Ehh... Well, here's chapter 3... I probably won't be able to update for a rather long time as we just started a new semester at school and the classes I'm in provide hardly any time to do much else. I'll finish and post chapter four as soon as I can though. It's almost halfway done right now. Can't wait till spring break!
Um... Rating is still T... I don't know why I keep saying that...
Warnings are still the same: gayness, puppyshipping, yaoi, shonen ai, slash. I'll probably add some thiefshipping later on as a request by a friend of mine plus I just think it's cute.
Ehh... Disclaimer, I own nothing... Aside from a bunch of pictures.
Chapter Three: Search
Not long after the incident had taken place, the limo came to a stop in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere with a bunch of old and rotting buildings, and the chauffeur opened the door for the two of them to slide out. The instant Seto was free of his confines, he stretched. Joey, on the other hand, was standing awkwardly next to the limo with his hands stuffed into his pocket and looking around.
"This place is creepy..." he muttered. "Why would there be a bunch of computer programs here?"
"There aren't," the other boy responded, gesturing towards a subway system. "Most of them are underground."
"In the subway? You've got to be kidding me."
"I wish I was. It's dark down there, and my corporation didn't exactly create night vision goggles."
"Great, so how are we going to find them?"
"You'll see. Just be ready to duel." He then turned back to the chauffeur. "Wait here, Demetri. Hopefully this won't take too long."
"Yes, Sir."
***
As Kaiba had said, the subway was dark. As a matter of fact, it was pitch black. Joey had been in these stations many times before, but they had always had electric lighting. He turned to the other boy.
"Where are all the lights?"
"There aren't any," Seto responded carelessly, stepping past him and into the darkness. "You're not scared of the dark, are you?"
"No, but I am scared of rogue computer programs that could be hiding in it. I think I'm going to need a night light once this whole thing is over."
"Take my hand, Wheeler."
Joey eyed the other boy's hand suspiciously. "Eh... I'm a little scared of physical contact."
"Suit yourself, but if we get separated, and something happens to you, I'm not taking the blame."
Grumbling, the shorter boy took the hand that was being offered to him. "Fine."
Seto smiled proudly and dragged his companion off through the blackness that was once a subway station. "Be careful if you see anyone in here," he warned. "He could be a harmless hobo, but he could also be a program. These guys can take the form of pretty much any living thing."
"Even a cat?"
"Even a cat."
"Well then, I just won't talk to anybody in that case."
"Oh yes you will. How else are you going to challenge them to a duel?"
"How the hell am I even supposed to see them in this darkness?"
"Your eyes will adjust."
***
And his eyes did adjust, granted that it seemed to take forever, he could eventually make out the silhouettes and shapes of the pillars and the posters that were scattered about in the underground sanctuary. There was a soda machine against the wall next to the tracks, but that was all that he could really make out around the place aside from the occasional glimpse of what appeared to be a head or a small animal scuttling across the floor.
Seto continued to drag the smaller boy through the empty space until they came to what appeared to be a crack of light shining from behind a door.
"Are we going in there?" Joey inquired warily. "It looks kind of sinister."
"It's an anime. Of course we're going in there."
"Great," he muttered as the two of them approached the door. Seto reached out his hand and pushed it inwards to reveal the source of the light, which was a random light bulb hanging by a few wires from the ceiling.
"This is odd..." the blond muttered as he and his partner entered the room.
"It is," agreed Seto. "It looks like it was once used as a bathroom or something."
"That's impossible. If it was a bathroom, then where are all of the toilets?"
"I said 'once', you moron."
"Oh... Right."
"Anyway, we have some programs to destroy, but there doesn't seem to be any in here; so if you don't mind, I'd like move on."
"Whatever you say, Kaiba."
Just as the two boys turned around to leave, they were ambushed by a small group of the said programs which they had sought to destroy. Each one had taken a different shape: some looked just like the ones that Joey had witnessed earlier in their black hooded cloaks, while others had taken the forms of animals. Both boys let go of each other's hands and miraculously got out their duel disks, loading their decks.
"What cards did you even put in here?" Joey inquired of the other boy.
"Just duel."
"Right!"
At the exact same time, both of them raised their voices and called out "It's time to duel!"
"Two on two?" one of the programs hissed.
"Excellent," another added.
"At least they play fair," Joey observed as the two figures took their own stances a few yards in front of himself and his partner.
"Unfortunately, there are only two of us, but there are a bunch more of them."
