To the Victor Go the Spoils
Okay...you all have my sincerest apologies for not updating in so long! I ran into some Writer's Block...always lovely. But I've broken through, and hope to have this whole thing completed in the next few chapters. Thanks to those of you who have followed and reviewed!
Rating: T for dark themes: insanity, violence, language.
Pairings: Mild Puzzleshipping (on the side), some twisted, one-sided Prideshipping.
Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh…I wouldn't be coming up with creative ways to say that I don't. ^_~
Italics indicate thoughts, emphasis or articles.
Joey yawned as he blearily filled his bowl with cereal. Man, I wish my route didn't have to be so early, he thought grumpily. Can't people read their papers at night? Normally, getting up for a 6:30 paper route wasn't so bad, but he'd slept badly for the past few nights…and had been unable to get back to sleep when he returned. And that irritated him. Staying up with Yami was one thing; the guy was beside himself worrying about Yugi – and so was he, to be honest. But for the past night or two, he only had himself to blame. Himself and his nerves and his stupid brain that wouldn't shut down.
That press conference was what was really bugging him. Watching the live broadcast with Yugi, he'd been nervous. That creep was only calling it so he could try and humiliate his best friend in public, and that was the last thing Joey wanted. Kaiba had already hurt Yugi badly enough; he didn't want to see both of them knocked down by that whacked-out asshole.
Heh, he thought, perking up a bit at the memory, Should've known Yams would have somethin' up his sleeve. The guy handled the crowd like a pro! Kaiba's attempts to humiliate the former pharaoh had started at the very beginning, but Yami had thwarted him every time. Even…even when that BASTARD took his God Cards, he thought angrily, his hand clenching into a fist. Dammit, Yams, I know ya had to save face there, but KAIBA with the GOD CARDS…I'd have less of a problem if he wasn't completely PSYCHO.
He sighed, digging into his breakfast. At least Yug is safe, he thought moodily. For now, anyway…the normal Kaiba was an asshole but if he said he'd do something, he'd do it. THIS Kaiba is a whole new deal. He SAYS he's gonna leave Yug alone now, but I don't trust him as far as I could throw him…
His thoughts were interrupted by the phone. Aw MAN, he thought as he got up to answer it, annoyed, If it's ANYONE but Yug, I'm gonna be PISSED…
"Yello?"
"Am I speaking to Mr. Joey Wheeler?" a woman asked in a crisp voice.
Joey had no idea who she was, but decided to play it cool. "Yep. And who might this be? It's not every day a lady calls me so early."
The woman laughed a bit. "My name is Andrea Tyler. I'm a reporter for the Domino Times. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"The Times, eh? I just finished a route for you guys," Joey frowned, considering. He had a gut feeling that he knew what she was going to ask about. "Sure, why not." He paused, looking at his watch. "I only got 10 minutes or so, though. That okay?"
"That should be fine for starters." For starters? Joey swallowed. This can't be good. "I suppose I'll just get right to it, then. I assume you're aware of the unusual announcement that Yami Mutou made yesterday?"
Yep. Called it. Wait…YAMI's announcement? "Who hasn't? But that announcement was Kaiba's idea, not Yami's."
Immediately, he regretted his words. Real effin' smart, Wheeler! For all YOU know, Yami still has to play Kaiba's twisted game! If Yug gets hurt again because of somethin' YOU said…
"Kaiba's…idea? What do you mean by that?"
Joey mentally called himself ten kinds of idiot, then considered his next words carefully. Better act like he's his normal arrogant self. "Kaiba's ego's the size of the freakin' building he works in," he said, not bothering to hide his contempt. Everyone knew he hated the CEO anyway. "He's been tryin' to beat Yami for ages; of course he'd want to tell the world when he finally did it."
"You don't seem to like Mr. Kaiba too much," Andrea responded, sounding curious. Okay, maybe not everyone.
"He and I aren't exactly best buds," he said dryly. "I'm sure you know our dueling history. I'd like him better if he wasn't an arrogant ass." And if he wasn't a complete psycho beating on my best friends.
"That's right; you've dueled both Mr. Mutou and Mr. Kaiba, haven't you?"
"Yep, more than once. Lost to both of 'em every time, though," he shrugged.
"That doesn't bother you?" Now, why would she ask that?
Joey laughed. "Ms…Tyler, everyone loses to those two. Besides, Yami's one of my best friends. I like dueling him even if I lose every time." Because Yams doesn't make me feel like a freakin' idiot when I do. And hey, I actually did beat him once…wouldn't have my Red-Eyes back if I hadn't.
