18coda

Memory by Autumnflight [Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, sempre]

2008-08-24T15:49:52Z

Title: Memory
Author: autumnflight
Theme: sempre
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.
Summary/Comments: Fai and Sakura watch Kurogane and Syaoran training; Sakura thinks about the missing person in her memories and what her relationship with Syaoran really is.

[ Even if the heart forgets, the body still remembers. ]

18coda @ 2008-08-24T11:16:00

2008-08-24T03:20:22Z

Title: Haikus
Author: anotherlazybum
Theme: Rhapsody
Fandom: Peace Maker Kurogane
Warnings: Crack drabble ahead
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary/Comments: Haikus which weren't quite haikus.

Theme 2: Rhapsody

Rhapsody (French: rapsodie) : implies a work free in form and inspiration.

Toshizo Hijikata's haikus were amateurish at best. A few may have compared it favorably to the scribblings at vandalized public toilets. Many had literally died laughing at the Demon Fukuchou's “brilliant” haikus ¹.

In short, his poems about plums which were, of course, plums...sucked.

But Okita Souji found them good enough to risk a limb or may be three to “borrow” the book for a glimpse of the Fukuchou's talent. His unusual violet eyes detected the hidden and maybe not-so-subtle meanings and implications in the haikus which were usually about plums and cherry blossoms. And he found the fact that the haikus were so free of form - that they lacked the normal intrinsic meanings and depth that they did not resemble haikus at all- to be endearing.

Hijikata was a realist who saw the world as it was. And he had made it his mission to make it a better place even though it meant spilling blood along the way.

But it did not meant that he never noticed the beautiful parts of the world either. In fact, he had been inspired to preserve it. And thus, “A plum is...still a plum.”

¹Hijikata did not have a great sense of humour. Anyone found to be laughing with Souji when his book was missing was immediately suspected of laughing at his fantastic works of art and sentenced to seppuku.

Reviews and constructive criticisms are appreciated!

Peace Maker Kurogane, canon

2008-08-15T15:19:24Z

Title: Dreams
Author: anotherlazybum
Theme: Canon
Fandom: Peace Maker Kurogane
Warnings: Spoiler for PMK volume 4 manga. (The part where they showed Souji's and Hijikata's past? Yes, that.)
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary/Comments: Souji can see himself.

Theme 1: Canon

Canon (Latin: a measuring line, rule, model) : A musical form where the melody or tune is immitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds, backwards or inverted.

Souji still had nightmares. It was always the same dream, always starting off with his nine-year old self in his room, taking a mirror out of the drawer even as he inwardly guessed, no, knew what horrors it would bring.

And he could never stop himself from looking into it.

His reflection staring at him was that child, no, that dwarf monstrosity which he had killed so long ago.

His first kill.

And it was saying, “You're me.”

Reviews and constructive criticisms are appreciated!

needle eye by bhujerba [DOGS, Dolce.]

2008-08-15T01:00:15Z

Title: needle eye.
Author: bhujerba
Theme: dolce.
Fandom: DOGS: Bullets & Carnage
Warnings: n/a
Disclaimer: I don't own DOGS, Nill, Haine, Badou, or Naoto.
Summary/Comments: [drabble] Nill knows she has to do her part, too.

( just so small; )

Li(f)e by autumnflight [Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, vivace]

2008-08-14T12:29:00Z

Title: Li(f)e
Author: autumnflight
Theme: Vivace
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.
Summary/Comments: Sakura runs out to the excavation site to ask Syaoran to play with her.

[ Well, Syaoran, I think you have a visitor. ]

alkfjaslkf by bhujerba [DOGS; Senza]

2008-08-11T15:07:03Z

Title: alkfjaslkf
Author: bhujerba
Theme: Senza
Fandom: DOGS: Bullets & Carnage
Warnings: R for language, I guess.
Disclaimer: Don't own DOGS or Badou or Haine or the random thugs lalala.
Summary/Comments: Recounting your first twenty pages of D:B&C in Badou's point of view. Includes stupid white dog and eye patch guy.

( his mouth is dry, his skin is raw )

For What's Worth by autumnflight [Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Ritenuto]

2008-08-10T12:44:53Z

Title: For What's Worth
Author: autumnflight
Theme: #17 "Ritenuto"
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Warnings: Spoilers for Kurogane's past
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.
Summary/Comments: Kurogane trains. Tomoyo watches.

[ He was always training. ]

It is Useless to Dwell in the Past by Crystal Rose of Pollux [Yu-Gi-Oh, Senza]

2008-07-21T18:20:46Z

Title: It is Useless to Dwell in the Past
Author: Crystal Rose of Pollux (rose_of_pollux)
Theme: 15; Senza
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh
Warnings: PG13 (for a mummy's appearance)
Disclaimer/Claimer: The characters aren't mine, and the story is
Summary: However hard she tries to forget Atem and move on, Téa finds it impossible to do so. And, for some reason, that annoys Seto Kaiba more than it should.

This story will be cross-posted to 31_days, 20_cities, 10_inspirations, 30_romances, setoanzulove, and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4411970/1/

This ficlet was inspired by Azurite’s challenge of a Seto/Téa fic where Seto makes the first move while remaining in character at the same time. This fic takes place after my in-progress “Folgen Sie Ihrem Traum,” but this story can be read independently of it, and there are no spoilers for “Traum.” Disclaimer: the characters aren’t mine, but the story is.
*********************************

She hadn’t intended to come to the museum that fateful day. She had intended to go home to visit the friends in Domino that she hadn’t seen in months. But while changing planes in Atlanta, she had seen the headline on the paper: a local museum was going to temporarily host an ancient Egypt collection. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t have bothered her at all, but her eye glanced upon the article, and she was stunned by what she read.

“A newly discovered mummy and its associated treasures will be the centerpiece for the exhibit,” she read. “The mummy, currently unnamed due to extensive damage done to his cartouches, has been determined to be a royal mummy from the end of the 18th Dynasty.”

And they had included a picture. She had expected a lot of things, but never had she expected to see Atem’s picture in the newspaper. But there he was, serene and regal in his Pharonic glory.

She had forgotten everything after seeing that picture; all she knew was that she had to get to that museum. She hurriedly spoke to the ticketing counter to be rescheduled for a later flight. One taxi ride later, she arrived at the museum, but she hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Seto Kaiba had been in town due to a business meeting, and was on his way to his private jet when he noticed the brunette girl. Téa had been the last person he would have expected to meet here, especially since she had told him that she would be returning to Domino after their last meeting. But when he noticed the banner over the museum entrance, advertising the new Ancient Egyptian collection, his eyes rolled involuntarily. That explained everything.

“There she goes again—dwelling in the past,” he thought, derisively. For some reason, it annoyed him to no end when people did such a thing—one of the many reasons he had trouble getting along with her group of friends in the first place. And ever since that “other Yugi” left nearly a year and a half ago, he had noticed that Téa’s mind seemed to be stuck in the past.

He ordered his taxi driver to drop him off at the museum; someone had to put some sense into that girl’s head. She needed a wake-up call, and since there was no way that any of her friends would be able to give her one without sugarcoating the whole thing, it would have to be up to him. Yes, he would be harsh. Yes, she would cry and be miserable for the next few days. But she would get over it; that was going to be the whole point of his lesson.

Never once did it occur to him as to the reason why he was bothering to go out of his way to teach her the lesson in the first place. In the time it would take to be in and out of the museum, he could very well have been halfway to Domino in his private jet.

He scowled to himself as this realization finally came to him, as he stood on the museum steps. Unfortunately, it was too late for him to change his mind; the taxi had just pulled away.

Muttering under his breath, he proceeded into the building.

“I can’t believe I just did that…” he fumed to himself. “This isn’t like me; why am I even here!?”

The answers refused to manifest themselves.

*************************************

Oblivious to the fact that she had been noticed by an acquaintance, Téa headed straight for the new exhibit. She remember the last time she had been to such an exhibit; that was when she had seen a golden statue of the Pharaoh Sethos, standing hand in hand with his queen, Túaa. The likeness of the golden faces had been too similar to those of her and Seto Kaiba to ignore—so much so that the statue had brought the two to the same place. Throughout the course of the following months, their meetings with each other had gone well, considering their past squabbles. But Seto Kaiba was still one of the most difficult people to get along with.

