"Kaiba?" I hiss. "What in the world?"
"Shut up," he orders again. "Be quiet, be calm, and follow me." He pushes the glasses back into position and strides off to the left of my intended destination. After a moment of hesitation, I fall into pace behind him as he winds through the people without drawing any attention, and a moment later, we're out the door.
"Buffoon," he scoffs as I follow him toward a thin black limo emblazoned on the side with the Kaiba Corporation's insignia. "Completely idiotic…Bumbling through a crowd like a drunkard…"
He ducks into the car as his driver opens the door, still hissing bitterly at my actions. I don't follow immediately. Instead, I peer around the parking lot for a moment, my eyes scanning for my own servant.
"What are you waiting for?" Kaiba snaps.
"A handwritten invitation, of course," I reply sarcastically, spotting Crocketts on his way across the lot toward me. Behind me, Kaiba grumbles to himself, failing to cloak his anger.
"Alright," I say, entering the vehicle as Crocketts reaches it. "The girl?"
He raises a brow. "The contract?" The door is shut behind me and the car begins to move.
I gently touch the briefcase at my side. "Safely put away until the proper time." I cast him my own curious glance. "Have we a standstill for the time being, Kaiba-boy?"
"No," he growls, one eyes twitching slightly. "We're going to meet her now." He picks up a yellowed file folder at his side and dangles it in front of my face. "At a mall downtown. She'll be with a member of her family." A smile touches his lips and he chuckles softly.
"Why is that," I say, my eye following the folder as it swings back and forth between his fingers. "She's not a minor, is she?"
"I don't know," he replies smoothly. "But the file says everything."
"Give it to me then."
"No."
I blink. "Kaiba-boy, that is hardly a proper way to conduct business."
"You get nothing unless I get your word that you will be content and sign the contract," he hisses, suddenly vehement. "I have been waiting too long for this."
"And why would looking at the file make me change my mind, hmmm?" I ask, eyeing him dubiously. "What exactly have you done, Kaiba-boy?"
"The girl," he says, throwing the folder my way. I catch it and open it, scanning the contents. "Twenty-two years old," he continues. "Typical profile."
"Condition?"
"She's…eh…" some unintelligible mutter comes from him, and for the first time, he looks slightly uncomfortable. "She's…blind…"
I look up at him utterly perplexed. "Blindness? Kaiba, why in the world…"
He cuts me off by suddenly exploding into a maniacal laughter. I start back, blinking at him. His arms latch around his stomach and he rolls back on the seat. The moments pass and I stare at him until he regains control and sits up.
"Blindness," he says maniacally. "Think about the irony of it all, Pegasus. You, half blind due to a psychotic incident with a golden eye that you thought gave you mystic, mind-reading powers? And the beautiful creature you were married to…"
I stiffen slightly, glowering at him.
"Cyndia," he taunts. "Yes, she was charming, wasn't she? This girl is quite lovely. A beauty for a beauty, eh, Pegasus? There are pictures in there, look." He laughs again. "And her name even, Cyndia. A poorer translation can change her from that, to a Cecilia." He grins sadistically. "And Pegasus, you know what Cecilia means in Latin, don't you?"
I merely stare at him, aghast that he should put so much thought into such a simple matter; so much…malice. "You never fail to amaze me, Kaiba-boy," I say, shaking my head. It stings, these thoughts. They truly do, but I won't let Kaiba know that.
As the car pulls to a stop, he sits triumphantly, smirking. "And there's one more surprise for you, Pegasus," he stats, examining his fingernails smugly.
I raise an eyebrow, refusing to reply save to dryly say, "Oh, really? That's lovely, Kaiba-boy." I refuse to play Kaiba's game, but what does it matter now anyway? Whoever this girl is, blindness and all, I'm going to see her for myself. My stomach twinges uncomfortably at the thought. "And what would it be?"
"You'll see," he replies curtly, climbing out as the driver props open the door. I follow persistently, but say no more to him. Before us lay a grand mall, three stories high and packed, I'm sure, with people. There is no hesitation in his step as he goes forward, ignoring a mother pulling her small child out of his way. I nod at her apologetically and am after Kaiba.
Through a set of slide glass doors standing next to a rotating glass one, we moved into the mall. Instantly, the smells of the food court blare at me from the left. People are talking and children are screaming at a nearby fountain. I pause looking around. I don't come to public places very often and this in particular seems insanely crowded a a nd loud. I look around one more time until I notice something.
I've lost Kaiba…
I curse softly beneath my breath, attempting to gaze over the people to find him to no avail.
Blinking several times, I center myself. Now, I am an adult from America lost from his semi-twisted business associate in a mall in Japan. No problem, right? I just go the nearest comic store and Kaiba will find me, right away (hopefully before I knock off my entire fortune on useless Japanese manga that I can hardly decipher at any rate). The very thought makes me both laugh and cringe at the same time, and I decide in the end that the food court (despite the large concoction of smells) is a grand place for a meeting, and no doubt an anxious Kaiba will arrive there eventually. (Au2)
The noxious smells come first from my left, so that, I figure, is the path leading to my intended destination. At the top of the moving staircase, I spy a directory and looking at it upon closer inspection I see the 'You are Here' sticker (in Japanese with English footnotes) as well as the Food Court.
I ride another escalator and reach a point where the strong smells hang like sickening haze in the air. I've never had much of a stomach for oriental food, so this place strikes me as some sort of torture chamber, but I continue forward anyway, coughing only slightly.
Looking around, it strikes me as odd that there are few people here (I suppose they are all at home eating something wholesome). A quick glance produces no evidence of Kaiba, so I take a seat, crossing my arms over my chest and sighing. I suppose this will be a long wait, and I close my eyes for a moment, the need for rest overwhelming me.
Somewhere around me, laughter falls, tinkling like a bell. I smile in spite of myself. Such a beautiful sound, one I have rarely heard since Cyndia, much less one with such innocence intoned. It is answered by an almost animal-like grunt of a reply.
I open my eye as the chime like voice replies sharply and my breath hitches in my chest, a thought striking me. Her auburn hair drapes around her like fire; dull, honey-brown eyes glimmer with mock rage; and her delicate mouth is curved gently. I stare, my eye locked on her, watching as she reaches out touching each chair once in a strange jumpy manner. Her steps were careful, but hardly hesitant, and it seemed that a small folded white pole protrudes from her back pocket, despite that she seems determined not to use it.
"That's her," a voice above me says.
I look up to see Kaiba standing over me, hands coolly in his pockets. He is smiling fondly, his eyes narrowed into a cold, victorious glare. "And there you have it Pegasus," he murmurs. "Checkmate."
"Why checkmate, Kaiba?" I ask, looking at him.
"Because, Pegasus. Notice her companion. He is her brother."
I look back and my heart constricts, for standing with the young girl that Kaiba has chosen to aid is someone who can probably hate me more than almost anyone one else.
Jounouchi Katsuya…
A/N: Wow. I am aware that that took quick a while, but this is, for me, a very long chapter. And kinda pointless I think, but, heh. (okay, not really , but still...) Anyway, nine pages, dearies. Please R&R.
Lina
Au 1: An insanely dark dream sequence (though it could have been worse, i'm sure) but not something i typically do either way. (shrugs)
Au 2: Yes, before we continue, an Americanized Japanese mall. Deal with it. (sigh)