Arashinobara: I am a bad, bad writer-person. I should be updating my Reality Check and In Ancient Past... not to mention all the abandoned and neglected fics I've been – well, abandoning and neglecting. -.-;; Instead, I pop out with another ficceh! Kaiba-centric, with no pairings at the moment.
Dedicated to Dragonwrangler (squee! Cue glomptacklage), Mishiko Shinsei (Mommy ish the bestest evarr!), Chocolate-Obsessed (aka Wifeh Muffincake of the gorgeousest loveliness and beta-osity), Blue September (aka Wifeh Chocolove, sweetest of lilies and most inspiring of starshine) and Nenya85 (Neechama-writing-mentor-person-wheehasqueeeee!)
Here be the fic. Read and review, plzthx. :D
The Eye of the Beholder
A Yuugiou fanstory by Arashinobara
Part One – Burning Bridges
Four years ago...
"You say you've made a breakthrough."
"We have, Kaiba-sama. As the last four generations were, this particular specimen is aware on an intelligent level. We have honed the memory-upload technique so that the failure rate is less than one in four, and found a way to manipulate the genetic code so that the subject will respond on a greater level to outside influence until they have matured."
Satisfaction. "Excellent. And the mature age is...?"
"Approximately ten years and seventeen weeks, Kaiba-sama." Deference.
Incredulity. "Ridiculous. That is too long a period of time!"
"I beg your indulgence, Kaiba-sama. My meaning is ten years and seventeen weeks of physical age. We have discovered a way to stimulate a subject's growth so that he or she reaches that 'maturity' in as little a time as three years before their growth slows and they age normally. However, risks in accelerating the physical growth rate range from potentially harmful to the subject to extremely harmful, puts a great deal of stress on their bodies, and requires immense energy –"
"That doesn't matter. This is good, Rikou-san. Tonight you may gather the sample for the final subject, and if all goes well, you can probably retire on your own private island."
"Thank you, Kaiba-sama. Would you like to see the list I have made of volunteers and possible candidates?"
Amusement. "There's no need. I already have someone in mind."
"Might I inquire after their identity?" Curiosity.
"You may, but I'm not going to tell you now. Come by the mansion tonight, at eight. Our donor will be at your convenience."
"Of course." A rustling of paper sheets.
"Rikou-san, tell me a little more of our current subject. What stage is it at? Have the memories and knowledge you supplied it with been adequate to accelerate its learning rate?"
"It is, Kaiba-sama. Subject five-zero-five is able to function well beyond her physical age of eight years and nine months, and her intelligence far outstrips her true age of four years. She –"
Impatience. "Good. Have you learned all you can from it?"
More nervous shuffling of papers – a brief hesitation. "There is little more we can glean from her at this point. Observations of her can be useful, eventually."
"'Eventually' is a big 'if', Rikou-san. Dispose of it." Dismissal.
Another pause.
"Yes, Kaiba-sama."
Present Day
Kaiba's POV
T – 00:36:39
Mokuba's eyes were huge in the flashing lights. Turning away, I regarded the blocked passage, and my hands clenched.
I didn't know how a supposedly secure hallway, not set to detonate until at least a half-hour later, had caved in... but I did know that Mokuba and I were almost out of time.
This particular passage would have led to one of two lifts that accessed the plane hangar. The original plan had been to set bombs that merely weakened the island structure to go off at ten-minute intervals, the final detonators on an hour-timer. It would have given the two of us more than enough time to make it to my Blue-Eyes Jet. Now, with the detour, we would be cutting it close – too close.
It had taken us a little over twenty minutes to get from the control room to where we were. It would take another twenty minutes to get to the jet now. Even if we made it, the warm-up sequence would take almost ten minutes to run its course.
We could make it. It'd be insanity, and almost certainly suicide for both myself and my brother, but I had always been good at defying the odds... for us.
But... this time...