But now, before her very eyes, was the one she had fallen for before Seto Kaiba. Indeed, Atem wasn’t exactly the same; she had fallen in love with his spirit, who had inhabited the Millennium Puzzle for so long. Even though he had been an ancient spirit, he had seemed so real; he had seemed like a part of this world, as much as she knew he belonged to the past.

And here was the proof; he was tenderly wrapped in linen and resin. No one would have been able to guess that he had ever seen the 21st century. But Téa Gardner knew the truth: not only had Atem visited the 21st century, he had left a part of himself behind in the numerous hearts of those he had touched—hers included. She was almost hoping that the mummy would somehow speak to her in that deep, sonorous voice she missed so much.

“Why?” she asked him, in a voice so low that no other passerby could hear her. “Why is it that every time I’m certain that I’ve moved on, something happens that makes me miss you all over again?”

A tear fell on the glass display case, and she hastily dried the glass with her handkerchief.

“I did love you, Atem,” she whispered. “I wish you hadn’t left.”

“Gardner, when are you going to stop this!?” asked a clearly annoyed voice behind her.

Téa let out a shrill gasp.

“Kaiba!?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Don’t ever scare me like that again! …What are you doing here!?”

“To find out what it’s going to take for you to realize that dwelling on the past is useless,” he replied.

“Look, Kaiba… can we talk about this later?” she asked. “I’m really not in the mood to talk right now.”

“No, we can’t talk about this later,” the CEO retorted. “If you had any idea how idiotic you’re acting--”

“What!?” she asked, indignantly.

“Do you honestly expect to get anywhere with all of these wishes and tears for the past!?” he asked. “You’re being incredibly stupid—standing here, uselessly wishing for things that will never come true. Keep it up, and you’ll be wishing away your whole life, which will just pass you by.”

“Well, it’s better than casting everything aside, forgetting about all of the precious things and people that have walked in and out of your life!” she retorted.

“There’s a fine line between nostalgia and dwelling too much into the past,” Seto pointed out. “And lately, your head has been in the clouds… or, should I say ancient Egypt? And you say I’m the one sealing myself away? You’ve been like that ever since Yugi’s twin left, and you’ve only gotten worse. Can you get any more crazy than confessing your love to that thing?”

“That thing was once a person, Kaiba!” she shot back.

“I never said he wasn’t,” Seto replied. “I’m just saying that you’ve taken this ‘come-back-to-me’ routine too far! Face it, Gardner: he’s not coming back.”

“So what if he isn’t?” asked Téa. “And why do you even care? Why should wasting my life away affect you and your precious company? I thought that was the most important thing for you! If I’m bothering you that much, go focus on your bright future, and just leave me alone!”

“Gladly,” the young man snarled. “Never mind that you could ruin your life and miss out on all of the other people who would try to get through your thick skull. Not that I blame you; look at who you’re stuck with! There’s Yugi, who probably would only remind you of his twin. Then there’s Wheeler, who’d drive you (and anyone else) to the deep end. And heaven forbid that you’d be stuck with someone like me, who’d--”

He caught himself, but it was too late.

“I did not just say that…” he fumed to himself, as Téa turned back to him, wide-eyed. It couldn’t be… was this the reason why her dwelling on Atem annoyed him so much?

“I don’t believe it,” she said, a bemused expression on her face.

“I give up!” he fumed aloud. “Gardner; this is entirely your fault! You and all of your endless lectures and speeches have turned me into this! I would never have been like this if it weren’t for you…”

“Like what…?” she asked.

“Soft,” he snarled, as though it was a fate worse than death. “And now I don’t want to see you waste your life away, though I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why.”

Téa said nothing; she just stared at him as though he was a total stranger.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Gardner,” he said, looking away. “There are people who care.”

“And are you supposed to be one of them?” she asked, her eyebrows arched.

“In spite of myself…” he replied, only half-annoyed. “That’s the only way I can explain allowing myself to be led on a chase around the world.”

“I have to admit that ‘caring’ isn’t really a word I’d use to describe you,” Téa mused.

“Of course you wouldn’t,” Seto said. “Neither would I.”

“And yet you’re saying--”

“What do you want from me, Gardner!?” he asked. “Do you want me to say it!? Yes, I care about you. I have to say that there was a time when you would have been the last person in the world I would’ve cared about. Are you satisfied now, or are you intent on messing with my head some more?”

“No… I mean… I won’t mess with your head anymore,” she said. “I don’t exactly know what to say right now. I still would like to be alone for some time. I’ll… I’ll see you again when I get back to Domino?”

It was a question. She wasn’t sure if Seto would be willing to see her again, especially after that uncharacteristic conversation.

“Whatever, Gardner,” he replied. “If you think you’re ready to move on…” With that, he turned and walked away.

Téa glanced at the retreating CEO, and then glanced back at the mummy in the display case. Her gaze shifted between the two for several moments.

She then recalled how Joey had once said that Atem had the uncanny ability to be able to bring people together. A smile found its way onto her face as she realized that the last few minutes had proved Joey right.

“Thanks, old friend,” she said to the mummy. She knew now that she would be able to move on; the task would be difficult, but she knew that Seto Kaiba would be there to help.

A Rival's Counsel by Crystal Rose of Pollux [Yu-Gi-Oh, Mosso]

2008-07-07T12:23:55Z

Title: A Rival's Counsel
Author: Crystal Rose of Pollux (rose_of_pollux)
Theme: 16; mosso
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh
Warnings: mentions of alcohol; PG13
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, but the story is
Summary: An argument with his father sends Joey Wheeler to Seto Kaiba for advice

Will be cross-posted to 10_inspirations, 30_friends, 30_gens, and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4376447/1/

Author’s note: This fic was inspired mainly by the prompt “Some advice” at 30 Friends, but also by other prompts at various other communities on LiveJournal. This is meant to be a friendship fic. Disclaimer: the characters aren’t mine, but the story is, and there’s a slight reference to one of my other fics. Thanks to LuckyLadybug for plot help!

***********************************

Joey Wheeler was known for being a bright and upbeat person; he was the one who, in the face of danger, ended up playing a game of broom hockey to trip up his enemies. He was the one who would always make some sort of ridiculous joke or comment to make his enemies cringe or roll their eyes. He was the one who always went everywhere with a kind word and a smile for everyone. So it was a concern to his friends when he showed up at the Kame Game Store one morning, looking visibly distraught and upset.

“It’s nothing, guys; really…” he said, as they questioned him about it.

But he couldn’t hide the truth in his eyes; Mai was the first to see it.
“
It’s your father again, isn’t it?” she asked, in a soft voice. “Did you have another argument with him?”

“Uh…” he replied, wondering how to cover it up. But he was the world’s worst liar; and now that she had found the cause, it would be impossible to deny it. “Yeah, it was him again…” he said at last.

“I knew we stayed at the arcade too long,” said Yugi, apologetically. “Did he catch you coming in late again? I’m so sorry; do you think it would help if I went and talk to--?”

“No, Yugi,” the blond-haired youth replied. The last thing he wanted was for Yugi to get yelled at by his father; no one deserved that, and Joey wasn’t about to let his best friend suffer like that. “It’s not your fault.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” asked Téa, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll be fine, you guys,” Joey assured them. “He’s going to forget about it after he comes out of his state, so there’s no point in dwelling over it.”

“Sure; he’s going to forget it, but, in the meantime, what about you?” asked Mai, with a frown. “You’re going to be dwelling over it for a while, aren’t you?

“Nah; I’ll put it behind me, too,” he assured her. “I know by now that it usually takes less than a day--”

“I don’t see why you’re acting so casual about this,” said Tristan, angrily. “You’re out of high school, Joey; why are you putting up with all of that!? Just tell him you’re hitting the road and finding your own place. If he wants to keep on drinking that stuff, then that’s his problem. You shouldn’t have to suffer for it.”

“It’s not me that I’m worried about,” Joey replied, without thinking.

“Joey, I really don’t see what you can do to get him to stop,” said Duke. “It’s his life. He’s deciding to mess it up, and that’s his decision.”

“You should just pack up and leave, Joey,” said Bakura. “Then he’d see that his actions have cost him his wife, his daughter, and now his son--”

“I’m not worried about him, either!” Joey snapped, causing Bakura to retreat a step backward. “I’ve given up trying to get him to change; I know it’s pointless!” He caught himself. “Sorry, Bakura.”

