This one came out really short. Sorry. Next one will be longer, I promise. I don't own Yugioh. This story takes place in an alternate universe. Well Enjoy!
A Changed View
Chapter 03 :
Interpret
"Easy Mutt, your drool is making a mess on the floor - so keep the tongue in your mouth." He muttered in an annoyed tone. He didn't have time for this. The brunet hoped this was just an introduction because he still had a phone call to make.
The blond growled irately. "You know what Moneybags, go fu-"
"Alright, now, children." Ishizu started in a soft but stern tone. Jounouchi, who normally tried not to be his usual foul-mouthed self in front of women, held his crude remark back. She seemed to appreciate the self-control… But she had a feeling the CEO of Kaiba Corporation would not be so willing to let down his defensive disposition. "First of all, I would like to speak with each of you, separately, to establish a better understanding of who you are and also your thoughts on one another." She paused and took a moment to study their reactions. "Which one of you would like to go first?" Jounouchi seemed rather bored and Kaiba was barely even listening. After a short pause, with neither one answering, Ishizu continued. "Since today is Monday, whoever stays today will meet with me every Monday here on out. The other will come see me on Tuesdays." She explained further.
Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry Ms. Ishtar, is this really necessary? I mean, there ain't no way I'mma ever get along with this self-centered prick." He tried to rationalize. 'I don't wanna stay here any longer. I wanna go find my sister!'
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Mutt, your eloquent vocabulary, which resembles that of an ill-mannered street dog, only proves without doubt, you are nowhere near my league." He spared the other student a bothered glare and then turned his gaze towards the suspicious counselor. "Thus I, for a first, agree with the canine-" Jounouchi cursed his name, the two made momentary eye-contact and glared. "I'll never degrade myself, by ever becoming friends with a worthless Mutt." His jaw clenched heatedly.
Jounouchi stood to his feet and felt his blood bubbling to a boil. Ishizu watched the actions between the two. Kaiba stood up and chuckled with a smirk. "What's wrong Mutt? I'm actually agreeing with you. Feel honored." The smirk fell and he quickly pulled his phone out from his pocket, His demeanor hardened with finality. "Entertain the feeble pet. I have something of actual importance to attend to." He commanded and left at that. Jounouchi shouted out his name in an irritated growl as the door shut between them.
Shizuka took her seat in the back, beside Ryou Bakura - the boy with the most gentle of faces she had ever seen. He was very cute, 'He looks like some sort of angel.' She mused with a grin. She remembered how sad she'd felt watching the heated glare between Motoko and Anzu. Even the fight that broke out between her own brother and the… unpleasant Seto Kaiba. 'Both incidents were caused by me.' As she looked over the classroom and noticed how animatedly Anzu spoke with some short kid - who was even shorter than her! 'His hair is so unusual too. I've never seen anyone with black, purple and blond in their hair. It's pretty cool.' She smiled as she watched them and flitted over to another friend, she assumed, that kept waving at her with a blush on his face. He had a simpler look, with brown hair styled up into a point - okay maybe that was a little out of the ordinary as well, but nothing in comparison to the shorter's hairstyle. 'Maybe if he added a little color to it.' Shizuka began to drift off into another world, she often went into a dreamy world full of her abundant imagination. "Daydreaming Princess!" Shizuka snapped out of her daze with a grinding irk and twitch of her eye as a familiar cold voice shouted at her mentally.
Class droned on until finally the bell rang. Kids scampered out quickly, while she gathered her books at a much steadier pace. "You feeling any better?" The gentle voice of Ryou Bakura asked with an equally soft squeeze of her shoulder again.
With a faint blush on her cheeks she nodded, "Oh yes, thank you." She smiled and zipped up her backpack. "You said you're a friend of Jounouchi's too?" She asked. Once more, she was delightfully surprised that her brother had yet another kind person to call a good friend. Anzu approached as he nodded, as well as the shorter teen with spiky tri-colored hair and the other she could easily tell had a crush on her.
"Shizuka, I'm sorry for what happened earlier before class started." Anzu cut in with saddened blues and an apologetic pout. "I hope I didn't freak you out." She added, deeply regretful.
Shizuka's smile softened in forgiveness. "Don't worry about it, really." She replied.
"I'm not usually so pushy and - or even angry like that." Anzu defended without any reason.
