Of Guns and Sand
by: Xeora
You know, each time I write this title the program keeps auto-inserting the word "sandwich" instead of just "Sand". XD
Personally, I blame Honda. That bastard.
Warnings: Manlove and such. We introduce the REAL Seto Kaiba. And possibly some ammunition. Rawr.
–
Three
Phone Calls and Rain
It was corny to say that he received a mysterious phone call. Such things are the cheat anchors for most oncoming plots, and this is no exception. Honestly, he had more than his fair share of mysterious phone calls, taking this one was only adding onto his ever growing list. Both of annoyances, and his chronicled shit list. As one would eventually figure out the hard way, Seto Kaiba didn't have the patience to deal with such trivial matters. The only reason he would is if it was a damned good one. That, of course, was on his shortest of lists.
"Something precious has been taken," the caller had said. It was certainly female and quite soft. "Something of yours..."
There was little Kaiba actually valued. His company was intact, the last time he checked. Money was something he could practically "pull out of his ass", and Mokuba was safe playing video games. He knew this, because his little brother was sitting in his office doing so, making little "pew pew pew boom!" noises each time he destroyed an alien invader.
Kaiba held the phone to his ear, momentarily in silence. Pranks like this were played on him before. However, there was something about this voice. "And that is...?" His voice was low, certainly baritone and deep. There was a coldness there that he had grown proud of.
"For you to find out exactly," She said. "As it is your mistake... I'm afraid I cannot be the one to help you fix it."
"Mistake?" Kaiba quirked a brow. He smirked. "Seto Kaiba never makes mistakes."
"That is where you're wrong, priest." She said, making the young man frown. Priest? "Come and see for yourself. Retrieve what you've lost."
What he lost? Kaiba was silent again, mulling it over in his mind. Just what did he lose recently other than a few factory workers? However, those were the men and women he fired himself for their poor work ethic.
"Come to the museum," she continued. "He's waiting for you there." There was a soft click then, signaling that she had hung up.
Kaiba awaited the dial tone before doing just that himself. He glanced up at his brother, who wasn't paying much attention. The small boy jumped up, cheering loudly when he finally beat the evil alien overlord Zugzuh. "Wahoo!"
Usually Mokuba's antics would cause the elder Kaiba to curl his lips. For now, something else had been on his mind. Just what had he lost? What was taken?
What mistake?
Further more, who was he?
-
Jou had been missing for three whole days. In fact, 5:12PM of this very evening would make that exactly seventy-two hours on the dot. Give or take a few spare seconds.
For forty-eight of those hours, his friends spent their time frantically searching for Jounouchi Katsuya. It was unusual for him to simply just disappear (especially since there had been dinner awaiting him the night he seemed to vanish.) Yugi Mouto had waited for over an hour for his friend that evening. It was an hour more he spent, before finally just paying the waitress; leaving behind their cold burgers, soggy fries and warm milkshakes. He had traveled back to the Egypt exhibit, and even back to the other rooms. He searched all three floors of the museum, and even the roof where the observatory was sometimes open to the public on weekends. However, Jou was nowhere to be found.
And Yugi?
He was frantic.
The small teen spent the rest of his evening desperately looking for his friend. There wasn't a sign of the blond anywhere. He re-checked the museum floors about fifteen times before finally giving in. He returned home on the bus, running back to the Kame Game Shop in tears. He was worried. Very worried.
He called everyone.
"Maybe he ran home," Honda had said. "You know how his old man is... sometimes, Jou left unexpectedly when we were hanging out too."
"But he informed you," Yugi had told him, so distraught.
He called Anzu's home, only to find that she wasn't there. Yugi repeatedly called her cellphone, leaving six panicked messages. The girl finally called him back about an hour later. She had been in dance class, which was why she couldn't answer at first. However, Yugi hadn't given her a moment to explain herself.
"Jou's missing." Yugi said, sniffling. "Please, please tell me you've heard from him."
Unfortunately, there was no luck with her either. "No, I haven't... that's unlike him to just leave you there, Yugi. Are you sure he didn't run home? Emergency, or something...?"
Every suggestion Yugi was given was something he had already sought out. Each lead to a dead end. He even tried to call Jou's home. He did so six times before he was answered by a slurred voice. A very angry slurred voice. Yugi didn't call again.