“Joey, what did he say?” asked Yugi. He knew that something Mr. Wheeler had said had struck a nerve in Joey. Yugi was thankful that, even in that state, Mr. Wheeler never got violent, but he knew that words could be just as painful as blows. And Joey was clearly hurting.

“Look… it’s nothing, okay?” Joey insisted. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate you guys trying to look out for me and make me feel better… but I just don’t think you can help in this situation.” He sighed. “I need to clear my head; I’m going to go for a walk. Catch you guys later…”

He left the shop, the cheerful ringing of the bells upon the door providing a stark contrast to the blond-haired youth’s mood.

“So… who wants to follow him?” asked Yugi, but his thoughts were diverted as the bells rang again, and as Mai and Téa left the shop. “Girls, wait for us!”

*****************************

“I said I wanted to clear my head…” said Joey, as he noticed the crowd following him. “But, whatever…”

“Joey, if you’d just stop acting like Kaiba and tell us--” Tristan began, but he paused as Joey came to an abrupt halt.

“That’s it, Tristan; you’re smarter than you look!” Joey exclaimed.

“Thanks… I think…” the other youth replied, with a slight frown. “What did I say again?”

“Kaiba!” Joey said, picking up his pace again. “If he bothers to listen, he just might help--”

“Joey, you’re going to Seto Kaiba for help instead of your best friends!?” asked Mai. “Wake up, oh poor, delusional child!”

“I told you, you just won’t be able to help in this situation!” Joey insisted.

“Well, maybe if you told us--” Bakura began.

“Wait a minute,” said Téa. “Are you trying to say that Kaiba can help you where when we can’t!?”

“Defies all logic; I know…” the blond youth admitted. “But in some crazy way, it just might work!”

“But I don’t see how…” Yugi began, but then he trailed off as he realized that Joey’s predicament was one that Seto Kaiba could indeed advise… assuming, of course, that he would be willing to advise Joey Wheeler.

And Yugi was having his doubts about it; it had taken Mokuba’s intervention to allow them entry into the Kaiba Corporation building in the first place. And now Joey was pounding upon the CEO’s locked door; something that would definitely not work in the blond youth’s favor.

At last, the door opened, and Seto regarded the visiting crowd with a scowl as Mokuba shrugged in reply to his brother’s questioning glance.

“Joey said that he needed to speak with you,” the boy said. “He says that you might be the only one who can help him.”

“Really, Wheeler?” asked Seto, his eyebrows arched. “Well, if you’re trying to tell me that you’re starting your own company, let me just say that I doubt that even I could help you with that.”

“Like I’d want to start my own company,” Joey replied. “Nah, I wanted to talk to you about something else--”

“Then it’s going to have to wait until my working hours are over,” Seto replied, returning to his desk.

The others were about to protest, but Joey stepped forward.

“No worries, Kaiba; I can wait,” he said, and he leaned against the filing cabinet, whistling a tune from Oklahoma.

“How long until Kaiba gives in?” asked Tristan, under his breath.

“I say ten minutes,” Duke replied.

“Nah; this is Joey’s off-key whistling we’re talking about,” Tristan replied. “I say five minutes.”

Seto, with a frustrated sigh, slammed his fist onto the desk.

“What do you want, Wheeler?”

“OK, so we were both wrong…” Tristan mused.

“Well, the problem’s with my father--”

“Wheeler, this is a gaming company, not a discussion group!” Seto retorted. “Why are you trying to waste my time with this!?”

“Joey, maybe we should go…” said Yugi, who had feared this outcome. “Maybe we can help you if you just calm down and tell us…”

“Okay; I’m sorry,” said Joey, backing away. “I just thought that you might have been able to help me since you’ve been here before.”

“Hold it…” Seto said, his eyes narrowing. “You’ve come to me with your problem, and you haven’t even consulted your entourage yet?”

“They wouldn’t understand…”

Seto rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“Fine, Wheeler; you have exactly three minutes. Start talking.”

“I don’t know how much you know about my father, but…” Joey trailed off as Seto started glancing though a stack of invoices.

“Go on; I’m listening,” the CEO replied, half-heartedly.

“He drinks a lot,” Joey went on. “And so we often get into a lot of arguments… especially when I walk in late. Normally, I’m able to ignore it, but--”

“What did he say about that sister of yours?” asked Seto, not even taking his eyes off the invoices.

“How did you…?”

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it?” the CEO replied, still not making eye contact. “You’ve clearly put up with him long enough to ignore everything he says about you, no doubt due to the help of your little group of friends,” he added, as Yugi, Mai, and Téa exchanged glances. “So the only thing that would send you to me would be if he said something about your younger sibling, since you would assume that I would have defended my younger brother against my stepfather. Is that it?”

“For someone who doesn’t believe in psychics, you sure could give them a run for their money…” Joey said, with a shake of his head. “But… you’re right. It’s the first time he ever dragged Serenity into the conversation.”

“What happened?” asked Mai, concerned for the girl as well.

“Well, my dad and I were arguing about me coming in late… he said that all the time I spent with my friends was time that I was wasting. He said that I could be working at a job and bring home some money. And so I told him that I wouldn’t need to get a job if he just quit drinking and saved that money for something else... that it’d help his health… and that he might even convince my mother to come back if she realized that he had changed his ways.”

Yugi flinched.

“Something tells me that didn’t end well…” he said.

“It didn’t,” Joey replied, looking furious. “Since I was stupid enough to bring my mother into the argument, he brought Serenity into the argument, too. He said that everything we’re going through now is her fault, and her fault alone.”

“What!?” asked Téa, horrified.

“He said that it was because of her eye trouble and all of her doctor bills that we ran out of money,” Joey fumed. “He said that the stress from all of that was too much for the family, and between the stress and the lack of money, Serenity is the reason why he split up with my mom. He even said that I was the world’s biggest idiot for giving all of my Duelist Kingdom money for her eye operation when I could’ve paid all of the family’s debts!”

He threw a punch at the filing cabinet, but Seto didn’t say anything about it.

“He mumbled something else about Serenity’s ‘misdeeds,’ but by that time, he was so incoherent, I couldn’t figure out what he was saying… and something tells me I’m better off not knowing what it was.” He let out a deep sigh. “I know it wasn’t really him talking, and that he’s going to forget everything, but I just can’t help getting upset over it.”

“You have every right to be upset!” said Mai, her arms folded. “In fact, I’m half tempted to have a word with him.”

“I’m telling you, Joey,” said Tristan. “Just ship out.”

“Well, that’s why I’m here,” said Joey. “I was hoping that Kaiba might know what to do.”

Seto looked up from his work at last.

“Just how intent are you on ensuring your sister’s safety?” he asked.

“As intent as you are on ensuring your brother’s safety,” Joey replied.

“Then I don’t need to tell you the obvious; don’t let him anywhere near her,” Seto replied, turning back to work. “Less obviously, I wouldn’t leave just yet. You have a sacrifice to make for your sister’s sake; if your father finds out that you’re too stubborn to argue with, he just might turn his attention to your sister.”

“Seto, do you mean that you…?” Mokuba began, but decided to ask later. After hearing his brother’s words, he had a feeling that it was no coincidence that Gozaburo had, for the most part, ignored him.

“But my dad’s not always like this,” said Joey. “He was once a nice guy. Actually, he usually is a nice guy.”

“Then shouldn’t you try to get him some help?” the CEO asked.

“I’ve tried that; he gets better for a while, and then it’s back to square one,” fumed Joey.

“Then keep trying,” said Mokuba. “We didn’t have a choice as to how Gozaburo was, but at least your dad has a good side. Go find it.”

Joey nodded; it all seemed to make sense now.

“By the way, Wheeler, your three minutes are long over,” said Seto.

“Don’t worry; I’m going…” the blond youth replied, his spirits higher than before. He followed his friends out of the office. “Thanks, Kaiba.”

The CEO, still not looking up, acknowledged him with the slightest of nods.

Shelter from the Storm by sparklybee [Phantom of the Opera, ostinato]

2008-07-03T03:23:20Z

Fandom: Phantom of the Opera (stage show)
Title: Shelter from the Storm
Characters: Christine Daaé, Raoul de Chagny
Prompt: 18coda 06 ostinato
Word Count: 1385
Rating: G
Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera belongs to Gaston Leroux; this version belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Summary: As a boy, Raoul promises to protect Christine from a storm; as a man, he promises to protect her from something far more dangerous. RC and somewhat fluffy.