"I guess that takes the fairness out of it then, huh? So what do we do?"
"What else can we do? Just shut up and duel."
"Right," the other boy agreed.
They each gave each other a nod and drew seven cards from their decks.
"So are we dueling as a team or individually?"
The eyes of Seto Kaiba narrowed. "I never work with anyone."
The blond boy smiled sheepishly. "Right. I guess I forgot."
But just then a small smile crept onto Seto's face. "But I think I can make an exception just this once."
The sheepish smile on Joey's face reformed into a warmer one. He gave his partner a nod and announced "I play my..." He paused, realizing that he couldn't read this strange foreign language. "...Whatever this thing is in attack mode and place one card face down to start the duel."
Kaiba rolled his eyes, ignoring the stupid mutt standing next to him. This was going to be a long duel.
***
By the time they had finished dueling three times in a row, both boys were positively exhausted, but there were still more programs. The next duo stepped up to take on their challenge.
"What do we do now, Kaiba?" Joey demanded.
"Right now? Right now we run!"
And after a quick flashback to the not-so-distant past, Joey pushed through the remaining programs and fled as far away as possible, Seto not trailing too far behind. They didn't stop until they got back outside to the limousine. Not even giving the chauffeur a chance to open the doors for them, Seto opened it himself and practically fell into the car, Joey joining him shortly.
"Where to now, Master Kaiba?"
"Just drive, Demetri!"
"Yes, Sir." With that, the car started instantly. The engine rolled over, and the driver sped away.
Joey glanced out the window behind them and sighed with relief. The programs were just making it out of the building. He turned back around, sliding down in the seat and resting his head on the brunette's shoulder.
Seto weakly tried to shrug him off, but it didn't solve much. Instead, he ended up sliding down in the seat as well. He knew it was bad for his perfect posture, but right now, Seto Kaiba could really care less.
"Are there any hotels around here?" the young CEO inquired to no one in particular.
"Yes, Sir. Will you be staying in one tonight, Sir?" Demetri responded.
"It appears we have no other choice."
"Yes, Sir."
"Why is that, Kaiba?" Joey interrupted.
The rich boy turned to the other, giving him a slightly irritated look. "Did you see how many programs we still had left in there? All of those have to be exterminated, completely wiped out!"
"Oh yeah, that."
"Which hotel, Master Kaiba?"
"Whichever is fine. I can pay any price they ask."
"Let me guess," the shorter boy groaned. "I'm sleeping outside?"
"Do what you like. I'm sleeping in a bed either way."
***
Seto Kaiba crawled under the covers of the hotel bed at last, relieved to finally be in a fairly comfortable bed. It wasn't his usual overstuffed mattress from home or his four poster canopy bed, but it would just have to do for tonight. In the morning, the young CEO planned to take himself a nice warm shower before going back out on the prowl.
Just then, his eyes landed on the figure that was curled up on the floor beside his bed. This was Joey, poor, pitiful, pathetic Joey. He was shivering from the cold, and he really didn't look all too comfortable.
Their original intention had been to get separate rooms, but it had turned out that there was only one room left, and both boys had been too tired to go find another hotel. While Demetri had to spend the night on watch duty in the car outside, Seto and Joey had agreed to sleep in the same room as long as they didn't have to be too close to each other.
Looking at the poor whimpering dog now, Kaiba slightly regretted their little agreement. He let out a soft sigh before finally coming to a decision and speaking.
"Mutt."
Joey lifted his head, glaring angrily at the other boy in the darkness.
"You've been a good dog today, so I'll let you sleep in my bed just for tonight."
Though he was still slightly pissed off, poor Joey was cold. It didn't appear that he really had much choice in the matter.
"Really?"
"Yes, now get up here before I change my mind."
Without any further hesitation, the blond headed boy leaped up onto the bed, circled himself three times, and lay down next to Seto.
"Not so close," the brunette muttered. "I might get infected."
The other hmphed and rolled over to face away from his partner.
Is that just Kaiba's way of showing that he cares or is he just yanking my chain? Joey wondered to himself. Either way, he was happy to be sleeping in a warm cozy bed instead of on the cold hardwood floor.
Opinions are lovely, R&R, all that stuff. And I've enabled anonymous reviews now, so if you wanna do that you can... Umm oh and also thanks everyone else who read and/or reviewed my last two chapters... I generally reply to reviews but one or two people don't receive PMs, so thank you all very much. It was very appreciated. I'll update as soon as I can. 3