Here's another amazing installment of my wonderful story.
Not that anyone does or doesn't care, but it's here anyway.
A note or two: 1) Simultaneous thinking: Works like this
2) Simultaneous talking: "Works like this."
3) This does not apply to the excerpt at the beginning of the chapter
4) Okay, so more than two notes.
le Disclaimer: The incredibly complicated work of owning something of this amazingness isn't mine. And if you don't know who it belongs to... why are you here?
Enjoy :)
Chap 2
Great Minds Think Alike... and Speak Simultaneously?
It was slipping away from her.
The memories.
The years, by the day, the hour, the minute. Every second of it faded to black. She never liked the colour black. Pink and yellow were her favourite colours. If only she could remember… if only she could remember why.
"Someone, please…" she whimpered.
"Help me…"
He and Joey shared their last class together, so it was hard to miss when his best friend went the opposite direction to habit.
"Joey the exit to hell is that way." Tristan said pointing in the direction he, as well as most of the school, was walking. Joey turned back around to face his bemused friend.
"I know. I'm not walking with you guys today though. I gotta do somethin'."
"What do you mean you gotta do somethin'? What do you gotta do?" Tristan called after his best friend's retreating back.
"Just don't follow me, 'kay?"
Before Tristan could disobey, Joey had already lost him. He sighed.
"That guy sure can run. Well," he turned to his original direction and set out for home. "Better tell Yugi that Joey says bye."
He stopped running the moment he was sure that Tristan had given up.
"Whew. You know normally he don't give in dat fast." He turned around and gazed at Tristan's back. His shoulders were slumped and he was slightly dragging his feet.
He misses 'em, Duke and Téa. Especially Duke. I mean he an' Téa barely spoke but he and Duke were… well no one would call 'em friendly but they're kinda like… me an' Kaiba I suppose. They're always fightin' but… they'd miss each other if they were separated…
Joey stared into the space Tristan had recently occupied; it was filled with other students now. He searched the happy crowd until he found his friend's back again. A dark haired boy bounded up to the forlorn form and roughly put his arm around the brunette's shoulders. The boy was roughly shaken off and shouted at but laughed at the outburst and just continued to walk alongside an irate Tristan.
Joey smiled.
His eyes caught a flash of colour and he watched Yugi approach Tristan with a sad smile that still lit the hallway despite his mood. He watched the short boy near a brown-haired girl who waved cheerily and bent down slightly to talk to the amethyst eyed boy and his smile turned genuinely happy.
A routine repeated so many times the afterimages burned his eyes, or maybe those were the tears he refused to shed. He watched this imagined scene until suddenly his eyes widened and the dark-haired boy and cheery girl vanished, replaced by his realisation.
It would hurt Tristan… to see Duke gone. So does that mean…? That I would…? Me? Miss Kaiba? … What the hell! Not likely! No matter what Yug' says, it's once a jerk always a jerk for me. I couldn't care if I tried. Maybe if he wasn't a freaking robot.
He turned and rushed down the hall, checking a battered watch he'd 'borrowed' from his dad he figured he'd spent five minutes just standing there thinking. He started running in earnest. His previous thoughts still haunting him.
Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it…
He shook his head and then looked up determinedly.
Don't worry Tris. I'll find 'em, I promise, and Joey Wheeler always keeps his promises.
"What was I going to say to Wheeler? Seto Kaiba waits for no one? Well I guess I found someone I'll wait for."
Leaning against a tree behind his business class, Seto Kaiba stood staring dejectedly at his feet, waiting (Ugh, how he detested that word) for the annoying mutt that would come when his master called, but took his own time getting there.
The young businessman frowned. Getting all worked up over a dog? How pathetic. Calm yourself Seto, he'll be here, he said he'd be late.
Yes, but ten minutes is pushing it!
"Hey Kaiba." Joey's face was too close again. The most controlled man on the planet had to struggle to keep his cool and even then Seto gasped slightly.
"How long does it take to get from one side of the building to the other, mutt?"
He snapped to hide his slight shock.
"Well I woulda been here five minutes ago, but I got busy thinkin'."
An automatic disbelieving eyebrow rose on Seto's face.
"You? Think? Ha! But seriously what took you so long?"
Joey immediately blew up.
"Grr! Quit it Kaiba, I came here to talk not fight!"
Seto frowned and almost sighed at his own uncharacteristic behaviour. He'd usually be more serious than this.
"My apologies. Force of habit."
"Just listen for – huh?"
Did he just…? That… was unexpected.
Joey dropped inelegantly on the ground on the ground, as if his legs had lost all strength.
"You just said sorry… to me." He whispered disbelievingly.
"I did." Seto simply replied as he sat down as well, as elegant as Joey was not, and leaned his back against the tree.
A silence followed as Joey struggled to accept the fact that Seto Kaiba apologised to him.
Overreact much? It was just one o' dose polite apologies that you say when you aren't behavin' right. Kaiba has no feelings. He's a robot, remember? There was somethin' I came here for. I'd rather be miles away from Kaiba right now but there's something I need… somethin' I need to know, whether or not he has feelings.
The boys got to thinking.
It's time you asked him, Joey thought.
It's now or never, Seto thought.
I hate this but…
"I need information on the VSect."
They blinked at each other.
"And you think I have it?"
They frowned at each other.
"That needs to stop."
Joey let out a sound of frustration. When he was done he felt a cool palm over his mouth.
"I'll talk first."
Joey relaxed and Seto removed his hand.
"Go ahead."
A thoughtful moment passed as Seto decided on the best question to ask.
"Why do you want information on the VSect?"
"It has to do with why Téa and Duke disappeared."
"I was right. Perfect."
Joey could barely detect the bitterness in the other's tone but, despite being doubtful of Seto's possession of feelings, he took the time to read his rival and notice it.
"So why do you want to know about the VSect? You don't have any friends that could be kidnapped and Mokuba looks alright."
The blonde felt himself being examined, Seto was determining what he could be told. The stony brunette opened his mouth to pass his judgement when Joey's words registered.
"Why did you say it like that? Like Mokuba's here?"
"Because he is." Joey pointed and sure enough the 13 year old was bounding towards them. Seto almost sighed; this will have to be continued.
"We can't talk about this now. Keep tomorrow afternoon free."
"Huh? Why?"
"You're visiting my mansion."
So there 'twas.
A secret meeting between two passionate souls and they talked about... needing intel... yeah...
Well, that's what the plot ghost tells me and I must obey her!
And I thank her as much as I possibly can for my sprinkling of talent.
Someone else I'd like to thank is Sakaiya for reviewing.
Dear Sakaiya(Because any reviewer is dear to me): I wanna get started on my baddies. My intention wasn't to make them hard for you to understand, though it's awesome that it was. Humans are hard to understand and scientists (In my opinion) even more so. Also I don't like things too serious and I wasn't sure if I'd made anyone smile yet so I wanted an amusing element. You don't see them until you see Duke Téa again so I just hope you remember them. And I'm sorry Téa came off as a bad friend, she really isn't supposed to be, her rush is explained later, in like Chapter 10. Thanks for reviewing and here's an equally long reply to go with your long review :D
If you liked, if you hated, or if you just wanted to criticise please review.
So how much does Kaiba know?
How will the next day go?
Why am I asking questions that are probably not actually on your mind?
I DON'T KNOW :D
But before they're answered there's a little secret someone needs to find out. ;)