Christine anxiously pressed her nose against the windowpane as she watched the dark clouds rolling in from the sea. She didn’t like thunderstorms, but that wasn’t what was bothering her today; even up in the attic, she could hear her father coughing downstairs. He had started coughing a few weeks ago, and when she had asked him what was wrong, he had said it was only a cold. He was still coughing, though, and Christine thought that it might even be getting worse. This morning at breakfast he had coughed into his napkin, and although he had tried to refold it quickly, Christine had seen the blood on it.

“Christine?”

The sound of Raoul’s voice jolted Christine from her reverie; he had been so quiet that she had nearly forgotten he was there. Raoul had been her constant companion ever since he had rescued her scarf from the sea, but today the weather had threatened to turn bad and so they had stayed indoors. He had discovered an illustrated book about ships that had captured his interest, and while studied the pages, she had wandered towards the window to watch the gathering clouds on the horizon.

“What’s the matter?”

She could hear him carefully setting the book down on the floor, and she furiously blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. He wasn’t like the other boys who teased her or pulled her hair; Raoul was different, and she’d miss him terribly if he suddenly decided that he’d rather play with boys his own age instead of being here with a crying girl. Already she knew that a few of the boys taunted Raoul for spending so much time with her; they called Christine his girlfriend, and though Raoul glowered at them, he didn’t deny it either.

Raoul padded across the attic until he was standing behind her, and Christine wiped her nose with the back of her hand before turning to face him. She hoped that the attic was dark enough so he couldn’t see her tears.

“Are you scared?” Raoul asked softly, leaning closer so he could better see her face.

Christine mutely nodded as the wind whipped against the old house, rattling the window behind her. They stared at one another for a few minutes, neither of them saying a word, until Raoul awkwardly held open his arms; after a moment’s hesitation, Christine stepped forward and rested her cheek against his chest. She could feel his heart beating loudly against her ear, and its steady rhythm comforted her. It reminded her of when she had suffered from nightmares as a little girl, and how her father had held her tight and whispered gentle words into her hair.

“It’s all right,” Raoul murmured softly, “I used to be scared of storms too.”

It wasn’t the storm outside that frightened her, but she didn’t tell him that. Christine was afraid that if she spoke aloud, even to Raoul, it would somehow make her worst fears come true. Her father was all that she had in the world, and if she lost him, she didn’t know what would become of her; the possibilities were too terrifying to consider.

She was crying after all; she hoped that the thunder and rain pouring against the roof would drown out her quiet sobs, but Raoul tightened his arms around her and she buried her face against his shoulder, no longer trying to hide her tears. He murmured that he would protect her and that she had no reason to be afraid, and Christine wanted to believe him.

When the thunderstorm was over Christine pulled away, embarrassed by her outburst, and Raoul pressed something into her hand. It was a wrinkled handkerchief with his initials stitched on it – RdC – and Christine stared at it for a moment before gazing up at him. He appeared concerned as he stared back at her, and without much thought, Christine stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his cheek. She had never kissed him before; she’d never kissed anyone before, except her father.

Christine pulled away from him and looked up at him breathlessly, watching Raoul’s cheeks turn red. She wondered if she had made a mistake, but before she could give it much thought, Raoul leaned closer until their lips met. She could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest, and for one blissful moment, Christine forgot everything except the warmth of Raoul’s lips against her own.

----------

Ten years later, Christine anxiously peered out the window of the de Chagny carriage as the Opera Populaire disappeared behind them. Her heart was racing as she recalled all of the things that had happened – Carlotta’s unexplainable croaking, her own debut performance as the Countess, Raoul’s declaration of love, and her teacher’s very visible display of anger – and she was terrified that the man she had once called her angel would swoop down from the sky and carry her away in his claws, as if he was a bird of prey and she his latest meal.

“Christine?”

Raoul’s voice startled her; she was so lost in her thoughts that she had nearly forgotten that he was in the carriage with her. She turned towards him and clutched his gloved hand as if it were her only lifeline to the world.

“Oh Raoul,” she whispered brokenly, her voice shaking so badly that she barely recognized it as belonging to her. “Raoul…”

She couldn’t manage any other words at the moment, and he leaned forward to take both of her hands in his own. “I don’t know what just happened,” he confessed shakily, his alarm clearly written across his boyish features as he squeezed her fingers.

You saved my life, Christine wanted to say, but she couldn’t force the words past her numb lips. If you hadn’t pulled me out of the way, he would have killed me. He knows Raoul, he knows about you, and I’m afraid that he might kill both of us because of it.

The last thing she wanted to do, however, was frighten Raoul away; he had just admitted that he loved her, and she didn’t want to lose him. She didn’t want to cry either – she knew that it would do neither of them any good – but she couldn’t stop the tears from trailing down her cheeks. Raoul slid from his seat and knelt before her, opening his arms in silent invitation. Christine hesitated only for a moment – they had been in such a hurry to leave the Opera that she hadn’t removed her stage makeup, and it would probably ruin his jacket – but she leaned into his embrace anyway and sobbed against his shoulder.

“I was so scared,” she managed to choke out. “I was so scared…”

“So was I,” he admitted in a hoarse whisper. “My god, Christine, to think that you could have…”

She didn’t want to dwell too much on that though, and apparently neither did he. Instead he pressed his lips against her forehead and murmured that he would protect her, that she didn’t have anything to fear because he would do everything in his power to keep her safe, and Christine wanted to believe him.

When the carriage arrived at her flat, Christine pulled away from Raoul and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. He pressed something against her palm, and when she looked down at it she realized that it was a neatly folded handkerchief with his initials embroidered on it. She smiled in spite of everything that had happened – it reminded her of the time that they had first kissed, back in the attic of a house along the seashore – and she gazed into his blue eyes.

“I need you Raoul,” she whispered simply. “Please don’t leave me.”

“I won’t,” he swore as she leaned closer to him, their lips meeting hesitantly. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and for one blissful moment, Christine forgot everything except the warmth of Raoul’s lips against her own.

also posted here, here, and here

June Monthly Check-In

2008-06-23T16:20:42Z

*looks sheepish* Though I have been tagging as I go, and accepting claims, we might have dropped the ball a little as to doing monthly check-ins. Since... January.

Claims coming to an end in June are listed under the cut. Claims are not deleted until the end of June. Comment here if you want an extension on your claim.

anordir - Artemis Fowl
personsama - Baten Kaitos
warhorse - Devil May Cry
hidden_eden - Diablo
duo_sama - Gundam Seed Destiny
commodoreschick - Harvest Moon
assemble - House, M.D.
wolf_crossbreed -Naruto
merchant_dream - Ragnarok Online

If your claim was purged, you'll have to claim it again, but the fics you already wrote can be counted toward your new claim. No claims have been recently purged.

Bitter Fruit by autumnflight [Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, canon]

2008-06-21T15:13:12Z

Title: Bitter Fruit
Author: autumnflight
Theme: #3 "Canon"
Fandom: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Warnings: Takes place at the end of chapter 143; slight SPOILERS for chapter 178
Disclaimer: Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and its characters belong to CLAMP.
Summary/Comments: Sakura knows many things, and it hurts.

[ The fruit of knowledge can be very bitter, very bitter indeed. ]

Trickle by lilpocketninja [Young Avengers, a cappella]

2008-06-17T06:24:29Z

Title: Trickle
Author: lilpocketninja
Theme: a cappella
Fandom: Young Avengers
Warnings: Non-graphic slash
Disclaimer: Young Avengers belongs to Marvel Comics, I don't own them and make no profit from this story.
Summary/Comments: Sometimes, the team just can't break up fast enough.

Read Trickle

Who Is That Masked Man? by Lucky_Ladybug (Final Fantasy VII, Nocturne)

2008-06-10T08:42:15Z

Title: Who Is That Masked Man?
Author: Lucky_Ladybug/insaneladybug
Theme: #9 - Nocturne
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Warnings: Silliness.
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine and the story is!
Summary/Comments: Zack's quest to learn the black rider's identity has ridiculous results.