Honda smirked and inched closer to whisper in the younger's ear, "Don't let her fool you. You haven't seen the infamous Mazaki temper. She takes the form of a rabies-infected Hitotsu-Me Giant when you piss her off." He explained in mock-warning.
Shizuka giggled into her hand at the thought, though she wasn't entirely sure what a 'Hitotsu-Me Giant' was per say, she got the idea it must've been some horrid monster. Anzu's eyes narrowed to slits and she pulled Honda by the ear, "Honda what did you say?" She muttered through clenched teeth.
"Ah, I didn't say anything! Promise!" Anzu continued to grip his poor ear while he tried to wiggle out of her hold.
Ryou rubbed the back of his head and laughed in amusement. Yugi sighed and shook his head. "It's really nice to meet you, Ms. Kawaii. I'm Yugi Mutoh, but you can call me Yugi." He turned and pointed at the brunet boy and with an exasperated sigh continued, "That is Honda Hiroto, but we usually just call him Honda. Him and Jounouchi prefer it, for their own reasons." He smiled warmly.
Shizuka beamed brightly. 'I knew there was a reason I liked this one!' "You- You're Yugi?!" She exclaimed excitedly. She continued her gushed conversation as they filed out and set to their next classroom, "I've heard such great things about you. The last letter I received from Jounouchi- early last year, said he had changed a new leaf and was going to be someone worth something." As they came to a hallway, they waved to Honda, whose next class wasn't the same as theirs and went on. "He said he changed because even though he prided himself on being the toughest kid in Domino, he finally came to realize that the strongest in the school was someone he'd been shamefully bullying. He told me that something happened and he would've been in serious trouble if it had not been for this person." They waved Ryou off and went along. Yugi was blushing as he recalled the 'incident' she was talking about. "He said he'd have been in serious trouble if it had not been for you, Yugi."
Anzu listened with a loose smile on her lips. Though it was well known that Shizuka and their rough-housing friend didn't get to talk often enough and hadn't seen each other since they were little kids, it was heartwarming to know how much the younger loved and proudly spoke of her brother. The blue eyed girl frowned as she recalled the events of the morning, it didn't seem right that Jounouchi should have to miss his sister's first day like this. "Oh it's really nothing. Jounouchi over exaggerates. Really." Yugi offered, not accustomed to such praise and gratitude.
Shizuka gleamed even so. "Thank you so much." She turned to Anzu and nodded appreciatively. "Thank you both." Anzu winked in acceptance and the three continued on to their next class together.
Kaiba sat in the class and tapped his pencil as he continued his talk with the overseas business contact about one of many meetings they had recently. The brunet was the first one to the class and gratefully accepted the quiet to sneak in one more call before school ended. As he hung up and pulled out his workbook. His eyes wandered to the clock and he sighed in relief. 'I had to cut it short but I managed to clench the deal with Mr. Saitoa and even got that annoying Veroi out of the way. Maybe I can actually keep a promise to Mokuba for once, and NOT have to miss another dinner.' Though it was a routine frustration, Kaiba often worked well passed any decent hour, breaking various promises to his dear younger brother, Mokuba. Even though it happened nearly every day, it irked him more than perhaps it did the younger. He sighed. 'How horrible I am. My brother is so used to it, he doesn't even cry or pester me about coming home anymore…'
The five minute bell rang and students started to file in. Kaiba saw the teacher arrive at this time as well. She offered the brunet a soft acknowledgment, Kaiba 'hn'ed in reply. The brunet went back to his thoughts on his quickly maturing brother, the only one he felt so pathetic over. He bit back a yawn, it was that time of year where he was working late nights and getting up way too early, he didn't have time for breakfast and by the time he made it home, he usually passed out in his room or on the first floor sofa.. But the results were worth the headaches and lost meals. 'I'm so close to perfecting the digital enhancement on the Kaiba Corp Dueling Disk.' He spaced out into a mental colloquy.
Anzu and Yugi stepped in with Shizuka close behind. The teacher walked up to them and smiled, knowing who the new face was instantly. The teacher crouched forward to speak at eye level. "It is nice to meet you, Ms. Kawaii. My name is Mrs. Takeru." Mrs. Takeru took a moment to survey the class, it was just about full, she nodded. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" She asked. "Class, we have a new student." Shizuka was a little more comfortable with herself, having done this for the other rooms. She'd made a fool of herself twice, but every one after was easier and easier. Mrs. Takeru stood beside her and crouched again, "Now then where you will be sitting?" She scratched her cheek idly, "Well, we only have one seat available I'm afraid." She stood to her full height and pointed in a linear direction. Shizuka followed the dainty finger and instantly paled. "The third row, all the way to the back. The left rear corner of Seto's seat." She further elaborated.
