Meaning... What, Exactly?
Summer was over at last, it seemed. Though it was still hot as ever, August had essentially melted away before Katsuya's eyes, and he was more than a little upset that it was over. He still had his job of course... His work schedule had been worked through so that the school still allowed his part-time activities, while making sure that he didn't end up falling asleep in the middle of classes. He was, yet again, working Friday nights and weekends. Nonetheless, as he walked to school on what was now a lonely trip given the opposite direction from his friends, he couldn't quite remember the last time he wanted summer to last forever... At least, for more than just the fact that school was going to happen at the end of it.
So far, a few weeks had passed with nothing of note. Mokuba had stressed secrecy in the house for reasons beyond him, though he listened nonetheless. Very few people were permitted to Seto's care as well, particularly after the Board of Directors insisted on another 'sweep' of the staff. It had taken just about everything Mokuba and Isono still had to keep Katsuya on the security team; so far, the only reason he was there was because the 'Big Five' had realized they didn't have to pay him nearly as much as the rest of the security team... As it was, the only other person outside those two and himself that Mokuba audibly trusted was one of the maids. Not surprising though; the young woman was probably only two years older than he was, and likely wouldn't know a conspiracy if it hit her in the face. (Oddly enough, she resembled Anzu in a weird way...)
Aside from that, things were moving along fairly well. School was as boring as it always was, he didn't understand a damn thing, and lunch was something he was considering a bit of a gift from the gods. Things were going wonderfully... In fact, he never felt better.
"A 'Super Yo-yo'?" Katsuya grinned as he and Yugi showed the toys off, holding his own in his hand. Currently, Honda was looking at the toy with a raised eyebrow, as if to say 'you're fucking kidding me... Right?' (No, no he wasn't.)
It was obviously different from the wooden one he'd gotten in Osaka... In the end though, he liked this one better; the Osaka yo-yo was more something cool to look at really. "Yep," he told Honda with a grin, the other students in the class watching if only out of 'before class boredom'. "It's the latest thing now, these yo-yos!"
One of the boys in the class frowned, crossing his arms. "Is something that old fashioned really 'cool'..?" Of course it was! Honestly.
Ignoring the boy's skepticism, Yugi nodded. "Yea, they really are!" See? Yugi knew what he was talking about... The boy spun his own yo-yo idly, continuing as it emitted an odd hum noise. "These yo-yos are designed to have a better rolling system! See?"
"I'll demonstrate my yo-yo technique," Katsuya said from beside the boy, dropping the yo-yo as he spoke. "First, you have the basics, like the 'Dragger'; that allows you to spin your yo-yo in place!" He pulled his hand up, the yo-yo spinning a few inches off the ground as he grinned. "And... Long dragger!"
The classmates stared, their interest caught. "Ohhhh.. It's hanging in the air and still spinning!" Yes. Yes it was. And now...
He continued grinning, dropping his hand. "And... If I let the lurking yo-yo touch the ground," he said as it started rolling. "I 'let the dog out'!" It sounded cooler than 'walk the dog' in his opinion.
Apparently though, the class didn't think so. "What," they said with a laugh, "That's just 'Walk the Dog from the old days!" "Just because you give it your own name doesn't mean it's suddenly cool you know!" Tch! Well wasn't that just great.
"Eh... s...shit..." He scowled, pulling the yo-yo back with a red face. "Then... I'll have to show you an even cooler move!" Granted, he'd never pulled it off before (He'd actually been pushed out into Kaiba's backyard when he tried this one inside...)... Nonetheless, he dropped the yo-yo and began swinging it the best he could. Maybe, just maybe... This time he could get it to work? "LOOP THE LOOP!"
The students ducked, Yugi shouting as the yo-yo just about clipped his head. In the end, Katsuya was still grumbling as his yo-yo wrapped itself around his neck and face. Sheesh... Now how would he get out of this one. Attempting to untangle himself, he turned as one of the other students growled, shouting at him. "Stop acting like morons!" A what?
He raised an eyebrow, while Yugi followed his gaze to the rather mousy looking boy in the corner of the room. Small eyes, large ears... "Nezumi," he said with wide eyes. Huh, his name even meant mouse. Oddly appropriate. ...Hair was a fairly interesting style too. Was it leaning to the left, or the right... His thoughts were interrupted as 'Nezumi' continued to grumble.