Cross-posted to ff_love, ladybug_tales, and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4313245/1/

Final Fantasy VII
Who Is That Masked Man?
By Lucky_Ladybug

Notes: The characters are not mine (except Pala), and the story is! This is complete and utter crack. It was inspired by a small bit in Crisis Core where Zack speaks with someone who was rescued by the black rider during a monster attack. When asked, Zack says he's familiar with the rider. And this happened. Thanks to Kaze and Lisa for plot help! The prompts Nocturne (what do you do in the dark of night, where no one sees) at 18Coda and Fifth wheel at FF Love, helped too.

Ever since monsters had begun to terrorize Midgar in full force, SOLDIER had been kept extremely busy. On bad days, the men could be running from sector to sector, destroying vicious creatures and protecting the people at all hours of the day and night. And sometimes they needed help.

That was when the black rider came in. He was only seen at night, and as if on cue, only when the monster problem was at its worst. He made short work of the creatures, saving anyone in danger of being harmed by them. And then he would fade into the night before anyone could get his name. Not that he would have given it at all; he seemed to prefer being a man of mystery in every sense of the word.

But after increasing appearances, and even saving some employees, Shinra grew extremely curious about him. Who was this strange vigilante and what were his motives? Was he seeking justice and righteousness, or something else altogether? Using the partially true explanation of wanting to find and reward him for his services, they directed some of their forces to search for any clues to his identity. But it seemed that there was nothing to be found. No one knew anything about him, save for more death-defying tales of bravery and rescue.

Zack had been following the stories with interest ever since the man had first appeared. At the moment he was engrossed in the local newspaper, the day's work unfinished on his desk.

Sephiroth's expression was stern as he observed. "You aren't done yet," he said.

"I know," Zack said, "but I'll come in a minute! Come on, Seph, aren't you curious at all about this guy?" He peeked at his best friend over the top of the newspaper, blinking his lavender eyes.

Sephiroth grunted. "He's probably only someone determined to get attention in whatever way possible," he said, "and he just so happened to prefer these methods of derring-do."

"Aww. That takes all the fun out of it!" Zack protested. "You don't think he wants to help people?"

"Who knows." Sephiroth looked back to his computer screen. "Most people wouldn't be willing to do something for nothing."

"You're so suspicious of everyone, Seph!" Zack mock-whimpered. He folded up the newspaper, depositing it on his desk for later use. "It doesn't seem like he even wants to be found out. He wears black all up and down, even a mask. Nobody even knows his name!"

"Of course. What better way to draw attention to yourself than to be mysterious?" Sephiroth began to type. "Then people will begin to wonder who you are and continue to craft all kinds of ridiculous possibilities."

Zack frowned. "I didn't think of it like that. But that doesn't mean it's what this guy wants!" he rushed on.

"No, it doesn't," Sephiroth agreed. "But I wouldn't be surprised."

Zack suddenly smirked. "So is that why you're mysterious, Seph?" he asked.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "I," he said, "am not mysterious."

"Sure you are!" Zack said. "You don't talk about yourself, you're serious . . ."

"I am unsociable," Sephiroth interrupted. "That does not equal mysteriousness."

"No, but it helps!" Zack chirped. "And people are always wondering what you're like under all that cold, stern stuff."

Sephiroth grunted. "You're getting off the subject," he said.

"There you go again!" Zack declared. "See, you don't want to talk about yourself."

"That is irrelevant."

Zack jumped up without warning, beginning to pace the room. "I want to find out who this guy is!" he declared.

"There are already SOLDIERs who have that assignment," Sephiroth answered, relieved for the topic change. "Mostly those who don't have anything better to do." Personally he found it ridiculous. The black rider seemed harmless enough. There was always the chance that he could be a Wutaian spy, but so far there was not any proof of that, and the General hated to see SOLDIERs chasing down a vigilante. As far as he was concerned, that should be left up to the Turks or the Shinra army, if anyone was going to investigate.

Zack gave him a mournful look. "But what if he is a threat and needs to be found out?" he persisted.

Sephiroth was unmoved. "Haven't you been indicating that you think he's a benevolent protector of the people?"

Zack looked sheepish. "Well . . . yeah, he probably is!" he said. "I just want an excuse to go look for the guy."

Sephiroth grunted. "I figured as much."

"We could go at night, when we're off-duty," Zack suggested. "He only pops up at night anyway."

"No, thank you," Sephiroth responded, his tone flat and matter-of-fact. "I don't have the interest, and you yourself would never have the patience for a stakeout in the sectors where the black rider has been seen."

"We wouldn't have to stay in one place!" Zack protested. "We could just keep walking all around until we saw him."

Sephiroth gave him a stern look.

". . . Or not." Zack's shoulders slumped. "Come on, Seph! It wouldn't be any fun by myself!"

"It's debatable whether it would be fun at all," Sephiroth retorted.

"At least we'd get a nice walk!" Zack said with a wild gesture.

Sephiroth let out a noticeable sigh. "Alright," he said. "One night. That is all."

"Yes!" Zack exclaimed, pumping the air with a fist. "You won't regret this, Seph ol' pal!" he grinned.

"That's debatable, too." Sephiroth focused on the computer screen. Once again Zack had worn down his resolve. He really was getting too soft.
****
As it turned out, the black rider was elusive that night, which Sephiroth had suspected would be the case. He and Zack did learn of more tales of rescue from some passers-by, and confirmation of the sectors where the rider was most often seen. But Midgar was quiet, the monsters either staying out of the city limits or else just avoiding the people inside while they skulked in the shadows. After a late dinner that Zack had insisted on, the two were now en route back to the base.

Zack sighed in weary exasperation, placing his hands behind his head. "Well, at least we know where he hangs out," he said.

"Which other SOLDIERs have already learned," Sephiroth grunted.

"Hey, do you ever wonder about his chocobo?" Zack asked. "I mean, black ones are pretty rare. Does he really go all the way to the farm to get one? Or does he keep it here in the city? I keep Pala on the base." He blinked. "And hey, speaking of her, did you give her a rub-down lately, Seph?" he asked. "A couple of times I've gone in and she's already settled and everything."

"She's your responsibility," Sephiroth grunted. "No, I haven't done anything with her."

"Huh." Zack shrugged. "Maybe it was Cloud then. Whoever it was sure got her all relaxed. It almost looked like she'd been given a bath."

". . . In answer to your question, I haven't ever wondered about the black rider's bird," Sephiroth said. "But it would take a while to go to the farm every time there was a problem. Then he would still need to ride back to the city in time to save whoever was in danger. It's far more likely that the chocobo is here in Midgar, probably at his house."

"Yeah!" Zack said. "And there hasn't been a citywide search for a black chocobo, has there?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Sephiroth grunted. "They haven't found one yet."

"How come I haven't seen those reports?" Zack frowned with a mock-wounded expression.

"We shouldn't concern ourselves with such trivial matters." Only if it was later learned that the rider was indeed dangerous would Sephiroth take an interest. As long as the vigilante did not get in SOLDIER's way, Sephiroth could not care less.

"I want to come out tomorrow night," Zack said.

"Then you'll be coming alone," Sephiroth said, his tone flat. "I promised one night. Tomorrow I'll be working late, anyway."

"Even after five?" Zack looked up at the stern general.

"I doubt I'll have everything finished by then." By now they had almost walked back to the base. The lights from the Shinra tower gleamed nearby, further illuminating their path.

"Darn!" Zack said, snapping his fingers. Then he blinked as an idea came to him. "Hey, what if I helped you, Seph?" he said. "Then we could both come out afterwards!"

Sephiroth shook his head, massaging his eyes in a tired way. "This is the yearly report I have to give as the General," he replied. "I have to do it on my own."

"Oh." Zack sighed, stretching his arms in front of him. "Man, that sounds like a pain."

"It is," Sephiroth acknowledged. "I dread it each year." In fact, part of the reason he had gone with Zack tonight had been to put off working more on it. It always stressed him, especially looking up all the necessary information. Something would be elusive every year and he would not be able to track it down for ages.

"Well, maybe the night after tomorrow, then!" Zack said hopefully.

Sephiroth gave him a Look. "You never give up, do you?"

"Then I wouldn't be me!" Zack grinned. As they arrived at the gates, he flashed his ID at the sentry before hopping through onto the compound.

Sephiroth followed suit---though without the hopping.
****
The next night Sephiroth was hard at work when Zack was ready to leave. As the brunet peeked in through the door, the rapid clicking of the keyboard was very audible. Seph was staring at the screen, the monitor's reflection in his glasses. He did not look up, either too involved in his work to notice or else noticing but feeling he needed to keep working.