"I see…Tell me, Mr. Wheeler, did you actually see this duel that Mr. Kaiba won?"
Aw, man…figures she'd get straight to the point! "Nah, I was hanging out with Yug instead."
"Yugi Motou? Mr. Mutou's protégé?"
Joey wanted to snort. Protégé…heh. Yug taught me Duel Monsters before he even solved that Puzzle. "The one and only."
"I would've thought he'd be there watching his mentor. Why weren't you two there?"
Aw crap. Should've known I'd step into trouble. Joey thought for a moment. "Well, Kaiba's been challenging Yami to duels every week or so for the past few months. It gets boring watchin' the same thing all the time, ya know?" He'd better embellish that truth a bit for good measure. "But they liked dueling privately. No crowd pressure for either side, just them two and their monsters." He paused. "Figures that we missed Kaiba actually winning," he joked.
"Indeed," he could swear Andrea was smiling. "Now, Mr. Wheeler…you were with Yugi that afternoon. But yesterday, Mr. Motou said Yugi wasn't well. What happened?"
Joey froze. Oh shit. Oh shitshitshit. I can't just tell her that my best bud got kidnapped…crap, what if she's already talked to Yug? If our stories don't match up, we're toast! He glanced at his watch. "OH CRAP," he said, relief coursing through him. He had never been so thankful to be running late. "I'm sorry, Ms. Tyler, but I really gotta go! I'm gonna be late!"
"Oh!" she sounded surprised. "Oh goodness, I didn't realize how much time went by. Is there a time when I can call you back?"
"Hm…I should be back by 7 tonight. That all right?"
"Absolutely. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wheeler."
Joey wiped a sweaty palm on his jeans. "No problem."
He hung up, letting out a breath. Then he jumped up, running to grab his wallet. He really was running late. Good thing I'm headed to the Game Shop anyway, he thought as he raced out the door. I need to get my story straight with Yams and Yug before that reporter calls back.
...
Seto glowered at his computer screen. He had a raging headache, no doubt from the obnoxious lack of sleep from the past couple of nights. A lack of sleep that was filled with tossing and turning and that face. That goddamn son of a bitch's face!
Damn him. DAMN him, Seto thought furiously, burying his face in his hands. It wasn't fair, damn it! He won, he'd won, he'd won everything and everything he wanted. He should be well rested and basking in the glow of victory; the twisted and broken expression of defeat on his rival's face should've lulled him to pleasant dreams. Instead, his face, that fucking face, smirked at him in the mirror, on his computer, burning itself into his retinas, never leaving him be. Those eyes, those stupid fucking red-violet eyes pierced his exhausted mind; still proud, still sharp, still challenging, still VICTORIOUS.
Seto wanted to scream. You should be DONE FOR, he mentally howled, snarling at the phantom image. You should be on your fucking KNEES. It's ME who has the glory now, ME. I won my game, your title is MINE, your cards are MINE, your victory is MINE, the game is MINE, you fucking bastard, MINE MINE MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE! No matter what you said after that conference, you've LOST. LOST. YOU. LOST LOST LOSTLOSTLOST. TO ME. ME!
But had he? Had he, had he really? He'd never lost his cool. Calm and cool, he was, but that was supposed to be HIM, himself, Seto Kaiba, King of Games, made of ice, calm and cold, so cold, so cold. Cold was good. Cold was strong. But fire…fire was also strong, and his eyes burned with it…the fire that refused to be quenched, that had burned and burned and burned no matter how hard he tried to wipe it out. Yugi had fueled it, Yugi and his stupid bond with his other fucking self. Losing his title for the sake of Yugi had fueled it. The conference fueled it; he'd mastered the horde of hounds that called themselves journalists with ease, and walked out as though he hadn't a care in the world, as though he was still the King of Games, as though Seto had never defeated him, as though the cold, the ice, the cold and ice that should have destroyed his fire only made him burn stronger. Cold and ice, Seto Kaiba was cold and ice, but he felt so hot, so scattered; he couldn't focus…
"Mr. Kaiba!" His secretary's irritated voice ripped through his thoughts, sending them scattering to the wind in pieces.
Bloodshot azure eyes glared at the intruder. "What do you want?" He barely managed to keep his tone civil.
Strangely, she glared right back. "I've been calling your name for the past two minutes." Where was the deference? The respect that was reserved for only him, that should have been tripled now that he was the one and only King of Games? Was the world itself turning upside down, that the employees who usually cringed under his glare now sneered at him? Sneered and jeered behind his back, he knew they did, he knew they did…
"Whatever. What was so important?"