"Honestly, the boy muttered with a scowl. "I can't see how you stand those things... I hate yo-yos!"
Uh... O...Kay... "Sheesh, what's wrong with you Nezumi," he said with a still raised brow. "What kinda person doesn't like yo-yos?" Besides certain cross-dressing girls he wouldn't mention at this moment. Because he had a feeling that she didn't like much of anything, if the books on her shelf were any sign. (Nietzsche? Seriously!) This however, was one weird guy... And given that he was weird enough before (He even had whisker marks, what was with that), that was saying something.
Yugi smiled, holding his out for the boy. "It can't be that bad," he said with his usual tone of innocence. "I'm sure if you give it a try you'll end up liking it!"
The teen snorted, gesturing to the gauze on his face. Now that he thought about it, Nezumi didn't look too good... At all. The kid's eye was completely black, his nose was red and swollen, and it looked as though one of his teeth were even missing. Damn... "Psh," Nezumi scowled, before crossing his arms. "You guys see this," he said, not waiting for Yugi's usual 'what happened?'. "I got this from a Yo-yo!"
Wait what? He shook his head, frowning. "Hang on, say again?" A yo-yo? Seriously? Hell, they were solid plastic, so they'd probably hurt like hell but... He was beaten with a yo-yo?
Nezumi rolled his eyes, before explaining. "There's a school gang that extorts people with Yo-yos... A couple days ago, I was walking around at night alone... And suddenly, I was surrounded by these three guys demanding my money! I refused of course," he said with a scowl, turning away. "But when I tried to escape, they started beating me with their yo-yos..."
"What..." Katsuya growled, clenching his fists. Ok... That was just too damned messed up to ignore! "Usin' yo-yos t' steal money from other kids... This is completely unforgivable!"
Beside him, Yugi was shaking his head. "I don't believe this, yo-yos weren't created to hurt people!"
A fourth voice came into the conversation, the others turning as Honda shrugged. "When you think about it, it's solid enough to count as a blunt weapon... So in the right hands, it's pretty dangerous." This was true... The question was more 'what kind of people use yo-yos for weapons'! Granted, it wasn't likely that they'd be confiscated...
"Please," Nezumi cried, now looking at the three. "I'm begging you! Make them pay for what they've done!" Hang on, he was being asked right outta the blue... What was this about? "I think I know where you can find them," the boy continued, Katsuya momentarily wondering if he should trust a kid whose name essentially meant rat... Who was also suddenly begging them for help after telling them off. "They're probably hanging around in the district they attacked me in.."
Ah what the hell. He didn't work tonight anyways. "Alright," he said, clenching his fists. It had to be hard right, going back to the last place you wanted to go... Rat or not, the kid had his respect for that. "Leave it to us Nezumi! You'll get your vengeance!"
Honda nodded. "I'll come along too then," he began to say, before Katsuya cut him off.
"Nahhh, I'll be fine. There's only three guys after all." Yo-yos or no yo-yos, he could take three guys down easily. Honda snorted, muttering something about bragging before walking off.
The blond turned however, when Nezumi spoke up nervously again. "Ah... Maybe Yugi should come to.. If someone like Yugi's there, I'll feel more at ease..." He swallowed, before continuing. "Fighting makes me uncomfortable so..." If fighting made him so uncomfortable, why was he asking them to fight? ...Then again, vengeance was a natural feeling to have when you got the crap beaten out of you by a toy.
The boy nodded. "Alright," he said, eyes becoming serious. "I'll come too then!"
Katsuya clenched his fists, blood boiling. He hadn't had a fight in ages... He was really getting into this! "I'll teach 'em a lesson they'll never forget," he started off, heading for his seat. "He who abuses people with yo-yos will be punished by yo-yos!" Or something like that... (Why was Yugi coming... Eh, if it made Nezumi feel better...) And now that he'd said that..!
Actually it sounded really stupid now that it was actually out there. Honda continued to shake his head as he took his own seat, obviously a little miffed about being shaken off. "Whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean..." Similar thoughts... Why was it that now that he realized this, he was mentally beating himself over the head as well...
As he turned to make a comment on that, the bell rang, and the teacher came in. Ackkk whatever, the blond decided as he waved the thought off. He'd continue the verbal battle with Honda later. Katsuya turned to look back at the front, briefly frowning as he caught an odd look on Nezumi's face. Now what... What was that about...