"I'm going now, Seph," Zack said, loud enough that he hoped to break through the older man's concentration.

Seph started, glancing at Zack over the top of the monitor. "Alright," he said.

"I'll check in when I get back," Zack promised.

Seph gave a vague nod, already focusing on the screen again.

Zack sighed to himself, pulling the door shut once more.

He was feeling lonely as he left the base shortly afterwards. Even though the search the past night had been fruitless, he had enjoyed spending the time with Seph. And he thought that Seph had liked it at least somewhat, despite finding the reason for the outing preposterous. It had been a pleasant night for a walk and dinner, and without monsters afoot it had been relaxing. By himself he did not think he would stay out long, especially if it looked like this evening would turn out the same as the past night.

And indeed, it did seem that everything was calm again. The people walked by normally, unconcerned of an attack, and the animals also seemed nonchalant. Zack yawned after a while, putting a hand over his mouth to hide it.

"What a boring night," he mumbled to himself. Aerith would have already left the church by now, so he could not visit her unless he went to her house---and her mother usually scared him away from there. He knew she did not like him, and he always found himself getting tongue-tied in her presence. Very few people had that effect on the smooth-talking and cheerful Zack Fair.

Maybe he should go back to the base and see if Cloud was done with his shift on guard duty. He had invited Cloud to come with him tonight, but Cloud had not been free to leave. Even if he was still working, Zack could chat with him for a while. And if he was off, maybe they could go grab some food and a late movie.

But a scream rent the air as he rounded a corner. An unfortunate woman tore past him, several vicious beasts in hot pursuit. Zack stared in surprise at the spectacle. Then he grabbed his sword, adjusting to the sudden change of plans.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" he called. Chasing after the hungry monsters, he swung his sword at the one nearest to him. It snarled in pain, whirling to face this new opponent. As it lunged, Zack attacked again. Having been quicker, Zack was soon triumphant.

The second one also went down fast, too intent on the hunt to fully focus on Zack. But the other two were still running after the woman, and they were gaining on her.

Out of nowhere a lariat swirled, catching both beasts squarely around their shoulders. They yelped in shock as the loop was pulled taut, bringing them side by side. Though they struggled, it did not loosen.

Both Zack and the woman were staring in the direction of the lasso. A chocobo leaped into view from around the corner, the street lights overhead shining on every raven-colored feather. Astride it was a man also dressed all in black. In his hand was the other end of the rope. He fastened it around the lamppost, then turned to depart.

Zack came to life. "Hey wait!" he cried, running forward. This was the black rider, just who he had been hoping to see. Now he had a chance to really find out what was going on!

But the man did not intend to be found out. He pulled on the reins, turning the chocobo to the left. Pressing against its sides with his legs, he signaled it to flee. With a loud wark the bird tore past, several black feathers coming free from the force of the run.

The woman just gaped at Zack as he chased after them. "What about these things?!" she yelped, pointing at the snarling beasts.

"Call Shinra to come get them," Zack called back. "They should be secure for now!" He did not want to lose the rider now, when he was so close. Just in this short amount of time, the man and his bird were far ahead.

The chocobo was sprinting at its quickest pace, calling out with loud warks as it went. Zack frowned in confusion, running as fast as he could to keep up.

"It looks like a Dashing chocobo," he said to himself. "And it sounds just like Pala. But that's impossible. She isn't black. And what the heck would the black rider be doing riding her?!"

Now they were tearing past the business district. Late shoppers stumbled to a halt, their eyes wide at the sight of a man in black being chased by a lone SOLDIER yelling for him to stop. Up ahead, a fountain seemed to be malfunctioning. Water was pouring onto the surrounding sidewalk. The rider tugged on the reins, wanting to avoid the spray. But the chocobo barreled right through, continuing to wark.

Zack ran around the confused fountain. A couple more feathers were floating in the water. Whatever was coloring the bird black was fading. Its true hue of yellow was now visible.

"It is Pala!" Zack exclaimed. There was now no doubt of it. He had recognized her from the first wark.

But there was no time for disbelief. The chocobo and rider were whipping around another corner. Again Zack gave chase, a whole new slew of questions bouncing through his mind. How on earth would the black rider have access to Pala? And what had he done to make her feathers go temporarily black?

The rider seemed to be having trouble controlling her now. They were passing a tire shop, which featured many such objects on display. Pala swerved, crashing right into the two stacks. Wheels flew and rolled in every direction. Zack yelped, diving out of the way of five that went past all in a row. Then his eyes narrowed. He lunged, leaping into the air. He was taking a chance, but he would go for it.

He crashed on Pala's back, wrapping his arms around the black rider. "Just wait a minute!" he yelled.

They both fell off, landing amidst the tires. Pala, free of her burden, stopped and warked as she watched. The two men were struggling with each other, rolling and flailing as each tried to attain the upper hand.

"Hold still already!" Zack ordered.

The rider reached up, shoving him in the chest. The cape, which was by now a rumpled mess, pulled up to reveal long and smooth locks hidden underneath.

Zack stared. "Can't be," he murmured. He grabbed at the other's wrist, reaching with his free hand to tear away the mask. Glassy green eyes blinked up at him.

"Seph?!" he burst out. This was too shocking to process. "Seph, you're the black rider?!"

Sephiroth grunted. He blinked again, as if trying to focus on Zack. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

Zack rocked back in disbelief. "Seph, look at yourself!" he said, wildly gesturing. "You're all in black, and you dyed Pala's feathers or something . . . ! What the heck's going on?!" He put his hands on his hips. "Is that why you've been so uninterested in this whole thing, because you knew you were the one SOLDIER's been looking for?!" He shook his head. "I never would've thought you had a secret desire to be a vigilante."

"I don't." Sephiroth began to pull himself into a sitting position. "This is ridiculous," he muttered. "I was working on the report. What am I doing here?" His eyes widened as he stared down at himself. He was all in black, as Zack had said, but it was not his usual clothes. It looked like what the black rider wore. And now a chocobo was wandering over, half-yellow and half-black. . . .

"Wait a minute," Zack exclaimed. "You were working on the report? That's the last thing you remember?"

"Yes." Sephiroth frowned. "I leaned back to look at what I'd gotten down so far, and I was resting my eyes."

"You fell asleep!" Zack declared. "You were sleepwalking as the black rider!"

Sephiroth leaned forward, massaging his eyes. "Do you realize how inane that sounds?" he said.

"If you've got a better explanation, I'd like to hear it!" Zack said. "It all fits! That's why Pala looked like she'd been bathed before, too---you were washing her off after having her fixed up to be the black rider's bird!"

Pala warked, as if in confirmation.

"But why?" Sephiroth demanded. "Why would I do this, even if I was asleep?"

Zack gave a helpless shrug. "I have no idea, pal," he said. "You probably don't even know yourself."

"That," Sephiroth grunted, "I can agree with." Again he surveyed the scene, horror and disgust beginning to wash over him. This was not fitting for the General to be doing. This was ludicrous! He was not a vigilante; he did not even need to be. As the SOLDIER General, he was already a protector of the people. He did not need to sneak in the shadows like a Wutaian ninja.

"Unless it really is a secret desire," Zack smirked in mischief.

"It isn't." Seph's voice gained a definite edge, warning Zack to drop the subject. For once Zack obeyed. There were other aspects he was curious about as well.

He shook his head. "What I wonder now is, Are you the only black rider, Seph?" he asked. "Or were you just imitating the original?"

"Where on earth would I get such an idea if there was not already a black rider?" Sephiroth retorted.

"Too much Masked Avenger on TV?" Zack blinked innocently.

The look Seph gave him said clearly that he was not amused.
****
Within a few moments they managed to set right the tire display. During that time, Pala went back to the fountain and walked under it a second time, removing the rest of the black coloring from her feathers. Then she headed back to where the SOLDIERs were, spreading her wings and shaking herself dry.

Zack looked up as she came back. "That's more like it," he grinned.

Pala warked, pleased with herself.

"Let's hurry back to the base before something else goes wrong," Sephiroth said in irritation. He was wrapping the mask and hat in a bundle with the cape. But the other clothes he would have to keep on for now. Hopefully in the dark no one would notice his strange attire. Reaching up, he unbuttoned the shirt three-fourths of the way down.