"Oh, uh, thank you." She murmured, trying to mask her disdain. 'It could be worse. At least I'm not directly beside or behind him.' The younger nodded, feeling much better about it. Anzu and Yugi wanted to say something but Shizuka sucked it up and, simply to avoid another outburst of some sort, she made her way down death row… Er, to her seat. To her surprise, even as she walked right passed the… 'unpleasant' CEO, with his eyes cast forward, chin rested in his hand that leaned against the desk, he didn't so much as acknowledge her. Shizuka took her seat and exhaled in relief. Class started as the bell sounded.
History wasn't one of her strong suits. It wasn't that she was uninterested, she always managed to get at least an average, she just had a hard time remembering dates and names and such. It was hard, especially when she had the tendency to slip from reality. This time though, she wasn't in her own little world, instead she took to studying her brother's tormentor. 'And he accused me of being a daydreamer.' She pouted and rested her chin in her hand, in a copied manner. When the bell had rung, she'd seen him snap out of whatever was on his mind and his eyes fell towards the book lying open on his desk.
'But even now, it doesn't look like he's paying much attention. He's turned the page only twice through the whole lesson and he keeps glancing at the clock every two minutes. What's he in such a rush for?' She recalled the morning affairs and let her eyes flutter close, 'He was so set on making that call, he insulted me and brushed me off… Come to think of it, class was still in process when he was in the hallway… Hm.' She opened them once more and gazed intently. 'When he led me to the class, he made a stupid comment and, Jounouchi shot up so fast… But is he really always so… Mean?' As she stared at him now, he seemed so… "..uka.." 'I can't put my finger on it.' "…waii…" 'He's so…' suddenly there was a loud slam on her desk and her eyes instantly rushed upwards towards Mrs. Takeru's irritated scowl. She blushed instantly. "Mrs. Shizuka Kawaii." She accentuated crossly. "Would you mind breaking away from your gawking of Seto and read the next page?" The classroom filled with snickering. Shizuka sunk in her seat not daring to look at the one she'd been staring at.
Kaiba smirked as the sister of his long time victim was caught intensely staring at him. The thought of her doing so, entertained him to no end. He hadn't even noticed she had entered the room until moments later when she had passed him and the familiar scent of her overly sweet perfume had caught his senses. But it was a vague awareness and he had been busy assessing his latest Kaiba Corp project to actually react. 'Didn't even notice her introduction. Hmph, whatever.' Besides, it was only a girl. 'A small, frail one at that. A petite barking Chihuahua.' He further detailed. There was no fun in teasing someone who probably couldn't handle it. 'I bet she's a crybaby.' He rolled his eyes.
He did frown in the end though. 'After our encounter earlier, along with the disruption that is the Mutt, I'd think she'd know better than to even attempt to acknowledge me.' His eyes sifted through the class at the other girls in the room, some were peaking at him, some were actually giddy with joy that the new girl had gotten in trouble. After all, they wanted him for themselves, so the less competition the better. As it goes. But somehow, he had not thought she would be the type to hang all over him - to openly ogle him during class.. It was because of the damn fan girls, no one was allowed in a desk directly next to his. 'I guess being the sister of a Mutt… Doesn't mean a damn thing.' He shook his head. 'I really am tired. I never ramble like this.' He nodded and made a mental note to NOT 'visit' Kaiba Corp today. Instead, he would do himself a favor and take a break. He'd been long overdue and it would make Mokuba happy. Missing a day's work was worth the smile on his little brother's face. 'Right then. I'll take the day off… And then just do double the work tomorrow.' His eyes flitted to the clock and he sighed mentally. It was time to split. Kaiba lifted a lazy right hand, pen clutched, and wrote down his homework.
Shizuka was red as a tomato. 'What was I thinking?' She wearily lifted up her book and meekly began reading the page. Even as she read it, she could barely concentrate on it. She could tell, everyone was either watching her or laughing at her… She had this sort of problem at her old school too. 'I always embarrass myself.' As she continued, a noise and movement at the corner of her eyes, caught her attention and she momentarily stopped and looked up from her page just in time to see the blue-eyed brunet walking out of the class.