"It was in an alley a little further up," Nezumi said as the three walked, Yugi looking around with wide eyes. "We aren't far now." Rickety old buildings stood around them, clearly out of use and out of date. Rusted wire fences blocked a few paths, some bent in the middle where people couldn't have been bothered to find a way around, and broken glass from the windows above littered the cracked pavement.
Katsuya was well was looking around, though considerably more 'on edge' at this point. This area was giving him the creeps... It seemed all to familiar, and he was getting a nasty feeling that they were walking into something worse than expected. "There's not a lot of people around," Yugi was muttering, clearly on edge as well. "A terrible atmosphere..." Terrible indeed; it didn't help that they hadn't seen a single person so far, but the route they had taken to this particular area was really weird. Almost disorienting even, and if it hadn't been for his surroundings, he wouldn't have had an inkling of where they were.
He nodded, turning to Nezumi. "By th' way Nezumi..." He continued to keep an eye out as they looked around, the negative feeling only increasing. "You said they used yo-yos as weapons right?" Shouldn't be... Too hard to combat that...
The boy gave another nod, before answering. "Yes... It's a pretty frightening technique... They surround their target, and if you even try to move, you end up pelted by them constantly!"
He growled, cracking his knuckles. "Well that's got me convinced... I'll teach 'm a lesson they won't forget anytime soon!" As they approached the 'destination' however, he quickly lost his scowl to give a confused frown. 'we're here', Nezumi was saying. 'this is the place'. He looked over the abandoned factory with narrowed eyes, shaking his head a few times. "This place... I've been here b'fore..." And if he'd been here before, in this area... Then that meant...
They entered the building, and the memories flooded back. "I... I remember now," Yugi shouted, growing pale. "This is..." Not. Good. He tensed as he remembered it now, from when he'd been too beaten up to pay attention. This was Hirutani's headquarters... The same place where that bastard had him strung up on a line with tasers in an attempt to get him back into the gang... An event that Yugi of all people had saved him from. (Though now that he thought, it was probably the other one that did it...)
The room remained silent, save for their footsteps. The hanging hook in the middle of the room creaked as a light wind passed through the building, and the entire building seemed to shudder with it. They needed to get out of there right now... Abruptly, Katsuya turned, a noise sounding from behind him. "Ngh!" The bag was thrown to the floor instantly. Around them, a horde of people jumped to the floor, each one carrying a yo-yo. And why oh why did that seem more ominous than amusing now that he thought of it... "Yugi," he shouted, taking a protective stance in front of his friend. That little rat... This was a set up! "Stay back!" Damn it Nezumi...
He looked around at the crowd, watching as the gang members spun their yo-yos threateningly. 'Three guys' his ass, this was an entire gang here... Fuck fuck fuck... AGH!
"SURROUND THEM," a voice called out, the yo-yos begining to strike against his arms.
Katsuya turned to look back at the other two, arms held defensively. "Yugi, Nezumi! Get out of here, now!" As Yugi protested, the blond watched Nezumi pull him through the mess of strings, before turning back to the crowd. "Hnnnng..." Damn it... This attack was way to well prepared... They KNEW they were coming! "Damn it all..." Nezumi that rat... Hopefully he'd actually take Yugi out of there now that these assholes had him here... After all, he WAS the target right? Then again, he never told Nezumi to grab Yugi... The fact that he had...
A hauntingly familiar voice came through, and the teen held back a growl. "Trapped like a rat, aren't you Jonouchi..." Rat, Nezumi... Oh haha, that was just so... He turned as Hirutani appeared, gritting his teeth. He was right then... Damn it... Damn it! "One wrong move," the man continued with a smirk, "And one of those yo-yos could hit you in a very vulnerable place. Tsk tsk tsk..." He shook his head, hands in his pockets as he looked back. "Jonouchi... You should have known I wouldn't give up on you so easily... No one leaves this gang, and I'll do anything to prevent that rule from being broken..." Again he meant? Because he'd already left, long ago... Katsuya clenched his fists, eyes drifting around at the yo-yos surrounding him as he attempted to find a way out. Nothing... Damn it... "Don't worry," Hirutani was continuing. "You won't be a low ranking member, oh no... You're much too good for that Jonouchi. Number 2," he said with a laugh, cold smirk still playing on his face. "I'll make you my right hand... Just like things used to be!"
"And what the hell makes you think I'll do that, jackass," he shouted with a snarl. "'Cause you have a lot tah learn about makin' deals, I can tell yah that!"