"Are we gonna ride Pala when she's still wet?" Zack blinked.

"It would be faster than just walking and leading her up there," Sephiroth said.

Zack shrugged. "Okay then," he said. Grabbing the reins for balance, he began to climb onto her back. "If I'm in front, maybe I can help hide what you're wearing."

Sephiroth nodded. That was a good plan. He climbed on behind Zack, holding onto both him and the bundle.

Feeling the snap of the reins, Pala tore around a corner. Zack yelped. Sephiroth crashed forward against him.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that," Zack said sheepishly as Pala flew down the streets.

In this way it did not take long for them to reach the base. Zack swallowed hard as the guard came into view.

"Boy, I wish you could remember how you've been getting on and off the base as the black rider," Zack said.

"I wish I could too," Sephiroth grunted. "I probably left normally and then put on these ridiculous clothes once I was away."

But at least they did not have anything to worry about in that respect. The guard, not seeming to find it odd that they were astride Zack's chocobo, said only, "Oh! Welcome back, sirs!" and waved them through as they presented their ID cards. Zack grinned, waving back, while Sephiroth gave a single nod of acknowledgment.

Once they were past and heading for the stable, Sephiroth said in a stern undertone, "You cannot tell anyone about this."

Zack blinked in mock surprise. "But Seph!" he exclaimed. "Doesn't Shinra need to know?"

Sephiroth's shocked and almost horrified expression melted as he realized Zack was not serious.

"'Course I wouldn't tell anyone," Zack said as he brought Pala to a halt. "You can tell them yourself, pal, if you feel like it."

"And I never will." Sephiroth climbed down onto the grass planted for any chocobos on base.

"What about Cloud?" Zack chirped, hopping off as well. Keeping hold of the reins, he turned to lead Pala inside the stable. "I told him I was going out to look tonight. He'll be wondering how it went. And oh wow! That lady saw me chasing after you!" He looked back to Seph. Suddenly the possible complications seemed overwhelming. To protect Seph's honor, this could not be allowed to get out. A sleepwalking General was not something of which the public needed to be aware.

". . . I'm not going to ask," Seph said, his tone flat. "But she saw you pursuing the black rider. If you feel so inclined, you only need to tell Cloud and anyone else that you were chasing him, but he got away. Which is true as far as I am concerned." He would never go out as the black rider again. It did not matter what he had to do in order to stop himself from sleepwalking in the future. It had probably happened because his mind had been so full of thoughts of the real black rider. He refused to believe that he had invented that persona.

"Yeah, I guess," Zack said, taking Pala inside. "Gosh, I hope nobody saw us at the tire place. . . ."

Sephiroth followed him to the doorway. "Do you think someone did?" he asked, urgency slipping into his voice. He gripped the doorframe, his eyes narrowed.

Zack gave a helpless shrug as he led Pala into her stall. "I dunno," he said. "It almost looked like there was a shadow at one point, but I could be wrong."

He could be, but with their luck? It was not likely.

Sephiroth ran a hand over his eyes. What a nightmare.
****
Somehow Sephiroth managed to return to his quarters without being seen. He promptly pulled off the damp black rider clothes, exchanging them for his own dark pants and a comfortable open coat. Then he sank down in the computer chair. After typing in his password at the login prompt, he found himself looking at the unfinished report, just as he had left it. That was good; he would not have to rewrite anything. But he sank back in the chair, passing a hand over his eyes again. He was so tired, both physically and emotionally. He had been exhausted enough to fall asleep sitting here, and getting up and running all over Midgar on a chocobo had not helped his body any. The thought of working more on the report right now was almost unbearable. It was not due in the morning, so perhaps he should leave it for tonight.

The door opened. "Seph?" He could hear Zack coming in, shutting the door behind him.

He looked out through his fingers. "What."

"There's something I think you need to see on TV. I turned it on while I was changing my clothes."

That brought him fully to attention. "Did someone record me?" he frowned, removing his hand from his eyes as he sat up straight.

"Don't think so," Zack said, walking to the small television set in the corner. Sephiroth rarely used it except for the news, and he and Zack both knew that it was often biased and untrue to begin with, so he usually was not interested in that, either. Shinra always made sure to slant things in their favor.

Now Sephiroth sighed, moving to look at the screen. As the picture came on, a reporter was standing in Sector 8. "Live" flashed at the top and bottom of the screen.

"The black rider has just been seen tearing down the street!" the reporter announced. "He defeated two monsters earlier, rescuing a woman who had become their prey . . ."

"That was you," Zack amended. "But hey, you were pretty cool!"

". . . And now has saved two children. He's already out of sight, but his chocobo has dropped these feathers." She held up two downy feathers as the camera went in for a closeup. Both were jet black.

Zack gave a low whistle. "Well, I guess that's the answer," he said. "This is live, so there really is another black rider."

"I never doubted it," Sephiroth said.

"Aww, it would be great, though, if you'd been the one to start it!" Zack grinned. "I mean, yeah, running around on a chocobo's not your style, but the black rider's only been helping people."

"He can keep helping them in his way," Sephiroth retorted. "We'll assist in our own."

Zack sighed. "Yeah . . ." He looked back, his spikes whipping with the motion. "So! What are you gonna do now, Seph?"

Sephiroth looked back to the computer. Making sure the document was saved, he closed it. "I'm going to bed," he said.

"Without eating?!" Zack blinked. Seph had gone right to work on the report today once the normal work routine had been completed. He had not taken time for dinner. In fact, that may have been the case for the last several nights.

"I'd rather not." Sephiroth stood up, then leaned down for the mouse. After clicking out of the word processor, he chose Shut Down from the Start menu.

Zack frowned. "Hey, maybe that's why you've been sleepwalking," he said. "You probably haven't eaten the other times you've been working on this thing, have you?"

Sephiroth straightened up, a frown gracing his own features. "I don't think so," he grunted. Last night Zack had taken him to dinner . . . and the black rider had not made an appearance.

"Then you've gotta eat something!" Zack exclaimed. "I bet your inner black rider won't come out again if you do!" He crossed the room to Seph's mini-fridge.

Sephiroth watched him, half in amusement. "So instead of wanting to help people, the black rider was just hungry," he said flatly.

"Who knows!" Zack said. "Maybe he was just working up more of an appetite. Not that he'd need to."

Sephiroth shook his head. He would humor Zack for now, especially in light of the previous evening. If he did not sleepwalk again, he would have to make certain that he did not skip another dinner.
****
At the edge of Sector 8, a figure in black pulled his chocobo around a corner. He was breathing heavily, his heart thumping in his ears. Blue eyes gleamed behind the dark mask, faintly visible in the night. Reaching up, he pulled the wide-brimmed hat lower, hoping that all the blond spikes were still concealed.

This should help, he thought to himself. No one will ever know General Sephiroth was sleepwalking.

The figure snapped the reins. The black chocobo obediently trotted off into the shadows.

Business as Usual by Crystal Rose of Pollux [Yu-Gi-Oh, fermata]

2008-06-03T09:24:45Z

Title: Business as Usual
Author: Crystal Rose of Pollux (rose_of_pollux)
Theme: 5; fermata
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh
Warnings: none; rated PG/K+
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, but the story is!
Summary: Seto Kaiba isn't about to let something so trivial as a cold keep him from his work. He isn't about to take any advice, either, but that won't stop people from giving it.
Will be cross-posted to 30_gens, 30_friends, 10_inspirations, and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4297256/1/

This ficlet was inspired by the prompts “Late-night conversation” at 30 Friends, “fermata” at 18coda, “Sick day” at 30 General, and “Change is the essence of life” at 10 Inspirations on LiveJournal. There are a few references to some of my other stories, but this story can be read independently of the others. Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters.
*********************************

It was an odd sight that greeted Yugi Muto and his friends as he was preparing to see them off that evening. A solitary light was visible in the towering office building of Kaiba Corporation, which could be seen from where they were standing. The large light was clearly coming from the largest office, which obviously belonged to Seto Kaiba. And for some reason, the light concerned them, not because he was working late, but rather because every media outlet was reporting on how ill he had become upon falling into the ocean during an altercation with a greedy usurper. They even reported, at one point, that the young CEO had been lost to them, though he eventually resurfaced, visibly unwell.

“That’s… strange,” said Mai, her eyebrows arched. “Didn’t the news say that he was calling in sick today?”