I had hoped to eradicate Gozaburo's shadow through the destruction of what had once been the heart of his warmonger's empire. It seemed all I have proved is that Gozaburo lived within me. Alcatraz would burn, true, but I might very well sink with it, and with me...
Mokuba...
There was nothing for it. Pressing a tiny switch sewn into the KC insignia on my collar, I spoke into a hidden radio. "Isono."
It took a few moments for a reply to come, but in a few moments, Isono's strained voice came through the radio. "Seto-sama! Where are you, Seto-sama! Are you with Mokuba-sama? We're looking for you!"
"Still here." I spun on my heel, Mokuba trotting to keep up with my hasty stride. "Isono, has the Battle Ship left yet?"
"The engines aren't working, Seto-sama! We were still here because we were looking for you, and then the pilot said –"
"Good."
"'Good'?" the aide's tone clearly indicated his incredulity. "We are trapped, Seto-sama!"
"Is the 'copter still in working condition?"
A brief pause.
"Isono, is the medical helicopter still functional?" I snapped.
Fubeta, my other aide, spoke into the radio over Isono's distant shouting. He sounded embarrassed. "We didn't think of the helicopter, Seto-sama..."
Idiots. Isono and Fubeta were my most loyal and resourceful aides yet – they would usually never overlook an escape route that obvious. Nevertheless, their rare oversight was my gain. "Mokuba will join you in approximately thirty minutes or less. Wait for him."
"Mokuba-sama...? But Seto-sama, what about you? And there's no time –!"
"There will be."
I ended the transmission and turned to face my suddenly rebellious-looking brother. "Mokuba, it shouldn't take you longer than twenty minutes to get up there, but if any of the other passages are blocked, there are plenty of alternatives."
"I know my way, 'Niisama," Mokuba spat. I grimaced. "But we could both get away now –"
"And leave my plane to be blown up with Gozaburo's pile of scrap?" I said dryly, only half-joking. "No."
"That's not funny," my brother hissed. "We've got a way out now – it's too dangerous to stay any longer." We were approaching a fork in the halls. The right led back to the control room. The left, to a series of lifts and stairs that would take Mokuba to the surface.
Walking briskly towards the right fork, I bristled as I realised Mokuba was still half-running by my side. "What are you doing?"
"Following you."
My temper spiked, and I rounded on him. "Mokuba Right now, I don't care what you want, or what you think. You will listen to me and get out." I grabbed his chin and tilted his head so that his eyes met mine. "Do you understand?"
"No." Mokuba didn't flinch, at my tone or when my fingers dug into his face. "But you'll get yourself out," he said. It wasn't a question.
Surprised by his sudden acquiescence, I blinked, lost for words. A surge of warmth in my chest brought a rare smile to my face. "I will." I pushed my brother gently, and he stumbled into the direction of the left fork. There was less than half an hour left now. I had to get to that control room. "I'll need your locket."
Mokuba looked at me for a long moment before tugging the cord and pendant over his head, throwing it almost viciously at me. "I want that back, 'Niisama."
Come back to me.
I nodded my understanding, and we turned away from one another, breaking into sprints as the central computer's warning echoed through the island.
"Twenty minutes to detonation... evacuate all facilities immediately."
Mokuba's POV
T – 00:19:56
Contrary to what some people thought, 'Niisama and I fought, too, and frequently. He acted as though he knew everything when he didn't know how to feed himself enough, or when to come home from work. I often had to remind him to eat and sleep, and dragged him outside of his office every so often in the hopes he'd get a tan and look healthier.
'Fat chance. With the way he dresses, the only skin that'd darken would be the area around his mouth and nose, seeing as his hair covers his eyes most of the time.'
But we did argue a lot. Usually, it started out as something small, and then escalate until either 'Niisama or me would lose our tempers. It would end up with him sulking in his office while I made a point to ignore him. This stand-off would continue until I'd decide he'd gone long enough without eating or sleeping, and got Fubeta to drive me to KaibaCorp where we'd yell at each other again before he consented to come home.