"Itoh is here to see you. She says she needs to speak with you sooner rather than later."
His press secretary? What could she want? Surely nothing bad was being printed, surely not; he'd won a victory, a great victory, and his company always benefited when he won. And when he lost, it lost. Such was the nature of the game.
"Hmph. Fine, send her in." He needed good news. He really needed good news, he needed to drive away the images, the sounds, the images, the fire from his head. The fire…the crimson fire, tinged with violet…or was it violet tinged with red…
His thoughts were mercifully interrupted once again by the entrance of his press secretary, Seneki Itoh. KaibaCorp had a sizeable PR department that managed and watched the press concerning the company, but Itoh's job was to monitor all press directly relating to Seto himself. She had a sharp mind that could pick out almost any potential problem, and find at least two potential solutions.
It was for that reason that Seto tolerated her attitude. "Mr. Kaiba, we've got a problem. Besides the fact that you look horrendous," she said crisply, sitting in the chair across from him without so much as a preamble, brushing her long black bangs out of her eyes. Yes, she was sharp, very sharp. Too sharp. Seto would have to keep himself fully controlled, fully checked with her. No rambling, no glowering, no fire. No fire. Normal.
"Tell me something I don't already know," he said, letting himself sound irritated. Which he was.
"The problem or the looks?" Yes. Very sharp. Sharp like knives. Like ice.
"The looks. I've had a hellish couple of nights." That was true at least. "What's the problem?"
He didn't like the look of annoyed puzzlement that crossed her features. "Haven't you been paying attention to the papers? They come to you every morning, don't they?"
Seto paused. Usually, yes, they were waiting for him when he sat down to eat breakfast. But for the past couple of days, only one had been there: the financial paper. He'd reprimanded his idiotic servants for neglecting it, of course… "I haven't, actually. Enlighten me."
She hmphed. "Well, they're certainly reacting very strangely to your new victory. Over Yami Mutou," she added, as though he didn't immediately know what she meant. As though it hadn't been haunting him for the past few days. Strange? Everything was strange now.
"Strange how? I beat him, I'm the King of Games and he's a has-been, end of story. I've claimed victory, he's conceded." This was already irritating.
"Not quite," she sighed. "They're reading into this like a bunch of tabloids. Here, see for yourself." She handed him a few papers, stacked in chronological order from first print. He picked up the first and read:
King of Games Relinquishes Title to KaibaCorp CEO
Domino City, Japan. The world of duelists has a new monarch. In a press conference on Monday morning that shocked the gaming world, longtime champ Yami Mutou, known throughout the gaming world as the King of Games, announced that he was handing his crown to Seto Kaiba, President and CEO of KaibaCorp.
Mutou and Kaiba, longtime rivals for the gaming crown, had often met privately for matches in the popular card game Duel Monsters that pushed both to fame three years ago. While it has been confirmed that Mutou bested the CEO in every match, this weekend's events turned his streak of victory on its head, according to Kaiba.
"For years, I have tried to prove that the King of Games is not unbeatable," Kaiba stated, "and finally I have succeeded."
If anyone expected the former King of Games to bow out ungracefully after such a long reign, however, they were in for a disappointment. "It has always been the fun of dueling that keeps me in the game, not a need to stay on top," Mutou said, "If someone defeated me honorably, I would be happy to hand him or her the proverbial crown." The petite, spiky-haired duelist remained calm and poised in the face of any criticism, and even handed over the three Duel Monsters cards that made him the envy of the dueling arena.
The rest of the article summarized the events of the 'duel'; Seto skimmed those sections. Anger snaked its way through his thoughts. "Relinquishing his title," he sneered. "Calm and poised…what is this, a praise column for him or a victory for me?"
Itoh snorted. "That one's not even bad. Keep going." He picked up the next.
Questions Arise Over King of Games Coup D'Etat
If only victory could stay sweet.
Seto Kaiba, President and CEO of KaibaCorp and longtime rival to now-former King of Games Yami Mutou, has finally declared victory once and for all. In a press conference, he and the top-ranked duelist confirmed the story and answered questions from the press. However, the victory is being tainted by rumors questioning the validity of the duel and the curious circumstances surrounding it.
Recent developments have caused a flurry of questions among gaming enthusiasts in both the arena and the blogosophere. Several reporters and viewers noted that Kaiba's request for Mutou's three most prized cards came as a surprise to the duelist, many believing that he would decline to hand them over. Others noted that during the event, several hints were made suggesting that the former King of Games was not happy with the developments, despite his appearance of polite acceptance.