Téa nodded with a slight shudder; she had witnessed his fall into the water, and was wondering what on earth would possess him to return to work so soon, especially when he was in no condition to do so.

“You know Kaiba,” said Joey, with a roll of his eyes. “He thinks nothing can keep him down; he’s probably trying to defy everyone who thinks that he can’t overcome adversity.”

“At what cost…?” asked Yugi, concerned for his former rival.

“Well, what else can we do about it?” asked Tristan. “There’s no way he’d listen to us, so why bother? I’m out of here.”

He decided to leave, and Duke and Bakura eventually said their goodbyes and left as well. Joey was about to leave, but stopped at the look on Yugi’s face.

“Mai?” asked Yugi. “Do you think you can take me to Kaiba Corp.?”

“Yugi, why are you doing this!?” Joey asked, clapping a hand to his forehead. “You know that if you go to his office, Kaiba is just going to throw you out!”

“Kaiba probably isn’t well enough to throw him out, much less work,” said Téa. “Joey, I was there; he didn’t look well at all, and that was before he fell in. Yugi, I’m going to go with you.”

“And since I’ll be driving you there, I may as well tag along,” sighed Mai.

All eyes turned to Joey, who seemed to be waging a personal war in his mind.

“Alright, alright; I’ll come, too,” he said at last. “But if he insults me again-- even once, I’m out of there!”

*********************************

Meanwhile, Seto Kaiba was, indeed, hard at work on his computer. It made no difference that one of his arms wasn’t up to par, that his muscles were still sore, or that he had been diagnosed with a mild fever upon his return to Domino. He had reluctantly taken the day off, only doing so after Mokuba’s insistence. But that wasn’t the way he worked; he couldn’t sit idly by and rest while his company needed him.

And that was why he was here now, going over the day’s events. Who could rest at a time such as this, when his company had nearly been snatched from his hands? No; he would have to make sure that everything was once again secure and safe from greedy crooks.

He glanced quickly at the closed door. He knew that Mokuba would be waiting on the other side, half-asleep. Seto had told him not to come, but Mokuba had insisted upon doing so, in case something happened. He was still certain that Seto was not fully well, and felt as though he needed to be there in case something went wrong and Seto became worse.

But he couldn’t become worse; how could he? He had experienced the very worst, and from here on out, recovery would be easy. And the fact that he was here, back to work, was proof. Ignoring his frequent bouts of coughs, he proceeded with his work, making sure everything was as it should be.

Mokuba, in the meantime, was diligently trying to remain awake outside the door. He suppressed a yawn, concerned over his brother’s health. Mokuba wanted to think that Seto knew what he was doing, but knowing how Seto tended to show the least bit of concern for his own health when possessed by his pride didn’t give the raven-haired boy much confidence in him.

But Mokuba’s thoughts were diverted by the arrival of Yugi, Téa, Joey, and Mai as they walked down the corridor.

“What are you guys doing here so late?” he asked, surprised to see them.

“Same reason you are, I guess,” said Téa, indicating the door.

“So… how is he?” asked Yugi.

Mokuba shrugged.

“He didn’t even want to let me in; that’s why I’m waiting for him out here,” he said. “He’s been coughing a lot all day, and he didn’t take anything, even after the doctor told him that he had a fever and should rest for a few days. He says he’s alright, and he probably even believes it, but…”

“He’s not contagious, right?” asked Joey, causing Mai to elbow him in the ribs. “Ow! I was just saying that he probably doesn’t want us showing up anyway, and if he’s contagious, maybe we shouldn’t--”

“Of course he isn’t contagious,” said Mokuba, with a roll of his eyes. “But I seriously doubt that he wants anyone around…”

“Well, he can’t keep us away,” said Mai. She opened the door, and entered in along with the others.

Seto glanced up from his laptop for a fleeting instant, to identify the visitors. Upon realizing who they were, he immediately went back to work.

“I always thought that you restricted your friendship campaigns to broad daylight,” he said, not looking at them directly. “Bit late for you to be parading around, isn’t it?”

“Oh, and it isn’t too late for you to be working?” asked Téa folding her arms in feigned annoyance. In truth, she was worried for the young businessman, but saw no reason to let him know it.

“Not that it’s any of your concern, but I’ve pulled all-nighters several times in the past without drawing a crowd,” Seto replied. “I, for one, don’t see why tonight should be any different.”

“Kaiba, I think you know why we’re here,” said Yugi.

“Yes, Yugi, I do know,” the CEO answered. “And since you probably know what my reply will be, you might as well leave, since you won’t be able to convince me that you’re right.”

“Look, it’s not like we’re trying to get you involved in another ‘mind trick,’ as you call it; in fact, it’s just the opposite,” said Joey. “Do you want us to spell it out for you? You’re not well, Kaiba.”

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion, Doctor Wheeler,” Seto replied, sarcastically.

Joey clenched his teeth, but Yugi quickly spoke up before the blond youth could retort.

“Téa told us exactly what happened,” he said. “Why are you working when you should be focusing on getting better?”

Seto glanced back at them now, and his condition became clearer; he was visibly pale and sweaty, and his normally vibrant blue eyes were slightly sunken. And the others had noticed from the beginning that the businessman’s normally rich, commanding voice was rather hoarse.

“You would never understand,” Seto replied. “I can’t casually toss aside my responsibilities.”

“So you’re tossing aside your health instead?” asked Mai. “Smart, Kaiba; very smart…”

“Since all of you have recently developed an interest in health, why don’t you leave me to my work and go apply to med school?” the CEO retorted.

“I’m surprised that you got ill at all,” said Téa. “You’d think that you’d be too stubborn for any cold or fever.”

Seto merely countered with a roll of his eyes and returned back to his computer screen. Mokuba let out an audible sigh; he had fully expected the conversation to go this way.

“Kaiba, can’t you see that we want you to get better?” asked Yugi. “We’re your friends, Kaiba--”

“Friends?” asked Seto, as though he had misheard. “Haven’t I mentioned in the past that I’ve never needed friends, and that I never will?”

“Frequently,” the four replied in unison, prompting Seto to roll his eyes again.

“Then why can’t you understand that simple concept?”

“Because they’re right, Seto; they’ve helped us out far too many times for you to just ignore them,” said Mokuba, coming forward. “And they’re right in saying that you shouldn’t even be here right now; you should be at home. The fact that you’re able to work is because you were fortunate enough to make it back here, in spite of that cough, fever, and any other afflictions that you haven’t mentioned.”

“And believe it or not, Kaiba, we’re worried about you,” said Téa. “I don’t know why; but we are.”

Seto didn’t reply. Oh, he had heard these speeches about friendship countless times before. And he had tried his very best to ignore them. But the more he tried to dismiss them, the more the lectures came… and the more they seemed to make some mild sort of sense. But his pride wouldn’t allow him to admit that so easily, especially in front of them.

“Thank you all for your counsel, which was completely not requested,” Seto said, focusing on his computer screen.

Now it was Téa’s turn to sigh. She didn’t like the thought of giving up on anyone, but Seto Kaiba seemed determined to never change. But she knew that they still wouldn’t give up; they would keep trying, and maybe one day he would see that they were right. She just hoped that he would be in a good enough state of health to appreciate it.

The four friends reluctantly took their leave of the brothers. Seto tried to focus his mind back on his work, but it wasn’t easy. After trying to ignore another wave of coughs, he had to admit that he wasn’t at his best. And Kaiba Corporation always deserved the best.

Mokuba was still in the room now, standing with his arms folded as well. Clearly, he wasn’t going to move from that spot until Seto was either finished with his work, or would have to quit.

With a slightly frustrated sigh, Seto closed the cover of the laptop.

“One of these days…” he said, with a false air of scorn. “They’re going to seem too reasonable to perpetually ignore.”

Mokuba sent a silent thanks to the others.

************************

Mai was pulling the car out when the group noticed, after glancing in one of the side mirrors, that the light in the office had gone out. There was a stunned silence, as they realized that he was, in fact, going home.

“Get well soon,” Téa thought.

And with that, the friends went on their way. Seto Kaiba may be a walking mystery all his own, but whether he accepted it or not, he was their friend. True, he would be inclined to deny it, but the way things seemed to be was that when someone denied that they needed friends, it meant that they needed friends more than ever. And they would be there for him, whether he liked it or not.