Hirutani merely chuckled, and Katsuya instantly regretted speaking as though the others had escaped. "Well... I don't think you want me to be your enemy just yet," he said, looking past the blond. "After all, just look over there."
Shit. He turned, eyes wide as he watched Yugi struggle against the hold of another gang member beneath the hanging ceiling hook. That damned rat Nezumi was standing right there, doing nothing... "Yugi!" He heard Hirutani shout to one of his lackeys; 'do it!' he cried. The hook was pulled down, latched through the string on the kid's puzzle and then pulled back up. "YUGI!" The boy hung there, gasping for breah as the cord dug against his throat. Hands and feet both twitched slightly as the boy's eyes widened, struggling to breathe. Katsuya's eyes filled with rage, and he turned to look at Hirutani. "You BASTARD!" He didn't even spare Nezumi a glance as the boy looked over guiltily, Hirutani idly congratulating him on the plan. "Just how fucked up are you!"
"Escaping is impossible, Jonouchi," Hirutani stated calmly, smirking. "Either swear you'll join my gang... Or watch your friend die!"
Damn it... Damn it... He clenched his fists, looking over at Yugi for a moment before growling. "Tch... Hirutani... You said there's no way out of this?" Mokuba was going to murder him for this... Provided he still lived..." At the look of shock on the gang leader's face, he gritted his teeth. Time to go... Now! He charged, the yo-yos pounding against his body as he headed towards where Yugi was hanging.
"He... He's moving," the blond heard one person say. "Does he WANT to be beaten to death?" Ignore it... He pushed forwards, stumbling slightly as his kneecap was cracked by a rather well placed strike. Ignore it... Ignore it... Hang in there, Yugi, he thought as he pushed through, arms blocking his face and chest from harm best he could. Hang in there... He was coming..!
The yo-yos continued to pound at him, even as he reached the hook. It was creating an rather steady, if not frightening rhythm of thumping, but even so he continued at his task. He wasn't letting a friend die... Not before he gave his own! "J...Jonouchi," Yugi wheezed, as Katsuya finally pulled the boy down by the hook. The weight of his body no longer pressed against the cord on his puzzle, and he was able to breathe again.
"Hang in there," he said, lifting the boy up slightly so that the hook could be pulled off. "I'll get us outta here..." Hit him harder, Hirutani was shouting. Hit him harder, so he'll stop! Heheheh... Scared, Hirutani..? So was he, to tell the truth... So was he...
Katsuya bit his lip as he attempted to think of a plan. Shit... He needed a counter attack, but what... "Hirutani," he shouted, shielding Yugi's body with his own against the onslaught of yo-yos. "The pain I'm feeling in this body... It wouldn't even compare to the pain of betraying a friend, not even multiplied a thousand-fold!" Something, anything... Any- There was a flash of light against Yugi's puzzle, and he stared at it for a moment. Of course... This would work, he thought, as he came up with something. Now that Yugi was safe, this would work! "Hirutani," he said again, gasping as the yo-yos pounded against his protesting ribs. "Prepare yourself, because I'm going to go all out against you with my counter attack! An' if I wasn' PISSED b'fore, I sure as hell am now!"
Hirutani merely laughed, standing behind his 'wall' of thugs with a smirk. "Talking big are we? Take a look at where you are! Even you should realize that this is a no-win situation!" And yet as he said that, the man still had a slight expression of doubt.
The attackers grinned, nodding in agreement with that same expression. "Heheheee..." "We're gonna 'walk the dog' all over your dead bodies Jonouchi..." Oh were they now..?
"Jonouchi," Hirutani continued, the boys glaring at him from behind the onslaught. "I'm going to give you one more chance. Swear to join my gang, and I'll let you live!" Bullshit.
Before he could even come up with a comeback, Yugi shouted from behind. "Hirutani! Jonouchi will NEVER join you again!" The blond looked at him with surprise for a brief moment, listening as his friend continued. It was weak, and hoarse after the strain against the hook and cord earlier... But even through that, his voice managed to ring about the room for all to hear. "He doesn't care how much you threaten him! He'll never do it!"
Katsuya grinned. "Heh, That's right! Hear that 'boss monkey'," he shouted, voice rasping from the pressure against his back. "That's what a REAL friend would say!"