In addition, Mutou's protégé, Yugi Motou, often mistaken for a relative of the top duelist due to their similar hairstyles, was not present at the conference. When asked about the younger duelist's whereabouts, Mutou responded that his dueling partner was not well. However, sources say that young Motou was present in the local arcade looking quite healthy just a day and a half prior, making the onset of his apparent illness unusually sudden.
Seto stopped reading. "What is this bullshit?" he growled. "What the hell does Yugi's absence have to do with this? What's this about 'several hints' that Yami was pissed about losing? He was perfectly calm the entire time!" Too calm, he thought. Too calm, too cool, not humiliated, not defeated like he should have been…
"I know, and that's why I snagged a recording of it to watch it more closely. You two really don't like each other, do you?" She raised an eyebrow.
Seto snorted. "Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Figured. Well, they're right about the hints. Yami Mutou glared at you quite a few times…very interesting times, actually. Including when he mentioned that Yugi Motou wasn't well, which probably explains why people noticed."
Seto cursed mentally. Of course they'd pick up on that. The scorching look that shouted the reason for Yugi's 'illness' to the entire crowd. The look that burned with anger, burned with challenge and promise… "Hmph. He's still bitter about losing, obviously." He glowered at the photograph that accompanied the article.
"Heh. If I were to describe Mr. Mutou during that conference, 'bitter' wouldn't be the word I'd use." She rifled through the papers on the desk, but Seto continued staring at the photo in front of him.
There was something he didn't like about it. It was striking, to be sure, but he didn't like it.
"And look at this next one… 'King of Games Victory a Fraud?' Granted, that's tabloid trash, but it's still dangerous…"
A close-up of Yami with his microphone; behind him, Seto at the podium, watching as Yami answered a question.
"And these here…'gracious behavior on the part of Yami Mutou'…'dignity in the face of criticism and jabs from Kaiba'…man, they freakin' love this guy, it's unreal. You'd think HE won instead of you…"
Instead of that sharp profile, however, Yami's face was turned towards the camera, no doubt at the enquirer whose question he was answering. Looking almost directly at the camera. Smirking. That smirk. That confident smirk, that godforsaken smirk that haunted him…and now he was smirking at him, the black-and-white gaze was now crimson-violet…
Gods, he hated it. He hated him. He had no right to be smirking like that! Seto growled. Wipe that fucking smirk off your face, you asshole. You have NO RIGHT to look like that, no right…
"Mr. Kaiba?" He blinked, looking up at a slightly concerned-looking Itoh. "I didn't catch that…" she trailed off.
Catch what? Did…did I speak aloud? He frowned. He hadn't thought he was. "I wasn't aware that I said anything," he managed in his coolest tone.
Itoh was quiet for a moment. "Well, you definitely mumbled something there. Maybe you need some rest. You look like hell. Try to catch a nap…or at least get yourself a strong cup of coffee." She rose. "We need to go over a way to counteract all this; get people on the track of celebration and OFF the track of questioning," she said, giving him a sharp look. "But you seriously need a break. I'm telling your secretary not to bother you for a full hour and you better put that time to good use."
An hour. An hour to rest, to forget that goddamned smirk and his ruined victory. He managed a smirk. "I didn't know you cared."
She snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Kaiba. It's bad for your image if you look as awful as you do for much longer. And it's my job to keep your image in the clear."
She exited the office, closing the door behind her. Seto eyed the photo once again. "Don't look at me like that," he mumbled, glaring at it wearily. "Don't you fucking look at me like that. You've LOST. I'VE won." And I take what's rightfully mine. Mine… "Your cards are mine." Your title is mine. "Your victory is mine." Mine…mine… "You're mine, you bastard. You." You. "You, YOU are MINE." And I won't stop until you're on the ground, under my feet, on display for all to see. "No more fire. No, no, no fire. No fire. Not allowed to have fire." Anything that's mine is cold. And you WILL be mine.
Seto barely noticed as his head hit the desk, resting on the newspaper. His vision swam with lines of black and white…and crimson…crimson and violet…he belonged to him. His. Victory was his. And that meant Yami was his. His…and he stopped at nothing to get what was his. And he'd grind him into the ground and wash away all the fire. No more fire. Only cold. Cold and broken and cold and beaten.
He sighed. He slept. And for one glorious hour, he had pleasant dreams.
Yes, the epic run-ons are intentional. Seto's losing his coherency along with his mind. Yay! ^_~
Things will get a little more exciting next chapter! Promise!
Thanks again for reading, and also thanks to Toxic Hathor, who is an awesome beta reader (and also one hell of an author herself...seriously, her fics are amazing)!