It seemed that nowadays, 'Niisama had to turn almost everything into a fight of some sort.
I slowed to a brisk walk as I approached a lift that would take me up to lower-ground level. Luckily, I hadn't been delayed by any other cave-ins, even though the tremors were getting stronger.
Back at the split-way, where 'Niisama had been dead-set on my leaving, and I'd been equally set on staying with him, I'd realised that I hadn't trusted his will to live enough. Granted, I'd never much trusted it since Gozaburo. Yuugi once said that 'Niisama's heart felt divided, but an army feels united under a banner – maybe my brother thought I was his. Which meant I'd be best off safe and worrying about him, while he risked his life and didn't concern himself at all. Idiot.
Of course, this entire thought process was conceited and revealed just how arrogant a Kaiba – especially a Kaiba who operated from the shadows in his brother's heart – could be. Because I could be wrong, and 'Niisama just didn't want me in the way. He could run a great deal faster without pacing himself to match my own speed, after all.
Still, I decided I could do a great deal of good by getting to the 'copter and keeping out of his way. I wasn't going to stop worrying, but I also knew when to back down.
How could I consent to match our wills in a waiting game when time was the one thing we didn't have? When lives were on the line?
I couldn't. We did owe something to Yuugi-tachi, after all.
If I were a little more insipid, and if I hadn't been raised by my brother, who hadn't ever heard of the word 'romantic', I'd be thinking that my locket would represent me in spirit and keep him safe.
That was if I hadn't been raised by my brother, who hadn't ever heard of the word 'romantic'.
I grinned, and drew out a small, collapsible headset complete with 'phones, clipping a silvery bar to my collar. Thumbing on the radio, I spoke into the mic'.
"'Niisama?"
The radio crackled with static before his voice spoke into my ear. "I was wondering how long it'd take you," he responded. "Where are you right now?"
"Just exiting a lift. I'm on level LG-2, and two halls were blocked, but I'm good now. I'll get to Isono-tachi in a couple of minutes. You?"
"Good. I'm going to give us another half-hour, then. Forty minutes 'til detonation sound good?"
"We'll be far away enough to be safe, and still be able to see the blast!" I responded brightly, knowing that the thought pleased him. "You coming now?"
"As... as I... Blue-Eyes..." static concealed most of his reply.
"'Niisama?" I asked, feeling kind of anxious. I mean, he was in an unstable portion of underground building...
The radio crackled, and I heard his voice, but couldn't make out any words this time.
"'Niisama!"
A burst of static, then silence.
I felt my entire body go cold, then hot, then cold again.
"'Niisama..." I whispered. I'd already already turned around to retrace my steps, the thought that I had to make sure 'Niisama was okay half-formed in my head.
'But... Isono-tachi... I –'
Besides, we'd both made promises, and though I didn't really care at the moment about what 'Niisama would think of me if I went back on it, I knew I would in the future.
'Niisama was resourceful. If he got out, and found out I'd gotten myself killed because I'd tried to go after him...
Setting my jaw, I turned into a stairwell and sprinted up one last set of stairs before walking into the light.
Because if I wanted to make our dreams come alive, I had to be a Kaiba first, and a brother second.
A/N: Originally, I was going to write more, and did – but I decided to split the chapter in two. I thought that five thousand words – that single chapter – of dithering and reflection would render the set-up and 'backstory' somewhat... well, boring. But! By the end of the next chapter, the real plot will begin. This chapter was obviously for characterisation and a study in interaction between certain characters.
I do so hate admitting I write for reviews... I mean, I write 'cause I'd like to get down a story idea, of course, but reviews are loveliest of life's loves. Next to sushi, Kaiba and dragons, that is... not necessarily in that order. :D Reviews let me know people are reading, and while I both adore and fear critical reviews, one-liners saying 'I'm reading' do (much to my shame) make me feel happeh. So... review?
(Insert crinkleh-happeh eyes here).
- Arashinobara