Apparently, this was the last straw; Hirutani scowled at them, before waving his hand. "KILL THEM!" Hn, not even an 'I gave you a chance'? Well, obviously he didn't really want him as badly as they thought.
Now then. "Yugi," Katsuya shouted, his friend crying as the blond took the brunt of the damage headed their way. "I need tah borrow th' puzzle!"
"Hu-Huh?" Yugi stood there a moment, before pulling it off with a curt nod. "Okay, it's yours!" Though confusion was evident in his face, he didn't even hesitate as the blond took it.
He smirked. "This is just what I need tah turn th' tables..." He grabbed it by the end of the string, facing the others. "Come and get me, yah chimps," he shouted as the puzzle began spinning rapidly in a circle. The attackers frowned, still sending the yo-yos forward as the puzzle was spun in a makeshift shield before freezing.
"W-What the.."
Katsuya grinned. Perfect! He could feel the force of the strings being pulled around the puzzle now, and continued to spin it for good measure. "Nice try bozos," he said with a laugh. "You think I'm swingin' this f'r fun?" As the gang members stared in horror, his grin grew. "Don'tcha see it yet? Your yo-yo's ain't commin' back..." He stopped the spinning, pulling the puzzle back as the strings at the end of the gang-members' fingers pulled tight. "Cause now, I've got 'em!" As Yugi beamed at the successfully played plan, he unwrapped the yo-yo strings from the puzzle before tying them around the hook. "An' now, I can do this!" He pulled down on the hook before releasing, hook takingk off for the ceiling. The gang lackey's shouted with mixed annoyance and pain as their fingers just about popped under the force, dangling a few feet above the ground by their outstretched arms. "AHAHAAA! 'Human Hanging Yo-Yo'!" He continued to grin as Hirutani shouted in shock, tossing the puzzle back to his friend. "Thanks Yug'! Here's th' puzzle back!" He blinked as the one who caught it looked back at him with confident eyes, shaking his head. "Y...Yug'!" That... That was a fast switch..!
The other Yugi smirked, replacing the puzzle around his neck. "Jonouchi," he began, the smirk still in place. "It's payback time!"
For a brief moment, he stared, before his grin returned into place. Hey! Payback with the other Yugi, this would be interesting... (Not to mention very fulfilling given all the crap Hirutani put them through.) "A'right," he said, the two breaking into a run as they headed up the stairs.
"You take Hirutani," 'Yugi' shouted, taking a separate door to the outside. "I'll handle the rest!" As the crowd followed after the teen, he nodded. That sounded like a plan... Normally he'd argue about that, but quite frankly, doubting him now would be an incredibly large insult to 'Yugi's skills right now.
"Will do!" Though they all ended up on the roof, each one of the boys ended up on opposite ends. He turned, watching as the crowd that followed Yugi moved to attempt to corner him on the roof with their yo-yos before their boss came after them. "Hirutani," he said, leaning against the broken glass windows of the factory. "Let's settle this once and for all!"
As Hirutani turned, Katsuya found himself thinking back to the days when they were in middle school... Where all of this started. When he and Honda just picked fights with pretty much anyone in the area. When the man he was facing now wasn't quite as 'insane'. To put it mildly. "Heh heh heh heh heh..." The man chuckled as he moved to face Katsuya, smirking. "I've heard you say that before... Back in middle school, at the start of our beautiful friendship..." He continued chuckling, speaking with an almost nostalgic tone. "Remember how we used to fight," he said, still smirking. "How we'd go on until both of us were on the ground, tied?" Yes he did... But that was back then. This, however...
He snorted, shaking his head. "Hn! That was b'fore you were so fucked up in th' head," he said with a scowl, taking up a loose fighting stance. "Today, I ain't holdin' back!" As the man continued to chuckle, he charged. "LET'S GO!"
Hirutani also moved, throwing a punch past his face that he easily dodged. "Hah!" As the man froze, realizing he'd missed only after a moment, Katsuya smirked. "URAAAAAAAHH!" There was a loud crack as his right fist broke the gang leader's nose, Hirutani stumbling back with a snarl. "What's th' matter Hirutani," he said with a laugh, resisting the urge to shake his fist- that nose was harder than he thought. "You've gotten pretty flabby! Must be pretty easy at th' top of 'Monkey Mountain'!"
The man merely snarled, before looking at the window beside him and smirking. He frowned, eyes narrowing as he held his stance. Now what was he up to... Katsuya tensed as Hirutani grabbed a shard of glass from the window, shattering it in his hands, before throwing them at the blond's face. "TAKE THIS," he shouted, his target cursing as the glass got in his eyes.