However, his worry had not diminished.
That next early morning had been storming. The rain drops fell heavy like small pebbles, but that didn't stop Yugi and his friends from scouring as much as they could of Domino City. The good and bad districts, and even districts they never visited. Anzu and Honda searched together on the back of Honda's motorbike, while Yugi simply searched on foot. He was soaked from head to toe, his usually spiked hair drooping in an almost upsetting manner. His eyes seemed watery, and it wasn't from the drops that fell heavy onto his head and shoulders. He was heading towards the museum.
Parked near the entrance was a familiar white stretch-limo. That pathetic sight of a tiny teenager is what Seto Kaiba caught first. He stepped out from his ride the moment his driver opened the door, holding an umbrella over the billionaire's head. The brunet could barely take two steps forward without having Yugi grasp his arm suddenly, making him stop in his tracks. Kaiba glared hard, harshly taking his hand back.
"Mouto, I thought you were more polite than that." He snarled out sarcastically.
Yugi stumbled, nearly falling on his face. However, he did look as though he would faint. There were bags under his large eyes, and his nose looked red. A cold must have been coming over the small teen. It caused the taller male to grimace.
"S-sorry..." he panted, leaning over with his hands on his knees. "Kaiba... I'm looking for Jounouchi... please tell me you've seen him."
"I don't keep tabs on your dog," Kaiba said smoothly.
"Listen, I know you two... never got along so well..." Yugi rubbed under his nose, sniffling heavily. It wasn't just from the cold he was getting. His eyes were turning red from crying. "But he's been missing for almost three straight days. Please... if you've seen him..."
Cold, steel blue eyes bore down on the exhausted form of Yugi Mouto. But the boy didn't flinch, he didn't even look as though he had the energy to in the first place. Most likely within those three days Yugi hadn't had a wink of sleep. No matter how many times he was attempted to be coaxed, by his friends, grandfather and the spirit that dwell within his mind.
"Go home and rest, Mouto." Kaiba said finally, his cold demeanor unwavering. "You look like the walking dead. If I see the mutt, I'll send him home with his tail between his legs."
As harsh as it sounded, Yugi was still thankful. The boy bowed deeply. "Thank you so much, Kaiba." There was a very weak smile on his face. He wiped his eyes, turning to run back down the sidewalk. He would rendezvous with Honda and Anzu... and hopefully, they would have some clue.
Strangely, Kaiba felt something tug sharply at his heart to learn that the mutt was missing. It was brief, and almost painful. Although, Kaiba dismissed it, thinking he may have imagined the twinge, or maybe he was experiencing heartburn. Never again would he eat tacos with Mokuba. The brunet turned to his limo driver, who was holding both an umbrella and his briefcase. He took the latter object, waving off the man. Seto Kaiba could handle a little rain. It wasn't as if he couldn't replace a vintage designer trench coat if it became waterlogged.
He looked up towards the museum entrance, taking each step easily. His trench coat, as usual, seemed to trail behind him like a cape. His hair, however, was now wet and dripping. He made it to the top of the steps. He shook his head, but only slightly, to get the water from his eyes.
"Mr. Kaiba..." there was that soft voice. A voice he remembered from the phone. Steel eyes met dark blue. "Thank you for coming."
A frown fell upon his lips. Kaiba's brows knit slightly. "Pleasure's all mine." However, he didn't sound so pleasant at all. He already felt his patience completely vanish.
The figure standing near the entrance seemed to smile slightly. She touched the ends of her dark hair, then bowed her head. "Forgive me. I am Ishizu Ishtar... Please, come inside. It must be cold." She stepped aside, holding out an arm to push open the glass door. Kaiba only seemed to stare hard at her, a hand on his narrow hip. He didn't move.
Ishizu waited patiently, blinking her kohl rimmed eyes slowly. "... he's waiting for you."
That earned her his first few steps.
–
*pouts* Okay, so... I'm ending it here. I'll have the next one up tomorrow evening, hopefully. Which I should, if I work on it in the morning, finish the rest in the evening and post before bed. In between time = work.
Faggotry, I know.
Review please. And I'll pleasure you in ways you just can't imagine. ;D
Xeora