FUCK! FUCK! Great, now he couldn't open his eyes, FUCK! "FUCK!" How the hell did he not realize that was what he was doing!
Hirutani laughed, charging him again. "Hehehehehe... Unlike you Jonouchi, I've gotten smarter," he shouted, fists clenched. The blond ignored him for the moment, standing there as he held his bleeding head and stumbling slightly. "Now you DIE!" Katsuya grunted as the man's fist slammed into his face, before struggling to his hands and knees as blood dripped from his face.
Crap... Crap he couldn't see... He rubbed at his eyes before pulling his hands back in pain, turning his head in an attempt to hear his opponent. Quiet... Too quiet... He sat still waiting for a sound, anything, as Hirutani snuck up behind him. Where was he... He had to end this fast, get these god damned shards of glass out of his eyes..
Crack.
"Hahahahaha..." He chuckled, the laughter slowly increasing in volume. "You idiot," he said with a laugh, eyes still closed as he turned to the sound. "The glass you tossed is tellin' me where you are! RAAAAAAAHH!" Before Hirutani could react, Katsuya's punch sent him flying down the end of the roof, the teen having whirled around to face him within a split second. The man shouted, gripping the side of the roof as Katsuya moved to face him. "Ow... ah..." He attempted to open his eyes, managing to force his right one open. Hurt like hell... Constant throbbing... "Eyes 'r all watery..." Red too... Nothing but a red curtain covering his slightly doubled and watered vision. Dully, he could see Hirutani's single hand gripping the edge, the man looking up with wide eyes. "Well, Hirutani," he said as he pulled out his yo-yo, a dark smirk on his face. "Wanna see my yo-yo technique, since y'r there?" The yo-yo hit the ground rolling forwards as the smirk grew. "Parade the Pooch! Hahah... Y'know... Walk th' dog!"
The yo-yo rolled over Hirutani's fingers, the man shouting as he released the roof. "Ow..!" The fingers cracked, and Hirutani pulled them back instinctively. All to late, he realized the price for that. "Ah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHH!" The scream lasted only a second before a sick thud echoed through the room. As the man's body hit the ground, and Katsuya sighed.
Now that he thought about it, that name was stupid too. Maybe he should stop trying to re-name it really... "I gotta confess," he said, partially to himself. "That's the only trick I know. Still practcin' th' others..."
"Jonouchi," Yugi's voice called from beside him, and Katsuya turned to face him as he shut his eyes again. "You're alright!" Somehow, he supposed.
He grinned, nodding. "Haha, as I'll ever be!" As Yugi helped him back down the stairs, he continued grinning. "Hey, where'd that rat, Nezumi go?"
'Yugi' merely shrugged, grabbing Katsuya's bag as they left. "Good question..." He apparently didn't care much at the moment... Now that he thought about it, with Nezumi's injuries as honest as they were, the moron was probably put up to it. Either way though...
The blond scowled, making a fist as he winced in pain again. "When I find him I'm gonna kick his ass!" As Yugi laughed beside him, they continued on their way back from the warehouse, he sighed. All this crap... It was probably over now, if the thuds and screams he'd heard were any clue at least. "Yug'... 'M sorry, getting yah caught up in my problems again..."
The teen merely looked up, regardless of the fact that Katsuya couldn't see at the moment. "Your problems are my problems, Jonouchi-kun." That...
He smiled. That really meant a lot actually...
"I can't believe you!" Katsuya winced as Mokuba, unseen thanks to the eye-patches the doctor had put on him, continued reaming him out on the way back from the hospital. "I thought you were completely through with insane injuries! Do you have any idea how much pain you're going to be in when those painkillers wear off?"
He winced again, pausing as they passed Kaiba's room before entering it. It was pretty awkward, being led around by Mokuba, but he figured it'd be alright... Though now he'd have to miss a week of school for his eyes to heal. 'Corneal scaring'. He was gonna have scars on his EYES.
That was really really cool. (Actually it hurt a lot even with the pain killers, this was going to be hell...) "Er..." He swallowed, grunting as he was forced into a chair. "A lot?" Understatement, but really, what else was there to say?
Mokuba rolled his eyes as his friend scratched his cheek nervously, before scowling. "That's an understatement Katsuya-nii! You're lucky nothing's broken!" Tell him something he didn't know... As the blond merely gave a nervous smile in response, he sighed. "Whatever... I'm gonna get some ice... Katsuya-nii, make sure you don't do anything like this again, understand?"
At the severeness of Mokuba's tone, his smile quickly vanished. "...Yea," he finally said, turning to where he heard Mokuba's voice. "Promise." There was a sound of footsteps, and he left the room, Katsuya turning back to the bed. The chair hadn't been moved from what he could tell, so... He should be facing Kaiba now. "...I bet y'r laughing your ass off in there, aren'tcha Seto-chan..." He smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Man... Not bein' able t' see sucks... It makes me afraid for my sister ev'n more..."
Katsuya 'looked' back at the woman, sighing. "I ever tell yah abou' my sister," he began, propping his head on one hand. "Mind as well tell yah now if I hav'n't..."
As the blond began to speak, Kaiba's eyes opened slightly... He couldn't see it however. For a moment, though he couldn't remember later on, he thought he 'saw' her stand there, even through the eye patches and his eyelids themselves. He couldn't see her face, but almost clear enough to be beside him, he could swear he heard Kaiba's voice...
'I'm listening... Mutt.'
"...But don't take too long," Seto muttered, sitting with her arms around her legs and scowling. "Or your voice will be next." She had ways... Granted with her luck, she'd forget as soon as she 'woke up' or whatever it was she was going to do when the puzzle was finished. 'My sister's got a condition,' Katsuya began, the woman not moving as he spoke.
'Her eyesight's deterioratin'. An' since she can't afford th' surgery, she's gonna be completely blind in a few months.' Well, didn't that just suck. She had to feel a slight bit of pity though, looking through the 'window'. After all... Even with the small bit of 'sight' she got, she knew that it was nothing compared to reality. Not even close... For that to be ripped away without warning would be absolutely horrifying. So really, while she wasn't saying it outloud... She could empathize. 'I'm only gonna be blind for a few days,' the teen continued sadly. 'Can't ev'n compare it t' f'rever...'
She snorted, crossing her arms. Of course he couldn't- even if he was blind for that long, she doubted his mind would wrap around that fact. "You're the one who blinded yourself though, moron! Who lets someone throw glass in their face, seriously!" Regardless of how she knew that was how he was injured, she continued listening numbly. There was really nothing else to do here... The puzzle pieces wouldn't fit together, and when she put in the one that appeared a while before all she got was another scene of staring.
Class time. She must have been angry with him about something, but then when wasn't she? She'd been in a washroom stall... Yelling at the Mutt to get something for her. She never found out what was so important about it though; the memory cut off, so she couldn't find out what it was she wanted. She'd obviously gotten it though, given the case that had been thrown into the stall. 'Hey, Seto-chan,' Katsuya said, the woman still staring off into the darkness that was apparently her heart. 'What's it like in there..? Where ever yah are? Th' other Yugi said tha' you were puttin' a puzzle t'gether... But where?'
"...Where..." Somehow, she didn't know. It was dark, and that was all... Other than that though, she had no clue. Someone more sentimental and 'flighty' would probably say something stupid like 'my soul', or 'my heart'. Those things were absolutely moronic though. Besides... If this was her 'soul' or anything even connected to it, then that just said far too many things about her situation. "Don't ask things like that, moron. Not when you won't listen to me." It would be pointless to answer really... Like speaking to a rock. "Just leave..."
And of course, Katsuya continued on without hearing her. '...Must be lon'ly,' the teen said, Seto narrowing her eyes further in response. 'Where ever yah are I mean... 'S been a long time after all..' A long time... That was one way of putting it.
She snorted, shaking her head. As if she'd admit to being 'lonely' in this place. "Please Mutt," she said with a scoff, ignoring the fact that she would remain unheard. "It's not nearly as bad as you think." It's worse, the voice in her head said. Much worse than that. So why didn't she just leave...
There was a silence, and Katsuya sighed. 'Well... All th' better teh get out then, righ'?' "Tch... What do you think, MORON!" But she couldn't leave yet. Seto scowled, turning away from the still open 'window' that showed nothing but a blurred view of the ceiling. "I've been trying since I woke up here!" Not yet though... She couldn't leave yet. "Stop reminding me!"
And of course... 'Hey, Seto-chan,' She was being ignored... '...No need tah.. Hwaaah... Tah yell...' The woman jumped, turning to her 'window' in shock as the teen's yawning voice echoed around her. Katsuya sounded sleepy, almost half-gone as he spoke. He was probably about to knock himself out right now... Yet somehow... Somehow...
"How.." She stared up, standing with wide eyes. "My own brother can't even hear my voice... How..." Why was this MUTT, who she didn't even like in any way... This MORON who got himself injured beyond anything for reasons she had yet to know of, who continued to call her 'chan', who continued to speak as though she was dead..! Who dared to speak to her as though when she woke up, it would all disappear..! "HOW CAN YOU HEAR ME, WHEN MY BROTHER CAN'T!"
There was no answer, save for the sound of snoring. She stared, eyes wide with mixed rage and confusion as she shook. Idly, she noted that her cheeks were wet... Huh! So she was crying again... Really, why was it that this place was so insistent on throwing everything out into the open... Her fists shook, and she continued to stare upwards with the thoughts on the 'Mutt' still on her mind. "How..."
'G-night... Seto-chan...'
AN: IRONY: Yo-yo's were originally hunting tools. In the Philippines, yo-yo's made out of cord and rock were used to strike animals from above in trees. And then were pulled back when they either failed or came down. So... Sorry to break it to you Yugi, BUT YOU'RE WRONG. D'OH. Even better; the modern Yo-Yo didn't really hit until a Filippino American began a company making them. Ahaha... Ohhhhh heritage...
In any case... Not sure how bad glass to the face would be in terms of corneal scarring, but he'll have minimal amounts. Otherwise, scar tissue would cloud his vision, and then HE would need eye surgery. UHHHH WHOOPS. You know what comes next? Do you? DO YOU?
It's something that makes me very excited, and manga people will know why. 3 I'll give people who don't know a clue though; white hair.
Anonymous Review Responses
Two more from Iona! I'm going to respond in one shot!
Will getting the key cause problems? Hmm, good question! You'll see later, but your suspicions are very much correct in that it makes things a little worse for him than they would have otherwise. Much worse actually. :D On Shizuka... Thanks for letting me know! I'll be able to know for when she shows up again at least... (*phew*) I'll leave the chapter she's in 'as is' for now though... Chalk that behavior up to extreme exasperation (And my idiocy. Yaaaaay~ xD) Hahahha, I know that kind of vacation was fun for my family! Sadly, we hadn't been saving up money for that, so we're still paying off the debt... D'OH.
On the second review... Trust me when I say, the embarrassment is only just beginning... *cackle* You're right to say Kaiba won't be too good about it, but on the bright side, saying anything directly on the topic means bad things for her as well... So Jonouchi is at least spared there I suppose. xD I actually had a bit of trouble getting Yugi to spit out those questions... I'm personally surprised I pulled it off, but you probably have a point about the ancient spirit and questioning ability thing. I'm not saying anything more on Yugi in terms of Kaiba's secret though. Absolutely. Nothing. ... Nothinnnnnnnng...
*forces self to change the subject*
Oh wow... I... You think I'm doing a good job with this genderbend? Thank you... That really really really means a lot to me actually... That's one of the biggest holes I was afraid of falling in. On another note... Hahahah... Ohhhh Duel Academy... There's a part of me that's tempted to write a one shot after this fic. is over involving the small time we saw Kaiba in GX... xD
Usagi's Manga & Japan Guide/Corner
The only section in this fanfic that allows Usagi to ramble to her heart's content! ...Wait that's not good...
I'm probably the only one, but the maid that finds Kaiba waking up in the manga (Who has randomly become the one maid that constantly shows up in this fanfic) somewhat resembles Anzu... Or at least early manga Anzu. Probably just me though.
Hirutani shows up earlier in the manga as a character from Jonouchi's past; he threatens to hurt his friends if he doesn't join his gang. Jonouchi in the end agrees, but after one of the members knocks Yugi to the ground when the kid spots them (And thereby runs after him), he ends up turning on that member later on... Which ends up getting him in the warehouse, hanging by his arms as the gang beats the shit out of him with fists and tasers. Yami Yugi ends up coming, tricking the gang into electrocuting themselves... He and Jonouchi then escape. But apparently they lived! ...Not any more though.
I left the dialogue Jonouchi uses in the manga intact the entire way through as well; including silly things like 'parade the pooch'. (OHHHH Jonouchi..)
Till next chapter!